Life in the Big Mango

Hi everyone, check out our teammates new blog. They are Jack and Kim Cunningham and they have two children and a pug. I figure the more news you get from life here in Thailand the more you will understand. Drop them a comment or an encouraging word, I am sure they would welcome it!
They're blog address is www.cunninghamsbkk.blogspot.com and add it to your favorites too!

I forgot to mention...

Not only did we have a great time with our Thai friends but we were also encouraged. We have been studying Thai for nine months now and some days feel like we don't know a thing. Yesterday was great because we were with these folks all day long and conversed mainly in Thai (though several of them are also quite proficient in English so occassionally we would lapse into English). We made a deal with them, that they could speak English with us but we would speak in Thai with them... and it worked! We both came home feeling like we really were able to communicate with these folks and that was just so wonderful. The other great thing was that they weren't afraid to correct our mistakes and we were so thankful for that too. Very often Thai people won't correct you because they don't want to embarass you or cause you to lose face so we both were thankful for their willingness to correct us and let us know when we were saying the wrong word or saying the right words in the wrong order! Thanks for your prayers for our langauge learning...please keep praying for God to give us more and more proficiency.

our friends

here we are with our friends...it was a lot of fun.
By the way, the Thai word for fun is "sanuuk" and when coming to Thailand it's important to know that word and know how to have "sanuuk" too! 

A trip to the dam

So, here I am singing karyoke with Nay! This was the first time I karyoked (not sure how to spell it in the past tense) in Thailand and it actually was a lot of fun. Acutally this was the first time I karyoked in a couple years...the last time being at Debra's 50th birthday party...anyway, I do digress. After Nay and her family and friends arrived we took them to a yummy Thai restuarant and then Paul and the boys went home for naptime for the boys. I took the group to King Narai's palace and a museum within the palace grounds. This palace is OLD. I think it dates from the 1600's. Anyway, after that we went to Pasak dam, about an hour away from Lopburi city but still in Lopburi province. They rented a house and were staying the night there and offered for us to stay but with two small children we opted to go back to our house. Anyway, once we got there they ordered some more Thai food and set up karyoke (hired someone to come in and do it for just our group) and set the table. We ate outside in a pavillion and as we ate different ones of our gr0up would get up and sing. It was great! Of course, they wanted us to sing as well. Thus, the picture of Nay and I singing "Sealed with a Kiss". Paul got in on the action too! He and I sang together "Leaving on a Jet Plane". Then it started to rain so that ended the karyoke fun! We hung out some more with these dear people and then headed home around 10PM. PJ had a blast with our friends as well. They all love him so much and chased him around and played with him...he was out before too long in the car. He asked me today if we were going to see our friends again today...he misses them. 

Gift Giving

Gift giving is huge in Thai culture and for those of us from North America it is hard to get in the habit of gift giving. That sounds bad, doesn't it? Let me explain. Here in Thailand when you see someone you haven't seen for awhile it is very polite and important to give them a gift. In America we generally don't do this sort of thing, at least I never did. So, we had some friends come to Lopburi to visit yesterday and we wanted to give them something and one of the other missionaries suggested a fruit basket. So, here you see the enormous fruit basket we assembled for them. Paul went all over Lopburi on Friday to gather mangoes, papaya, pineapple, rambutan, organges and grapes to put in the basket. We had 12 Thai friends coming so we knew we needed a big enough gift for all of them.
When they arrived they brought us gifts as well. It is always so humbling to receive gifts, no matter who the giver, but especially when it comes from someone of another culture. They gave us fruit as well plus they gave PJ some cool trucks and Calvin two beautiful baby outfits. They gave us an entire durian fruit (this is the fruit that smells really, really bad), mangoes, watermelon and pomelo which is like grapefruit (really good). We haven't cut open the durian yet but it should be interesting to be hit with the smell! 

