THE END IS NEAR!!!!

So, I’m sitting in Taiwan’s airport….I’ve been watching SNL for five hours and I’m ready for a little depth to my evening. Haha….

I’ve been sitting here for a long time, of course…and even though Taiwan, especially after it rains, is beautiful, I miss Thailand already. Everything.

I miss walking to the San Sai market and being greeted by the ever familiar face of the kind Thai woman who feeds me almost daily on my diet of moo pbing and kao nyo. I miss feeling like I’ve just seen a giant Twinkie as the yellow song-taew pulls up to the curb where I’m standing and picks me up so I don’t have to walk in the drenching heat of Chiang Mai in the afternoon. I miss seeing mountains ALL THE TIME. I miss hearing chinchooks croaking everywhere I go, letting me know that they are aware of my presence and have no desire to make their presence visually known. Tonight I will not fall asleep to the sound of drunken women singing random karaoke songs so loudly it’s hard to even close your eyes, instead I will fall asleep to the sound of the plane’s engines cutting through the Pacific.

I’ve only been gone for a few hours, but I’m well aware of how much I took the wonder of that mesmerizing country for granted. I won’t be riding my precious motorbike anymore, and I won’t be learning how to perfect my basic Thai.

I’ve had a wonderful last few weeks. Work was amazing…I wish I could bundle up the Free Burma Rangers office and take it with me. The people, the work…..I really felt like I had a purpose. Though I don’t lack that feeling back home, I know that this was a different and sincere feeling of having helped people who were suffering from the brutality of their country. If you are unaware of what is going on in Burma right now, get educated. I will miss FBR, and I appreciate the opportunity they gave me to help them, if even for a small amount of time.

I am excited to see my family though…. I’m a very blessed person, thanks to my Saviour. Lord willing I’ll make it through the next day and a half of travel, and be back home in Danvers, Illinois. Thanks for coming along on the ride. ;)

Has it really been two weeks?

Seriously, where does the time go here?!?! I can't believe it's been so long! I'm sorry, I am....well, not really, but I'll sincerely try to do better in the next few weeks.

SO! What all has happened? So much.

First of all, I love my motorbike. I love it. I went on a nice Sunday morning ride yesterday, and I just knew that I had to get one....I can't imagine life without it anymore. I feel as if it's a part of who I am inside. Am I exaggerating? Perhaps....but I think you get the picture. My friend Autumn and I rode all around Doi Saket, and it was breathtaking. Seeing the morning dew on the rice fields and watching the water buffalo wake up was one of the highlights of my week. I wasn't ready to stop! But my gas tank was. My friends, there is nothing like a sunrise in Thailand. At sixty miles an hour. ;)

Angela (my roommate) and I have sponsored a young lady at our apartment. We hosted her for ten days, and it was awesome. Her name is Mariah Herington, and she was the perfect guest! Seriously.....so willing to get involved in missions ministries and just as willing to do whatever tourist conquest that we forced down her throat. Haha! She came to FBR with me one day, and I was excited to show someone around the place that I work. We went to waterfalls, The Tiger Kingdom, and many other adventures. One of the best being the children's prison. Chiang Mai has a secure, but spectacular facility where they house a couple hundred kids that have been pushed and pulled through the Thai drug ring, and have found themselves in the most desperate of times. I stood up to speak to the group that had filed into the open room where we were teaching, and saw the faces of kids who had been forced to grow up much too soon. A lot of them were happy to see us, knowing that we had games and prizes prepared for them, but others couldn't hide the sadness of the things they'd seen and experienced as I spoke to them of the time I'd spent working with young people their age at the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center. It was a wonderful day....we all had a great time.

I also got to go to a Lisu village for the weekend! Three hours up a mountain, which to me felt mostly uphill, is where we stayed. The people were more than welcoming and we feasted on potatoes, rice, and plants that were picked from the very yard we were living in. We slept on mats on the floor, surrounded with mosquito nets and praying that the rats that were falling off the ceiling would not creep in through our safety nets. Haha....oh to be that terrified again....I've never felt closer to God. So we held a Bible study/worship time on Saturday night, and then had an all-day service with some families in the village. A family was led to Christ and baptized down by the river near the village, and oh what a sight that was! All of these Lisu people singing hymns as we walked down the bank to the steadily flowing river beneath, and three white people trekking through the mud trying to get pictures of this fantastic occasion. I couldn't have asked for more!

