Nung Farang, Song Farang

Whew! I finally have some free time and it happens to be at 12:00 at night. The children are all asleep, exhausted from traveling back to the orphanage from their villages. The children start school tomorrow so their night consisted of ironing clothes, getting their socks and shoes ready, and then hopping into bed. My night consisted of a lot of hugging, telling them how much I missed them and love them. Really I just couldn't get enough hugs. I wanted to just take them all in my arms! So after I smothered them with my love, they started their evening of school preperation.

Life has slowed down just a little bit, which has been nice because it's just about to speed right back up. The English camp that I taught at was a blast! It was definitely a different scene then I am used to because it is a camp where the parents have to pay for their children to attend. So there were no refugees or Karen children attending this camp, just the wealthier Thai kids. They were great kids. It was really funny though, because so many of the children spoke English really well. One boy lived in America for a year and he could basically teach my lesson. Some other children spoke fluent because they have been attending an English program since they were five. Here I am teaching transportation (bus, car, truck, etc.) and these children could have full on conversations with me. There was definitely a lot of modifying I had to do to my lesson. It's making me a better teacher....learning how to adjust my lessons on the spot :) The English camp was held at a beautiful resort. The food they fed us was delicious. I have decided that shrimp is one thing I will not eat in Thailand because they leave the peels on them (the Thai people eat the shells right along with the shrimp) and if you do decide to peel it to eat it, the poop is all still in there. It's quite disgusting. Anyways, this shrimp was peeled, clean and delicious. I really got to live it up for a day. I was actually eating shrimp....I love the simple things that bring me joy! I also got to meet foreigners that were teaching at the camp as well. I met Fiona from Canada and Paul and Stan from France. It was really fun!

After camp, they drove me to Hope Church in Mae Sot so I could do my last practice for our dance that we were doing at the Hope Church Conference (this is where all the Hope churches in Thailand come together. There were 2000 people who attended). When the girls got dropped off at the church they just brought my luggage with them because we were sleeping at the church that night and leaving for the conference early the next morning. We all laid out our mats on the ground in the room. You couldn't even see the floor because it was covered with mats. We got to have one big slumber party and it was a blast!! The girls are so precious!! We had awesome bonding time! God continues to give me more and more love for these children. Eleven of the older girls went to the conference with me. I am constantly praying that I am a good example for them. I'm not old and wise, but hopefully God transfers my love and some wisdom to them :)
The conference was a powerful time. We had amazing worship and they put on dramas and presentations. We had anointed pastors who gave the messages and I met many wonderful people. My two favorite people I met were two old women. I was washing my hands in the bathroom and these two little old ladies were just about walking out of the bathroom. I was the only foreigner at the conference so they just stared at me and kept talking to me in the sweetest voices. I could only understand a little bit of what they were saying, but one got on either side of me, grabbed my arms and we walked arm in arm back to the worship hall, as they continued to smile and try and talk to me. It was wonderful walking with those two precious women.
Saturday came and it was time for us to do our dance. We went backstage, put on our dresses and all the ladies sat around and did all of our hair and make-up. When I finally got a chance to look in the mirror, I looked like a doll. Everyone kept telling me, "Soy mak mak" (very very beautiful). I'm sure I was blushing, but you couldn't tell because my cheeks were already so pink from all the blush they put on. We all peeked through the door to see what the crowd looked like and our excitement grew as we saw all 2000 people staring at the stage. We all walked out there and everyone did a wonderful job. All the girls looked beautiful and I was so proud of them. I was told I did a good job too :) It was so much fun!!

When the girls and I returned from the conference we were told there was a foreigner at the orphanage. We have a girl who is staying with us for 3 months from San Diego. She's really sweet and she's going to do awesome things for the orphanage. Her name is Terra (please keep her and her mission in your prayers). I also just went with Noah and we picked up one more foreigner. Her name is Deidre and she is also from San Diego. They are both right around my age and I have had so much fun speaking actual fluent English with them. Deidre is here for 10 days and we are making the most of her time here. We have a lot planned for this weekend, and we're really looking forward to it. Saturday we are having a Fall Festival for the children. We have lots planned. We also brainstormed and created a drama we are going to perform for the children Sunday night. We're pretty proud of our creation. We also casted the Karen staff that are at the orphanage in our drama. It's going to be a blast! So God hasblessed me with the company of not only Nung Farang (one foreigner) but Song Farang (two foreigners). He's too good to me :)

Tomorrow, I start teaching again, so please keep this next term in your prayers. The children's English really is improving. I'm so proud of them. They're more confident in speaking with the foreigners we have here now, and I love to hear them say things I've taught them. It's great!!! Anyways, life is incredible! God keeps teaching me and I'm enjoying more than anything this adventure of a life He's given me, the life He's given to all of us!!


*new pics