Getting the Hang of Things

My apologies to the faithful followers who have not seen an update in awhile. Life here is busy but only in the most beautiful sense. It is Friday evening here. This upcoming Sunday will be two weeks away from “the States” as I hear USA often referred to as. There is so much to say. I guess I shall start with the daily schedule. I am EXTREMELY impressed with how Pat & Debbie have chosen to raise these children. The schedule is regular, but not stringent nor without modification when necessary.

The day begins at 6:30. One of the girls has an alarm that goes off at 6 AM, and I get out of bed after I hear the creaky door separate from it’s magnetic strip about three times. Following the proverb of the day, we all workout together. I’m not always excited about waking up at what I would consider an early time, but having about 15 accountability partners really makes a difference. Workout is every morning but Sunday. Breakfast is then served, often times leftovers from the dinner before (now I know where my Papa gets his ability to eat anything for breakfast). However, even in my protest, I am often greeted with a personal plate of rice and an over-easy egg - my favorite thing for breakfast here. These poor souls do not know what a biscuit and gravy is. I must show them before my time is up here. Dishes are always hand washed, dried, and put away immediately following meals. Multiple hands makes for a quick pick up. Then, they all attend to their morning chores/ responsibilities. All of the grounds are swept (with 8 acres, that’s a lot of ground), the bathrooms (sinks, toilets, and showers) are completely scrubbed down, trash is collected, the three dogs (Sammy, Tractor, and Sunny) are brushed, and probably some other chores I am unaware of. Chores are normally completed 8:30 – 9 AM. Then, there is the morning project. Pat is a firm believer in maintaining and not simply waiting until something is broken to fix it. Whatever the project is, whether that is detailing the trucks (a weekly responsibility) or cleaning out the creek (a delicious job). Lunch is served around noon. The girls cook every meal and they switch out who cooks what. Most of the time, the afternoon is free time. At the conclusion of last summer, they completed the three-year project of the lovely pool positioned at the back of the property. The kids LOVE the pool. A couple of the girls are very artsy, so we spent one afternoon making fabric flowers and gluing them to hair accessories. We also play a lot of card games. I taught a couple of them Egyptian War, and we play that often. One of the first days I was here, I was learning how to count to ten in Thai. However, my tone deaf self actually said, “Do you have a mouth?” instead of “Do you have an eight?” Nid burst out laughing, and Fern had to explain in between her own giggles what was so funny. Two of the little guys, Lee and Chai are still learning to read, so the girls spend time helping them with that during the summer break. The list goes on, of course. We normally jump in the shower after the pool. Volleyball at 5 has become a tradition. I like to use the excuse that I am timid to play on a concrete court, so I don’t really go for the ball, but God knows I’m just not great at volleyball. Dinner is served at 6. What follows dinner is dependent upon the day. Monday is bible study with Jo. Tuesdays and Thursdays are worship practice. English lessons are taught by the college English student, Gonjana. Friday through Sunday night, they normally enjoy a movie and snack. Friday is the market day, which I am always invited to tag along for. My favorite part is the honeybee store, where we pick a yummy bakery snack. Saturdays involve the once-a-week chores, and Sunday is the Sabbath basically. The children lead worship, wonderfully I might add, and Pat preaches a lesson. And that is the schedule that I’ve experienced for the past 1 ½ weeks.

Answers to the commonly asked questions:

1.     The climate has its pros and cons. It is certainly summer here, but I’ve experienced worse. Those who make a living farming rice are burning off the fields right now, which covers the atmosphere with a blanket of smoke. The sun is orange fuzz. The times of Wall-e are near (just kidding). Debbie says it should clear before I leave, and I certainly hope so. I saw a cloud the other day and got pretty excited. Some afternoons have a light breeze, which is also enjoyable. The rainy season will not come until after I leave, but I’m hoping for a couple showers to water down the smoke. However, the smoke has helped me avoid sunburn. Malaria is not an issue in northern Thailand, and the mosquitoes are mostly a problem between the hours of 5:30 – 7 PM. Quite a blessing I was not expecting.

2.     The food is absolutely delicious. I’m not used to a hot meal every meal during hot days, but delicious nonetheless. Rice or noodles are in every meal.  Debbie says that much of the country is diabetic because the staples are starches that turn straight to sugar during digestion. Most meals are cooked veggies with a little bit of meat. Last night was Pad Thai, probably my favorite thus far. I have gained an appreciation for the little things, like crushed red pepper or peanut pieces, because peeling/ crushes those suckers is quite the workout. Then I made the mistake of touching the corners of my eyes shortly after crushing the red pepper. Ow.

3.     River of Life (name of the home) is a short drive from town, but does not have crazy traffic immediately outside the door. R.O.L. is also at the backdoor of the university, CRV, which is a blessing for the girls in college. They drive on the left side of the road here and are not have as precautious as I would hope for. The roads are covered with mopeds that drive wherever they please, often into the bumpers of cars. Public transportation varies from three wheeled vehicles, to open vans, to buses.

Adventures:

Pick a favorite picture, and I'll post the story for the picture with the most picks. 

Prayer requests/ Praises:

God has made it extremely evident that I am here in His perfect timing. I am still trying to follow his leading to why exactly He wants me here. I am not experiencing the “desert” I expected, but I know that progress happens on accident when our hearts are set of the needs of others. Also, Debbie really hurt her knee in a fall the other day, healing is evident, but please pray for a quick recovery. Lastly, pray for these sweethearts. I love getting to know them better each day as they continue to open up to me. Their backgrounds and life stories break my heart but praise God for how far He has brought them through the love and care of Pat & Debbie.

Well it would appear I have talked your ear off, metaphorically of course. Thanks for making it all the way down here. Let me know if you have any questions- it’s likely you’re not the only one.

I love you all!