And just like that, with a quick stamp in the passport, I was now "Departed"
Departed.
That's it in a word. We are departing a past way of life. That which used to define me no longer defines me.
It reminds me of of September 14 years ago—I had just quit my job as a Soil Scientist with USDA-NRCS, and already it seemed like the distant past. I had set that job/lifestyle aside for for the next thing God was calling me to, though I wasn't clear about the details of what that would be. And so it is now. We are puitting the past behind us and moving forward to an unspecified future.
It has been a whirlwind month. Getting the apartment emptied out. Packing. Making decisions—too many decisions. What to pack. What to get rid of. Buying a car in the US. Getting insurance for said car. Making arrangements for work to be done on our house in Fresno. Planning travels for the next few months of home ministry. All while carrying on some ministry activities, and saying goodbye to those we have worked with in the past while.
In the midst of this my sister and her husband came to visit. They came, in part, to help carry things back to the US. We finished up our time in Thailand, by driving my truck to Bangkok for the last time and passing it on to its new owner.
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| Visit to the Dinosaur Museum in Kalasin |
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| Braving the Glass Floor from the Roi Et Tower |
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| Truck Loaded and Ready to Go |
We detoured on the way through Khao Yai National Park.
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| View Point in Khao Yai National Park |
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| Haeo Su Wat Waterfall |
And then we took a day to visit Bangkok a bit, traveling by taxi, sky train and boat.
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| Siphon Taksin Sky Train Station |
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| Pak Khlong Flower Market |
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| Bangkok River Park from Boat |
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| Sunset from Sinsuvarn Hotel in Bangkok |
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| Touring the Streets of Bangkok |
On the last day it was time to make the final packing decisions—6 suitcases plus guitar and carry-on bags.
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| All our bags are packed, we're ready to go... |
Finally, we say goodbye to Thailand.
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| Departing BKK in the Rain |
Emotionally, things have not hit us. We've been too busy and too tired for anything to sink in. It was nice to just take a breath and relax until the next whirlwind hit—getting settled into our home again.
