My boys :)
Posted by Joellen Saturday, October 29, 2011 7:29 PM 0 commentsMy kiddos.
Posted by Joellen 6:56 PM 0 comments
I know I'm due for another Thailand post, but the last few days I've enjoyed my kids so much I just want to post a little about them.
Asher is getting to be such a big kid! He knows all his letters, knows what many words begin with by sounding it out and has started to ask what certain words spell when he sees them. Mark downloaded a little iPad app where it teaches you to trace letters and Asher has REALLY been glued to it. The week before I left, Asher was drawing inside of bubble letters, almost like tracing... so, in the next month or so I will try getting him to do some pre-school type of work - tracing inside letters and stuff like that. He seems very driven to learn so far!
Asher is also a GREAT big brother. At bedtime, Mark often asks Asher to go get Cole's PJ's. He ALWAYS brings back a matching pair! We've known for a long time that he is very observant and it's only becoming more and more apparent. Asher also does a great job giving Cole kisses and hugs before bedtime and nap time. He often asks to come in and give Cole a kiss while I am tucking him in for nap. Mark has been working on teaching Asher manners and so lately, once finished with a meal, he says "Mom, can I be excused?" in the sweetest little voice you ever heard! Also, he clears his dishes, gets a wipe, wipes his hands and face & always asks "Does that look good?" before he throws the wipe away. Love his cleanliness and consistency!
This conversation happened at dinner:
Asher: "Mom, the (awee ens) will hurt my eyes!"
Me: (thinking he is pretending) "Oh, the aliens will hurt your eyes huh?"
Asher" "No mom, the (oeeons) will hurt my eyes."
Me: "Oh, the ONIONS! Yes, that's right (insert muffled laughing)."
Funny.
Also, I mentioned the word diarrhea at dinner (I know, so taboo, but it happens when you have little ones sometimes) and Cole breaks out singing "Rio" over and over... cracked me up! Then, the Rio song became Caillou (which we no longer let the boys watch because he is bossy and disrespectful - not to mention annoying). These kids crack me up!!
Cole has been such a sweety lately. I just love him to pieces. A couple times this week when he has been very close to getting into something, I said his name an "no" very loudly, to which he started pouting and almost crying, tearing up and sniffling, coming over with his head hung low - the most darling thing ever! Cole "says" a lot, but I don't understand it all - or, sometimes, I'm the only one besides Asher who understands... and often by luck and observation, not due to any real clarity :) Asher has become a pretty good translator.
Cole has started to hum and sing songs a lot more now. Anything he hears on the radio at a store, or songs we sing or songs on shows. He's just starting to pick up on it & mimic a lot more than before. He's doing simple shaped puzzles and really showing enjoyment in things like reading books and playing with his animal toys. And of course, he often brings 4-8 stuffed animals to bed every night, and you never know which one he will "demand" once he's already in bed. Last night is was the green stuffed pig from Angry Birds - but of course, he always NEEDS his monkey - we don't know how long he would cry without it, we've always found it within half an hour of putting him to bed (knock on wood).
Just now, Cole took off his shirt all by himself (first time ever) then proceeded to use it to wipe off a long string of drool that landed on his tummy. I tell you, he is the funniest little kid ever. Maybe it's the perpetual look of mischief on his face and his adorable orange & blonde hair, but I find him SO adorable almost all of the time! The other day we went out for a walk and he would say "Ah dee dar," then I would say "You see a car?" and he would reply "yeeeaaah" in the funniest little casual, hilarious, drawn out way possible. It made me laugh out loud at least 5 or 6 times. Plus, the way he dances during credits at the end of a show really cracks me up - especially the half scared-to-death, half having-the-time-of-his-life look on his face is priceless. And last tid-bit, he really hates having his pants off - he always gets really distressed and starts whining "pants" over and over until you explain why he's not wearing any or put some on him. Total opposite from Asher who loves to run across the entire house and fast as he can in just his underwear :)
I've really enjoyed being back home with them. I definitely find running a household a more difficult task than doing short-term missions, but it's one that God is making me better at each day (or at least each month I hope)! Food planning, health issues, dealing with discipline and training... these can get complicated really fast! But, I'm so glad to have two amazing boys who make me laugh all the time. And I'm so thankful for a husband who is a great dad and can pick up my slack willingly and lovingly. I feel like there is rarely a dull day and rarely a day where I can't find a bunch of reasons why they are all super fun to be around. I'm very blessed and hope that I handle this responsibility with much thankfulness and enthusiasm. I wasn't always happy or excited to be taking care of them, but I'm glad God is changing me into that kind of person - it's WAY better than being grumpy, fearful or ungrateful. If you're in that pit now... trust me, it's better to be out, no matter how much you want to stay that way! You won't regret it!!
Okay, tomorrow, I'm a bit busy with a photo-shoot (as long as the rain holds out) so, no promises on a Thailand post, but I hope so!! Thanks for keeping up - I'll put up a photo of the boys from yesterday in another post here in a minute...