the mango maniac

Paul enjoying a tasty mango 

Advertisement

Last night I saw an ad for a new Toyota SUV of some sort on the back of a National Geographic magazine. It had a young boy about eight or nine in a yard in front of the Toyota…and it said, “by the way, childhood has an expiration date.” Wow, how true! Lately I have had several conversations about this very thing with my “dear old dad” (that is how he refers to himself, I am not being rude!). When I talk to him or get an email from him is always encouraging and he always reminds me to enjoy my boys while I have them in my home. I really try to listen to his words and enjoy the boys in every moment but of course there are plenty of times when I fail. When I saw this ad, it reminded me of how quickly we grow up (or our kids will grow up). Childhood really does have an expiration date…and that date varies with each child, I think…but it does expire. It’s weird to think that one day I will be (Lord willing) having intellectual conversations with PJ and Calvin. It’s weird to think that we will be telling them in just a few short years to spend lots of time with their own children. It won’t be long until they’re off, doing their own thing and Lord willing serving God in whatever way He will call them. For now, I am just trying to love and enjoy them and remember all their cute little expressions and smiles and hugs and kisses. What a true blessing children are. Thank you Lord!

random

Right now, I am sitting in my bedroom, with no a/c running (and not because it's cool outside but just because Paul decided to turn it off today and it's kinda nice to have to "suffer" in the heat with just a fan!). Outside, in the next neighborhood over there are some guys having a good time beating on drums and earlier today they were playing a radio or something. This morning I got up and did my laundry and played with PJ outside. It's nice to have Mondays off from language school...just to feel a little normal. I just finished cleaning the upstairs bedrooms and now, well, now I am here writing. Smiling as I hear our neighbors whooping and hollering!

Yesterday we watched a sermon from our home church in Florida. Yes, I said watched! Our home church has begun taping the sermons and putting them on dvd and Paul's mom sends them to us...it's great! Anyway, our home church just got a new pastor in October and so we haven't met him yet but we love his preaching. He speaks the truth in love and his sermons are full of meat. The one we watched yesterday was really encouraging and challenging, he spoke on the inner man and the man of the flesh...and how they are at war. I had never heard Romans 6 and 7 explained in such an understandable way. If you are reading this and wonder what on earth I am talking about, I am talking about sin and salvation and the struggle we as Christians face as we TRY to live holy lives (the inner man) but our flesh (the man of the flesh) still wants us to live sinful lives.

So onto some other random news. The ants are back. I have quickly come to realize that though we have eliminated the biting red ants that ate up a lot of PJ's new underwear a few months back, we have been attacked once again by the black ants that don't go away and nothing but spray seems to kill. I have realized that it's a seasonal thing. I thought we were just being cleaner, doing SOMETHING to keep them away but the truth is it was just the cool weather that keeps them outta the house! Now that it's heating up and soon the rainy season will be coming the ants are marching back indoors. Paul sprayed so much ant spray the other day he thinks he might have killed one of our pet hermit crabs! (The crab was still in his shell with no signs of foul play).

And yet more random news...yesterday Paul went to the weekly market to buy some mangoes. He has been quite put out about how expensive the mangoes have been at our nearby market (Sa Gaew Market). So, he jumped on his motorcy and went to this other once a week market. He came back gleaming with about five or six yellow mangoes and the reason he was gleaming was because he got such a great price! Only 10 baht! (about 25 cents) but at our nearby market the mangoes are selling for like 60 baht ($1.25). We also can buy barbeque chicken (not with bbq sauce, literally the chicken is grilled over a bbq grill) at the market which Paul did and we had that with french fries for supper. After supper we ate a ton of mangoes! PJ, Paul and I just couldn't resist the yummy taste of these sweet mangoes. There are several varieties of mangoes in this country but I have only tasted the sweet and the sour varieties. Both are good but my favorite is the sweet. We each decided our favorite fruit is mango!

