The Work Continues

Here is where we finished up yesterday, before the rain.


The day starts early in the village. We went to breakfast and started with the painting as soon as we were done eating.

Take note of the 'government official' in the camo. Two officials accompanied us to the village. Our group was the first group of foreigners to stay overnight in Loh Koh village. The government officials were there to make sure we were not there to cause a problem. It didn't take long for them to realize that we were there to get a job done. They saw what we were doing and were joining in and helped mix paint and paint. The village people were also very willing helpers. They were thrilled with learning how to paint. We were all a bit surprised that we were painting the Day Care pink, but that is the color they chose.



Only the foundation on the inside was painted.

With the help of so many, the fence was built all the way around the building and the painting and cleanup was complete before noon.

After lunch, the people of the village wanted to take us to the Kings Project, farther up the 'road' from the village. This is where the 'Hmong Four Wheeler' came into play. These vehicles are a very versatile mode of transportation. They are a way to transport people and produce. The front wheels can be traded out to cultivator wheels for the corn.

It was fun to sit in the drivers seat, but it was only pretend. Does the mud on the tires give you an idea of what was in store? Muddy it was! These amazing machines along with a very adept driver brought us through some mud we probably wouldn't attempt with a four wheel drive pickup. We passed rice paddies and corn fields.




We stopped along the way for a cool swim in a stream. Our driver took what looked like a metal kabob stick, put swim goggles on and started swimming close to the bank. It wasn't long until she had stabbed a fish and brought it up.

After playing in the water we headed up the road to the Kings Project. As we approached the Project it began to rain. We had to leave the 4-wheelers at the bottom of the hill and walk the rest of the way. The Kings Project is designed to bring new sources of income to the Hmong villages. This project was started about a year ago. They are in the first year of growing coffee. Coffee produces in the third year.




Once again, we were accompanied by the government officials, because no foreigners had been to the Kings Project. By now, they realized we were not a threat. They were taking pictures for us and getting into the picture with us and loving it. Before long they were asking Dang for reading material for themselves and to place in The Kings Project so they could learn more about what Christianity is all about. We came to encourage the Hmong and help out in their village and unbeknown to us, God opened doors to share the Gospel with others outside of the village.

When we arrived back at the village, we had the opportunity to see the kitchen and watch our host prepare the food. When the Hmong cook a chicken, they use the whole chicken, head, feet and all. Someone had told the cook that Americans do not usually eat the head and feet so, the gracious hostess took those out of the dish. The kitchen had a dirt floor and two wood burning cooking burners. Despite the lack of a modern kitchen that we are used to, the food was always wonderful and tasty. There was rice at every meal...breakfast, lunch and dinner.


As the meal was being prepared, other members of the team were out blowing bubbles with some of the children. They also were given stickers and, just like children, had them stuck all over them before long.



These children were quite shy as they seldom get visitors to their village. Not everyone is willing to ride 2 hours in the back of a pickup over rough, muddy roads. Despite their shyness they loved to play games and laugh with us. They were all well behaved and respectful.

Dinner was served and we headed back to our cabin before it was dark. Night in the Hmong village is very dark. There are no street lights to light our path. The darkness eats up that little flashlight or headlamp you might have.

It wasn't long and people began to gather in our cabin for evening devotions. Tonight was a very special night in that a family of five were entering the Family of Faith in Baptism. As Pastor Suphan translated the devotion into Hmong, I watched the father of the family as he listened. The seriousness of the occasion was apparent on his face. God had brought all of them here and they were gladly receiving the gift God was giving them.

After the baptism, the family returned to their home with Pastor Suphan and removed all the idols. This had to be done in the cover of darkness so no one would see them. Now they have freedom in Christ and display a cross in their home as a reminder of that freedom.

What a beautiful testimony to all of us there that night to what God can do in the lives of those He calls by His Word and in Baptism. The adoption of this family into His family shows the power of His Word to give faith that can cross all barriers.

This village of about 1000 people now has over 50 Christians among them. This number will grow as time goes on, not because of anything we have done, but because God Himself is there in His Word. In fact, the Christians there are in the process of building a church, so they have a place to gather. The homes are too small for the number attending worship.

