Okinawa, Japan and then home

Phyllis and I parted ways in Narita Japan.  I detoured with a trip to Okinawa, Japan to visit Katelyn and Alex who are stationed at the Kadena Air Force Base.  I had a wonderful time with them and also going to see the places that I had been to almost 30 years ago as a young navy girl-wow-time flies :)

Amazing is the perfect word to describe my time in Thailand and Japan!  I feel so privileged and blessed to have been there and to have seen God at work in so many ways including my own heart.  It feels good to be home but part of me is still there with my students in Thailand and I look forward to keeping in touch with them all via e-mail.  

Home again...

Greetings Friends,
I arrived in Minnesota on Saturday at 2:00 PM, I am slowly getting back into the groove. I am so thankful for all your prayers for our time in Thailand, flights home and as I transition back. It is amazing to think I was away for 3+ weeks; in a new land where nearly everything was foreign to me. God watched over and protected us in that time. He showed Himself to us each in a very personal way. I experienced God drawing me back to Himself. I love how He uses whatever He wants to awaken our Spirit and help us to realize our need for Him. For me it started with a book that our upstairs neighbors loaned to us. It stirred my soul and caused me to be excited about spending time with Jesus. I was encouraged in the book and living daily in this foreign land to put my trust in God, for all things. The teaching on Friday nights and the time with cell group; challenged me to do what the Word of God says. My favorite part of Bangkok, was spending time with the people who live there students, missionaries and staff of the school. I will cherish their memories in my mind, in my heart and in my ears! phyllis

The Bus

We couldn't finish this blog without some comments about our daily bus ride.  Never the same but always frantic!  A fifteen minute walk became a 2 minute bus ride.  We catch our bus next door in front of the mall with hoards of other people.  The buses come in there, let out their passengers and then you try to get on as the driver revs the engine, he's pulling away as everyone is finding their seats or a place to stand clutching a seat.  We found out its best to stand by the door since our stop is only 3 stops away and if you don't get up and hit the buzzer they fly by.  The bus never stops in front of the bus stop, its either before, after, or on our last day in the middle of 3 lanes!  When we see the green fence we hit the buzzer, its our landmark and seems to give the driver some heads up there's a stop ahead so they can slam on the brakes.  Every time we get off we are shaking our heads.  Phyllis was giving the driver the business as we jumped to the curb one time and promptly walked right into a pole.  Thankfully she was ok but we laughed all the way to school.  We try to ride the free bus, not because its free but because we don't have to hang on with one hand and try to find our money with the other as we lurch along.  The bus is very crowded and usually no seats are available but the person who collects the money is urging you to sit, one day she urged me with a pinch and a push.  I can't remember the last time I was pinched.  At the mall bus stop there are two uniformed transit employees with megaphones.  We have no clue what they are yelling about but it sounds like Charlie Brown's teacher.  Since we have been here it has rained three times, torrentially!  Rain does a number on the traffic and everyone rides the bus!!!   Traffic Jam is a term we have heard daily.  We will always remember our bus rides with great humor!

Last Day of Class

Today we gave finals!  Certainly a bittersweet day.  The students finished well and that made us feel good.  We were busy between classes correcting essays and filling in our final paperwork (ugh! says Phyllis)  We thought we might be leaving tonight but found out after our last class that we would try to leave on Saturday morning.  It was a blessing to be able to relax after such a busy week and not feel frenzied trying to pack everything up.

God has been so faithful to us in answering our prayers and being right there with us all the way.  We have been overwhelmed by His love and presence.   Thank you for praying!!  

Wednesday Night Out with the Students

There are some experiences that need repeating even if you don't think you need to :)  Phyllis' morning class met us in the afternoon for another water taxi ride to downtown Bangkok.  This time was memorable because it was late afternoon and we seemed to be on the "express boat".  The driver was in a big hurry so we were surfing the Khlong and trying not to get wet!  You can't beat the time it took, traveling the Khlong takes 35 minutes, by bus 2 hours!  So, it was a repeat experience with new friends :)  We had a great time touring another part of downtown Bangkok(check out that traffic pic) at a mall that was hosting a Thai craft festival with a movie promo of "fast and furious".  Haven't seen the movie but all the cars they brought were pretty cool.  A highlight besides spending time with the girls was seeing a baby elephant!  This was our third elephant siting.  Phyllis bought food to feed him.  She wants to ship him home along with a car :)  We tried some old and new thai food; papaya salad, noodle soup (not chicken noodle), Larp (google it), shredded pork with sticky rice, chicken with a great sauce and some fried thing that was good.  The girls brought us home via the Sky Train- a first for us.  Very fast but very crowded.  Up close and personal seems to be the way life is here.  

Goodbye Luncheon

Today we went to a luncheon to say good-bye to the departing teachers.  A delicious thai buffet with Steve, Nopaluck, Ethel, Bui, Don Don, Carol, Clair (Steve's dad) and us.  It was a good time to tell them what a wonderful time we have had teaching and how much we have enjoyed seeing how God is work at the school.  

Santisuk Expands

This morning we had coffee with Carol.  She and her husband Don Don are going to be starting a satellite of Santisuk near the airport in July.  They are very excited to have this opportunity to enlarge the impact of this great ministry.  They will be moving in April to a building that will be not only their home but the school too.  It is a bare shell!  Please pray for them as they look for God's provision in furnishing, and finishing this endeavor by July with a 4 month old!