It has been too long since my last update, but it has been a very busy couple of weeks. So much has happened and God has done so much!
Last week was full of both funny and exciting things.
Tuesday night (Jan 17), we taught our first devotional to the kids. I volunteered to teach the middle group of kids - those ranging from ages 10-13. We taught three devotions that week, but my favorite was a lesson on trusting God. We started out having them do a "trust fall." That is where one person falls straight back, trusting the person behind them will catch them. (Of course, this time we were the ones doing the catching!) We explained to the kids how it can be scary and hard to fully trust God with every situation, but trusting God is very much like the trust fall. And, sometimes we just have to blindly fall, by turning it all over to God, believing He will catch us. We had the children share different moments in their lives when they had to trust God. It was really inspiring to hear their testimonies. The things they talked about ranged from big to small and that gave us the opportunity to tell them God cares about ALL of our problems - no matter how big or small.
Last Saturday (January 21), we spent the day out at the land (the orchard and future home to all the children) with all of the kids. I was really tired that morning, because Mariah and I had two of the girls (we call them "our Thai daughters") from the home spend the night before with us at our house. One of them is 3 and the other is 5. We stayed up late eating all sort of snacks and playing with balloons. In Thai culture, parents and children to sleep in the same bed, so all four of us piled up in one bed! Like most small children, they were all over the bed, even in their sleep, so Mariah and I did not get much rest. But, the girls were so sweet, it was totally worth it. When we got to the land on Saturday we spent the morning getting water balloons ready! While we were filling them we noticed man leaves just falling from the sky. It literally looked like it was raining leaves. The leaves were so far above the tree line, it looked like they were falling from the clouds. We all stood amazed, and confused about where all the leaves were coming from. After some discussion, we realized this had been caused by a bomb going off in Burma. Burma is just on the other side of a mountain which sits right behind the land and hearing bombs go off is a regular thing when we are at the land. Each time I hear one of the blasts, my heart breaks and I just begin praying protection over the people there.
We played games with the kids - red rover, freeze tag, a three legged race and many more. At the end of the day we passed out new Barbies to all the girls and Connects toys to the boys. They were so excited to receive them, and it was such a blessing for me to help hand them out and see the joy on the children's faces. It is amazing how happy some dollar store toys can make these kiddos. They are so just so grateful for even the smallest things, because they have so little.
The rest of the week we kept our usual schedule. Sunday morning we watch the babies and then in the afternoon go to house church. Monday - Friday, Mariah and I get up i the morning and go to a cute little coffee shop with internet access (although we did finally get internet at the house!) and we work on homework while enjoying our morning coffee or tea. After lunch we spend the early afternoon working at the Life Impact office. We do all sorts of things from cleaning to filing and this week we even stained a wall! In the late afternoon and evening, we go to the children's home. I love interacting with the children each afternoon and night. They rock my world.
I cannot express how great if feels when we come riding up on our Mopeds and the children start yelling "Katie! Mariah!" over and over, until we get our bikes parked. They just stand in order, anticipating huge hugs from each us! They may not realize it, but this moment is my very favorite part of my day!
On Thursday, we went to the city dump for the first time. I had seen pictures and videos, but they did not begin to express the poverty. I couldn't speak most of the time I was there, from just the utter shock of seeing how the people there actually live. When we pulled up, the kids were getting home from school, so we walked behind them down the road as they ran to their homes. The families who live in, on and by the the dump, build their homes out of whatever materials they can find. They build their homes right on top of and in the middle of the trash. The parents, and even some of the kids (the ones not allowed to go to school, because they help work), spend all day, every day sorting trash! They search for items which can be used or recycled for a little bit of money. A man in one of the houses was selling food items to support his family. We each bought candy and snacks, then started handing them out to the kids. As we walked around handing out candy, God really began to speak to me about how blessed I was to be born where I was born and with to the parents to which I was born. These children living in the dump in Thailand, are just like any children anywhere, born into a situation not of their choosing. Most of them live their life not knowing anything other than living in the dump among the trash and the smell, yet they are still just kids laughing and playing - just being kids. They live in the constant fear the police will decide its time to "clean up" again. About twice a year, the police take everything (which is not much) from the people living in the dump and tear down the shelters in an attempt to make them leave, but having no where else to go and nothing else to do, they just come back and start from square one. As I was processing these thoughts, one of the children wanted to sit on my lap as I was handing out candy. What a thrill to be able to give (and receive) from these lovely children. I can't wait to go back this Saturday. I'll have more time and we will be distributing food and water.
