This is an image of the King that reigned Thailand when Sukothai (where I am living) was the capital of Thailand a long long time ago. He was the very clever person who came up with the ever so complicated Thai script (left).

IDOL CHAT

Yesterday I met up with the UK short term team that's working with students in Pitsanuloke (1hour from here) I really appreciated having people from home (UK) to chat to and one Northern Irish girl. I actually said something to her and she couldn’t understand but the English people could aaah what oh what is happening to my accent. I could start talking about identity but that’s not my main thought for today. As we looked at these historical ruins of the great city and all the temples and Buddha images, somebody said “it’s just stone and it is it has no power” That’s very true but there is no doubt that the enemy is very much at work in this town.

I read these words this morning and they really got my attention and I hope they will speak for themselves and you can see the link with the thought from yesterday (above)

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.”

Acts 17:24,25

Market Life - I took these pictures while waiting at the bus station.

Pay Teol (Go on an outing) Last weekend it was Keith's Birthday (the only boy in the picture). So he got to spend it with us lovely ladies. We went to a nature reserve- went on a boat and looked at lots of wildlife pelicans etc. it was really very very beautiful, I enjoyed the day very much.

Sports Day
Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday was Sports Day. It was quite a grand afair. My memory of Sports Day in the UK is some afternoon that it's not raining you go to the sports field and a few people throw a javeline!! But it's really quite a doo here in Th!! Lesons were shortened by 10 minutes each for about three weeks previous to the events. I however didn't actually see any sports as I had really high temperature for a few days last week (but am well agian) Went on the final day Friday, which they had some kind of a cheer-leading competition really quite impressive!!!
(photos to come when I get them to work!!)

Thank you This weekend I helped with interviews to select students to go and study in Latvia and America to study for one year. This is the thank you gift that I got - a lovely basket of fruit.

The boys at the hostel. I realise that I often talk about people in my prayer letter and you have no idea what they look like. So this is a start more to follow.

Let Go!!!
When I was riding my scooter at first when I got into trouble and needed to slow down/stop, my reaction was to hold on tighter. This was not a good thing to do because the more I clung onto the handle the faster the bike went. I knew I needed to let go but it felt safer to hold on. The more often I let go of the handle the more I realise that this is the best thing to do, and the next time I let go that little bit quicker, but it’s still difficult to let go.

Today I have been thinking about the parallel of this with my life. It feels safe to hold on to the securities of this world (a career, money, people etc..) but yet I know that it is wise to let go. I know that this is what God tells me all of us to do. “Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, then you will know God’s good and perfect will” In the world’s eyes this seems very foolish but in God’s eyes this is the best thing to do. Sometimes it takes a long time for the message to get from the hand to the brain – “Let go”. The more I let go of my securities and hand them over to God the more I realise that this is the best thing to do, but it’s still difficult to let go.

“Lord, have mercy”
I wasn’t really going anywhere in particular today (Saturday) when I drove past the town hall and stopped. Obviously this is the place where the people of Sukothai come to make merit on a Saturday morning. Sorry I don’t know the exact reason why they come here. If you look carefully they are also sacrificing pig heads I have never seen this before and am guessing that there is some special significance sorry don’t know what that is.

What I do know is that my heart was filled with sadness as I saw people bring sacrifices to these idols. “Lord, have mercy upon them” has been my prayer in the past as I have watched such sights. But now my prayer is “Lord, have mercy upon us”. Not just because I want to identify with the Thai people but because I realise that I have other idols in my life. No I don’t get up on a Saturday morning and offer a pig head to an idol, but I often put things before God. I need to call out to the one true God “Lord, have mercy upon me” I know that the Lord will have mercy upon me as he has graciously saved me. I pray that these people will have an opportunity to worship the one true God. That they will stop doing and start believing. But first they have to hear… How can they believe when they have not heard? And how can they hear if no-one tells them?

Mr and Mrs Brownie (as the Thai person pronounced it it's really browne (silent e) !!)
Had a super day with Avril(good friend from uni) and Johnny who just got married last week and spent the day with me in Bangkok on Monday :)

Pictures are back - I've got a new camera - yeah : ) and it's red (hence title color!!!) So I can keep you up tp date once again what is happening in my life through pictures. This is waht I did after I bought the camera had a carmel machiato : ) lots!!

Sorry I haven't posted anything for a while. I was at the OMF anual conference in the south of Thailand. It was really nice to be beside the sea once again. It was also nice to understand everything that was happening, well almost everything cause it was all in English. Also travelled to Maesot last weekend - bordering with Burma to renew my work visa or something I don't really understand I just do what I'm told. Quite an interesting journey. The van was a little old so we spent more time rolling down the hill, than going up the mountain at times!!! also passed on lots of blind corners!! Thankful the return journey was in a much better van and even had air con : ) Going to Bangkok this weekend as off school next week. So here's a few thought and pictures to keep you going until I post again.

“Teacher your beautiful”
Never thought I would get annoyed when someone called me beautiful however it does get a little tiring when you hear it a 101 times a day!!! and kind of embarassing. Shouldn’t complain really it could be worse. At least I don't get called 'farang' all the time - the Thai word for foreigner as there are lot's of backbackers here in Sukothai. By the way these are female students – before Sean Clokey makes any comments!!! Oh and by the by way it’s not that I’ve had a face lift or anything it’s just because I’m white that I’m beautiful!!!

Am I from outer space?

This is something I was wondering today when asking 14 year olds these simple questions
What is your name?
Blank face
How old are you?
Blank face

And we had just gone over these questions time and time again and the questions and answers are on the board. Believe it or not these kids have been learning English since primary school!!! Maybe I shouldn’t get so frustrated when I don’t understand everything, at least I can answer these questions in Thai!!!

PARKING ADVICE
Tip – if visiting a market in Thailand and you see a parking space very close to the interest do not be tricked into thinking it is a good parking space. I arrived when the market was just being set up so not too many people so got the perfect parking space so I thought!! On my return 15 minutes later there were lots and lots of motorbikes jamming mine in. Managed to do an awful lot of manoeuvring a 5 mins later managed to get it out. But I was one of the lucky ones, some of the bikes beside mine were truly stuck, which got me thinking, what would a Thai person do in this situation. Or would they not get in this situation cause only people who are going to be at the market for a long time would park in such a place or what would they do go back and enjoy the market for a bit longer?

Which reminds me of another incident a few weeks ago. I was at a restaurant with some teachers. When one teacher returned to her car it was blocked in. What did she do? Go to the reception and ask if they could find out whose car it was? No, no that would be very un Thai she waited patiently until the car was moved!!! However long that was!!! I know sounds a bit crazy for the most of you out there with our western out look on life!!!

These are pictures from the school's special assembly to celebrate the King's coronation.
P.S. If you're trying to find me I'm not actually there, I didn't realise that it was a special assembly so I was getting some equipment for a science experiment. I arrived about five minutes before the end.
Whoops!!!

WHO I WORK WITH
Sugit(India) Robert (England) Vincent (Philipines) Director Keiko (Japan she taught Japanese but left last week) Marie (Philipines) and me!!

Another Wai Khruu Picture

A few more Wai Khru Pictures