Asher is getting to be such a big kid! He knows all his letters, knows what many words begin with by sounding it out and has started to ask what certain words spell when he sees them. Mark downloaded a little iPad app where it teaches you to trace letters and Asher has REALLY been glued to it. The week before I left, Asher was drawing inside of bubble letters, almost like tracing... so, in the next month or so I will try getting him to do some pre-school type of work - tracing inside letters and stuff like that. He seems very driven to learn so far!
Asher is also a GREAT big brother. At bedtime, Mark often asks Asher to go get Cole's PJ's. He ALWAYS brings back a matching pair! We've known for a long time that he is very observant and it's only becoming more and more apparent. Asher also does a great job giving Cole kisses and hugs before bedtime and nap time. He often asks to come in and give Cole a kiss while I am tucking him in for nap. Mark has been working on teaching Asher manners and so lately, once finished with a meal, he says "Mom, can I be excused?" in the sweetest little voice you ever heard! Also, he clears his dishes, gets a wipe, wipes his hands and face & always asks "Does that look good?" before he throws the wipe away. Love his cleanliness and consistency!
This conversation happened at dinner:
Asher: "Mom, the (awee ens) will hurt my eyes!"
Me: (thinking he is pretending) "Oh, the aliens will hurt your eyes huh?"
Asher" "No mom, the (oeeons) will hurt my eyes."
Me: "Oh, the ONIONS! Yes, that's right (insert muffled laughing)."
Funny.
Also, I mentioned the word diarrhea at dinner (I know, so taboo, but it happens when you have little ones sometimes) and Cole breaks out singing "Rio" over and over... cracked me up! Then, the Rio song became Caillou (which we no longer let the boys watch because he is bossy and disrespectful - not to mention annoying). These kids crack me up!!
Cole has been such a sweety lately. I just love him to pieces. A couple times this week when he has been very close to getting into something, I said his name an "no" very loudly, to which he started pouting and almost crying, tearing up and sniffling, coming over with his head hung low - the most darling thing ever! Cole "says" a lot, but I don't understand it all - or, sometimes, I'm the only one besides Asher who understands... and often by luck and observation, not due to any real clarity :) Asher has become a pretty good translator.
Cole has started to hum and sing songs a lot more now. Anything he hears on the radio at a store, or songs we sing or songs on shows. He's just starting to pick up on it & mimic a lot more than before. He's doing simple shaped puzzles and really showing enjoyment in things like reading books and playing with his animal toys. And of course, he often brings 4-8 stuffed animals to bed every night, and you never know which one he will "demand" once he's already in bed. Last night is was the green stuffed pig from Angry Birds - but of course, he always NEEDS his monkey - we don't know how long he would cry without it, we've always found it within half an hour of putting him to bed (knock on wood).
Just now, Cole took off his shirt all by himself (first time ever) then proceeded to use it to wipe off a long string of drool that landed on his tummy. I tell you, he is the funniest little kid ever. Maybe it's the perpetual look of mischief on his face and his adorable orange & blonde hair, but I find him SO adorable almost all of the time! The other day we went out for a walk and he would say "Ah dee dar," then I would say "You see a car?" and he would reply "yeeeaaah" in the funniest little casual, hilarious, drawn out way possible. It made me laugh out loud at least 5 or 6 times. Plus, the way he dances during credits at the end of a show really cracks me up - especially the half scared-to-death, half having-the-time-of-his-life look on his face is priceless. And last tid-bit, he really hates having his pants off - he always gets really distressed and starts whining "pants" over and over until you explain why he's not wearing any or put some on him. Total opposite from Asher who loves to run across the entire house and fast as he can in just his underwear :)
I've really enjoyed being back home with them. I definitely find running a household a more difficult task than doing short-term missions, but it's one that God is making me better at each day (or at least each month I hope)! Food planning, health issues, dealing with discipline and training... these can get complicated really fast! But, I'm so glad to have two amazing boys who make me laugh all the time. And I'm so thankful for a husband who is a great dad and can pick up my slack willingly and lovingly. I feel like there is rarely a dull day and rarely a day where I can't find a bunch of reasons why they are all super fun to be around. I'm very blessed and hope that I handle this responsibility with much thankfulness and enthusiasm. I wasn't always happy or excited to be taking care of them, but I'm glad God is changing me into that kind of person - it's WAY better than being grumpy, fearful or ungrateful. If you're in that pit now... trust me, it's better to be out, no matter how much you want to stay that way! You won't regret it!!
Okay, tomorrow, I'm a bit busy with a photo-shoot (as long as the rain holds out) so, no promises on a Thailand post, but I hope so!! Thanks for keeping up - I'll put up a photo of the boys from yesterday in another post here in a minute...
First Few Days.