Lisu is a simple language, and one that I tried to somewhat grasp during my short stay there. I learned the alphabet and how to read the Lisu music, which to me is so beautiful. They sing either a cappella or to the strumming of a guitar....I tried to hide my cheesy smile as the villagers sang, their voices carrying to the clouds, but I couldn't. It was some of the most beautiful words I've ever heard, and I barely understood them. :)

I went to a special Thai dinner on Friday, and wasn't shocked in the least to find that for a very small amount of money, you are provided a feast as well as hours of entertainment. I was able to see the full culture of Thailand by watching each tribe that resides in Thailand show off their tribal dancing. I was also influenced, probably by too much sticky rice, to join the dancers on the stage. In the words explained to my friend John here at the office, I looked like a "Seizuring duck". That is literally the best description that I could give you.

I went to Burma to renew my visa, and other than wanting to vomit upon stepping over the border, I had a great time! The Burmese know how to cook. I ate basted duck and maple sugar balls. Haha! Great mixture. I loved it....it's a poor country, but the people enjoy your business and were very welcoming....not too mention the scenery around there is beautiful! I took a lot of pictures....I'll try to post some here.

Well this has been a boring post! I'm trying to fill you in, but I can't describe to you in detail everything that happened without writing a book. So stop reading and come with me sometime! :)

Oh my.....how things happen soooo quickly.

WELL. My goodness gracious. People have been e-mailing me and asking why the fat I haven't updated this in awhile. WELL. I've been busy. Haha....allow me to begin.

Since it's pretty much calmed down now, I don't mind saying that last week was a little nerve-wracking. I'm sure many of you have seen on the news all about the protests that have been going on in Bangkok. People killed, buildings burned to the ground. Government establishments set on fire, and many wounded. Yeah, well we're ten hours from that. HOWEVER, once the protests leaders surrendered due to the hideous things that were happening and the large amounts of people getting hurt, the protesters in Chiang Mai became extremely upset. On Wednesday after the surrender, they held a huge rally in the heart of Chiang Mai. We watched from the apartment as they set part of the bridge on fire, as well as shot off their guns and threw flaming bottles of alcohol into the governor's backyard. Now, I knew that I wouldn't get hurt, we live in a neighborhood far from that mess, but my heart broke for the people in Chiang Mai. We were set to a curfew and the schools and many workplaces were closed, but it was sad to see such an unrest in such a beautiful and laidback community. Things have slowly gotten back to normal, and so far we haven't had many more problems than that one night. Keep Thailand in your prayers folks. These people deserve that much.

Also! I decided last minute to go on a weekend bus trip with one of the new interns with FBR, Jill, and her friend Taylor. WOW! WHAT A GREAT TIME! We took a bus through the gorgeous mountains of Thailand, and finally ended up in a quaint rural area known as Sukothai, home to the friendliest of guest houses and the most breathtaking temple ruins this side of anywhere! Haha.....we stayed at Sabaidee Guest House, where we were three of the few guests that they had there, and they waited on us hand and foot. They were the nicest group of Thai people I have ever met, and spoke English well, and catered to us with the love of a mother with her child. I felt very special.

We got there on Saturday morning, after missing our bus on Friday night and having to stay overnight at the hostel that Jill and the other intern, Kadilynn, reside at in Chiang Mai, and our adventure began. For only a couple bucks each, we rented two automatic motorbikes, which resemble some jacked up American mopeds, and set our for the ruins. BEAUTIFUL! AWESOME! SPECTACULAR! Those are just a few of the words that were used when we went into the historical park. Folks, you're missing out. I've said it before and I don't mind saying it again. There's nothing like it. The pictures don't do it justice. And yes, I do have pictures.

Now I'm back at the apartment, FBR work is starting to mount up again in the most glorious of fashions...I'm praying about some opportunities that God has placed before me at this time, but until then, Thai lessons start in 26 minutes, and then perhaps a visit to the vet to get the cat's claws clipped like the loving caretaker that I am :cough cough: and a much-needed trip to the grocery store, where I'm sure I will be ransacked by many busy Thai people. I LOVE LIFE! And I miss you all.

CHARGE!

