9/13/15
Somewhere in Kanchanaburi province…
It’s 9:00 tonight and I’m KICKING IT. I’m so tired.
So we got to our ministry site today. Wow… I did not expect this! So first things first, the driver took every wrong turn he could possibly take. Three of us got suuuper carsick on the way out to the farm! So it took nearly four hours instead of two. But it’s gorgeous here. We’re in the mountains, literally in the midst of all these beautiful jungly mountains (yes I do plan to peak one (yes, I did peak one)) near the Kwai River and everything is green and lush and beautiful.
We got to go swimming in the river today (not the Kwai River, but a neat one that runs by the farm), there were teeny tiny crabs and fish in it! Not bad. So the area is totally good with me! I should come back here some time, there’s good climbing too! What I’m not so fine with is the fact that there are TONS of camel crickets in our squatty potty and our showers and squatties are the same room (little did I know this is the case for basically all of Asia), like you’re basically showering on the toilet and I haven’t peed in there yet because I’m so afraid of the darn insects! Haven’t used a bathroom since Bangkok, yipers. I eventually got over that too, camel crickets are good listeners when you’re singing in the shower.
Also, I’m not so excited about the farm portion of our ministry (wrong, you love it in hindsight). Long sleeves (not really), shoes, and pants (also not really) or else we’ll get really bad itch weed (noooooope!). That’s great. Otherwise we’ll be teaching English, playing sports with the local kids, and leading worship for the community according to the log! Oh and surprise, I’m singing in our worship band of six, haha. Scary. So tonight we sang while Jack (the real MVP) played guitar for the family (Pii Pang’s husband, daughter, aunt, uncle, and parents) and my team including our AWESOME translator, Noona (like Luna)! The Noonster.
Our room is something of a platform that is 8 feet in the air supported by big ol’ logs with a metal roof, and individual bug nets for three mattresses on the floor. There are 5 of us! So I set up my hammock with my bug net instead. Basically it’s every kid’s dream tree house room, no lie. The guys get a room behind the church with two beds and a real western bathroom! Yeah, a shower and a real toilet. Pffffffffft, what is this?! But oh well, we girls get to wake up looking at mountains and listening to roosters while they wake up to a wall and their roommates, the giant lizards. I’m still sort of jealous, ha. I take it back, I loved the loft with every fiber of my being. I did not love the large beetles that visited on occasion.
I got to try fresh dragon fruit at dinner tonight and it’s incredible! So is all of the food they prepare for us. Pii Pang is our actual ministry host but she’s in Australia with YWAM until Tuesday apparently. Her mom, we call her “meh” or “ma,” cooks for us and has been teaching us a little bit of Thai. Sa-wadd-dee kha/khop means hello! Kha-poon kha/khop means thank you, kha means yes, mai means no, and I forgot everything else right now! And I still don’t remember most things. Prijou wey pon!
The worst thing about being here right now is that I can’t talk to anyone at home for a week at a time if not more (and as much as I love talking to y’all, no wifi was one of the best things that happened to me), according to Markelle who has a poncho. She’s staying with us for the rest of September. Oh and she keeps getting “attacked” by the dog that lives here named Mai (my). He is a goofy, mangy, rock eating (he has no teeth because of it), strong pitball who loves everyone he meets a little too much. It’s great!
I don’t really like this (yet)… It’s uncomfortable. But day one is done. Goodnight!
01:00 AM: I finally peed. Ugh. So many large bugs everywhere!
And there we have it, my first official journey entry of the entire race. Things have changed quite a lot since then! Myself, my team, the country I’m in, my post-race plans…and I couldn’t be happier about where He’s brought me. Thank God for messy beginnings!
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4:7-9
Timber-lee campers, sing it with me!
“…I am blessed beyond the curse for His promise will endure
And His joy’s gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes in the morning
I’m trading my sorrows
I’m trading my shame
I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord
And I’m trading my sickness
I’m trading my pain
I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord
I say, yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes yes Lord, Amen amen amen!”