To God be the Glory.

The Work Begins--Day One

Upon arrival, we were greeted by an anxious group and we were ready to get busy with the work we came to do. We went to our 'home away from home' and unloaded the pickups.

It was a good walk to the cabin from the daycare, up a hill and across the creek that ran through the village.

This is the building that serves as the Loh Koh guest house and where we would be staying.

The cabin has one room off to one side and the rest of the building was an open L shaped area. We brought woven mats to put down on the floor and some had camp mats and air mattresses.

We unloaded our things from the pickups, figured out where everyone would sleep and then it was back down the hill to start work.

It is univeral that we all have to stand around and assess the situation for a while before we can get started.


The people of Loh Koh had never painted. They had seen buildings painted in towns and cities and wanted to paint some in their village. They had bought paint and were anxious to begin.

So, we, started with the primer...


Working together was fun and enjoyable.



While some worked on the primer, others helped build the fence. There are animals running loose all around the village and the fence would keep them out of the area where the children play.


As the fence progressed, it was discovered there was not enough board to finish the fence. The men went out to the forest, cut bamboo and used their machetes to cut the bamboo into slats for the fence. The machete is a versatile tool in the hands of these men. There are no power tools to build anything in this village.


Progress on the painting was going very well. The base coat was on and it was time to go to lunch.

We went to lunch at the home of one of the Christian families in the village. They served some great food to some hungry workers. Rice is served at every meal along with lots of vegetable dishes with pork and chicken. Sometimes we prayed the blessing in Hmong, sometimes in Thai and sometimes in English.

Suphan, a Hmong pastor, accompanied us to the village and was a great help in communicating with the people. He spoke both Hmong and Thai so we had a three way translation many times. Suphan would translate to Thai and Dang would translate to English and the other way-English to Thai to Hmong. Suphan travels regularly to the Hmong villages to minister to the people there. Thailand is 90% Buddist. This is a huge barrier to Christianity. The important thing to the people of Thailand is to build relationships. And that is what we were doing in this village. It was amazing to see how God can work through a few people coming to help with an ordinary project. As mentioned before, the government officials accompanied us to the village. As time went on, they were very excited about what we were doing and even participated in the painting of the daycare.

As the base coat was completed, we moved to the fence. Dang and I make a pretty good team.


The people of the village were ready to jump in and help too. They worked on the painting as well as the fence.


We were making good progress as clouds rolled in and it wasn't long before the work stopped due to rain. We stayed outside under the eves for a while, washed our hands in the rain water and watched for a break in the clouds.

It did not come.

And it just kept on raining. More rain came down in that hour than we have seen the whole year in Montana.

We all had boots and umbrellas.....in the cabin. It turned out two people had brought boots, a raincoat and an umbrella with them to the daycare. They were able to go to the cabin, retrieved our rain gear, make it back to the daycare in the mud and rain and we were on our way to have dinner.

In the Hmong village, everyone eats sitting on the floor. They put mats on the floor, you take your shoes off before entering the house and sit on the floor. For us Americans who are used to sitting on comfy chairs with our feet out in from of us, this was not an easy thing to do. In fact, for some it was right down painful. I never did see a chair in either village we were in. The food was always good and we did enjoy the time with the family. They were gracious and enjoyable hosts.


After the meal, we went back to the cabin to have evening devotions. When we arrived our cabin was full of children and people waiting for us. They had the gas lights on for us and were all sitting on the floor quite and patient. Pastor did the devotion in English, Dang translated to Thai so Suphan could translate to Hmong. As the evening went on the children listened attentively. We taught the children 'This Little Gospel Light of Mine" (in English) and sang it together. The children enjoyed it. No one wanted to leave. It just seemed like they were going to stay all night! We were all tired and needed to get to bed, so to close we all sang the Doxology, in English, in Thai and finally in Hmong.

So with the evening devotions done, we were a tired bunch and ready for a good night sleep. As I looked out the window I was sleeping by, I said, "I want to wake up and see stars out this window tonight". And I did.

