Field Trip with Thai Students

Today was so much fun. John and I went with six students and two other Thai to the Crocodile Farm and Ancient Siam. What a blast! Some of our students (ages 14-50 years old) had never been to one or both of those places, so it was a new experience for several of us!

We took two cars to get to the crocodile farm, which was quite enjoyable. Our students got to practice their English, John and I got to be exposed to more of the Thai language, and we got to see more of Thailand than the ten to fifteen blocks of LadPrao Road in Bangkapi, Bangkok. We went inside the Crocodile Farm and immediately saw a chimpanzee and a tiger. For 200 baht (roughly $6.50) you could take a picture with the tiger and they would print it for you in a nice Crocodile Farm frame. John and I decided to do it. It was so fun! We got right up behind the tiger, who simply sat there and knew to look at the camera. I wasn't scared at all, but rather super super excited and happy to be up close next to a real tiger!

We then proceeded to where there was a crocodile show about to start. And holy cow was that unbelievable! The trainers would drag the crocodiles from the water by the tail, position them on dry land, and the crocodiles would just stay there. Some weren't too happy at first to be out of the water and would try to snap the trainers or do a death roll while they are holding the tail. Crazy stuff!! The trainers would have the crocodile open their mouth, and one would then stick his hand into its mouth! Say what?! But wait, it gets better. Then one of the other trainers stuck his HEAD into its mouth! And it didn't snap its mouth shut! The trainers would tap the crocodile with something that looked like a bamboo stick and it would snap its mouth so fast and hard it made a sound that sounded like a whip. That's the best way I could explain the sound. So loud and kinda freaky!

After the show, we had the opportunity to feed a few crocodiles. I was hesitant at first but John went and did it. Then David, one of our students, brought me my own feeding pole with a huge chunk of meat on it. And it was actually really fun and not as scary as I thought it was going to be.

We then went to an elephant show where they would bowl using a soccer ball, walk on ropes, and take money from people in the stands with their trunks.

Then after the elephant show, we RODE AN ELEPHANT!! YES!! Pictures will explain enough here I think.

After the crocodile farm we went to the ancient city. It's a mini scaled down version of ancient Siam. We rode bicycles through the area, but since we didn't have a lot of time, we were only able to stop at a few places out of the 100+ you can view. It was like a huge outdoor museum, except you can go into places.

What I do in Thailand

Today was the last day of the first week of classes. Today was great for me because of what I got to teach in Tong's class where I TA. They were reading the story of the prodigal son. When Tong and I explained the story, I got a certain feeling all throughout my body. Holy Spirit? It's different than getting the chills. I can best describe it as adrenaline, but it's not. The only explanation would be the Holy Spirit. 

Because Santisuk is a Christian school, we have the liberty to talk about God and Jesus. Tong and I explained to the students that the father is God and the rebellious son is us. The love the father had for his son is the same love God has for us - but more so. I couldn't help but explain more to them. The Bible says, "But while [the son] was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). The father was looking far out, waiting for his son to come home. God is waiting for us to come home to Him. We all live our lives like the lost son. But when we realize where we are, how desperate we are, and how needy we are, we run back to God. And God forgives us, runs to us, has compassion for us, throws His arms around us, and welcomes us back home. When one person repents of their sin and comes to know Jesus, there is a big party in heaven. 

As Tong and I were talking and after I left his class, I was praying silently that God would create even a small spark in their souls. If even just one student studying at Santisuk became a Christian this month, we would all be the happiest people on earth. If just one of 160 people at this school accepted Jesus, I would be so incredibly joyful (and that doesn't even come close to describing how I would feel). The reason I am in Thailand is not to see the Grand Palace, or go to the crocodile farm, or go to the floating market. I am here to share the love of Jesus with the Thai students in my classes. They are my focus and priority for the remaining three weeks I'm here. And I don't want my passion for the lost to die after this trip. I want to go home and live in such a way that people can see Jesus in me. 

Thailand!

Yesterday was our first full day in Thailand. It's a gorgeous place and I like Bangkok. Parts of it actually remind me of Peru. The smell of diesel, lots of cars and people, cars honking (though not as much as Lima), smells of "delicious" food (quotes because I wouldn't like it but most people would) coming from street vendors, and stray dogs on the streets. I need to be careful as I walk on the sidewalks because the bricks are sometimes cracked or raised up and there are large power line poles right smack dab in the middle of the sidewalk. Plus all the people weaving left then right. I haven't figured out yet which side you're supposed to walk on. The cars drive on the left side of the street but most people just walk wherever on the sidewalks. Motorcycles and even a small truck or two will often also drive on the very narrow sidewalks. Quite interesting and a tad scary. One of these days I'll either get hit by a motorcycle or fall on my face due to a crack or raised brick on the sidewalk. (Maybe not, but I can just imagine)

Santisuk English School (SES) is about a ten minute walk from JJ and Jew Mission House, our "apartment" building. The inside of our new home reminds me of a tropical home in Latin America. Bright colored walls and hard floors with the heat and humidity carrying in from the entryway. To be honest, I kind of like the heat and humidity because it does feel so tropical. Yet after taking a cold shower, I start to sweat again while still in the bathroom changing. It's fantastic (some sarcasm there). But the heat makes it very possible to quickly become dehydrated. We've also noticed it caused us to lose our appetites as well. 

Last night after the Thai church service, four of us went to The Mall (that's what the mall is named) to get some DQ. We got medium blizzards (equivalent to a small in the states) for 34 baht ($1.00 = 30 baht). That's one great thing about Thailand. Everything is super cheap here. Great for buying groceries :) Next to the mall is a huge market. We learned that at night, that is one major place to hang out for night life. Drinking, smoking, gambling, karaoke, shopping, and eating happen in very close quarters at that market place. And we had to walk through to get to the mall. Overwhelming almost, yet a good taste of what Thai night life is like. Also, as we were walking back to our "home" from the mall, we could hear the electricity surging through the 30 some cables jumbled together on the power lines. We had to watch where we stepped because of small cockroaches. There were a few times us three girls had to intentionally not make eye contact with men trying to get our attention. I felt safer knowing John was with us. 

It's weird to think Bangkok will be our new home for a whole month. We unpacked our suitcases and put our clothes into our own personal armoires and we each have our own actual bed (a frame, mattress, and full sized pillow compared to sleeping on mats on the floor with mini pillows in Japan). SES wants us, once classes start, to spend as little time with others from our team and spend as much time as possible with our Thai students in our English classes. Though exciting, it's a big scary in that I would essentially be "alone" in Bangkok. And "alone" as in not with other Americans who are as clueless as I am. Yet I see this month as a test for me. Will I be able to live in a large city on my own one day? Can I use public transportation? Can I work the streets? Can I find food to eat? Bangkok will, in some ways, prepare me for Lima :)

Please pray for:

~ Jenna - she has a bladder infection and is now on antibiotics but still feels lousy

~ our overall health when dealing with food, heat, and dehydration

~ our openness to the language and culture

~ training and orientation the next few days in preparation for classes to start. 

~ confidence and preparation to teach our classes over the next month

~ overall spiritual, physical, and emotional strength

As always, please don't hesitate to email me with updates in your life and/or prayer requests you may have.