Picture a day September 14

You get two today, as I had the honor of accompanying some beautiful young ladies to the Nutcracker on Ice, which is in town this weekend as part of the Bangkok International Festival of Dance and Music. It was so much fun to watch them enjoy getting dressed up for a girls night out and then smile and clap and ooh and aah at the show.

Picture a day August 31

For Nak Suu, we go to a field not far from here in the labyrinth of back streets. There's a small pavilion area where we do the teaching time, and four or five soccer fields, we rent one to use for the rugby time. At the back of the property there are bathrooms, and this house, where the owners live. When it first started going I thought it was pretty strange that they lived there, but I guess it makes sense. They own the property already, there is plenty of space, and there is plumbing for the bathroom and electric for the lights in the field. 

Picture a day August 17

Getting started at Nak Suu this morning- at this point we were missing one load of kids who arrived late, so even though there weren't many there when this was taken, we ended up with a decent number once we really got into it. I taught a short English lesson about weather words. We talked about the weather and played Pictionary. It was fun and they were even reasonably attentive! I also actually joined in the rugby today. They are working with the older girls to form a ladies touch team so I decided to join them instead of just watching/trying to help out. I don't think I will actually play on the team though, in part because I am on a steep learning curve with the rules and regs of rugby, and in part because my fitness level isn't up to it. The running drills today really kicked my butt. I would have quit if I wasn't trying to be an example to the girls! 

Here and Now: thoughts on today and tomorrow

One aspect of life at an international school, Christian or otherwise, is the constant question/obsession of the future- how long you will stay, what you will do next, what you want to do/dream to do/feel called to do with "the rest of your life" (The rest of my life? I can't even decide what I want for breakfast).  Not being a big picture person, I am not a fan of this aspect of life here, and I think even for those who are more big picture oriented it can be quite distracting. Yes, the future is important to think about, and certainly having goals and dreams is not a bad thing. But when we become so concerned with tomorrow that we miss today, it can be a problem. 

And I don't want to miss out on today.  Because today my students are using data to investigate 'the mysterious disappearance of a Mr. Gerald Orkney' or today I am holding a precious four month old who is growing like a weed or today I am talking with a friend who will live thousands of miles away in just a few months time or today I am watching a child smile and play rugby even while their tomorrows remain uncertain.  We only get to hold on to today once.

When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he didn't lay out a master plan and he didn't tell them where they'd be in 10 years- if he had, would they have followed?  Jesus didn't ask them to pray a 'sinner's prayer' before coming along and they didn't ask him if they could chat it over with their families before they committed.  Jesus asked them to follow him, and they did.  They didn't have to clean their lives up first, and then follow.  They followed, and then Jesus cleaned their lives up.

Today Jesus asks me to follow him.  Today he asks you the same thing. Some of us, he leads to Thailand.  Others he leads within the context in which they already live.  Everyday Jesus asks us to follow, and everyday we have a choice. Here and now.  For me, that following has brought me to Thailand, where I live until he leads me elsewhere.  But it is so much more than that.  Following Jesus takes all our heart, all our soul, all our mind.  Yesterday for me, following him meant an awesome day supporting a rugby tournament- watching our Nak Suu kids get a chance to play, helping with selling beer coupons (for the mens teams, haha, not the Nak Suu kids), and whatever else I could do that was helpful.  Today following him means rest for my heart, for my spirit, for my body, serving with the usher team at church, and dinner with a friend.  Tomorrow, it will likely mean teaching with patience, joy, and grace.  15 years from now?  Who knows what that following will look like. But I do know one thing.

I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back, no turning back.  

Wealth in the midst of poverty

In the past couple of days I've had several conversations with people surrounding the topics of poverty, children at risk, and ways to respond to people and kids who live in poverty.  It has been great to see so many people with a heart to really live justice and mercy and love in action with these communities.  It's not an easy task, especially not for those who work full time with children and families that lack structure and so many of the basic resources that we take for granted.  But it was also neat to witness at Nak Suu today some of the ways that these communities are rich and alive and full of resources of ingenuity and creativity.  It doesn't mean that we don't continue to work with them, to help them with the emotional, spiritual, or physical resources that are lacking, but it does mean we approach them looking for ways we can learn from them, respecting who they are and how they live, no matter how basic it seems to us. 