On Our Way North

Today is Sunday. We boarded the vans with what we needed to head north. Before the 4 hour drive, we went to church at Concordia Lutheran Church-Pongphet. This building is used as a daycare during the week. Pastor Taweep (pictured below) and other members greeted and welcomed us. The Order of Worship was written in both English and Thai. The beauty of the Liturgy was apparent in this worship. Two languages could worship together and not feel confused or lost. Confession, Absolution, Apostles Creed, Lord's Prayer all spoken in both Thai and English. Pastor Schultz was the guest speaker and it was translated into Thai. We all decided we like it 'Thai' style. While the translation was taking place we had time to meditate on what was said. After the service was over the members of the church had prepared a wonderful dinner of Panang Curry and rice.



Pastor Schultz delivering the sermon and Dang translating into Thai.



The building where the daycare is located.



A poster on the wall.




Time to board the vans and head out. The scenery on the trip included rice fields and cattle grazing by the road. I don't just mean 'by' the road, I mean being herded on the shoulders so they can graze the grass down. Instead of mowers doing the job, cattle do it. We arrived at the Suan Sin Motel in the Tak province, had a wonderful dinner and went to bed in those comfy beds that would not be available the next couple of nights.

We were up early the next morning, anxious and ready to go. The vans would take us to Khlong Lan National Park. There we would be taken to the Hmong Village, Loh Koh. We had to make a stop at a local market to buy food for our stay. A family at the village was hosting us and they would be cooking our meals. The walk through the market was an adventure in itself. There were fresh vegetables, fresh meat (this morning fresh), fresh fish (swimming in a tank fresh), fresh eggs, and fresh things we didn't know existed!



These two look so happy!



We saw what I called the Hmong Four Wheeler:



More on this later.

We arrived at the National Park area and waited for our ride to the village. It turned out we would be in the back of three Isuzu pickups for the next two hours taking an incredible ride through forest scenery that only a handful of foreigners have seen. We were the second group of foreigners to visit the Loh Koh village and the first to stay overnight. The previous group spent about 2 hours in Loh Koh.

So, instead of trying to describe the trip to Loh Koh, I will give the story in pictures as seen from the back of a pickup sitting on a piece of plastic. So here goes.

Loaded up and ready to rumble.



The road looks pretty good...so far.




The scenery is beautiful and lush. We saw rice, corn and vegetables in the fields.








Then we saw this bridge:



Accuracy is important!



Down a hill...



....around the corner....



...and another bridge or two or three or.....



And don't forget the mud..


So, does your tailbone hurt yet? Bumpity, bumpity bump!

This two hour segment of the adventure was over and we arrived to begin what we had come to do.



We were greeted by an excited crowd that included government officials. Since foreigners had not stayed in Loh Koh before, they came to make sure we were not there to cause harm.





Now it is time to get busy!

An Everlasting Reunion

Here is an article I wrote for the Summer issue of the LWML Montana District Quarterly.

******************

Summer in Montana is just too short. When we lived on the farm, I always said we spent three months getting ready for the next nine. All the planting, haying, sprinklers, as well as gardening, yard work, painting and fix up projects, and overnight guest kept everyone busy everyday of the summer. In the midst of the busy summer we had and still have regular family reunions. There are young and old alike in attendance. Last year our family reunion included the newest member of the family, three day old Violet, as well as a 95 year old Aunt. Many times people bring friends. They are welcomed and participate in the activities through out the time together. There have been as few as 40 in attendance and upwards to 70 have attended. Whatever the number, those attending can claim the relationship to one another by a common set of grandparents. Those in attendance have many vocations and occupations. There are farmers, teachers, computer engineers, mechanics, nurses, doctors, homemakers, business owners, students, retirees, and the list could go on and on. We all enjoy the time together and go home filled with good food and memories of many wonderful visits and good times.