Posted by Joellen Thursday, October 27, 2011 1:49 PM 1 comments
The first few days in Thailand were pretty neat. Simple, learning lots of cultural stuff and information about HIV & AIDS, seeing a bit of the city in person and getting to know our team.
The information we learned about HIV & AIDS was pretty stunning - the life expectancy, the way the virus attacks the body and presents itself & also the hope that medicine has brought to people who have it. I had learned a lot about AIDS from a book my best friend Chelsi had recommended called "There is No Me Without You." I'm still only 2/3 of the way through it, but it's a huge book and a very emotionally intense one at that. Anyway, it was good to gain this information and face the reality of what we (Christians) are doing and not doing in regards to those living with HIV or AIDS.
It's different in the US too. I'm not sure what insurance companies do for those living with AIDS here, but in Thailand you have to be a Thai citizen & then the government will pay for it. However, you have to be born in a hospital to be a Thai citizen, which means if your mother wasn't a Thai citizen and wasn't allowed to travel far enough to get to a hospital, then tough luck! There are over 40,000 births each year that go unregistered - and therefore, over 40,000 new people every year are not Thai citizens. There is a process for becoming a Thai citizen, but again, you need to be able to travel to government offices, sign lots of paperwork, have witnesses who will also travel to government offices, etc. Unless you are very educated (which you wouldn't be unless you were a Thai citizen since you wouldn't have any schooling if you weren't) you would really NEED an advocate to help you navigate all the paperwork and processes needed to become a citizen. It's really strange to realize how a government truly prevents people from moving forward in life, but Thailand is definitely one of the places around the world in which this goes on daily.
Matt came in a spoke with us regarding Human Trafficking on Friday as well. Matt works as one of the directors at Breanna's House of Joy & he is from the same church that all of my team is from. Ben is another person from that church who has ended up working at Breanna's House of Joy as well & he spent most of his time during that week coming with us to villages and everything. These guys are so great. Really on fire for God, serving faithfully and joyfully - they really brought a lot of encouragement and optimism to this group.
Anyway, Matt shared all the horrifying statistics, the sad corruption of government that enables these situations to keep happening, some individual stories and some information about best practices to end exploitation and trafficking. In Thailand alone, 9.4 million people are trafficked each year. And while the sex industry is huge, most of trafficking is simply forced labor! One man was forced to work on a fishing boat off the coast of Thailand for 3 years!! Another woman was a slave in another woman's home, locked up in a tiny bedroom & forced to clean from 5am-10pm almost every day for 16 years!!! But with the lack of education, people don't know their rights, or, since they are not a citizen they don't have hardly any rights, and therefore, they just wait until someone helps them or they finally get desperate enough to attempt escape. This 9.4 million does not count many people who are either killed while trying to escape or people who never confess what they were forced to do (which is VERY common in Thailand - cultural). All of this was incredibly sad to hear and only confirms the depravity we suffer due to our sin nature. It just makes me more glad to serve a God who hates these things and is providing a way out for those who call on Him. We just want more people to realize that He is God, He is powerful & He is worthy to be trusted.
During our first Friday, we also went into town. I have a bunch of photos from that, but I'll post those another day along with more info about what I saw and learned during that time. I feel like I will probably have to blog about 3-5 times per day of my visit! I learned so much, experienced so much and I know that God brought out a lot of things going on inside of me during this time. So, enjoy a few pics - this is the first hotel we stayed at for 3 nights. It is a Christian place where many missionary families come to spend a few weeks during a break or for having a baby - I guess Thai hospitals are very nice and very cheap - think $700 for a c-section :) The picture of the woman is my roommate Angel - more on her later!! Thanks for catching up here - stay tuned every couple days for a new post...
The information we learned about HIV & AIDS was pretty stunning - the life expectancy, the way the virus attacks the body and presents itself & also the hope that medicine has brought to people who have it. I had learned a lot about AIDS from a book my best friend Chelsi had recommended called "There is No Me Without You." I'm still only 2/3 of the way through it, but it's a huge book and a very emotionally intense one at that. Anyway, it was good to gain this information and face the reality of what we (Christians) are doing and not doing in regards to those living with HIV or AIDS.
It's different in the US too. I'm not sure what insurance companies do for those living with AIDS here, but in Thailand you have to be a Thai citizen & then the government will pay for it. However, you have to be born in a hospital to be a Thai citizen, which means if your mother wasn't a Thai citizen and wasn't allowed to travel far enough to get to a hospital, then tough luck! There are over 40,000 births each year that go unregistered - and therefore, over 40,000 new people every year are not Thai citizens. There is a process for becoming a Thai citizen, but again, you need to be able to travel to government offices, sign lots of paperwork, have witnesses who will also travel to government offices, etc. Unless you are very educated (which you wouldn't be unless you were a Thai citizen since you wouldn't have any schooling if you weren't) you would really NEED an advocate to help you navigate all the paperwork and processes needed to become a citizen. It's really strange to realize how a government truly prevents people from moving forward in life, but Thailand is definitely one of the places around the world in which this goes on daily.