One simple way I saw their resources today was during craft time when the creativity of the kids came out in what they were drawing. I loved seeing what the kids created when given a bucket of colored pencils and the freedom to just be kids and use these materials that they don't have much access to. What would have bored other kids quickly held their attention for quite some time. 

Before Nak Suu even started I saw talents that knocked my socks off. Some of the teenage girls had this long rope/string made out of small rubber bands strung together. Two people held the rope- at first just waist or chest high, later on over their heads- while the others jumped over it. And landed on their feet.  Seriously. I held this thing 6 inches above my head and they got both feet over.  Bare footed on the grass.  Their concentration and skill amazed me. And they loved it.  Towards the end they tried to get me to do it, but I knew I'd be the one to land on my back or head at the worst and just pull some serious muscles at best. 

Nothing fancy, just simple technology-free fun all around. 

Nak Suu Christmas

Today, in lieu of our usual rugby practice and English lesson, we had a huge Christmas party at Nak Suu.  Games, skits, stories, dancing, cake, presents, and lunch- a fun time was had by all.  I took advantage of the fact that I wasn't teaching to take a few pictures of the beautiful children I get to work with every Saturday!  

"Pass the parcel" game- like hot potato with a present that's been wrapped a dozen times.  When the music stops you take off a layer of paper. 

One of the teams waiting for the next game.

Eating "Happy Birthday Jesus" cupcakes.

Some of the older boys had a dance they performed.

Christmas drama: Mary, Joeseph and Jesus

Stable animals

The shepherds and animals came to see the baby. The audience was quiet into it and crept closer and closer as it went on.

The wise men came as well.

Listening to the Christmas story.

Craft time!

The kids were pretty excited about getting their gift bags! 

One of the kids wanted to take my picture.  Not too bad!

Got to spend quite a bit of time with this guy today, and really enjoyed it.

Back to the blog-o-sphere

The last few weeks have produced many things, but blog posts and sleep have not been among them!  It's been a flurry of activity and fun that has finally caught up with me in the past 24 hours.  Yesterday I could barely keep my eyes open all day. I slept for 11 hours last night before getting up for Nak Suu teaching this morning, and napped for an additional 1 1/2 hours after I got home.  I'm starting to feel more like myself again.  Just to give you an idea of the pace I've been keeping- this past Wednesday was the first evening in weeks that I was home alone- no activities, no guests, no nothing.

So what have I been up to?  Teaching and tutoring lots, but also lots of friends' birthdays, Thai class, baseball watching (well mostly just following the scores while I teach, but watching when I can on Sunday mornings), dinner with friends, hosting students from Chiang Mai, church, and other fun-ness.  This past week I've also spent a lot of time planning upcoming vacations.  I live a rough life, I know. 

We have one more week of school until our fall break, where I'll be in Cambodia on a mission trip with church for a few days, and then on Koh Chang (an island back in Thailand) with friends.  I'm sure I'll have lots of great stories and pictures to come about that.

Today, in addition to checking in, I want to share a video with you about the ministry that runs Nak Suu, the rugby program where I volunteer.  The short video gives you an idea of the greater context of our Saturday program, and also gives you a glimpse into life in Bangkok.  You'll even see me teaching English and the kids playing "Uno" in English. 

Encouraged

to encourage: a verb defined as to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence.


I have been inspired with courage, spirit and confidence by several things lately, by several ways that God has moved back the curtain for a brief moment so that I can see his hand at work in lives and ministries around me.  

At school, the staff was able to hear from two graduating seniors (one here for 2 years and one since Kinder) who come from non-Christian families yet heard about Jesus at ICS and have come to know and love and serve him.  Hearing their stories gave me inspiration for the days in my classroom when it feels like such a struggle.  A week later we had the chance to hear from two parents about how their children came home from school talking about Jesus, and how they decided they had better learn more about him in order to understand their kids- and how they too have come to know him personally and how he has changed their lives and families.  