As members of the family of God, we are waiting for our family reunion at the second coming of Christ. Just like our earthly families, we did not make the choice to be a member of God’s family. We were made members of His family in our baptism and continue in that family because of the gift of faith. When the time comes for this reunion we will be filled with joy as we feast at the banquet that has been prepared for us. We will gaze upon the glory of the Lord. Revelation 21:23 tell us, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.” Wow, we won’t even have to try to get the kids to bed at night. It won’t ever be night, no darkness ever again. And we won’t even have to cook for everyone. It is all taken care of.

I look forward to family reunions each year but the reunion we will experience in eternity is beyond imagination. We will experience everlasting joy, the feast, and the Son who made all this possible. Seeing those who have gone before us is a reunion that will never end. An everlasting reunion in the presents of the Savior who gave Himself for our salvation is something to look forward to even more than our summer family reunions.

May the Lord bless your summer as you see family and friends in your travels or as they come to see you. It is a busy time, but also a time to make good memories and get many of those projects done. Summer will be gone all too soon…but we have something even better to look forward to…a place where the Son shines eternally.

Getting to Know The Thai People

Saturday was Orientation at the LCMS Office. We began with Betsy reading from Romans 8. Reading Scripture always reminds us of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. What a blessing it is to be a part of His family.

Dennis Denow began with the history of LCMS Missionary work in Thailand. He learned very early that only westerners see lines on the streets and highways and that Thai's regulate by relationships...laws are flexible. It was not his plan to quit his job as a High School counselor to do work in Thailand, but through a series of events and numerous visas he remained in Thailand and taught English in a Karen Village for many years. Language classes are usually the best way to start Mission work. This helps to build relationships with the people and through those relationships you can begin bringing the Gospel to them. The village he worked in did have a story of creation, God dying on a tree and His blood running on the ground. They also told him God has a book with the truth but someone stole it. Dennis was able to begin sharing by saying that he stole that book and has brought it back.



Christy had served as a deaconess in Thailand for many years. She returned to the United States to care for her Mother and just recently came back to Thailand. She ran House of Living Waters for young girls coming out of prostitution and helped them start a new life. She also helped in establishing the English program.

Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation-Thailand (CWEFT) is the Human Care arm of LCMS in Thailand. The Hmong Project was started by CWEFT to provide disaster relief from land slides. This has created four Hmong projects which include scholarship and student projects to provide theological training for Hmong. Again, building relationships with the people brings opportunities.





Goi had an informative activity on the culture of the Thai people. The one thing I noticed before this and was confirmed in the activity is the Thai people are a very gracious and pleasant people, wanting to please and be helpful. Numerous times we would need some direction around the city and would ask someone standing near us and they would be so gracious in helping us out. The Thai people desire good relationships with all people. If you know their thoughts and values, it helps to build relationships. If your communication is bad, they may laugh, but not in a way that is making fun of you. Time is flexible...being late is normal. They are not run by the clock. They are group oriented, they will wait for you. This includes weddings, classes, and church. Conflicts are taken care of through a third person.

Goi's husband Seth, who teaches English in Bangkok, was there to share some of his experiences with the Thai culture.



Here are all of us at the LCMS Center.



We finished the orientation at the LCMS center and went to lunch. After lunch our vans were there to take us to the Grand Palace. About an hour in there was enough. At one time it was the home of the King. The Wat Phra Kaew houses the Emerald Buddha. You must take off your shoes to enter and not point your feet toward the Buddha. Pointing your feet toward anything in Thailand is a sign of disrespect.



Just walking around the grounds was too much for my eyes. The buildings are gold and have little mirrors on them. There are statues to keep evil spirits away. So, here are some pictures of what we saw:







Here is our group just before we left:



Our last sight-seeing stop of the day was the Jim Thompson House. He was a British businessman who started a very lucrative silk business in Thailand. He built a traditional Thai house, putting three houses together. This house was large and made of very dark wood. Remember, Thailand is in the tropics, so you don't need insulation or inside walls. Also on the premises was a shop stocked with Jim Thompson silk clothing and items. We had the opportunity to look around at the beautiful collections which were out of our price range! An interesting note...In 1967 Jim Thompson disappeared in Malaysia, never to be seen or heard from again.

