January-Reunion
January was a busy month. We had just returned from 3 months in the states and soon we were off for a week to look at places to live in Chiang Rai province. We returned via Chiang Mai and then, on our way back from there, Ingrid broke her arm
Just after we got back to Chachoengsao, we were able to meet up with my Norwegian sister, Ingrid, and he husband, Einar. It was our first time to meet Einar. We took them on an outing to Chonburi. We visited the monkeys at Monkey Hill and we showed them the mangrove conservation area. They were happy to get to visit this atypical tourist spot (few foreigners come there). We enjoyed watching the mudskippers and listening to the popping sounds of the shrimp. I set my camera on the tripod along the boardwalk to catch this selfie.
February-Still Rambling
February was our month to move to our new home in Northern Thailand. We had found a place the previous month. When we arrived at the house, we decided the place needed painting before we moved in. Then, I flew back to Bangkok and headed back to or old place in Chachoengsao to get stuff ready for the moving truck. That was my romantic Valentine’s day.
After the truck was loaded, I flew back to Chiang Rai and drove the two hours to Wiang Kaen. We met the movers at about 4 am the next morning and unloaded the truck
We felt it appropriate to hang up this sign on the front post. My dad had made this to hang up at our campsites on the many trips we made during the 1960’s.
March-Butler Church meets CLC
In March we had a 3 week window between when Bob and Chris came back from Mobilization in North America (MINA) and when Phone Keo and Chansone left on their MINA. During this time the Changing Life Center had a visit from a medical team from the First Chinese Baptist Church in Fresno. We were helping with logistics and translation.
A challenge was that many of the people did not speak Thai very well—so we had to rely on the few people that know both Khmu and English—such as Phone Keo. In the photo above, he is translating for Dr. Jack Patton. Both are from our home church in Fresno-Butler Church.
April-A new association
Most of our work here centers around working with leaders of the various Khmu churches in helping them along the path to self-sufficiency. One of the important steps in that process was to create a formal organization of Khmu Churches that will eventually be completely responsible for the work here. In April, that organization was launched and leaders were selected. Here we are praying for the leaders of the organization-Yut, Koon, Amarin and Naan.
May-SOLA Team
SOLA—the young adult ministry of Northview Church in Aboottsford—sent a team to help us with various ministries. With their assistance we had an English camp in one one of the local schools. They also put on some VBS programs, such as the one pictured here in Huai Jaw church. With these parachutes anyone can create a lot of fun—even if you don’t speak the language.
June-Funeral
In June, our next door neighbor passed away. It was for us an amazing time of learning about North Thai culture and building relationships. Because of the very close proximity of our houses, we got to experience much of what went on even without leaving our home. The crowd spilled over onto our front porch during the evening chanting and the canopies set up over the dining are came up under our eaves.
Phawkham left behind his widow, his son (above right) and granddaughter—all of whom lived with him. Our landlord—younger brother of the deceased—is pictured above on the right.
July-visit from family and vacation
It was especially hard to pick a photo from this month. Our landlord’s daughter passed away while she was visiting from her home in Hong Kong, and they asked us to take photos and videos of the event. Then we had a team come and help us with an English camp and other things. This team included soem young people from our home church, so we were quite excited about that. Also this month was our annual MB Family Camp—with people from all the MB churches across Thailand coming together in Kanchanaburi province.
We combined attending Family Camp with joining up with Ingrid’s sister and our niece who came to visit. This made our longest road trip in Thailand ever. Not all those who visit us will get to experience Thailand like they did.
We went to one of our favorite places—Sam Roi Yod—located southwest of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand. We saw monkey’s and caves and some really fascinating places. We stayed at the Juniper Tree lodge, located across the street from the beach pictured here.
August—Pummelo festival
The end of August saw the convergence of two events.. One event was the biannual conference of Anabaptists which we hosted at the Changing Life Center. At the same time was the annual pummlo festival in Wiang Kaen. (Pummelos are a type of citrus fruit that resemble a grapefruit) Pummelos are one of the leading crops of this area.
The festival is kind of like a county fair—lots of vendors selling things, produce displays, entertainment, fair food (not the same as the Big Fresno Fair) and, to kick it off, a parade.
Lai is a Hmong girl who we have been helping to teach English. She has become kind of like a daughter to us. It was a joy for us to see her playing saxophone in the High School Marching Band. (She is the saxophonist closest to the camera in the above photo.)
September-Rice
Thailand is the world’s leading exporter of rice. But there is still plenty left for local consumption.
Before I came to Thailand, I only knew of rice as a crop grown in paddies. But here in Southeast Asia there is a lot of upland rice. Generally, the upland rice here is sticky (glutinous) rice. Sticky rice is favored by many of the tribal groups in Thailand as well as the North Thai and Isaan Thai (both of which are culturally and linguistically distinct from Central Thai).
In the photo above, I am standing on a hillside surrounded by upland rice. But not far away in the creek bottom is paddy rice. The paddy rice is darker green because it has not yet begun to form seed heads. The photo was taken about 12 kilometers up the Ngao River Valley from where we live.
October-Cloud Forest
In October we decided to take the remainder of our vacation time in Chiang Mai province. While there we got to see some waterfalls and a large garden park. We were able to visit with friends who were there from Fresno as well. Chiang Mai province is also home to Doi Inthanon—the highest mountain in Thailand.
The top of the mountain is often called a “cloud forest” because it is in the clouds so much of the time. There is a unique area near the summit that looks almost like coastal BC with its mossy trees and there is even an area of sphagnum moss—something quite unusual in the tropics. There is a boardwalk (pictured above) to take you through this area called Ang Kaa (Crow Basin).
November-Clear Mountain Views
Clear blue skies are unusual here in Northern Thailand. During rainy season, there are the ubiquitous clouds that turn the skies gray for about 6 months. Soon after that, the rice and corn is harvested and then they burn off the fields making the skies murky.
But in November, the rainy season here in the north has just come to an end. And since the rice harvest is just underway, they have not started burning the field yet. As a result, this is the time of year when we have the bluest skies. It is a great time to go to the mountains.
The closest area to visit the mountains near us is called Pha Tang, located about 30 kilometers away (the last 15 km contain some very steep stretches). The elevation there is over 4000 feet. On this day, the morning fog-clouds were almost finished breaking up. In the photo above, the warm air was moving up the west slope, effectively halting the movement of the clouds blowing in from the east. This picture was take about noon time—by 3 pm there was hardly a cloud in the sky.
December-Place of Worship
In the advent season, we take the opportunity to tell the story of the first Christmas. Our calendar becomes filled with various Christmas related outreach events.
During this season, we continue to worship at Pa Tung Church. This church was the dream of Somsak (playing guitar above). Somsak is from the area and when he was in High School not so long ago, he stayed in the dorms that MB Mission had near the high school campus. During that time he became a Jesus follower. He went on to get his education degree and has come back to the area to teach, along with his wife (also a teacher).
There are few Christians in his village (one other adult besides his wife). He had a bamboo structure erected in his front yard to hold worship services. The thatch roof had just been replaced a few days before I took the above photo.
There are a couple of reasons we have been worshiping at this location. One is that worship is conducted in Thai (most of the other worship services in our area churches are in Khmu, which we don’t understand). The other reason is that this is a very young church and we are able to help with leadership training.
This is a good closing photo, because it highlights what will be the focus of our work for the next few years--helping equip disciples who can lead and grow the church. Our team will be changing soon, with the addition of another couple, and then we will work together towards this goal.
Jesus said:
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
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