I also had a chance to meet with a staff member of Thailand Campus Crusade for Christ.  Crusade is an organization that I'm fairly familiar with, but I didn't know they were in Thailand.  I met with one of their national staff and was so encouraged by her story of coming to know the Lord through Crusade while she was at university, and how she is now on staff with them full time.  Across the world, the most effective missionaries are often the native missionaries- they know the language, the culture, the systems and they help people see that this Jesus stuff is not just for foreigners, it's for them too.  It was a joy for me to hear how I can partner with her in her ministry on campus and support Thais reaching out to Thais.  

I have also been encouraged by growth I'm seeing in the kids I work with, both at school and at Nak Suu.  As the school year draws to a close I have had the chance to step back and bit and remember those first weeks and months and see how so many of the kids have grown- academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.  And at Nak Suu, I'm seeing the results of their recent leadership camp for the kids as well as the results of what their team pours into these kids each week. I'm seeing the older kids stepping up in ways I haven't seen before.  And even though my learning curve is still pretty steep and I continue to struggle with  what and how to teach in such an environment, I think I heard the kids speak more English today than ever before.  


I also got to have some fun with two particularly, um, squirrely boys. I had a chance to pray with and for them, in addition to talking to them more in Thai and running races against them and just having fun.  It cracks me up when I speak a few words of broken Thai to them and they suddenly think I can really speak Thai and start chatting away at me and asking me to translate stuff that other people say in English.  


Which leads me to another inspiration of courage recently: speaking more Thai at Nak Suu and in a few other quick situations and I'm getting closer to having the courage to really start practicing and using what I know. Right now I basically only speak it with my tutor and with the NS kids.  But I am getting less and less self-conscious about it every day.  


I love the way that God has been painting these pictures for me lately and for how they have encouraged my heart in the work that He has given me here.  In three short weeks year 1 in Thailand will officially come to a close- and what a year it has been, God-shaped and God-inspired, it's only the beginning. 

Playing Songkran!

First, my apologies that I don't have any action shots.  Impossible to take pictures in the midst of having buckets of water dumped on you. But hopefully these shots from the breaks in the action will give you a feel for things :)

I headed out in the back of a pickup truck with the directors from the program where I teach English, along with their family and some of the kids that we work with.  They rented a second truck to pick up a bunch more kids.  At times we had 2 adults, 7 kids and two large tubs of water in the back of the not-extended-cab truck.  Needless to say I'm a bit sore and bruised today!

I had a great time though!  We drove around with buckets, sponges, and water guns to help us get the water from the big tubs onto the people we passed by. There were frequent spots where people on the side of the road had water guns, hoses, and buckets of their own and that was when the greatest fun ensued.  Many people (including us) put ice in their water because hose water is just so warm here- yesterday had temps in the high 90's with a heat index soaring above 100.

The other crazy part is that there is this powder that they mix with the water and smear all over people.  It seemed to me that the drunker the people, the more into the powder they were.  Their favorite thing to do with it is rub it directly on you, especially your face and their favorite targets were the farangs (foreigners) of which we had several.  Some areas downtown have massive Songkran fights where it is wall to wall people with water guns and balloons and heaps of the sticky powder (and cheap beer of course)- and close access to rub it on you- I think I'll stay away from there thanks. 

All in all it was a great way to spend a searing hot day and probably the longest I've been out in the Thai sun since I got here.  Even my SPF waterproof sunscreen couldn't keep my nose from getting pink.  Today my goal is to stay mostly dry.  A few water squirts are okay, but hopefully no large buckets of ice water over the head... gotta stay alert and in taxis!

Our team ready to head out!  Moments after this picture I was soaked :)

We stopped to refill the water tubs at a friend's house.

The one lying in wait for me with the gun has a 75% chance of landing in my math class next year... revenge will be mine!

We stopped for snacks and ice with the other truck we rented.

Math student and English student- love these girls!

A few of my favorite things...

