Just taking it all in

I was considering not writing this blog anymore.  It has been almost 4 months since I posted last and I'm not faithful at writing anyways.  I will give it one more try and see if I do any better in 2012. 

Taking it all in is the perfect title to summarize my life.  I had 3 wonderful months in America (January-April).  I got to travel to several states and see almost all of my family and friends.  I didn't get to go everywhere and see everyone but almost.  I felt like 3 months was the perfect amount of time.  I enjoyed the wonderful weather in America and the great food but most of all just spending quality time with family and friends. 

Now I'm back in Bangkok and happy to be back.  Although the weather is very very very hot!!!  April is the hottest month of the year.  It has been around 100 and above every day.  I go through clothes quickly since I have to wear at least 2 outfits a day. 

I'm now back studying Thai at Union Language school.  I really want to be fluent in Thai so I'm trying to work very hard to get it this time around.  So far it hasn't been too hard because now I have 3 years of experience listening to Thai people speak.  It is a whole different experience then what I had 3 years ago when I first arrived and studied Thai.  3 years ago I was so lost and had no idea what the teacher was saying and spent hours just trying to understand and complete my homework.  Now I understand almost everything the teacher says and it takes me only about 10-20 minutes to do my homework, but I am trying to study 1-2 hours so I will get more of the vocabulary.

There are lots of changes in my ministry since coming back.  I am now only focusing on reaching Chulalongkorn University.  It is the #1 university in Thailand and has about 24,000 + students.  I am really excited to see the doors that God is going to open there. 

Well that is a very brief summary of the many things I'm trying to take all in at this time.  Hopefully more blogs to come in the future!

3 years and a visit to America

It's hard to believe that I have been living in Thailand now for 3 whole years!!  It has become my life and I can't imagine anything different.  Some days I could do without the hot and humid weather but overall I just love it here.

If I took the time to really reflect on what God has done in my life in the past 3 years I would be writing on this blog more often.  I have so much to be thankful for as God has chosen to put so many wonderful opportunities, ministries, and Thai people in my life daily.  When I take some time to reflect and look back I am in awe.  I know I am not worthy and I know I have so much growing I need to do personally in my spiritual life but God chooses to use me anyways.  I am very thankful for that! 

I'm going to list a few of those doors that God has opened for me here in the past 3 years and I'm likely to forget some because He has opened so many.

* Teaching opportunities in the classroom at Sripatum University (SPU)
*Discipling some students who became new believers at Sripatum University
*Summer Team Ministry at SPU (2009,2010)
*Discipling one professor at SPU who became a believer
*Tutoring students at SPU
*Bible storying in English with students at SPU

*Teaching opporunity for freshman and sophomore chemistry students at Rangsit University

*Bible storying with P'Thai (worker) at Chulalongkorn University
*Bible storying with Aom and Pang (work in the chemistry department) at Chulalongkorn University
*Taking the summer team to Chulalongkorn (summer 2011)
*Meeting a student named Ant weekly at Chulalongkorn

*Just recently the Lord opened a door to a new University called Rajamangala Jakaphong Univ.

*Teaching Bible/English every Thursday night at the BSC (started in January of 2011)
*Teaching regular English classes at the BSC Monday nights

*Discipling many new believers using t4t (training 4 trainers)
*Starting new cell groups

**And many more great blessings!  Looking forward to seeing family and friends in America soon.

Baptism December 5, 2011

6 New Believers baptized!!

Fah, Kaew, Nan, Gig, Aom, Fon (left to right)

Nan Baptized

Where to begin??

I have been really bad about updating my blog these days. That is never good because too much time passes and I forget to update you on exciting things that happened or I simply just forget things that really are blog worthy.

 

 

The most recent one I don't think I will be forgetting anytime soon. This past monday december 5th we went to the beach to baptize 6 new believers! That is the 6th Baptism I have been able to be a part of in my 3 years here. I was so excited to see 6 ladies get baptized but the one that was the most special to me was Nan.

 

 

I met Nan about 1 year ago at the BSC. She is a University student. One evening I saw 2 girls sitting at the BSC waiting for class dressed in their university uniforms so I went to talk to them (Nan and Jae). I invited them to join my free Bible English class on Thursday nights and they did and have been faithful to come ever since that day. Both Nan and Jae have shown a lot of interest in the Gospel since they first started studying the Bible. This past summer at camp both of them were seeking but Nan was the one who made the choice to follow Christ in August. She is so faithful to study the Bible weekly and comes to church faithfully. She shared immediately with her mom about her decision and has never waivered. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do in her life and how He is going to use her to reach her own people. Please pray for Nan as even this Friday 16th I will go with her to her campus to tell her friends the real story about Christmas (her idea).

