Everyday is an Adventure in Thailand

After our first two days of teaching, the team got to take the morning off from teaching as there was some sort of special assembly for the students. Our team took this opportunity to go and explore the district of Mae Sai. Peter took us to see and smell and experience the street markets. The fruit was extremely cheap and oh so very sweet!!! Our team bought a large bag of mangos to share. I'm really looking forward to eating them tomorrow.

We had lunch in this small noodles and Baozi shop where our team demolished bowls and bowls of JaJiangMein and pig feet with noodles as well of steamed taro baozis and steamed ground pork baozis. We were given a few more ours to explore the streets and buy souvenirs but we all grew pretty tired from the intense heat and humidity.

What makes Thailand and adventure everyday is that something unexpected and crazy happens EVERYDAY! On our car ride back to the resort, a thunderstorm rolled in. 7 of us were sitting in the bed of Peter's pickup truck when the intense rain started pouring down and pelting us. Peter thought he knew a shortcut back the resort which accidentally turned into dead ends and one way back streets so by the time we got back to the resort, the 7 of us who sat out in the back were soaked. Our light rain resistant jackets and ponchos were no match for the downpour. Still, this was quite an adventure. 30 minutes prior, we were all sweating from the 90° weather+the humidity. Now, we're all wet from the rain. Though soaking wet, this was definitely a team bonding experience that we won't be forgetting any time soon.

My teaching team (Caleb, Cindy, Rochelle and I) were the only ones who had a class to teach in the evening. We had an energetic and smart group of students in this class. The hour and a half flew by extremely quickly and we had a blast teaching them. (All) The students are really sweet, though a bit shy at first. By the end of class, most feel comfortable talking to us (the teachers) despite the language barrier. It's extremely evident how big of am impact a warm smile makes in building relationships, pointing out how the love and joy that comes from Christ really does transcends all language and cultural barriers. Some of our students stayed a few minutes after class to talk to us and to take pictures and selfies with us. 

After a short team meeting back at the resort, 6 of us and John biked back out to the night market next to the high school for some food. We bought some baozi's and meat skewers and brought them back as late night snacks for the team. Caleb, Ian and I each rode a bike and each carried one female member of our team on the backseat. Our bike ride back eventually turned into a race where our very own Rev. John Chow out pedaled the 3 of us and beat us back to the resort. We ended the night with some more team bonding: eating baozi's and meat skewers and playing tonk/tunk and Heads Up.

Today was an adventure indeed.
I'm grateful that we got a small break and a day of rest. Please pray for strength and energy and joy and patience and love as the week goes on and as the heat and humidity brings us out of out element.
I'm thankful for all the fun and adventures that our team has had. Please pray for continued safety as we go about our day. There have been some adventures that could have potentially ended badly but God has been good to us in keeping us safe.
I'm encouraged by my teammates efforts to get to know the students in and out of class. Please pray for boldness and the willingness to be the initiator of conversions.
I'm excited to see these students learn English. Please pray that our lessons would be a blessing to them as this is our method of starting relationships with these students. Please pray that we would have the opportunities outside of class to foster and grow relationships with our students so that we can have the chance to tell them and show them the good news and the great gift that we have in Christ Jesus.

We are half way through our first week and we are still all alive and well. Thank you for partnering with us on this trip and for supporting us with your prayers.

Khap khoon kap!
-Clement N.