Our homework (gaan-baan… I think?) last week was say "hello, how are you, I'm good/not good, thank you, and what is your name, my name is Marie" all in Thai to 5 Thai staff around GIS campus. The first 4 days I was throughly freaked out by this assignment. Not only was I speaking a foreign language, which frankly feels like I'm memorizing random sounds that somehow hold meaning to the Thai's, but I was having to speak to complete strangers while doing it!
Then Saturday, I went for a hike to this GIANT Buddha statue/Temple (wat - thai for temple, See? I'm learning!!) and on the way back my friend encouraged me to speak to the guards by the school gate. So together we went up and said our shpeal. The guards loved it and were laughing and smiling, asking our names as well. One's name was Pom Mon Ka (I think…) and the other's name was Ed! It was really fun to talk with Thais in their language, and encouraged both my friend and I in attempting to speak more often. We walked back into the school and were whooping and hollering our excitement (in the typical American fashion - no jai yen yen here! [cool heart- not showing emotion is a big part of thai culture] ) at speaking thai.
I had a whole conversation in Thai! I'm doomed when the person I'm speaking diverts from the script I know, but its fun nevertheless to attempt to speak Thai with Thais :)
All else is great! My kids are wonderful and such a fun class. We've gotten into the swing of things and lessons are picking up the pace now that most classroom procedures have been taught.
Prayer requests:
All of Elementary staff will be going on a retreat about 45 minutes outside of Chiang Mai all day Friday to Noon Saturday. As with the last retreat, I'm struggling with the idea of not having down alone time, being the introvert that I am. Please pray I don't go into my shell during that time, and that relationships within the Elementary Staff would deepen.
Additionally, this time of the year is going to be hard. Its getting close to being the longest stretch of time I've gone without going home and physically seeing my family. I feel like I'm teetering on an emotional edge when I don't have enough to do. In talking to family and friends, I can see how the distance and time difference are starting to wear on us all. Please pray for allowances of time where I can break down, cry and feel desperately homesick, as well as strength when I need to buck up and not cry.
Tomorrow all of new staff will leave school early to drive to city hall in town to pick up our work permits. Please pray that all goes smoothly with no issues or hangups
Praise!! I'm now 95% financially supported for the entire year!! I'm so thankful for your prayer and financial support in this crazy adventure God has called me to. I know WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT (which is a huge praise in itself) that this is where I'm supposed to be.
To close in the words of Corrie ten Boom's mother said to Corrie, from her book In My Father's House, "If you wish to serve the Lord by educating missionary children, I believe it would be a very worth-while pursuit… This is a faith mission… foster parents (teachers) must live by faith like the missionaries. I thought perhaps it could be something for you." God has me here, in my worth-while faith mission, and there is no where else I'd rather be.
Pictures from the Big Buddha Hike