Matt came in a spoke with us regarding Human Trafficking on Friday as well. Matt works as one of the directors at Breanna's House of Joy & he is from the same church that all of my team is from. Ben is another person from that church who has ended up working at Breanna's House of Joy as well & he spent most of his time during that week coming with us to villages and everything. These guys are so great. Really on fire for God, serving faithfully and joyfully - they really brought a lot of encouragement and optimism to this group.
Anyway, Matt shared all the horrifying statistics, the sad corruption of government that enables these situations to keep happening, some individual stories and some information about best practices to end exploitation and trafficking. In Thailand alone, 9.4 million people are trafficked each year. And while the sex industry is huge, most of trafficking is simply forced labor! One man was forced to work on a fishing boat off the coast of Thailand for 3 years!! Another woman was a slave in another woman's home, locked up in a tiny bedroom & forced to clean from 5am-10pm almost every day for 16 years!!! But with the lack of education, people don't know their rights, or, since they are not a citizen they don't have hardly any rights, and therefore, they just wait until someone helps them or they finally get desperate enough to attempt escape. This 9.4 million does not count many people who are either killed while trying to escape or people who never confess what they were forced to do (which is VERY common in Thailand - cultural). All of this was incredibly sad to hear and only confirms the depravity we suffer due to our sin nature. It just makes me more glad to serve a God who hates these things and is providing a way out for those who call on Him. We just want more people to realize that He is God, He is powerful & He is worthy to be trusted.
During our first Friday, we also went into town. I have a bunch of photos from that, but I'll post those another day along with more info about what I saw and learned during that time. I feel like I will probably have to blog about 3-5 times per day of my visit! I learned so much, experienced so much and I know that God brought out a lot of things going on inside of me during this time. So, enjoy a few pics - this is the first hotel we stayed at for 3 nights. It is a Christian place where many missionary families come to spend a few weeks during a break or for having a baby - I guess Thai hospitals are very nice and very cheap - think $700 for a c-section :) The picture of the woman is my roommate Angel - more on her later!! Thanks for catching up here - stay tuned every couple days for a new post...
Our comfy little beds.
And our cozy little Thai cottage :)
Everything here was very Thai and so beautiful! This was our little cottage from the outside.
Stepping outside was so neat - like you were just walking into the jungle, but on a paved pathway.
Beautiful walkways, gorgeous architecture... loved it!
The floral landscaping was awesome. And here's Angel, taking it all in!
Back Home.
Posted by Joellen Tuesday, October 25, 2011 2:44 PM 0 comments
It's great to be back :) I'm so thankful for the experience, for how God is changing me through it and getting to be a part of how God is changing the people in Thailand.
One tidbit about my view of this trip. I was thinking I would be very saddened about the state of poverty in the villages in Thailand. I was really surprised that it didn't bother me. I actually looked at all of it and thought "Okay, I can see how people do this and I could see myself here if I needed to be." I was more sad about the way people dealt with living in poor villages. Sad about how people don't see living righteously with faith in Christ as better than turning to sell drugs to help meet the needs of your family. I was sad to see the lifestyle of careless living (in regards to children peeing on the streets and carelessly dressing & throwing garbage anywhere). I was sad that the villagers do not care for one another or help care for children who are orphaned or living with a grandparent because their parents left. In fact, in Got Pa Bong, one grandfather was in prison for trying to drown his 2 year old grandchild because he did not think he could continue caring for him.
All of these things make me grateful for living in America. Although more people don't consider America a "Christian Nation" anymore, our principles were founded on Christianity and at least most of our laws and moral standards and government assistance programs come from the viewpoint that people are of value and that we should help each other. Our values are similar to Christian values still and I am grateful for the intervention that happens to protect people. Granted, we have a long way to go and we have also strayed a long way. Abortion, drug abuse, physical abuse and gay/lesbian marriage are ways our country does not follow Christ, but I am still grateful for foster-care, for adoption, for the notions of personal rights (not taken to the extreme) and basic assumptions that we should all live somewhere safe from weather and harm, rights to have clean drinking water and programs to assist the hungry and homeless. These DO NOT exist AT ALL in Thailand, much less in northern villages.
So, today, I'm just taking in the things that America has that I am blessed by. It has been so nice to brush my teeth using water from the faucet - such a nice convenience! Also, to be able to drink clean water at any moment I desire, for such a low cost! To be able to trust that the city works daily to provide this for everyone - it's great & it's much more of a blessing and rarity than I realized. I encourage you to think more about the conditions that we have in America that we consider a "right" and learn about the ways other countries handle these things. I think you'll be surprised to find that many of them in many countries are "luxuries," they are things that each individual is responsible to handle themselves.
