...it is no longer a secret in the village where the white people are staying. I had just finished a long day at English Camp with the kids one day and I was resting in my room when a bunch of kids from school came parading in my room. Apparently in Thai village culture, that is not unnormal to invite yourself onto someone's property. So, my shower in the little bamboo hut that night was fun. I had no privacy, really. They paraded around it saying "Sayrla! Sayrla!" Thats how they pronounce my name. I came out with a bucket full of water and chased them around the house, getting them back. You cant get upset with them for something like that, you just have to play along with them ;)
So, I'm not gonna lie, its been an exhausting week at English Camp. We have taught them the alphabet, 1-20, chicken, dog, cat, goat, frog, snake, mother, father, brother, sister, helloo, how are you, I am fine, thank you. And more. Each day we have a Bible story to tell them, and we are slowly feeding them the truth of Gods word. Next Wednesday, they will bring their parents and hopefully the Lord will use this camp and the relationships we have made with the kids to breakthrough to their parents.
It's fun: now that the village kids know us, the team and I will often walk down the street and kids will follow us reciting what they have learned: "3, 20, 15, 1! Hello, Goodbye, How are you, I am fine!" It's kinda funny. We have also been working on the garden near where we live after school each day. It used to be covered in weeds passed my head and now it is ready for cultivating.
We have also been making friends otherwise in the village, such as my Pig friend. This woman asks me every time I see her if I will come and see her pigs. They are about to have piglets. I plan to go see them on my birthday this sunday. Maybe I will share the same birthday as some village pigs ;) Another woman comes under my house as I am doing quiet time and asks for prayer for her hurt arm. I am so glad I get to pray for her. She has such faith, though I dont believe she has a relationship with God. Yet. So her arm has gotten better she says, and she can bend it more than when we had begun praying. One morning, when I was dreading the rice I was about to go eat for breakfast (rice all the time), she brough me four bananas. Jesus is already using her :)
And so, the year has come where I am no longer a teenager. I have never been so excited for my birthday to come. It is this Sunday, and the plans are this: wake up early for the church that our host Jum Nong has planted (I get to teach the lesson this Sunday at that church), then hike up the mountain behind our village, then eat American style hotdogs around a campfire with the team. Oh, to turn 20 in Thailand.
If you have been praying for any of the following, thank you, your prayers have been answered: my dizyness (gone), the heat (its rains every day and winds up cool), the food ( I have warmed up to it enough to be healthy and full). Praise the Lord, who takes care of everything!
Pictures are still not uploading. Takes too much of my precious internet time...