So many things….where to begin? My life is crazy. My schedule is crazy. But there are a few things I’d like to discuss.

First of all, I was charged by water buffalo. Angela and I were driving to a small food stand on our village road, and as we were nearing the woman’s house who owns the stand, several water buffalo residing in a nearby field came charging towards the car. I don’t panic often…in fact, I haven’t really panicked in awhile. But I’m not gonna lie, when I came to the realization that these water buffalo had no real intention of moving out of our way, I suddenly lost all mental control and thought that a cow was going to be the reason I have an obituary in next week’s Pantagraph. To say that I regretted drinking so much water during the day at that moment is an understatement. Luckily, we survived due to some swerving as well as Divine Power. ;) These “chattle” as I like to call them were shortly followed by a small Thai man running with a cigarette in his mouth, chuckling as he went. Interesting…and only in Thailand.

Secondly, mole hairs. Yeah, you heard me. Mole hairs. I noticed that an elderly Thai man had a single black hair growing out of his mole, and I had no choice but to ask him why. He spoke Thaiglish, as I call it, which is a mixture of Thai and English, and said that Thai men believe it is a sign of good luck and wisdom to have a long black hair growing out of one’s mole. WOW. He said that some have grown over a foot long. Can you imagine? I have now set on a quest….I am rubbing Miracle Grow on any mole found on my body, and we’ll see the good fortune it brings.

Thirdly, Thailand does not have many cemeteries. They don’t believe in burials, the Buddhist people believe in cremation….and they also believe in cremation aiding reincarnation. Now, this is oh so interesting because what I thought was a miniature temple next to Wat Mae Guayang Pbay, the temple that our street is known for, is actually a huge oven in which bodies are placed and burned. I checked it out yesterday, and couldn’t believe it! It’s a massive oven, and there are pews placed outside of it for people to watch. Now this is a common practice that isn’t given a second thought in Thailand, but I was mesmerized by it. I couldn’t imagine watching a loved one of mine being placed in an oven and set on fire, dead or not! Craziness! I am blessed to know where I’m going when I die, and to know that how I’m taken care of after I’m dead makes no difference, I’ll already have spent quality time with my Father. J

Fourthly, I can’t remember. I know that there was something of importance, and for the life of me I wish I could remember, but I can’t. But I will. Soon, I will, and I will let you know. Oh! Exciting news though….two girls joined our team today at work! No longer just me and the guys, but now two very nice girls who I enjoy. What a blessing! I also had some visitors these past few days working with me with the videos, media, etc., because they’re film-makers from Paris, France doing a documentary on human rights abuse in Asia. It’s a great film, and I enjoyed meeting them. Well, off to bed. I have a busy day tomorrow, and a lot of Thai to learn. All of the months, in fact. So far I know that I was born on yii-sip-hok, duan Singhakhom. (the 26^th of August.) Good times ahead. I miss my Illinoisans, I do.

Waterfalls.....that's a word beginning with "W".....

Well, good evening peeps….it’s morning here, but I know for most of you it’s nighttime. What a weekend this is going to be! I’ve got a night safari going on tonight, and even though I don’t really know what the heck it is, I’m stinken excited about it.

I just Skyped a little bit with Misty…makes me laugh, and takes me back to the first time I came to Thailand. Everyone Skyped me every two hours. The movie “Taken” had just come out and people thought I was going to get trafficked for sure. HAHAHAHA….things are a bit better now. They’ve accepted the fact that I will be overseas every once in awhile, and there’s a chance that they’re going to have to----: insert long, deep sigh :---- let go. Yes, things were quite different then. It’s only been a few months, and I feel as though my whole life has changed! Haha…

Well, in case you haven’t read my Facebook, I have a burn on my leg, and it hurts. Ha….I was walking back to the apartment from work, and a random man on a motorbike stopped and told me to get on. Before you begin the lecture of riding with strangers, let me explain how you can tell the difference between men that mean well here and men that don’t. Well, I can’t exactly explain, but seriously, I could tell from the way he was talking that he knew where I lived and that, because of the heat, which is what he said, he wanted to take me there so I didn’t have to walk. I hesitated, as one probably should, but then thought, “Oh well, I either accept the definite death sentence from the heat or the possible one from riding with this guy….” And I hopped on. It felt great. I haven’t felt wind in Thailand in awhile, so I just closed my eyes and enjoyed the ride. And, exactly as he said, he pulled into the rocky driveway of my home and said “Thank you”. I’m pretty sure that I’m supposed to say that first, but I said thank you as well and hopped off. Unfortunately, I am a moron and burned my leg in the process. He felt bad, but it wasn’t his fault. I apparently smoked something before I rode with him. HAHAHAHA….not really, but it felt like it.