Here is a photo of a temple in downtown Chiang Mai. So beautiful and ornate. So sad that a huge percentage of the country is deceived into thinking this is how they ensure a good life forever - sacrificing goods and money out of fear of a bad life. I'm so grateful to serve a God who sacrificed for us, not the other way around! In some ways I know God better now, and in other ways He is even farther above my understanding. I'm very blessed to have gotten this opportunity - I'm sure I'll continue to say that forever.
One tidbit about my view of this trip. I was thinking I would be very saddened about the state of poverty in the villages in Thailand. I was really surprised that it didn't bother me. I actually looked at all of it and thought "Okay, I can see how people do this and I could see myself here if I needed to be." I was more sad about the way people dealt with living in poor villages. Sad about how people don't see living righteously with faith in Christ as better than turning to sell drugs to help meet the needs of your family. I was sad to see the lifestyle of careless living (in regards to children peeing on the streets and carelessly dressing & throwing garbage anywhere). I was sad that the villagers do not care for one another or help care for children who are orphaned or living with a grandparent because their parents left. In fact, in Got Pa Bong, one grandfather was in prison for trying to drown his 2 year old grandchild because he did not think he could continue caring for him.
All of these things make me grateful for living in America. Although more people don't consider America a "Christian Nation" anymore, our principles were founded on Christianity and at least most of our laws and moral standards and government assistance programs come from the viewpoint that people are of value and that we should help each other. Our values are similar to Christian values still and I am grateful for the intervention that happens to protect people. Granted, we have a long way to go and we have also strayed a long way. Abortion, drug abuse, physical abuse and gay/lesbian marriage are ways our country does not follow Christ, but I am still grateful for foster-care, for adoption, for the notions of personal rights (not taken to the extreme) and basic assumptions that we should all live somewhere safe from weather and harm, rights to have clean drinking water and programs to assist the hungry and homeless. These DO NOT exist AT ALL in Thailand, much less in northern villages.
So, today, I'm just taking in the things that America has that I am blessed by. It has been so nice to brush my teeth using water from the faucet - such a nice convenience! Also, to be able to drink clean water at any moment I desire, for such a low cost! To be able to trust that the city works daily to provide this for everyone - it's great & it's much more of a blessing and rarity than I realized. I encourage you to think more about the conditions that we have in America that we consider a "right" and learn about the ways other countries handle these things. I think you'll be surprised to find that many of them in many countries are "luxuries," they are things that each individual is responsible to handle themselves.
Here is a photo of a temple in downtown Chiang Mai. So beautiful and ornate. So sad that a huge percentage of the country is deceived into thinking this is how they ensure a good life forever - sacrificing goods and money out of fear of a bad life. I'm so grateful to serve a God who sacrificed for us, not the other way around! In some ways I know God better now, and in other ways He is even farther above my understanding. I'm very blessed to have gotten this opportunity - I'm sure I'll continue to say that forever.
A temple in downtown Chiang Mai.
The Last Village
Posted by Joellen Thursday, October 20, 2011 6:35 PM 1 comments
The last Village.
We had a really good day at the village yesterday. I spoke with 3 women in 3 different homes and all were very receptive to Jesus. One woman said she wasn't ready to make a decision so we prayed with her & about 2 minutes later she said "okay, I'm ready to confess & follow Jesus!" It was so cool to be there for that!
The other two women said they believe Jesus & that he is the only way to God, but just kept saying they couldn't decide right then. They were both about as close as you can get to accepting Jesus without actually accepting Him (hope that makes sense)! I am confident that they both will soon - one of them came to the church service at night!
This village was so different from Got Pa Bong. I was mostly talking with people from the Karen tribe (a northern Thai tribe) & none had fully heard the story of Jesus. I wonder how many more there are in that village! My teammate Jerek had met with a family & had felt like they were hopeless - he felt like they were offended by him but they still showed up to the evening service too! You can tell that many people there desire to know the truth & are looking for more than just a better life.
I have been so blessed by my translator this week as well (her name is Ratana). She is so devoted to God, has great intuition about people & what they need to hear, she was always looking for ways to help me & never tried to just say what she wanted instead of what I was saying. People just love her too! Most people were receptive to her, opened up easily & often invited her for lunch. She encouraged me multiple times when I was despairing for Got Pa Bong - I cannot say enough good things about her! She also let me use her phone to call my husband, shared Thai goodies with me & gave me a foot massage... I wish you all could meet her :)
Today, we'll be doing some debriefing, riding elephants & get settled in Chiang Mai for a couple more days. Crazy that our village time is done. I enjoyed it thoroughly! While being there from 10am-8pm was not my favorite thing, I could see myself doing something like this long term or maybe just often. I felt some of my gifts in discernment & teaching were very helpful & also confirmed by others who have only just met me. God has done such a work here in these villages & with all of us - I'm about ready to sign up on another trip!!