Tonight we are going out to eat at a Thai restaurant with Phii Denaii and Phii Lina. We are looking forward to it. I ate at this restaurant last week with one of my farang friends and I am looking forward to dining there again...the food is DELICIOUS!

This weekend we are having some Thai friends come up from Bangkok to visit. The daughter lived in the States for a year with one of our closest friends. They haven't seen us since July and can't wait to meet Calvin and see PJ again.

Ok, well, my random thoughts are all used up for the moment. Please continue to pray for us as we study this week.

"I wanna dip"

That is PJ's new phrase since getting several packages from a supporting church. He has totally enjoyed eating graham crackers and I introduced him to dipping them in milk...yummy! I must admit that I have totally been enjoying them too! Thanks so much Bald Eagle CMA! 

Calvin pen dek tua yaay

Translated that means Calvin is a big boy (in phonetics...I haven't figured out how to do the Thai writing on my computer yet). Anyway, Calvin is growing so quickly. 

Easter Joy

PJ and Calvin posing for a picture for Mommy. Easter is our favorite holiday because of what it represents and means in our lives. If Christ had never rose from the dead we would still be dead but because HE lives so do we! Hallelujah. He has RISEN! 

Found!

Our tradition at Easter time is to hide the Easter baskets somewhere in the house and it just so happens that Jack and Kim have the same tradition. Here is PJ when he found his basket. You can see he was most excited about his new race car he got in his basket. It has not left his side since getting it.
Easter was a lot of fun for us. We had a great visit with our teammates, Jack and Kim and their two children. They had invited some neighbor children over to their home for an Easter egg hunt. There were probably about 10 kids all together that came. It was a lot of fun. Jack shared what Easter is all about and why Christians celebrate. There were a few moms in the mix too. Earlier on Easter we went to the international church in Bangkok where we sang Up From the Grave He Arose among some other favorites. It was nice to attend an English speaking service. After our Easter egg hunt we had a ham, beans and potato salad meal...it was very yummy. We then headed back to Lopburi. Thank you for all of you praying for traveling mercies. We made it there and back safely (with the Song Kran holiday going on we weren't sure what to expect.) 

PJ enjoying a new toy from the grandparents. (You can see Daddy's enjoying it too!) 

Caroline (fellow language student) and Moi having Song Kran fun! 

 

The Aftermath

So, here you see PJ and me and above Paul and PJ after our Song Kran walk up our street! (Phii Lina watched Calvin for us while we went out for a few minutes). Anyway, at first, no one really was sure if we wanted to get wet and covered in plaster but finally a young guy got me wet and it was all down hill from there. PJ wasn't sure what to think of the whole thing and was a little freaked with all these Thais covered in white stuff and running up to all three of us and covering us in white stuff too, but he survived. Paul carried him the whole time. Anyway, it was the craziest thing I have ever seen. People on motorbikes would be stopped and inundated with water and then smeared with this plaster stuff. This one kid's whole left side was covered including his eye...I don't know how he saw but he continued driving his mototbike! Oh, we were also offered some alcoholic drinks as we walked...I must say I was not expecting that kind of generosity! There is music blaring in the street and people dancing in the middle of the road...it's just nuts out there. We were soaked and covered with plaster when we returned home. I couldn't stop smiling though with all the fun everyone was having. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It was just amazing. I wish I could have taken the camera but there is no doubt it would have been ruined.
We started the morning off by having a family water fight in our compound. PJ and I and then Paul joined in. While we were outside, our friends Caroline and Moi came over (they had been walking around the street and were also covered...see picture above!). It was quite an eventful morning. Paul also put together PJ's Christmas gift (yes, you heard right) from my mom and dad. It's one of those toy jeep things that kids can drive around. So, PJ was really excited about driving it around. It will be very interesting to see what the rest of the weekend will hold. We've been told that tomorrow is the worst day for water throwing...so we'll see! 