As I was walking though, I had noticed a small caterpillar about the size of my pinky nail crawling on the road. All I kept thinking was, “I wonder if that caterpillar realizes that he was born in THAILAND. THAILAND?!?! Of all places in the world that God could have created him, He chose THAILAND.” Then I began to ask myself a series of trivial questions…..is that caterpillar thankful? Does he realize the greatness of the God who created him? Just very strange awkward thoughts that did not make any sense. But I soon realized that I was replacing myself with that tiny caterpillar. Did I realize how blessed I was to be born and spoiled in the States? Did I also realize how blessed I was to have the opportunity to bring the Gospel to the people in Chiang Mai and other places where I’ve been able to talk about Christ? Am I thankful for everything God has given me? Or do I take most of the time to complain about the things He’s placed in my life, and given more abundantly? Hmmm….more on these thoughts some other time.

I’m looking forward to tourist activities this coming week, and the chance to get more tracts to pass out to the villages here. I’m hoping that the church I’m going to tomorrow will let me have a box of tracts, since I’m out of the amount I took last week. What a blessing it’s been here! Can’t wait for the next six weeks. I can’t believe time is flying so quickly.

I miss my friends, I miss my family, I miss my ministries, I miss my job. But I realize that this was indeed, God’s plan and God’s perfect timing, and I know He will use it for His glory. Psalm 16:11- “Thou wilt shew me the paths of life. In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.” I love it!

Well, it’s now Sunday evening here….I LOVED the Night Safari. I was attacked by many wild beasts, and Angela, against my better judgment, shoved me into the pit of crocodiles, for which I nearly lost my life, but other than that, there was nothing but good times. HA!

Church was AMAZING this morning. The Pastor had a simple message that couldn’t have been more than 10-15 minutes, but his sermon was perfect, on the spot, and needed. He preached on John 5 and how Jesus healed the lame man beside the pool of Bethesda…..and how the man first had to respond to Christ with the desire TO be healed before he experience the healing itself! Amazing! I loved it. Then we went to the waterfall on the outskirts of Chiang Mai. People, why you didn’t join me on this journey, I’ll never know. It was the most beautiful place on earth, and I’ll never forget the time there. We climbed the rocks as the waterfall plunged over our feet, and nothing could’ve been more breathtaking or inspiring than watching the water wash over those rocks…clear as could be. I was terrified at first…the moss on the rocks wasn’t that encouraging, but as soon as I took a step into the rocks underneath the water, I realized that my footing was barely stable, and for the most part could climb the rocks with ease. We climbed down the waterfall a couple hundred feet, and wow….it was gorgeous! It’s just not possible to be in the middle of God’s creation and not be thankful for these things He’s given to us.

Tomorrow starts a new day of being alone in the office at FBR! And perhaps finally getting the guts to get that motorbike. We’ll see if I’m feeling that one in the morning….hahahaha….

Oh, and P.S.- Word to future travelers: The Salsa Kitchen in Chiang Mai has the world’s BEST Mexican food. Oh my sweet Moses, I’ve never enjoyed food so much. Ok, maybe I have, but still….you get what I’m saying. Also, their ketchup is SPECTACULAR! And they don’t hold back, which is personally my favorite part of that restaurant! Take my words of wisdom and enjoy!

SUP?!?!