Thanks again for all your prayers & for the encouraging emails! You'll never fully understand how they have all been perfectly timed & so dear to me. I'll be home in a few days & can't wait to write more about all I've seen & heard here in Thailand. Praise God for all He does.
Last day.
Posted by Joellen Wednesday, October 19, 2011 5:53 PM 0 commentsWell, yesterday was our last day at Got Pa Bong. It was a little surreal. I enjoyed parts of it, but because of how the pastor prefers us to "work" there was a lot of down time & not really any door-to-door type of anything. We had an incident with a young married woman & the issue of how the church helps a person who needs help but isn't following Christ. I see it as an opportunity for the church to express grace & love, but they seem to not want to help. It was not fun.
I am very sad about this village. There are 75 families & at least 60 of them have one member (or more) involved in some type of drug or alcohol addiction. Many families turn to selling amphetamines to earn an income. There are lots of complications with living in these northern Thai villages - many people do not have citizenship & cannot travel freely, they are not allowed to move or expand the land of their village & their education & lack of critical thinking make for a very bad combination. That said, God can change their hearts & radically change their village, but most seem unwilling to see the necessary spiritual change & are focused on the drug/money problem. They look down on those stuck in one addiction but allow family members to live at home while intrenched in a similar addiction.
I truly believe that if these people are willing to be changed, their circumstances will not have the same pulling affect on them. But sadly, many just hope for a solution & just pray for a fix in circumstance rather than a change in their lives.
Sadly, I too struggle with this. I am blessed to not live in a place where there is not opportunity to work, where I have loving Christians around me & that God is changing my heart. I know that selling drugs or working to produce drugs will never be something I turn to... but I often seek a change in circumstance rather than a change in heart. I'm blessed to see this connection & hope that it sticks!
We are going into one more village for one more day. Tomorrow we will be debriefing & heading back to Chiang Mai. Pray that the people in this village see God in us & feel His presence. Thanks again for all your encouragement - I'd be lost without it!!
I am very sad about this village. There are 75 families & at least 60 of them have one member (or more) involved in some type of drug or alcohol addiction. Many families turn to selling amphetamines to earn an income. There are lots of complications with living in these northern Thai villages - many people do not have citizenship & cannot travel freely, they are not allowed to move or expand the land of their village & their education & lack of critical thinking make for a very bad combination. That said, God can change their hearts & radically change their village, but most seem unwilling to see the necessary spiritual change & are focused on the drug/money problem. They look down on those stuck in one addiction but allow family members to live at home while intrenched in a similar addiction.
I truly believe that if these people are willing to be changed, their circumstances will not have the same pulling affect on them. But sadly, many just hope for a solution & just pray for a fix in circumstance rather than a change in their lives.
Sadly, I too struggle with this. I am blessed to not live in a place where there is not opportunity to work, where I have loving Christians around me & that God is changing my heart. I know that selling drugs or working to produce drugs will never be something I turn to... but I often seek a change in circumstance rather than a change in heart. I'm blessed to see this connection & hope that it sticks!
We are going into one more village for one more day. Tomorrow we will be debriefing & heading back to Chiang Mai. Pray that the people in this village see God in us & feel His presence. Thanks again for all your encouragement - I'd be lost without it!!
Another day!
Posted by Joellen Tuesday, October 18, 2011 7:24 AM 0 comments
Today was far more encouraging than yesterday :) It helped to get so many encouraging words from all of you - thanks for that!
Several men in the village confessed to struggling with addiction & asked some great questions about sin & the Christian life. I'm blessed to be a part of it & thankful that their salvation is not left in my hands... I felt much more able to leave that up to God today.
Well, I'm exhausted, so I'm heading to bed! Keep praying for our last 2.5 days here in the village. Thank you!
Village day!
Posted by Joellen Monday, October 17, 2011 7:35 AM 0 comments
So, today was our second day at the village but our first real day of "work." Hmm, what to share?
I had some great discussions with my group of people in the morning. It was me, my translator & about 8-10 people from the village. We talked about loving God with all your mind, strength & soul, the Saduccees & Pharisees, the story of Joseph, the problems of the village & dealing with sin in each others lives. We talked for about 3 hours! I hope that it is really fruitful in their lives.
The locals asked us to stay for lunch & my translator gave me the go-ahead, so I joined in despite having packed a lunch. It was DELICIOUS!!! Later, I found out that it wasn't chicken, but monkey... hmmm... still not sure how I should react! I'm still feeling healthy so far :)
The afternoon was pretty uneventful. Chatting with the kids & our translators, playing/watching some pickup volleyball, more sitting trying to stay out of the rain. After dinner (another local meal, but less tasty & less suspicious meat) we each had one home to go to & share the gospel. This was definitely the sad part of the evening.