After leaving the dump, we went to the border of Burma and Thailand (only about a 10 minute drive from my house.) A river, bordered by barbed wire fencing guarded by police, separates the two countries. Most days the police just ignore the people illegally crossing the river (instead of paying the toll to cross the bridge.) However, from time to time, they will crack down and arrest people crossing illegally, and take them to jail. While near the border, we bought some fruit and gave it to the many children who beg for money. We witnessed a boat bring people across the river from Burma, pull up to a wall along the river, where the Burmese people climbed up a make shift ladder up the wall to the sidewalk we were on, and walk right past the police into Thailand. It was crazy! When looking across the river into Burma, I could easily tell the difference between it and Thailand. My heart hurt for Burma and the people so affected by the genocide going on in that country. Again I was very thankful for the blessing of where I was born.
Friday morning, Mariah and I taught our first lesson in the school in the Muslim slums. We teach a class of 1st & 2nd graders, followed by a class of 3rd & 4th graders. It was a surreal moment for me as I walked up to the front of the class and all of the kids stood up and yelled "Good Morning Teacher" and then bowed. This was a moment I have dreamed about for the past 4 years as I have studied to be a teacher. Every thing about it - from the smelly, open-air classroom with just a white board, and each child with only a notebook and pencil on which to learn - was PERFECT! We will teach for 2 hours every Monday and Friday morning. We use an interpreter to help us teach and are trying our hardest to teach the kids in the most fun ways possible. We sing songs and play games during our lessons. About 60% of our lesson time is spent with the kids standing up and interacting with each other and with us. It is completely different than any school they have ever experienced, but they love it - and they are learning!
After our lesson, we walked around the slums with Sam (a girl our age who is living here as a missionary with Life Impact as we are.) She introduced us to a family she and her husband have come to know and like. They invited us to sit and visit with them on their porch. We only intended to stay for a few minutes, but we ended up staying for over an hour talking to them through Bo Nium, our interpreter. At the end of our visit they invited us to eat lunch with them when we came back on Monday. They expressed how happy they were we took the time to visit with them. They said most Americans who come to the slums just walk by, wave and take pictures. I was so honored they asked us to have lunch with their family! They have 3 children and only the husband works. He has a push-cart from which he sells eggs and rangoon. They have so very little, yet the invited us to share their lunch. So sweet!
On Saturday, we helped Empower Ministries (based out of Tulsa) with an outreach. We drove 45 minutes to an unreached village near a stone factory. Pastor Moses (a pastor who often helps with Life Impact) shared the gospel with the young adults and the children there. All of the kids who were there that day accepted Jesus! It was so awesome! After the service, each child received a new pair of shoes! We also handed out juice and a snack to each of them. The older kids in the village performed a dance for us as a way of expressing their thanks. It was incredible! They had obviously spent a great deal of time in practice, and they did such a great job. It was wonderful as we drove off to see the kids walking around in new shoes!
I cannot express how incredible these last couple of weeks have been. God has been teaching me so many things. I love how faithful He always is to me - no matter what! I have so much more I'd love to write in that regard, but I'll save them for my next update! And I PROMISE the next update will come more quickly!
Thank you so much for all of the prayers and support! I love everything about Thailand and the work I am doing while here. It has all been wonderful - even when I got lice from the sleepover with the girls!
Please continue to lift me up in pray, and also for my family while I am away. When God begins doing amazing things the enemy will always attack! 2 Corinthians 12:10
Serving HIM in Thailand,
Katie
During the two month summer break at Farmhouse Primary School, all I could think about was the moment I would once again walk to the front of the classroom and hear the students say, "Good Morning Teacher! Thank you Teacher!" Every time it happens, it is such an amazing feeling and all I can do is smile uncontrollably. I couldn't wait to take off my shoes, walk to the front of that class, and hear those sweet words from those precious children.
My first class this semester was 2nd and 3rd graders. I was so happy to see all their familiar, beautiful smiles. I was also pleased to see 4 new eager smiles! We spent our 1st class period making name tags, with each child learning to write their names in English. The idea behind the name tags was not just to teach them to write their name in English, but to help me! With 40 students, whose names are in a language I don't speak, it is nearly impossible to learn even just a few of their names, not to mention all 40 of them. I took the time to learn to say each child's name correctly by them saying it over and over to me. Then, I asked each student different questions, such as what they did over their summer break or what was their favorite thing to do just for fun. The children loved getting to take time to talk about themselves, and have the entire class listen. With economic conditions being so harsh for these families, the children get very little attention at home or any where else.
Over the 2 month summer break, I have spent much time ministering in the community, and in doing so, have come to understand even more the hopelessness and hurt of these people. My heart's passion to make a difference in the lives of these children is far greater than before. And, I am most passionate about sharing the love of God and the joy and hope and eternal life which are found only in Him. I want each one of these precious children to realize it is possible for them to have a life far beyond that of their families. These children are so bright and have unlimited potential, I just know deep down in my heart they are going to be different than the rest of their community. I cannot even begin to express how thankful I am to God - and especially for each of you who have supported me financially - for this opportunity to be a participant in the awesome plan God has for these special kids!
Please keep them in your prayers - especially that they would find life and salvation in Jesus, so that generational curses and chains would be broken from their lives.
