Juum and Sonsai

Tonight we celebrated another Thai staff wedding.  The celebrations really started earlier this week with a fun shower from all the staff girls honoring Juum.  Showers are actually an American import, but  done Thai style. 

Much of the time was spent listening to Juum tell us their love story which everyone was so interested in, since she is 35 years old. They also played some games and they had asked me to give a "talk to prepare her to be a good wife".

She then opened a few gifts and we had some peanuts and peas to snack on. 

Tonight's wedding though was done up quite royally and very beautiful.  This is part of the wedding party waiting to enter the ceremony.

We have known Juum for many years.  In fact she was one of our first students at Mae Jo University when we opened the ministry there. After several years of working with us her heart grew for the country of Laos and she has been working there for the past few years.  Her husband is from Laos and had studied dentistry.  Their story has allot more to it that I can not share, but they will now return to work together in Laos.

 Mike was asked to pray for them at the ceremony.

This was the first wedding I had been to since our year of two weddings, so I enjoyed sitting back and taking it all in- especially the Thai cultural additions.

There is always picture taking with all the guests after the ceremony.  This was our Thailand Campus Crusade group that made it to the wedding.

The reception was held in our TCCC center's gym and had a full program which lasted through  the whole meal.

Congratulations Juum!  You are a beautiful example of waiting patiently for God's very best, as we see that  he gave you such a "great catch" with Sonsai.  It was such a full evening of joyful celebration! Our best to both of you as you begin your new life together.

Boodlecakes

26 years ago today, God blessed Mike and I with our third baby girl, born in the Philippines.  We named her Bethany Jill, but she soon received the nickname "Boodlecakes" from her daddy and still has that endearing nickname around our house.   She is the newly married Mrs. Allen and they will celebrate their six month anniversary this week.

I may be a little bias, but I think that Bethany was one of the most beautiful brides I've ever seen. :)

God has blessed her with a husband custom made for her in many ways and because he loves God and her so very much.  Michael is both tough and tender, which is demonstrated in this picture that I love so much.  This was when he first saw her on their wedding day and he could not contain the emotion he felt.

Here is one of my favorite photos of the two of them together.  I like it so much that I had a canvas print stretched onto a frame for our home here in Thailand. 

Bethany's wedding day was a dream come true for her.  She was always the little girl that loved playing dress-up, spinning around in pretty dresses, and requested the Barbie stuck in the middle of angel food cake for her birthday cake each year.

It has been such a joy for Mike and I to watch Bethany grow up through the years, especially these past six months of becoming a married lady.  We have seen her and Michael trully seek God concerning thier future, and simply enter in the adult real world. Thier jobs right now are uncertain and they are learning to trust God in new ways. We are so proud of them as we watch them learn to live together and enjoy being husband and wife.  Bethany, have a fun first birthday as a married lady.  We love you!

grandma duty is calling

One week from today, I will get to hold baby Nathan in my arms.  He will be my 4th grand baby and my arms are oozing and goozing with the desire to hold him.  Marisa will be induced the morning of March 2.  I will leave our home in Chiang Mai on Feb. 28, have one day (March 1) to get ready and be part of a shower for her, and then it will be the day of arrival. 

When Jon and Marisa first announced the pregnancy, Marisa  also asked if I could come to help her.  Knowing that we would be just getting back from the USA, I suggested that being the experienced birthing mom that she is- that maybe she could do this one on her own. She let me know that her concern was not so much the actual delivery this time, but the caring for four children when she got back home part.  We had enough miles to take care of this trip so needless to say, I can hardly wait to be with them to help however I can and just be with my four little darlings.

Jennifer just happens to have her spring break from Kanakuk Institute that week, so she will come to help with Collin, Summer, and Hayley, while I am with Jon and Marisa for the delivery.

I hear that Hayley has changed the most since we saw her.  She was just starting to say a few words and they say that she communicates with short sentences now. I am so excited to see them.

I will spend 2 weeks with the Foltz family of  "SIX"- whew!  How are they ever going to do this? (oh yea, we did it too)  On my way back, I will stop for four days in California to see Michael and Bethany and how they have created a home out of their newlywed apartment and to  take a trip up to see where Lori has been living and enter into her world at Thousand Pines Camp.

Poor Papa Mikey will stay back in Thailand and hold down the fort.  It will be hard to leave him behind.  He will have a busy 3 weeks while I am gone.  Each week is a different week of meetings, leadership planning, or student congress here in Chiang Mai.

Watch out Jon-boy the "mother-in law" is comin' to town!  We are going to be outnumbered this time- 4 kids to 3 adults!

Another silly picture from that crazy photo booth! 

Happy Birthday Sis!