Flood waters Remain

My home is still flood free but so many Thai people are still suffering with flood waters after almost a month. The water appears to be receding in many areas which is a good sign but they are still predicting 2 weeks to a month to get rid of all of it. I have been able to help in a few ways but I wish I knew what to do so that I could do more to help people.

Once the water leaves the clean up process will be a large task so I'm hoping to be able to help many people clean their homes and move back the things that are still salvageable. I feel like that is something that I can do to help people in the recovering process.

Although my home doesn't have any flood water my daily life is affected in many ways by this flood. Here are a list of a few of them

*There is a water and food shortage at all of the stores. It's weird when you walk in a store and half of the shelves are empty and all of the normal things you look for aren't there.

*The Universities still reamain closed and are likely to stay closed until December. This limits my work during the day time. I'm trying to keep busy and make the most of each day.

*I can't go to some of the places that I often go because of the flood waters.

My list has just a few minor ways that the flood is affecting me but really my heart breaks for the people that have lost everything and just want to go home and start over but still have to wait for the water to leave so that can happen.

Please pray for the people in Thailand. I know God has a great plan for everything that happens.

New Beginnings

Despite the flooding problems that continue to be a huge problem in Bangkok there are new things taking place in my life. This past week I moved into a new condo even more into the heart of the city. I now live on the 12th floor of a 28 floor condo building. I can look out my window and balcony and see the skyscrapers lit up all around me. I also have a great view of the sky train (above ground transportation system) coming and going from the station that is about a 3 minute walk from my home.

I have only lived here a few nights and have already fallen in love with it in so many ways. I love that I have a kitchen (fairly small) with a mini oven and an individual burner that I can plug into the wall. I can cook now!!! I can only cook one thing at a time on the burner and the oven is small but I can cook and am so excited about it. The other night I made macaroni and cheese and corn bread (jiffy mix). It was so much fun to cook again. I have to learn how to grocery shop again.

I also love that the place to do laundry is on the 7th floor which is also the location of the pool and the work out center. This is great because you can put a load of laundry in and exercise and come back and put it in the dryer and exercise some more. I desperately need to get into a good exercise routine. I have slacked in that area and need to discipline myself to bring it back.

This week will also bring about new beginnings work related. A new 7 week term will start at the BSC (Baptist Student Center) this week. I will teach 2 classes on Monday nights from 5:00-6:30 p.m. and then 7:00-8:30 p.m. and then will teach the free Bible/English class on Thursday nights at both of those times. I always meet new students every term and then continue building relationships with the ones I already know. My class on Monday nights at 7:00 is already full and I have 23 students. I'm not sure yet about my 5:00 class on Monday.

Another new beginning that I am REALLY EXCITED about will take place this Friday (Nov. 4th). I will start a new cell group/Bible study at my home on Friday nights (6:00-8:00) training some of our new Christian young ladies. P'Pom will help me with this group also. She is my Thai partner in the ministry. We will invite the following girls so please pray for them: Nan, Fon, Aom, Mum, Fah, Kaew, Luktarn. They have all become Christians in the past 3 months. They are already being discipled on Sunday afternoons but this group will give them another way to learn more about God's Word and how to share it with others.

All of these things will start this week as long as the flood waters do not reach this area. I'm thankful that they have not reached me yet but am trying to help others in need who have been affected by the flood. God is in control of everything so all of these new beginnings will start sometime soon (in God's perfect timing) and I'm excited about all of it!!

Flood or No Flood- that is the question?

Will Bangkok flood in the city is the million dollar question these days? A few days ago the word was that the water was receding and that Bangkok was spared. Today the news is that many dams and other safety nets built have failed and the water is coming this way. The outskirts of Bangkok have already been hit and people are leaving their homes.

I went on another food run today just in case because I was already starting to eat the food I bought before so that it didn't go bad. Right now I just wake up every day and check the news, look outside, and carry on with my normal day if I don't see water.

I have a large bin full of water in my bathroom also just in case I need it in the future to take a shower. I have plenty of drinking water stored too.

If the flood will hit my area it should happen within the next day or so and after that it should be clear sailing. Today it didn't rain for the first time in a long time which is good. The rainy season should actually end by the end of this month so we should be on the mend soon.

Please pray for the many areas and people devastated by the flood already.