God is Good

Sawasdee ka. We have been very busy, and then for some reason I am having trouble getting on this site. Here's what we have been up to:

• Last week, we moved to our next house. There was a lot of extra work involved, since the house wasn't quite ready to move into. It was a big challenge, but we were so thankful to receive help from some people at IGO.
  
• Martin did quite a bit of shopping for a vehicle for us. So far, he gets around on his motorbike or we all go somewhere in a borrowed car or get a taxi (songtaow). I am happy to say that he found a four door small pickup. Now I get to learn to drive stick shift and also to drive on the other side of the road :|
• The children have had some sickness this week. A had fever first, and now D & T have it.
  

This time of transition into life here is difficult. It seems like I am no longer good at anything I used to be good at. I can't even figure out what to buy at the grocery, or drive, or talk to my neighbor. But there are some things that transcend culture and language... smiles, and love, and my Father. He is here with us. He still is smiling upon us, even when I can't see it. Rachel

Happy Easter!

I wrote this post on Easter, and then couldn't get on the blog to post it!

We were walking to church this morning. Already late for church. Already hot and sticky. "It doesn't feel like Easter at all," I thought grumpily. Then I began to think that days like today are really what Easter is. Easter is not family ham dinners and tulips and cool spring mornings. Easter is the power of God, the same power that raised Christ and triumphed over all things. This power in my life triumphs over less than perfect circumstances. Oh thank you Jesus!! Rachel.

Im Jai House

We are just getting home from a most Remarkable evening! 9 years ago I stayed at an orphanage called Im Jai House for 2 months. then over the years, Rachel and I have been back quite a few times. They have been through many things over the years. Some things hard and sad, other things good. The director (Ladda) got married a few years back and we sort of lost touch. Well, tonight she was back and so they threw a huge party for her, and invited us to join them. What a joy. It was such a blessing to be there and such a blessing to see so many of our old friends. The orphans that were little children back in 2000 are now in their upper teens and look so different. But they remember us, and we remember them. May the Lord bless Im Jai House. We plan to go back often, but don't know exactly how the Lord will call us to minister there.martin.

Songkran Festival

The Thai New Year (Songkran) is coming up on April 13-15. Here's some information about it from Wikipedia so you know what we will be enjoying! Maybe our next post can include some personal experiences :)

The most obvious celebration of Songkran is the throwing of water. People roam the streets with containers of water or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby. This, however, was not always the main activity of this festival. Songkran was traditionally a time to visit and pay respects to elders, including family members, friends and neighbors.

Besides the throwing of water, people celebrating Songkran may also go to a wat (Buddhist monastery) to pray and give food to monks. They may also cleanse Buddha images from household shrines as well as Buddha images at monasteries by gently pouring water mixed with a Thai fragrance over them. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, the Buddha images from all of the city's important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can toss water at them, ritually 'bathing' the images, as they pass by on ornately decorated floats. In northern Thailand, people may carry handfuls of sand to their neighborhood monastery in order to recompense the dirt that they have carried away on their feet during the rest of the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles and decorated with colorful flags.

Some people make New Year resolutions - to refrain from bad behavior, or to do good things. Songkran is a time for cleaning and renewal. Besides washing household Buddha images, many Thais also take this opportunity to give their home a thorough cleaning.

The throwing of water originated as a way to pay respect to people, by gently pouring a small amount of lustral water on other people’s hands or over a shoulder as a sign of respect. Among young people the holiday evolved to include dousing strangers with water to relieve the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand (temperatures can rise to over 100°F on some days). This has further evolved into water fights and splashing water over people riding in vehicles.

The water is meant as a symbol of washing all of the bad away and is sometimes filled with fragrant herbs.

Songkran is also celebrated in many places with a pageant in which young women demonstrate their beauty and unique talents, as judged by the audience. The level of financial support usually determines the winner, since, to show your support you must purchase necklaces which you place on your chosen girl.

To see some pictures of Songkran, click here.

Hello! Just thought I would give you some misc. info on our life now...

• Housing - we are currently living in the moobaan (housing development) where Martin looked around in Nov. We are in a duplex; we have 2 bedrooms and 2 bath so its working fine. Not alot of room outside for the children to play, but its ok for a short time. Next week, we plan to move to another house we are committed to for 3 months. We could stay there for up to 10 months, while the current tenants are home on furlough. However, we would like to find a place of our own to rent after our committed 3 months are up.
• Weather - it is so hot! Monday night Martin & I were sure it got hotter during the night instead of cooler! Woke up at 6:30 this morning to 78 degrees with 66% humidity. There is a nice breeze now and then that helps. We are so glad for a/c in our bedrooms! It poured down rain this evening, and cooled off for a little while.
  
• Children - they are adjusting to life here. Its still probably the greatest stress point for Martin & I. We have so much we are dealing with, and then they are fussy & clingy. Only by God's grace are we getting through each day! Right now, their highlights are: riding the motorbike with Martin, playing in the water, walking to the neighborhood store for ice cream. D & I have been starting some school. T loves to play in the water and I found him this morning out playing with a hose in his p.j.s!
• What we are doing - Martin is busy doing things like: getting stuff together for his schooling and meeting with the school (he will start on april 20). and getting things worked out for our new rental, plus running errands. I am doing laundry, washing dishes, being a mother. This morning we all went swimming and that felt great :)
  

Some recent pictures

Here's a slide show of our last few days in Washington and first few days in Thailand!

Welcome to Chiang Mai, Thailand

Yesterday I was driving along on my motorbike along with 10-15 other motorbikes and few cars whizzing along. When I heard a ambulance inching up behind me with it's siren on. All 3 lanes of traffic were full, motorbikes were squeezing past me on both sides, and I thought, "what do I do? Should I get this thing up on the sidewalk? What do people in Thailand do when sirens blow? I guess I'll watch these guys in front of me and see what they do, and then try to do the same..there, there is a car that seems to be slowing down and trying to get out of the way. Ok. I think i'll stop here at this curb, and let it past." So, the screaming ambulance worked it's way past me, then in a few minutes alone with the rest of the crowd I had passed it again. As the traffic came to pretty much a dead-lock, a nurse jumped out of the rescue vehicle and started running up ahead. It was interesting to watch the helmets in front of me craning to see what had happened. Soon I came to a little accident. there was an older foreigner checking the damage. there was a motorbike laying over on the ground with 6 or so people all gathered around. By the time I arrived at the scene, the nurse had found out that this was the 'wrong accident' and starting running on up ahead. approx. 1/2 mile ahead I finally arrived at the real accident. There was a motorbike laying over out in the middle of the 3 lane highway. There was the nurse. There was the man with his head in the nurses hands. Then I was past the scene and the sound of the siren soon became a distant beep behind me...Welcome to Chiang Mai!!!