Are you a Boxer?

Yes, yesterday at the park, I was asked this question. I went running while it was raining. By the way, lots of frogs were out there to dodge. Anyway, afterwards, I was at the weights area with one other guy. Most the time, Thais don't go outside when it rains if they can help it. So, it was just the two of us. He stared at me for a while and then asked me if I fight muaythay, which is Thai boxing. Hilarious, but I calmly replied, "No." My roommate says a lot of foreigners come here to fight Muaythay. Well...I'm not one of them.

A Thai Funeral

As I came through the door to my house, Kieow told me that Ruay had passed away and she burst into tears. Ruay is an older man who lives in Mahathai, and a family member of a lot of our close friends. Kieow had visited him twice in the hospital, sharing the Gospel with him and his family members. Yet knowing that he died without accepting Christ really hurt. It indeed is a great burden to want to share Christ with all our friends at Mahathai before tragedies like this one.

We went to the Buddhist temple on Friday for the first of the 3-day funeral procedures. The coffin was set up on the side, very elegant, with flowers, incense, and a picture set up. A string ran from the coffin to the large Buddha statue beside the wall, and then to a line of four monks sitting on a platform by the wall. The family members sat in the room while the friends sat outside looking in. As the monks chanted everyone (except us held their palms together as if accepting the blessing and wishing Ruay well after death. The monks chant translated as "die, not to come back, sleep, not to wake up, run away, not to return." Based on their beliefs, the man could either go to one of seven levels of heaven, return to earth as a man, or return to earth as another creature--all depending on his good works on earth.

It was so sad to see my friends bow down before these monks and Ruay's body, believing these people could bless them and give them merit. It was hard to see one of the kids I know learning to bow before the Buddha statue with her father. Yet, we were there. Our church has a presence in that community. We can bring hope of the Gospel to people who live in fear that they will do enough good. Pray for the Gospel to reach into the hearts of our friends.

Two Months 'til Liftoff

The moment you all have been waiting for...when Melanie will be headed back to America! (Yes, I talk more on third person now that I've been in Thailand.) July 13 is the date, and I'll be flying two of the three legs of the flight with my teammate, Jan, who's headed home for a short time to see her family.

As of yesterday, two months until my term here will end. Crazy feeling really, actually quite a slew of crazy feelings all mixed together. As God leads, my head starts thinking of home as I make preparations. Can't wait to see my family and friends! I am beginning to delegate out my responsibilities here. My name is starting to come off schedules for future plans for the church. Next week, I turn in my application and paperwork to Mission to the World as I pursue career missions. Yes, after this great and challenging two years, I feel the Lord has affirmed my calling to missions. Therefore, I start evaluation for approval July 20, right after I come back.

Please be praying for me as my last two months come to a close. Pray for the team as responsibilites are being shifted with lots of transition. Pray for good closure for me with relationships here. Pray for wisdom for both MTW and myself as we consider my calling to come back to Thailand as a career missionary. Thanks for being faithful readers of my blog these two years!

A Season To Retreat

It's the season for camps and retreats! Our team retreat happened a while ago, but I wanted to show you some pics. It was a great time of refreshment, being reminded of Abiding in God from the book of John. I ran straight out of my bed into the ocean two mornings in a row. Pretty hilarious, but what a fun thing. Do pray for us as we continue preparing for the upcoming camps for our various ministries--campus, mercy, and English. Short term teams are coming soon to help with these too. Pray for the growth in their lives and their effect on our ministries as well! God is preparing to do great things through these plans!

A Little Chuckle

Last night, while walking to a fellow missionary's house, I passed this one guy's drink cart. On one side of the cart, he's got a television sitting and music speakers set up. So, as he waits through the evening hours, he sings karaoke for himself and all the neighbors. I just had to smile and laugh to myself.