The past week to 10 days here could be described in one wonderful word: routine.  Lots of different pieces of life have fallen into place that has given my days a rhythm they've not had before in Bangkok, and it's been really nice.  This week I had a chance to sit and reflect on some of my favorite things about living in Bangkok:

• Fruit.  I love that a variety of fruit is available nearby peeled and sliced and ready to go, all for a great price.  The fruit stand just down the street from school is one of my favorite stops. Quick, easy, cheap, and healthy.  
• Riding on the back of motorcycles.  I love that this is a regular part of my life. I love that last week I had 8 mototaxi rides in a matter of 3 days.  I love it's just part of my routine now. 
• Starting to speak and understand a bit of Thai.  Usually this is pretty limited to giving directions to taxis or ordering food, but today I was able to talk to the woman who cleans my house and arrange for her to come on a different day this week- and I did it all by myself :)  With language learning being so full of frustration and misunderstands, one of my favorite things is definitely speaking and being understood or hearing and understanding. 
• Seeing God at work in hearts and lives. I love the moments where I can see or learn about what God is doing in my students or in people who are exploring who God is at my church or in the kids at Nak Suu.  
• Friendships.  I love the people in my life who encourage me, listen to me, share their lives with me, and spend time laughing with (and occasionally at) me.  
• The heat.  I know, it's crazy hot here.  90's and humid all the time.  The sun is wicked intense.  You can't go anywhere without sweating.  And sure, I would love a few beautiful sunny warmish but not blazing hot days, especially as we head into the hottest month of the year.  But really, I have no complaints.  I never wear socks or proper shoes.  I never need mittens or long underwear.  I can feel my nose at all times.  My skin, nails, lips, and hair don't dry out.  Bliss. 
• Public transport. I like using the skytrain and buses and taxis and my own two feet.  I like that I am able to get around pretty well on my own.  I love that I never have to drive!
• Nak Suu.  This next month is summer break for Nak Suu, and I'll miss it. I like the regular part of my life that it has become.  I made a commitment to help out for one semester, but I don't really see myself stopping.  I like teaching these kids English.  I like learning their names, being able to talk to them more as I learn more Thai and I teach them more English.  I like running around on the rugby field with them from time to time.  I like their eagerness to work on their "th" sounds.  I like hearing them pray, hearing them talk about their faith in the living God. 

I also really love my Saturday afternoon naps :)  After a long hot sticky morning at Nak Suu, I come home to eat and shower and collapse on the couch to the pleasant hum of my air conditioner...

All that glitters aint gold

A blur of thoughts on Nak Suu, giving, receiving, and coming home covered in glitter.

After two weeks off Nak Suu, we were back today, but in a new location. Our old field closed, and while this field is nicer and closer, it does mean we need to make some adjustments.  For example, instead of sitting at tables while I taught, the kids sat on tarps on the ground.  In some ways I really liked this- they were closer to me and during the other teaching times, I could sit more closely with my group. The littlest kid, Film, kept leaning on me- mostly because he wanted me to give him "points" on his little card that they can earn prizes for, but still, it was cute. I liked sitting right there with them.  Plus, being on the tarps made it easier for the kids to practice some of our new English words today- run, pass, kick, etc. all used for rugby.  But is presented challenges as well- like kids turning around or not listening or laying down and this led to some rather defiant behavior that we don't usually see.  After having some issues with respectful behavior in one of my ICS classes this week I was not feeling overly patient with their sass.

Today was great because I feel like I got to connect with the kids more than I have in the past.  I am getting to know more of them and they are getting to know me and catching on to the fact that I'm not going anywhere. So many volunteers come for a week or two and now they are starting to see that I am sticking around.  I also learned some new Thai words as I talked to the kids, asking them the words for things we were using.  But it was also a challenging day- challenging me to teach in yet a different setting, to discipline kids or help them listen in a different setting where I am very limited linguistically. 

I like being able to spend my Saturdays giving to these kids, though lately, I've been learning a lot more about receiving.  In a lot of ways, I think receiving is harder than giving.  God has been showing me that while I enjoy giving and I like it when there is give and take, I really struggle with just receiving.  When someone does something for me, or helps me with something, I have a hard time if I cannot repay them in some way.  I don't like needing help or asking for help.  And not that I should start just being a "taker", that's not the point.  A large part of the point is that God has this enormous love that he gave us in Jesus, and I need to sit back and receive it, since nothing I do can repay a love that deep.  Just like in friendships, I have a hard time sitting with Jesus and receiving love.  Just that.  Being, and receiving love.

