...You Thought We had Rain?

Rainy Season: the flooding due to rain in my neighborhood of Bangkok, Thailand, this week.

Fear of Clouds

In my neighborhood in Thailand, we couldn't see clouds and the sky too much. During my walk from my house to the office (2 blocks), I'd have to remind myself to look up and admire the sky. It was always sunny, so there wasn't much change.

Since coming home, these rain clouds scare me. One drive home from Asheville to Charlotte, I seriously was afraid of the looming really big dark clouds to the left of the highway. I could totally imagine some crazy Twister-movie tornado jumping out of one and coming at me. It's so crazy. I've always loved thunderstorms. But I'm having to adjust back to weather.

Approved!

I was approved! I am a long-term missionary to Thailand. Thanks for your prayers!

Highs and Lows

As I have been learning about support raising, budgets, and communications this week...the speaker mentioned one missionary who wrote a "Weather Report" to their supporters each week(?) telling them their highs and lows of ministry that week. Here goes mine on this evaluation week this week.

Highs:
-Tonight's group fun night at Jillian's: I became completely addicted to this dance arcade game, where you step to the moves of songs. So fun! It made up for my dance deprivation in Thailand.
-Talking with Tom Stewart, the head of MTW Streetchild ministry: He listened well and gave me feedback about my part in the mercy ministry/ slum community work in Thailand.
-New Friends: I love meeting fellow future missionaries at these meetings. What a joy it has been to hear about God's work in India, Cambodia, Ukraine, and Africa.

Lows:
-Losing a racing arcade game: I used to love the racing games the best at arcades. But I couldn't even go straight and the three guys I was playing with were cracking up laughing at me. I was blaming it on the two years I haven't driven in Thailand. Then, I found out my game was broken, it wasn't me! Woohoo!
-Anemic: I was found to be iron anemic when I got back from Thailand. It causes me to feel so drained! I'm taking my supplements three times a day, but pray for me to recover quickly!
-Calling Guidance: I still feel a strong call to mercy ministry to the slum community, Mahathai. I have talked to lots of people at the office and gotten lots to think about as I want more training, resources, and strategic support.
-Interview is tomorrow!

Interview & Orientation Week

This week I'm back in Atlanta to be interviewed one last time and orientated to Mission to the World as a long-term candidate to missions. I arrived here last night after a long drive in the rain! The hotel I'm staying at is starting to feel like home. This is my third time here. It's giving me flashbacks to when I first arrived here for debriefing on my first week home.

Please pray that I would spend quality time with God in prayer this week. Pray that I will be joyful in spirit to encourage the other candidates. Pray that I will be open and honest in my interview. Pray that I will get clarification on this season of my life. Thanks so much!

Last Moments

Kieow, one of my Thai friends, sent me some last pictures she took before I left for America. I hope you enjoy these like I did.
My neighbors next door--they make food from the NE of Thailand. I taught them some English to help them communicate with the new American missionary intern coming to live at my house after I left.
Last Sunday of worship before I left. Some of the kids wanted to take a picture with me.
At my goodbye party, we have a tradition of surrounding the person leaving and praying for them together. It was very special to me to be prayed for by those I love in Thailand.
One of the older ladies in Mahathai. I visited her often while there. We wanted to take one picture together before I left.

Able to Present!

I finished my first presentation for a women's luncheon today at my church. Earlier this week, that idea frightened me. I used to love giving presentations, but my heart wasn't ready to speak about everything yet. Yet the Lord showed me in Proverbs that "Fear is a snare, but those that trust in the Lord are safe." What a blessing! A retired missionary from France was there as well as a missionary's mom to the Philippines. They were full of wisdom. Thank you for your prayers. I loved sharing the joy I have for Thailand today.

The Papaya Salad Dance

This picture just makes me laugh. The youth team from Illinois was leaving the next day. We were having the usual Joy Kids Club on Saturdays in the Mahathai Community Center. The kids said goodbye to them by teaching them the very hilarious papaya salad dance. As you can see, one hand is holding the mortar (the bowl) as another hand is mixing with the pestal (the stick to mix with). Kieow is trying to help them. Isn't it sweet?

Preparing Presentations

I will give what the people demand--to hear about Thailand! Yes, the demand is high. So to the right you will find my latest speaking engagements if you want to come hear about God's faithfulness in Thailand and my two years of service there.

Starting preparations has been tough. Adjusting back here has been full of every emotion in the book. Thankfully as I shared these feelings with the Lord, he has been faithful to give me more peace and joy in the sharing.

As I started my first Powerpoint, I started smiling. Each time I insert a picture, I smile at the people in the picture. God was good to me in Thailand. I pray He is faithful in speaking through me as I begin sharing with you.

The Inevitable Grocery Stop

The inevitable. Everyone told me about it. The grocery store. I did move into my own apartment a couple days ago and finally had to cook for myself. Wow. I walk to the fruit. Woah. So many choices. I just can't look at them all. Fast, make a decision! Ok, grapes! Then to the luncheon meat. Woah, wait, I'm supposed to do price comparison too! I can't handle this. Too many choices. I grabbed one and kept on pushing. Then past the chips aisle to get pretzels. Oh, wait, there's another choice! Wow. I just made fast choices and decided to go back when I have more strength. It was a crazy experience like everyone told me about. One person warned me about the cereal aisle. Another warned me about the chips. But, no, its everything!

Still Can't Handle English

Yesterday, while at the doctor, she tried to spell some medication names for me. Seriously, each letter she said took one minute for me to process it, remember what it was, and then write it down. I apologized and tried to explain how I learning a new language made my English skills not be used so much for a long while.

Then today, while renting a movie, the salesman tries to hook me on some rewards program. He started explaining it to me and I swear he was talking 20 billion words per second. I could only catch like every fifth word. Afterwards, I apologized again and tried to explain myself. He responded well, and while handing me a brochure, he said, "How 'bout a visual?"

I'm beginning to think I can't keep blaming this wierdness on Thailand. Maybe I was this strange before I left? :)

Are you good with chopsticks?

Seeing that I'm back from Asia, everything thinks I should be excellent at using chopsticks. I do feel better at them, but Thai people only use chopsticks with noodle soup "gooey-tee-aw." And that is not an easy feat. Thais actually use spoons and forks to eat everything--a fork in the left hand, a spoon in the right. The spoon is sometimes used for the purposes of cutting to, like a knife. But only what we would call the "big spoon." I forgot all about little spoons 'til we got back. I know I'm supposed to eat my cereal with a small spoon, but I just like to use the big spoons for everything now. Strange, small, and unusual fact.

New Faces

Coming back feels like I've come out of a time warp. Maybe I should watch that movie, Time Traveler's Wife soon. I might identify well with it. Some people look so different--little kids look like whole different people, other people have gray hair! Some people are here that didn't exist before. I can't count how many new babies I have to meet that are actually two years old already!

This realization hit as I started making doctor appointments and routine visits today. Thankfully, my dental hygienist is the same and remembers me! I felt such a strange comfort in that. The chiropractic clinic I go to looks like a whole 'nother office with all different people. I felt out of place. My church has new staff, which in some ways make me feel replaced. But I know that they had to go on without me. I mean, it has been two years! Did I expect everything to stand still?

It must be really crazy for missionaries who leave for longer periods of time. I understand why the US doesn't feel like home to them so quickly. Life passes by...