So I'm a few days behind on posting this…
I like to say I turned 26 again.
In Thai I would say I'm "Som Sip"
My team likes to say I'm in another generation
But however I choose to refer to it, turning 30 wasn't that bad.
The day was scheduled to start with crepes and ice cream at 830am. Clearly the most responsible breakfast choice. But its my birthday and we are actually in a westernized country so I decide its a great idea. Waa waa… After our 15 minute walk we find out it doesn't open till 10. Oh well, I settle for Thai tea and a danish.
Today is also our first day of campus ministry! So at 1030 we head to the university campus to meet students and eat lunch. It is an open air cafeteria busy with university students in and out between their classes. They are all in uniform and I learn from my conversations with them that what they wear depends on the major they are studying. They are all so incredibly nice and receptive to us. (now a week and half later, they have become our friends and I get excited to see them everyday at lunch…just like in highschool at home when you look for your lunch buddies to sit with everyday!) I grab a plate of fried chicken and rice and add sweet chili sauce to it (as close to moms fried chicken, gravy and biscuits as I can get in Thailand and Its actually pretty good and only cost 20 baht which is equivalent to about 65 cents in american money). Sweet deal. I sit down with a table full of Thai students and start a conversation. We invite them to our evening fellowship where we play games and help them with their english. They all seem excited to come. I'm excited as well! We finish lunch and start our 30 minute walk back home, and we are finally able to get those crepes and ice cream later in the afternoon!
At 5 O'clock students begin to gather at our "apartment" for the meeting. More than I expected show up and soon our room is full. We play games and then break into groups for the evening. In the middle of our meeting Courtney comes in with her group and everyone begins to sing happy birthday to me 🙂 So sweet. My new friend stop (who we met a few days earlier) brought me some Thai sweets for my birthday. She knows the way to my heart. haha.
Me and Stop 🙂 Teaching the students the art of finger jousting
After the meeting me and Andrew head off to the kitchen to start dinner. We cook up some miracle omelets complete with onion, tomato, and cheddar cheese. (shout out to Jenna Samples with the miracle omelets!) While we are cooking another students comes back and brings me flowers. I am overwhelmed with their thoughtfulness. The pastor and Au buy "5-star chicken" to have with dinner. Shortly, we sit down to a feast! And man, was it delicious! After I have completely stuffed my belly the team tells me that they have a surprise for me. They come back with a birthday cake and a present! Never mind that we are so full from dinner, the 8 of us dig in and demolish the cake… literally.
Although I wasn't home to celebrate everyone here made it such a great day!