Today is my sister's birthday!  She is my only sister so that makes her pretty special.  We have lived miles apart and do not get near as much time together as we'd like, but I love the way we can pick right up where we left off whenever we get together.  Growing up as only sisters in a small farmhouse, we shared everything.  We love to reminisce our childhood memories, like...
-drawing a line down the middle of our bed and daring each other to cross over it,
-gathering and putting away the eggs was the girls nightly chore to do together,
-getting paddled with the yardstick in the closet,
-the cool outside playhouse and tree house that dad made for us,
-playing croquet or softball  in our front yard when company came,
-catching lightening bugs and making jewelry with them,
-being so desperate for some cement on the farm to skate that we'd go in our round corn crib and go round and round by the hours.  Did I mention that they were the 'metal clamp on your shoe type skates' with a key, and that the corn crib was  probably just 15 ft. around?
-watching "Leave it to Beaver" on Saturday nights and taking our weekly bath which followed with hair curlers,
-the bag swing that dad made us being so high that we'd climb to the top of the ladder and jump off and swing forever it seems,
-building snow forts and haymount forts that were pretty amazing to us.

I no doubt could go on and on but will leave you with a picture to enjoy.  Sarah loves the nostalgic photos, so I know these will bring back memories.

Love the way Dean is holding Danny in this one.

Our ages here are 17,14,11,and 6. I always looked up to Sarah as my older "cool" sister. I love our family memories and am so thankful for our farm upbringing.  Have a Happy Birthday sis and wish I could be with you to eat mom's "Upside down chocolate cake" and do more reminiscing together.

Let's end with this silly photo from the photo booth at the Allen wedding. This is sis with Jesse and Briana, two of her three kids. I love you sis- have a great day!

My Bougainvillea

The side of our house is lined with these beautiful flowers that I get to enjoy every time I come around the corner.  I think the temp is just right for them now.  We are leaving cool season and each day we feel it moving us into HOT season a little bit more.  We are hanging on to the cool mornings as long as we can, knowing they won't last much longer.

RADICAL

I just finished reading this book.  It was one of those books that was easy reading but took me awhile to get through because there was allot of thinking to do. I recommend it to every Christian to read.  Some of my thoughts from the book: It will make you revisit the American Dream and consider it's values in contrast to what Jesus said and how we easily manipulate the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. I believe that with the best of our intentions, we have turned away from the gospel and embraced values and ideas common to our culture but not to Jesus. Self advancement, self-esteem, self-sufficiency, individualism, materialism, is not what the Biblical gospel is about. We were created for a purpose, much greater than ourselves.  Ultimately, "I do not want to miss the eternal treasure because I settle for earthly trinkets."

There is one thing that confuses me though about the popularity of this book along with "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. While I was in the USA, I noticed them both as Top sellers in every bookstore, Walmart, etc. These books are talking about a lifestyle that most people dare to live.  It is radical!  So why are so many people even interested to read these books?  Give me some insight to help me understand, and if you have not read it yet- I would consider it a "must read."

Bye Bye Weimers & Reatha

Last night the Weimer family left our home to go back to Khon Kaen and this morning Reatha left us to go back to Waterloo.  Our home is strangely quiet.  We so enjoyed our time with them.  Most of our time was consumed with the Story Telling Workshop, but we also managed to get in some fun times together. In typical fashion of a Thai conference we ended our time with a group photo. I'm sure that you can find the 7 Waterloo-ians in the photo. 

I personally learned alot on how to utilize stories in the Bible the way God gave them to us. Out of the 183 times that Jesus was asked a question, He only responded with a direct answer three times.  All of the other times Jesus responded by asking a question or telling a story or parable. Then he usually would ask a question and invite discussion. We learned how to find the treasure in each story and then form questions that will lead the listener to those treasures. Click on this site to see a vdo that explains more about StoryTelling.

One of the most difficult parts of the Storytelling workshop for me was that fact that it was all oral.  We were not allowed to have notebooks, pens, books, or anything to read.  Since I am a visual learner, I wanted to read and see what  I was learning, but if we were to truly identify with people who do not like to read or know how to read, then we needed to do it oral style, like them. 

Our workshop was led by four international staff including Larry Dinkins, a good friends of ours.  Larry was a fellow missionary here in Thailand and our kids grew up together, so we enjoyed being taught by him once again.  He is a gifted teacher!

The Weimer family and Reatha were our house guests and after the seminar ended on Friday night we were ready to kick back.  Here we are playing a marathon game of "Apples to Apples". It was an interesting game, possibly due to the sugar high from the  American chocolate we were nibbling on. 

Thanks for hanging with us this week!  We loved our time with you. We miss you and love you and want you to come back soon!   

"ole home week

We are pluggin away with our Story Telling Seminar with just one day left.  Our days are full of teaching from 8:00 to 5:00 and then we are enjoying being with fellow 'Waterloo-ites'.  Jason, Doni, Asia, & Coleman Weimer and Reatha Aronson all from Waterloo are staying in our home with us.  The Bible is coming alive to me this week by learning how to tell these Bible stories  in creative ways.  I am learning alot. It has been especialy fun to watch Asia (13) and Coleman (12) do such a great job telling the stories too. They are the only kids in the seminar- but some of the best story tellers.  More to come, but here's a few photos from today....

Asia

Coleman

Doni

We are having alot of fun learning together and eating together some things that they don't have in Khon Kaen in the evenings. I'll try to get a shot of the guys in action tomorrow. 