10 Weeks Old and Thai New Year

Yesterday Calvin had another appointment to get some more vaccines. He is now 14.4 lbs! He is huge and growing so fast. Needless to say after his shot he was fairly fussy throughout the night even with the Tylenol.

So, today is the final day of school for a week. What is the occasion? Well, it’s Thai New Year, starting tomorrow. It’s known as Song Kran. Thai New Year is the most beloved Thai holiday of the year (I’ve read) and as always the Thais have a really fun time. I think the best way to describe the atmosphere in Thailand during the next three days is taken from my friend Beth’s blog. She said it’s like a nationwide water fight. Every where you go no matter how old or how young you will be doused with water from head to toe, everyone will be soaked. There are some articles on the internet you can check out to read more about Song Kran. I probably will not be posting any pictures of the fun because I don’t want my camera to get ruined! There will be people riding around on trucks throwing water on others, there will be people dumping buckets of water from their apartment windows and store fronts, there will be water EVERYWHERE!
This is also the most deadly week of the Thai calendar because there is a lot of partying and drinking going on as well. From what we’ve been told Bangkok is like a ghost town during Song Khraan because everyone goes to their hometown…outside of Bangkok. So the roadways are particularly dangerous the day before Song Kran (today) and on the final day (Sunday). The Thais go to their homes to celebrate with family and to be blessed by their grandparents with a water ritual. Again, you can read about this at the sites listed below. As you may or may not know we are traveling to Bangkok on Saturday and we are to return Sunday evening. Please pray for our safety. We should be ok because we will be traveling the opposite direction as everyone else but you never know. We are going to Bangkok to celebrate Easter with our team.
Some website to check out about Song Kran are:
www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/rites_of_songkran.html
www.thailandlife.com/songkran.htm
Check these out and learn more about the Thai worldview.

I can't help myself!

This was taken April 4. 

Finishing the Course

Yesterday was a hard day. I don’t usually struggle SO badly with missing home that I start making plans for when we return. But, yesterday, was a day where all I wanted was to be home. I missed my mom and dad and our families, I missed Spring (and all the seasons for that matter), I missed church fellowship and friends, I missed English billboards and English speaking store clerks. I missed just being a normal, English speaking person. Language learning can be a VERY discouraging time. We knew this coming here and at least we were a bit more prepared but it’s still a difficult task. Some days we wonder if we’ll ever get it. Will we ever be able to have a true heart to heart conversation with a Thai person? As Paul (have I mentioned how thankful I am for him?!) and I talked about our feelings of frustration with language, he reminded me why we are here. He said (and don’t take this the wrong way) “it’s not about missions, it’s about obedience.” Almost immediately my heart calmed. He was right. I was more concerned about DOING something for God (i.e being involved with millions of Thais coming to know the True God) but the only thing God has asked of us is to be obedient and trust Him. If we “fail” according to my standards but succeed by God’s standards then we’ve done what He has asked of us and my fear of failure is no reason to not trust Him; He is still good! I hope this makes some sense.
Anyway, last night as I was reading my Bible the Lord led me to this verse in Acts 20:24
“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”
In this passage, the apostle Paul is saying his farewell to some of his close friends at Ephesus. Paul knew there were people in Jerusalem (where he was heading) who desired to kill him. This was Paul’s response. He was being obedient. He was willing to give up his life for the cause of Christ. What a challenge to me in the midst of life here. Am I ready to give up my life? Also, as I read, the words, “finish my course” stood out. I was reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Tim. 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” Paul and I desire the same…we desire to fight hard and finish strong in the Lord, keeping our faith and trust in Him. It takes more than sacrifice to do that…it takes joyful obedience. So, once again the Lord has encouraged and rebuked me. In His gentleness and great love, He has shown me my sin. Though I still miss home today as I write this I have a better understanding of His grace in my life here. We must always keep our focus on Christ and not on the temporal things of this world. We would appreciate your continual prayers for our language acquisition. Pray also that we would keep our eyes fixed on Christ.