I have to keep constantly reminding myself that this is now home.
For this season, my home isn’t in Calgary with my family, friends, and puppy, and that is surreal. Some days I love to fully embrace the adventure, and other days it tears me apart inside. The season has been full of the biggest transitions I have ever made, and learning to cope with the feeling of longing has been a challenge. I’m slowly learning my roll, and I love watching the hundreds of my mom’s characteristics and quirks quickly become my norm.
Until the beginning of December, my home is a tiny aqua corner facing house on the outskirts of Klaeng, Rayong, Thailand. We have a western toilet, high pressure shower, Wi-Fi, a washing machine, and a permanent mildew smell. All, except the smell, are luxuries we never expected. We have multiple pets; Clementine and Timbleton, our rats and our sneaky little kitchen mouse named Gus. Our house is also the favorite hangout for the local cockroach and gecko communities. Home has become a place where we can unwind, a place we look forward to being at the end of a long day. Exactly has a home should be.
We have been blessed with the most loving ministry contacts. Pastor TJ and his wife Joy of New Jerusalem International Church are both fluent in English, and have lived in the United States and New Zealand. They are the biggest servants, making us spaghetti or driving us where we need to go, we quickly adopted them as our Thai parents. Joy said “If my daughter were to do this, I would want someone to look after her. So I am going to look after you.”
During the day we are teaching English in the local schools. All schools here are connected to the Buddhist Temples, so on top of teaching English we are trying to teach them some fun bible songs like Father Abraham and we are planning on showing a Christian movie. The kids are full of laughter and shenanigans, and absolutely love to shake hands with you. Two nights a week we teach an English class to adults in the community. All the adults are so willing to learn, and the look on their faces when they realize they said something correctly is priceless! Our days are busy, but so rewarding.
My team would love if you would pray for our health right now as a few of us are not feeling the best. Food isn’t sitting well, and some may be coming down with a cold. Please pray that seed will be watered in the schools we are teaching in, and that we will learn to fully embrace our new life here.
Welcome to my new home!
Love,
Jill