This family had only the elder mother as a believer & her daughter-in-law was visibly very ill. Very, very ill. No one was too impressed with the story of salvation. One man asked why if God loves us, he would send us out of the garden for eating one piece of fruit. I explained that it wasn't the fruit, but the content of our heart & their response was "eh, oh well." So sad. Clearly they are not at the place of accepting, but hopefully what they heard sticks with them.
I also shared the hope cube that has information about HIV & AIDS. I was later informed that this girl has indeed tested positive but since she was not born in a Thai hospital, that does not give her citizenship & thus, she cannot get ARV medicine. I really am begging God that she would see the hope there is in Christ before it's too late.
While this village has electricity, it is still very poor. Homes with spaces between every board, lots of drug usage & selling, broken homes, fathers in jail, children without parents & Christians who lack motivation to share Jesus with their unsaved friends. I desperately hope that God changes this village soon, they need it.
I don't really have any closing thoughts... we'll see how tomorrow goes! Hoping for a day with a little more encouragement. I know Jesus can save, but I'm very scared of how long depravity might rule here. Today was the day I've most desired for Jesus to come right now. I'm sure the next few months of my life will include a lot of praying & processing all this. But still, I'm very grateful to be here despite the spiritual challenges. Thanks for your prayers!
Serve Day.
Posted by Joellen Saturday, October 15, 2011 6:35 AM 0 comments
Today was incredible! Sweaty, but incredible. We started off with team devotions reading Acts 4. We did some discussion at the "hotel" and then finished up while we were riding to Breanna's House of Joy (BHJ). It was really neat to just converse about how God worked through the early church & how He works now, realizing he desires us to have the same boldness, humility & generous hearts as the early believers. There's something so special about getting to share with other believers - especially believers I don't know well, since I feel more able to listen without judging or prejudice (something God has been working out of me).
When we got to BHJ some of our guys started working on the patio while the other few plus us girls started playing volleyball & soccer, attempting to engage the young girls. It was a very hot day so not many were too interested. But, a few girls were dancing & listening to music, so I went over, watched a little & asked one of the house-parents to translate for me. Several of the girls were more than willing for me to teach a little ballet!! It was very fun! They even performed a dance for us that they had been working on!! So sweet :)
Lunch was delicious! I am loving Thai food even more than before I came here!! I got to chat with 2 other house parents who are native to the United States. I was so blessed to hear about their travels & where God has been using them the last 20 years.
After lunch we got to work on the patio some more. We got to sit through 20 min of POURING rain, watch & listen to thunder & lightning & thoroughly enjoyed watching some of the very young girls play in the huge puddles & sand. We got a good portion of the patio set, but did not have enough pavers or time to finish it all.
After that, Matt (former young adult pastor of the Woodland Park church where all of my group is from) took us to an amazing coffee shop. I had a Thai iced tea which was delicious & crazy cheap! Super close to the ones I get from Thai Country in McMinnville :) I feel so blessed to be slowly acclimated into this mission trip life - some are far more strenuous & tiring! I'm sure I'll be tired by the end of the week, so I'm thankful for the slow start.
On the way home, I started noticing how almost every home had a "spirit house" somewhere in front, decorated a put on a pedestal. It's sad to find that about 90% of this country is blinded & deceived into thinking that appeasing tiny gods who have no home & can't even open their own foods will gain them eternal happiness. Or actually, in Buddhisim, Nirvana is nothingness - no pain, no joy, just nothing. How does a person live their life serving something completely invisible in hopes of having such mediocrity?
It makes me very grateful to know God & look forward to His promises but also very scared & sad for this country. Satan is doing a terrible work here & he needs to be stopped. Please pray that God would go before us & prepare people, to make them ready to hear the truth & ready to question what they've been told about their powerless gods.
There's so much more I want to share! About my teammates, about Kenneth with SIM who shared about HIV & AIDS, Matt & the trafficking issue... so much to say!!! And DO! Stay tuned & maybe I can update again tomorrow :)
First full day.
Posted by Joellen Friday, October 14, 2011 3:24 AM 0 comments
We ended our time downtown at Starbucks! Yay!! The weather is nice, hot & humid. Not terrible tho, just sticky. We're going to have dinner soon, hit the outdoor pool & do some sports training. Tomorrow we'll help put in a cement patio at Breanna's House of joy... cannot wait! I'm adjusting to the time change really well & am feeling good :) Thanks for your prayers - here's a pic of Starbucks in Chiang Mai!
My team.
Posted by Joellen Wednesday, October 12, 2011 1:49 PM 2 comments
At the airport!
Posted by Joellen 8:37 AM 0 comments
Here I am! I made it this far!! And I'm not throwing up, whew!
I'm actually really excited to go. I was too sick yesterday & last night to feel excited, but after deciding not to take the Malaria pills, I am feeling on the upswing & ready to enjoy this time. I feel so honored to get to do this - I certainly don't deserve it, but I'm going to make sure & really enjoy it!
Pray for continued health, travel safety & great bonding time with my team. Stay tuned tomorrow!