A Puppet Show about my Blog

A pastor's wife, while searching for material to interest children in missions, strayed upon my blog. She has written the funny puppet show from some stories on my blog. I thought you'd enjoy reading it...(I don't think its been copyright'd yet, but you can ask me if you want the name of this gifted writer.)
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Snoozing puppet....finger taps him on the shoulder
He wakes up.
"Huh? Ughhh, where am I?"
Voice "You’re in Thailand."
Puppet "What am I doing here?"
Voice "You were dreaming of becoming a missionary. Perhaps you’d like to see what it’s like to be a missionary in Thailand."
Puppet "Really?! Oh, boy! I’m looking around, but I don’t see anyone... all I see are..... are those monkeys?!"
Voice "Yes, they are."
Puppet "What are they doing? Whoa! Look out!"
Puppet ducks back and forth, like he’s dodging falling coconuts.
Puppet "Why are they throwing coconuts at me? What’d I do?"
Voice "Come over here out of the way."
Puppet scoots over but still acts like he is a bit wary.
Voice "Those aren’t just monkeys, they are farmers."
Puppet "Now wait a minute, I know a thing or two about farming, my dad’s a farmer! And those monkeys are definitely not farmers." He ducks. "Why do they keep throwing those things?"
Voice "Here in Thailand the monkeys help the farmers harvest the coconut crop."
Puppet "You’re kidding! But where are the farmers now?"
Voice "They are staying out of the way, so they don’t get bonked on the head with a coconut."
Puppet gets bonked on the head with a coconut. He swirls his head around in a circle like he’s dizzy. "G-o-o-d- i-d-e-a" "Hey, look that was the last one. Are those guys who are picking up the coconuts and loading them in trucks the real farmers?"
Voice "You guessed it! Now look over there, do you see someone who looks different from everyone else?"
Puppet "You mean that tall girl over there? With blond hair?"
Voice "She’s the one. That’s your missionary."
Puppet "A girl missionary?"
Voice "Yes, that’s Melanie Currie."
Puppet "Who is that girl she is walking with?"
Voice "That’s Kieow. She is a native Thai. Melanie spent the Thai New Year with Kieow and her family. Kieow is the only Christian in her family. She’s happy to have Melanie there to help her tell her family about Christ."
Puppet "Can we follow them and see where they are going?"
Voice "Sure let’s go. That way you can really see what it’s like to be a missionary in a foreign country."
Puppet "It looks like they are going towards that house. Hey cool it’s up on stilts!"
Voice "Houses here are not only built on stilts but they are open all around with big windows. When Melanie stays with Kieow she wakes up early to sound of crowing roosters."
Puppet "Growing up on a farm you have to get up early too, so at least I’m use to that. And I wouldn’t mind living in a house on stilts. Wow, look around the yard, banana trees, mango trees... I don’t think I’d mind the food around here either."
Voice "Let’s look inside, I think they are going to have a meal together now."
Puppet "Wait a minute! What is that?! Are those f-f-frogs? Is she going to eat them?!"
Voice "Yes. If Melanie didn’t eat their food, it would be an insult to them. But if she does, they are overjoyed and accept her as one of the family. Those are some of the sacrifices a missionary has to make in order to get to share the good news of Jesus with them. Hey, you’re looking a bit green like a frog yourself! I think it’s time you went back to sleep. Maybe you should dream of being a missionary in another country!"
Puppet "Good idea. I’m just gonna lay my head down a-n-d r-e-s-s-s-t." Snore!

Maisie's IcreCream Smile

Maisie eats an icecream cone by taking all the chocolate off the top. And then turning the cone sideways to chomp the bottom off the cone that is also filled with chocolate. When the icrecream melts enough in the heat, the icecream just came out to her delight, so she could bite the chocolate off around the side of the cone. So cute. She even posed for a pic of her icecream smile.

If you remembered, Maisie is our Thai pastor's daughter who is struggling with leukemia. Thank you for your prayers. Her body is remaining strong through chemotherapy, with her white blood cells keeping stable to fight off this disease. Pray for her appetite and her family's strength as they continue to go through this struggle. Our church members and staff take turns helping out the family everyday through this together.