More Sights Around Bangkok

Today us Montana girls (and one guy) were on our own to find our way around this city of 10 million people. (Montana has a total population of 970,00, so we were a bit out of our element) We had a plan and we knew how to get there. On the taxi ride we started to notice electric lines. We commented earlier that conduit was not something that was readily used in shops and establishments around Bangkok. I even noticed an electrical wire hanging down a pole with the ends wrapped in electrical tape.

So, take a look at these pictures: (some of these may be telephone lines too, but still......)




We were never out of power, so this method must work.

And of course, we cannot forget the urban chickens!



After a rigorous day of walking around the city, we were ready for some relaxation. At the JJ Market there was a Fish Spa we had seen earlier and wanted to check out. There is one tank with little piranhas and another where the fish are a bit bigger. You sit down, put your feet in the water and let the fish eat the dead skin off your feet. At first it feels like that tingly feeling you get when your feet go to sleep and they are getting the sensation back. Twenty minutes of that and your feet are refreshed and ready to walk the streets again!



Back to the hotel to eat and get ready for our trip North. That included getting the gifts ready to take. Each of us had things in our suitcases that were purchased in advance to take. It included Huckleberry Jam, Huckleberry Grizzly (Gummi) Bears and Huckleberry Taffy. If you don't already know, huckleberries are a popular wild berry in Montana. We also had postcards of Montana and some trusty Thrivent Crosses.





Before long it was all organized and packed in suitcases to head North tomorrow. You will soon learn why we were the 'A' Team.

So, does anyone know how to tie a Thai tye dye Thai silk tie?

More to See and Do

On Thursday our day started with a walk to the LCMS World Center a few blocks from our hotel. *Now just for your information a street in Thailand looks more like what we would call an alley in the United States. There are walls on both sides and hardly any room to walk. You have to weave in and out of parked cars if you are driving.* At the LCMS center we met Dang, the Business manager of the LCMS World Center and Concordia Welfare and Education Foundation-Thailand, (part of Human Care) Betsy ( a deaconess intern), and some of the other employees. They gave us a tour of the office and let us use the computers.

Later that day we went to the Lutheran Hour Office and met those that make bringing the Gospel to the Thai people possible. It is not called 'The Lutheran Hour' in Thailand but is called Journey Into Light. We toured the studio and viewed a power point on broadcasting the Gospel to the people of Thailand. They have a bookstore with familiar books translated into Thai including Luthers Small Catechism and A Child's Garden of Bible Stories.



Around the corner from Journey Into Light we entered the Concordia Gospel Mission. The CGM is where English Classes are taught. They have two teachers at this time and around 20 students. This project is a great opportunity to build relationships with students and opens opportunities to share the gospel.



Across the street from CGM is the Luther Institute of Southeast Asia (LISA).
LISA's objectives include the following:

-Provide training for Christian leaders
-Prepare men for the office of Holy Ministry of Word and Sacrament.
-Provide instruction in Lutheran Doctrine as well as topic specific conferences throughout the
year.
-Certify Laymen and Christian ministers as Lutheran Pastors.



We had time to head out and do some shopping and site seeing. Our first stop was the JJ Market. We used this time to see what was available and got ideas of what we would like to bring back home with us. Needless to say, the options were endless! After looking around three of us decided to do our Christmas shopping. I cannot believe I completed my shopping in the month of August. Now, if I can just get my displaced luggage from our flight home!

We took a tuk tuk a few blocks to see the tallest building in Bangkok, the Baiyoke Sky Hotel. We rode the elevator up to the 83rd floor to go out on the revolving deck. All you could see from all directions was the city of Bangkok. As you can see, the skyline is not clear. You could only see as far as the smog would let you see.



Here we are, ready to go for the tuk tuk ride to Baiyoke Sky Hotel. To discover other ways to get around Bangkok check this out.



There is a model of the building on the 77th floor of the Hotel.



The final thing before I left I became a princess for my Granddaughters!



It is fun to see how much we can get into a day. Tomorrow is our final day before we start orientation and get busy with the projects we came to do.