Going to Thailand.
Posted by Joellen Monday, October 3, 2011 9:14 PM 0 comments
As my trip to Thailand fast approaches, it has been very difficult to gather my thoughts. Several people have asked me if I am excited... and I've said "Eh, not yet." Not because I am not actually excited, but I am not currently "feeling" excited. I think if you are a woman, you probably understand the frequency of emotions you feel not being reality :)
I have many things to set in order before I go. I still have many activities to attend & serve at, or be served to - including: speaking at a prayer summit, having a prayer time with our church's women's leadership, date night with Mark, date (and shopping) night with Kristi, meal preparation for while I am gone, having guests over for dinner, photo day with Dar, finishing organizing my babysitting help list, possible photo shoot for a wonderful family - yeah, it's a little crazy. But, one by one, things are getting knocked off the list.
I have almost everything I need. Well, I say that and am reminded that as long as I have Jesus, I have everything I need. It will be very humbling to try and tell desperately poor people that Jesus is all they need, when I often complain at home about not having what I need. But, in all honesty, I complain because things are not how I would prefer them, not because things don't work according to God's plan. So, on my trip, I will often be attempting to remind myself that I have Jesus and God's plan is being played out in my life, therefore, NO REASON TO FRET! I desperately want to trust Him more. And not just say that I trust, but feel that relaxed feeling of truly knowing He is in control for His good purposes to come about.
I was so blessed to hear the Word preached at our church this week. It was from Titus. God really encouraged me that I am on His path and to not let my desire to do more for Him get me discouraged, but to trust that it means I am following Him. I really felt humbled and blessed that He would encourage me in this way - it's a daily struggle for me to combat being drawn into the world and desiring earthly treasures. I just need to keep taking deep breaths and praying for His goodness to sink down into my heart.
I am excited to go. I'm nervous about the heat (I'm such a wimp, but I get so sweaty!!) even though it is really only going to be around 80 degrees and 80% humidity. :) Told you, wimp! I know that once I can see what it's like, it will be easier for me. I don't like to go into things without knowing what it will be like - this is the same reason why I generally despise buffets... too much unknown without instruction. But, this is not a buffet, and God knows everything and He will tell me what I need to know exactly when I need to know it.
You can pray that I can get everything lined up for my husband and children smoothly. I don't want to be a basket-case the week before I leave! Pray that the people in Thailand would see God clearly and see their need for Him. Pray that as people turn to Jesus, He would truly transform them and give them a desire to serve and grow in faith. I will have my cell phone with me, so I will try to post pictures and write about how the trip is going... no promises tho, you know me! Thanks for all your prayers so far - I'll be writing again soon!!
I have many things to set in order before I go. I still have many activities to attend & serve at, or be served to - including: speaking at a prayer summit, having a prayer time with our church's women's leadership, date night with Mark, date (and shopping) night with Kristi, meal preparation for while I am gone, having guests over for dinner, photo day with Dar, finishing organizing my babysitting help list, possible photo shoot for a wonderful family - yeah, it's a little crazy. But, one by one, things are getting knocked off the list.
I have almost everything I need. Well, I say that and am reminded that as long as I have Jesus, I have everything I need. It will be very humbling to try and tell desperately poor people that Jesus is all they need, when I often complain at home about not having what I need. But, in all honesty, I complain because things are not how I would prefer them, not because things don't work according to God's plan. So, on my trip, I will often be attempting to remind myself that I have Jesus and God's plan is being played out in my life, therefore, NO REASON TO FRET! I desperately want to trust Him more. And not just say that I trust, but feel that relaxed feeling of truly knowing He is in control for His good purposes to come about.
I was so blessed to hear the Word preached at our church this week. It was from Titus. God really encouraged me that I am on His path and to not let my desire to do more for Him get me discouraged, but to trust that it means I am following Him. I really felt humbled and blessed that He would encourage me in this way - it's a daily struggle for me to combat being drawn into the world and desiring earthly treasures. I just need to keep taking deep breaths and praying for His goodness to sink down into my heart.
I am excited to go. I'm nervous about the heat (I'm such a wimp, but I get so sweaty!!) even though it is really only going to be around 80 degrees and 80% humidity. :) Told you, wimp! I know that once I can see what it's like, it will be easier for me. I don't like to go into things without knowing what it will be like - this is the same reason why I generally despise buffets... too much unknown without instruction. But, this is not a buffet, and God knows everything and He will tell me what I need to know exactly when I need to know it.
You can pray that I can get everything lined up for my husband and children smoothly. I don't want to be a basket-case the week before I leave! Pray that the people in Thailand would see God clearly and see their need for Him. Pray that as people turn to Jesus, He would truly transform them and give them a desire to serve and grow in faith. I will have my cell phone with me, so I will try to post pictures and write about how the trip is going... no promises tho, you know me! Thanks for all your prayers so far - I'll be writing again soon!!
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