It makes me wonder how people feel who are poor or disadvantaged, who are often "asked" to receive, but from whom we do not want to receive, to show need. I was just reading a news article about the struggles of being poor in the US and I look into so many faces here with so much need and I wonder, what is it like to have to receive and receive without being able to give and return in the same way?  So often, we want to come in and give and we don't give people the chance, the dignity of contributing as well.  I don't have clear thoughts on this, I'm not sure yet how it connects to what I'm learning about receiving, so I do sense it's all connected- in the blessing of all that God has given me, it is so easy to put up an arrogance that says I'm here to give, and I don't need to receive.

They say it's better to give than to receive.  But I don't know about that. I think there are times to give, times to receive, and times to do both.  I do love giving to these kids, even when they disobey or I end craft time covered in glitter, green glitter.  But each of them also needs opportunities to give- to make my day better with their hug or smile, to teach me a Thai word, to contribute to their community in some way.  May we each give to those around us, and may we be willing to receive as well, receive the love of Jesus and the kindness of those in our lives.

Observations From a Rugby Tournament

No English teaching this weekend because of the Bangkok International 10's Rugby Tournament: the highlight and biggest event and fundraiser of the year for Nak Suu.  I decided to drop in for a bit this morning to cheer on the kids.  To a certain extent, sports tournaments are all the same. There's an energy and buzz about them, and for those who don't know how the sport works, a definite amount of confusion as well.  I, being used to skating competitions, was wondering what the schedule was so I wouldn't miss the kids games.  At this giant round robin tournament however, there are cycles of 15 minute games playing all over all the time, so you just kind of have to go and see what you see.  Since Nak Suu had three youth teams going (U-11, U-12, and U-16) I was able to see lots of games and each team play at least once.  Don't know that we scored in any games, but we almost did in one U-12 game I was watching :)  It made me miss skating competitions to an extent: the glory of participating, the merchandise tents, food vendors, and the like.  Our kids played hard against much larger opponents.  Thais are small to start with, and our kids are often even smaller due to the rough circumstances and poor nutrition in their lives. As the program continues and they learn more about the game they'll get better.  At this point they looked a lot like a lot of youth teams in soccer or basketball who haven't yet figured out that passing is the real key to the game.  I was impressed with how hard they played, even when they were outplayed or the other team didn't play real clean.  And rugby is definitely a fun sport to watch, even if I don't understand it at all.  It's fast paced and exciting and you can get the general gist of it fairly easily. 

U-16 scrum

U-12's in action.  Love how the coaches are right on the field in the youth games, yelling and coaching all the way.

The U-11's watch the older kids play

Biggest fundraiser of the year for our program. 

I love the Thai numerals on their jerseys.

U-11's lined up and ready for the equivalent of the kickoff.

Yes, those are grown men rugby players in those outfits...

My friend and I decided only a non-native English speaker would put PMS Club on the back of a red rugby shirt.

Nak Suu fielded a men's team in the tournament as well. These guys actually won the game I saw :)

A latte to be thankful for!

I have so much to be thankful for!  I have been feeling so blessed this week that God has called me to come to Thailand to do what I love to do- teach. It was an exhausting week at work, but it was also one where I saw small breakthroughs with some struggling students, one where I got to talk and pray with students who were having a hard time with things in their personal lives, one where I was able to share with the staff the story of God's hand in my life, in short, one where I could use the gifts that God has given me for his glory.  I also had the opportunity yesterday to take a break from the daily grind to celebrate friendship at an awesome Audrey Hepburn inspired cafe, right here in Bangkok!  My friend and I enjoyed the atmosphere along side smoked salmon salad, crab souffle, homemade scones, black pepper and garlic chicken, all topped off by a Thai tea cake, carrot cake, and lattes!