Simply the Story

This week, Mike and I will be participants in a Storytelling workshop.  It will be taught by international staff  from Simply the Story.  We will spend 19 hours in the next three days in training to learn how to tell Bible Stories and teach discusion style.  We were motivated after reading this information about the workshop.

Jesus used stories, they teach and reach the heart.  

Over 80% of the world cannot (or does not prefer to) learn from reading.

Story is the communication vehicle of choice for these oral learners.

Did you know...God gave us 75% of the Bible in story format?

Learn ways to tell fascinating accurate stories and to lead interactive discussion on Bible passages.

The seminar is here in Chiang Mai so we can stay in our home, but will have other participants staying with us.  We'll let you know how it goes, but appreicate your prayers that we will be good learners.  

Update on Samson

While we were in the USA, Sam turned 10 years old.

This picture was taken in his earlier days when he was still a handsome Samson. (Thanks to my sweet niece, Katie for the photo)

He is getting up there in years. 

He still likes us to throw him our half used water bottles and plays with them.

He still has the never-ending battle with Tics.

He still has skin problems on his legs.

In his old age he is mellowing out and lays around more these days.

He has been our family dog since the girls jr hi and hi school years.

He is my faithful, loyal, handsome Samson!

Be My Valentine!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!  The favorite part of our "day of love" has been that we have had two days together and alone.  Our appreciateion of each other has grown through just being alone. We love our guests. but we also love it when they leave! (Did I say that out loud?)  Ha ha-- sorry to all those guests out there! I think it's a good thing that we need time alone every now and then!

Tonight the hubs took me to "The Sizzler" for dinner. Thai's sort of get into Valentines Day and we tried to show the silly menu in our self portrait but did not do so well.

The funniest part of the meal, is that they only had a Valentine menu and wanted to know right away if we wanted their special dessert.  When we said  "yes", they brought it immediately before any other food. I think it was so special they wanted us to enjoy looking at it the whole meal. 

Since Mike and I first met in 1974, that means that we have had 37 Valentines Days together.  His morning greeting on this day is usually "Will you be my Valentine?" Remember 'Promise Rings' in the 70's?  That is what Mike gave me on Feb. 14, 1975.   He has been so true to his promise and I still love celebrating this day of love with him each year!

Dick and Joy

Mike's brother and wife have been here in Thailand but their one month visa expired today. Last night we sent them off at the Chiang Mai airport.

We did alot of eating together. Sometimes at little Thai noodle shops like this....

...and other times at nicer "farang" restaurants like this.

Their first two weeks they taught the children at the childcare project here.  These past two weeks they have been visiting some of their old friends here in Chiang Mai.  They had lived here for two years about 7 years ago and taught at GIS.  The third graders that Joy taught are now 10th and 11th graders.

Mike enjoys spending time with his brother alot and the more I am around them, the more I see the similarities in them as brothers-- sometimes they are two peas in a pod!

Safe travels Dick and Joy... hope Iowa's cold is not too much of a shock to your system after being here in the tropics.  We enjoyed our month together.

February 12

This morning during my Quiet Time when I wrote the date, February 12 in my journal -I knew there was something special about that day.  I then remembered that it was this day that we got on an international flight for the first time to move to Asia.  I remembering being teary eyed almost all the way from Cedar Rapids to our first stop in Denver full of mixed emotions after telling our parents good-bye.    Little did I know back then the adventure that we would be on for our next 32 years. If I knew then what I knew now, I still think we would do it all over again! Here we are getting on that first flight in Cedar Rapids on Feb. 12, 1979 at ages 26 and 24.

House of Blessing

Once again we were so blessed by our visit to the House of Blessing  orphanage this week. We have a friend in the USA who helps pay the kids tuition at school every year so we needed to go out and deliver the money.  Reatha also had treats from the USA leftover from the childcare conferences so we wanted to bless the kids with them.

Lining up for candy treats

They also got a cool pen with a bunny that lighted up when they wrote, which they were real fascinated with.

The most exciting part of our visit was to get to go see the new land and the building that is going on.  For years they have needed nicer facilities and finally after trying to raise the money for land and buildings the construction is well on its way.  They hope to move in completely by the end of this year, but still need to raise more money to keep building.   Looking at the old place in contrast to the new is a phenomenal difference.  See for your self....

This is the girls bathroom at the present facility with only 4 stalls for 60 girls.

This is the new girls bathroom with 10 stalls.

They have never had sinks so this  new girls bathroom is luxurious.

This is the current boys dorm, housing 40 boys.

This will be the new boys dorm.

This is the current girls dorm.

This will be the new girls dorm that can sleep up to 80 girls in one room.

This is the current kitchen area cooking each day for 130 people.

They do not have money yet to start on the new kitchen and food area.  This is the outside of the girls dorm and the dining room will go in between the girls and boys dorm.

This building is for the offices, staff, and has some other rooms for the children including music, computer, English class, etc. The value that we love most about this orphanage is the way they train the children up to know God's word and to know him personally.  The top floor of this building will be for their nightly devotions and a church on Sundays.  We are so happy for them to get this place that will be so much nicer and to see the excitement in all of them was so evident. The staff and kids are trusting God for the remaining money they need to finish the buildings.