Thailand was a BLAST!!!- Literally

I'M BAAACK!!!!

Miss you guys so much. Sad I couldn't join the thanxgiving party... looked like so much fun on the photos. When Shawn described the potato salad with Honeydew... I thought to myself how much that sounds like my family recipe...haha, then my Muthu told me he made it. Now I'm more sad I missed the party. Heard the organisation was impressive!

My week long trip to Bangkok has been restful and eventful. Shopping & Bomb blasts aside, Amelia and I went with KEvin to the village of Pitmai to teach english in 2 primary schools there. They weren't confident to speak in english but their receptive hearts encouraged me. 2 girls gave me cards & which were probably expensive for them but they gave anyway-so touching. The slow pace of village life was relaxing and i never slept so much in so long...ahhh.....

We taught them Christmas songs as well as "He's the Lord of the sunshine"- my favourite sunday school song. Those of you who haven't been out on a mission trip, small or big... get ur butts out there! Beg, grovel and save to go for a missions trip but do it while you're young and energetic preferably. Even if its just a week. I did 2 days....not much but jus encouraging ya'll to do more and keep doing.

I also got to experience real Thai life beyond shopping. Dinning with the locals and walking through the street markets at sunset.

We also visited temple ruins which showed us the various strongholds in the city. Word has it that every year, a channeler will proclaim how many deaths will come upon Pitmai and the prochecy will be fufilled. People who know how to swim will strangely fall into shallow ponds and drown etc... Satan is working hard to get that village but I believe more christians will go in and impact the pple for Christ.

That night I had indigestion and puked on the church stairs and spent the night cleaning the stairs and was queesy the next day. Thank God for a speedy recovery coz we were back the next day with a shopping vengence.... 2 days roughing it out in Chatuchak market. Pretty expensive this time so didn't buy much. But we spent loads on Jap food...super cheap and top grade kind. First time I tried Half cooked makeral wraped in black pepper cheese fried in tempura and double broiled chawamushi. Yum!

Then the 9 bomb blasts took place in the late afternoon which pretty much ruined our new year party plans. God has truly protected us. one of the bombs were relatively near to the hotel we were in. Major New Yr parties got cancelled and tourist were told to stay 'indoors at all times'. So amelia, Kev & I probably had the most exciting new yr in our hotel room cheering with thai soya bean watching CNN and some fireworks from our window while the world was merry making.(as opposed to going down to our hotel lobby to watch gays and drag queens perform)

But the bomb blasts made good indicators of true shoppers! We were still out shopping the next day along with a few other tourist- come wind, come rain, come bomb...but hey, we kept INDOORS! Haha... spoken like a true shopper I know....

All in all...though I didn't buy as much as I hoped to.... I had a restful vacation... thankful to God for the opportunity set aside, but also thankful I had help of some wonderful individuals to take over my youth min duties while I was away in Thailand and during Christmas when I was busy. you know who you are *muak*

Blessed New Year ahead toodle dudes! Praying for a greater unity, greater harvest.