In addition, my friend who was supposed to leave for India this week won't be going.  Her visa fell through, which is bad news, I know, but it does mean that I'll have her around for a while longer, to love deeply and hold loosely.  

I'm also thankful that today I got to teach my first official Nak Suu English lesson- the first half of which was a hilarious circus as I adjust to the new teaching setting, and the second half of which went well- kids playing Uno and saying the color names as they played their cards.  I managed to pause for translation on occasion (I need to work on doing that more) and only said "muy bien" once (the espanglish must go during these lessons) in the midst of the circus.  I just love hanging out with these kids and being a part of this program.  Normally the program runs on Saturdays, but we have to run it on Sunday for a few weeks due to the kids being in school on Saturdays to make up for missed flood days (yuck!). 

Today I read Psalm 103, and though its text is quite familiar, I was struck today by the amazing truth in verses 11 and 12: "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."  I guess there are days when I feel more "barely forgiven" than that God has removed my sin as far as the east is from the west.  So today I find myself also thankful that God's love for me is as great as the distance from heaven to earth, that he has removed my sin as far as the east is from the west. 

Muy buena onda!

So fantastically yummy!

Ending the meal with latte and cake!

PS- If someone wanted to come finish my grad class for me, my life just might be complete.  I'm half way through the work and the deadline I've given myself is 2012 Opening Day. It's not that the work is that overwhelming, it's just that the last thing I want to do after writing real lesson plans all week is write a bunch of fake ones for this class!  But, the certificate must be renewed...

Nak Suu Rugby Academy

Yep, you read that right. This post is about a rugby academy.  This is where I was last Saturday, and where I'll be most Saturday's next semester.  But I will not be there teaching rugby :)

Nak Suu is a ministry of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in Thailand.  It is a rugby program for kids from children's homes and slum communities in Bangkok.  The program includes learning to play rugby and being a part of a team, but it also includes life skills, evangelism, lunch, and English class- that's where I come in.  Next semester I'll be teaching the English lessons.  On Saturday I went to check things out and get a better idea of what I would have to work with as  I plan my lessons.

I had an awesome time!  Around 70 kids attended last week and after getting everyone signed in and reviewing the rules, they were split into two groups based on age.  The younger kids went off to the rugby field (with people who, you know, can teach rugby) while the older kids stayed for their English lesson and then a project about the fruits of the spirit.  I had a great time interacting with the kids. One thing that was awesome was that I got to use my Thai!  There was a visiting YWAM mission team there, who didn't know any Thai, so it made me feel quite helpful in that regard.  The kids mostly understood me and I mostly understood them, when they were talking to me.  Their chit-chat?  Not yet :)  After an hour, the groups switched and we redid the lessons with the younger kids.  After that they were served lunch and then headed home.

To be honest, I was pretty hesitant to make this commitment.  When I was looking for somewhere to volunteer with local kids a few months back, I was thinking of roughly once per month.  What I found was a Clare-shaped hole at Nak Suu that needed someone around 3 times a month.  But I spent time praying about it and have really felt called to bring this particular gift that God has given me (teaching) to these particular kids.  All of last year in the States God and I were dealing with this issue of not just giving, but giving sacrificially.  I read so many books and saw so many situations where people were called to give beyond the norm, and it inspired me.  So when I went to pray about this opportunity, what God said was, Clare, this is your chance to give, not just out of your abundance, but to give sacrificially. Yes, it will cut into your sleep. And your social life. Yes, there will be weeks you'd rather do something else.  But for this time and season, this is where I want you.

After visiting last Saturday, I am very excited to start.  I'm also excited to pick up some basic ESL materials in the States, at least to get some fun ideas.  I have not been able to get the Nak Suu website to work, but this is the Ark International page on the YWAM site, and Nak Suu is a part of Ark.  There is also an article about a tournament that Nak Suu was able to enter.

Please pray for me as I take on this added responsibility. Pray for physical strength and energy on Saturdays, for quick progress in Thai so that I can communicate more with the kids, and for wisdom as I plan what and how to teach them.  Please also prayerfully consider donating to their program through the YWAM site. I'll try to talk to the director soon to see if there is another website that will work better as well.  Thanks!!