With less than a week less in Thailand, it seems appropriate to finally write a blog on the month. I’ve struggled to write before this, because there’s so much I want to share, but I don’t even know where to begin. So sorry if this is a little all over the place.
I should start out by saying I am fully supported! Praise the Lord! Once my monthly donations finish out, I will be at 100%! I just still don’t really believe it, and it is because of all of you! Thank you for believing in me, but more than that, thank you for believing in this cause. I have seen the Lord’s faithfulness so clearly through you all, and you have no idea what it means to me. You are truly answers to prayers.
Second of all, the Thai people. They are SO beautiful and kind. They’re the type of people that you instantly fall in love with. The only word I can think of is jovial. We teach in schools most mornings, and I don’t think I’ve left a school without being swamped with hugs. Also, shout out to all you teachers out there. You are better people than I am. Kids are cute, but only for about 10 minutes when you’re trying to teach them.
Next, Thai food. Stop reading, right now, and go get food from your nearest Thai restaurant, and then come back and finish reading this. You won’t regret it. If they have papaya salad, order 2. It’s so dang good. And there are so many new fruits. There is durian, jackfruit, mangosteen, sala, longkong, and I’m sure so many more. With the exception of durian, which smells like stale fart, they have all been so good! My taste buds have had so many new experiences this month. Thai food is pretty spicy, but it’s a different kind of spice. It sneaks up on you, slow burning, until all of a sudden you’re like “MY MOUTH IS ON FIRE”. We (*I) have taken to singing “My lips are on fire” to the tune of “This girl is on fire”. It’s only funny to some. But seriously, I will be locating several Thai restaurants upon my return to America.
Something that has struck myself and several of my teammates is Thai hospitality. Each place we go, we are expected to bring some sort of small gift, which is really great, but as treasurer, it’s also a nightmare. Our “supplies” budget has been so blown out of the water that I can’t even see it anymore. But it would be so rude to not bring something with us to thank them for letting us come and visit. Which is actually a really awesome practice. Can you image having such hospitality in America? Imagine having a budget set aside simply for blessing people. Just with little small things, like a jar of jam, or a loaf of bread. Wouldn’t that be so lovely to receive? It has just been making me think about ways that I can bring these things that I see and experience back to America. I have more thoughts on this subject, so expect a fuller blog post on this in the near future. Also, as a side note, we went to visit a women’s prison, and we had to bring a gift basket for the commander for letting us in. And so we went to the store, and our host pointed out the one that we should get. And it was a basket full of this stuff called “Bird’s Nest Beverage”. Which is made from the nests of swallows. Which is made from their spit. We gave the commander 60 jars of bird spit.
An unexpected struggle has been how western Thailand is. We have so many of the amenities that are available at home, but that we haven’t had since we left America. And I find myself reverting back to my old ways. It’s so easy to not rely on the Lord when you’re comfortable, and I feel comfortable here. It makes me sad to think that all of the things I learned and experienced in Nepal and India were so quickly forgotten as soon as a returned to some semblance of home. But I also think it was extremely good, because I am able to also take this and learn from it. Learn to be more disciplined. Getting to know myself better so that I can live differently when I do go back to America.
There has also begun to be twinges of homesickness. I would give a larger sum of money than I care to admit for some mayo-based salads. I don’t even care what it is. Potato salad, chicken salad, tuna salad, it’s all good. Or pot roast. A nice crockpot pot roast. It’s just little things like clean sheets or a couch to read a book on that have just begun to wear on my heart. I’ve also been struggling with all of our church services and worship being in foreign languages. It’s really awesome to experience, but we don’t ever get poured into. Most of the time, we are in charge of running the services, and we don’t ever just get to sit and soak. I’ve started to download sermons from the church I went to in Madison, which has helped, but I didn’t realize how much being surrounded by foreign language would wear on me. And while I don’t wish I were home, there are certain things from home that I wish I had available to me here. But it’s all part of the process of growing and trusting.
Thailand has been a great month, and it has flown by. I hope to write a few more specific blogs about things, but don’t hold your breath! I miss you all, and thank you for all of your support!