Helloooooo e’erbody,

So I left work early yesterday. I had my first Thai lessons, since the ones for Tuesday I cancelled, since I’ve been a little more sleepy due to jet lag than usual, and they WENT WELL! She said I remembered a lot, and she couldn’t believe it. I felt like I had done horribly…..I had looked for a Thai teacher in my area, and of course, who would’ve thought that no Thai teacher could be found in central Illinois?!?! HAHAHAHA…..but no really, I wouldn’t mind learning the language completely. I want to be fluent in three languages by the time I’m forty, and so far all I’ve got down is English and sarcasm. ;)

We had a problem with the computer systems yesterday. I don’t know if they were on overload or what but the external drives that store all of the reports just shut down. I tried to find the problem, but fried my fingers in the process, moving my hands around back like a child feeling its way around for the bathroom door at 3 a.m., searching for a loose wire, and I still can’t feel the tips of them! Hahaha….today’s a new day though! All of the guys have left me for Burma, so it’s just me, myself, and I working the office while they’re gone. No worries….by the time I went to bed last night I’d received over ten e-mails from all of the guys with a favor or a job that they’d like me to do. Good times ahead! May God be with me so I don’t MESS THIS UP.

Pepper, the cat, has been my constant companion the last few days. I hate to admit it, but I’m starting to enjoy his presence. When I come home after work, I’m still very much a girl. No matter what kind of strong attitude I kept around the guys, no matter how much coffee I drank there that had the same consistency as motor oil, none of that matters. When I come home, I go to my room, and I cry from what I’ve seen. Pepper somehow knows my routine, and he will slowly walk towards me, as if not wanting to scare me, he then jumps on my bed in a quick, fluid movement, and then rests on my chest, setting his head close to my neck as he listens to me cry for a bit. Dumb cat, he’ll never realize how much that means to me. Yesterday we had a man send in a report with such a horrific photo log, but it was inspiring nonetheless. To end his letter he remarked, “The Brightness of the Heavenly Father will always Shine Our Way if We Follow Him”. He was born in Burma, and is now dedicating his life to helping his people. Beautiful.

There’s a lot I’d like to say, but I must get ready for work! Our internet connection isn’t very good right now, so I have to make due with sporadic entries here and there. Have a lovely evening, friends. I appreciate your prayers. J

Work, wars, and something else with a "W"...

Friends, I gotta tell you, I'm feeling the pressure of this job. Haha....my name has been added to the wallpaper of index cards covering the space beside my desk/computer. It started out as one index, and now I'm beginning to surpass some of the other guys here. Have I explained my job to you yet? Here we go... I am a report processor. Any reports coming in, ranging from 10-100 pages, have to be processed on separate folders on the computer I use. I won't go any further, I feel like I'm losing you to boredom with the little I've explained so far. The first day I was here it took me almost SIX HOURS to do one report, since there is so much involved. I can now happily say that so far today, after four hours in the office, I have completed fourteen reports. Woohoo! But it's been rough. I've had to see a lot of photos, video footage, etc., that is going inside the boundaries of Burma. Why people aren't more aware of the genocide, I'll never understand. Today I saw a five-month old baby that had died from a gunshot wound. It was horrifying....the picture was so sad....it was of the mother holding the child. I could barely handle it. I'm sorry....I shouldn't explain these things. It's unnecessary, but I need prayer. I need prayer that God comforts my thoughts when I leave the office. The lack of sleep and increase of nightmares hasn't been good for my schedule or for my jet lag. But I signed up for this! I love it, and I know I'm helping the people of Burma. On to better things! I learned how to say "God loves you" in Thai. Phracaaw Raak Khun. I'm excited! I've been passing out Thai tracts to people as I walk home, since I can't speak fully to explain the Gospel to them, and now they'll have some idea of what I'm handing them! It's been so wonderful to meet the people around here, and I'm loving it more and more every day. Thailand is "The Land of Smiles", and the people here are more than friendly! Constantly walking with me, trying to use what little English they know to find out more about me. It's always a pleasant walk to and from work. Last night....I ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT TASK! After a small war in the corner of the house involving short screams and reptilic jumps, I caught.....a CHINCHOOK! Do you remember me telling you about those? These tiny little lizard/gecko creatures. And they are EVERYWHERE....but they're so fast! It's terribly hard to catch one. Angela (my roommate) told me that they bite and don't let go...but I'm willing to see for myself. I tried to keep him and name him Baxter, but as soon as I set him on my hand he leaped like a flying squirrel onto the wall and away into the shadows of the night. Fear me, ye chinchooks, you may have won the battle, but I shall win this war! Haha....it makes me laugh. As soon as I walked back to the couch in defeat from the whole mess, Angela just shook her head and said, "If you don't have anything to do, you find something ridiculously entertaining to do." She speaks the truth. Miss you!