Final Stretch(es)

Hello, once again, faithful blog-reading friends!

It really is a bummer that I have such limited access to the internet while I'm here, but that's just the way things go, I suppose! I'm back in Bangsean (Chonburi) and we finally finished our last stint at the 8 schools in PN! This past week was definitely the most physically, mentally, and spiritually challenging, but definitely the most stretching! It's crazy to think about how many students - little children! - we were in contact with in these last few days, but my prayer was and will continue to be that our interaction with the sweet little kiddies at the primary schools would open the doors for Aun and Somchai to have a presence in those places since they have been building relationships with principals and English teachers. I'm trying to see our small, insignificant roles as professional goofballs and experts at the hokie pokie as a mere sliver of something HUGE that God is doing in PN! I really want to visit this place again...and I have the feeling that this is not the end for me there...we'll see.

Last night, Aun and Somchai took us out to a sweet buffet place where you cook your own food over and it was so much fun! Ben and her daughter Mim also came along. Saying goodbye to Ben and Mim was a lot harder than I thought it would be. She was so sweet...she wrote down a message on a piece of paper because she wasn't confident enough in her English to say goodbye and goodluck and all that stuff. She is a special woman, and I'm so excited to keep in contact with her and see where God leads her! Although she is not a believer, I believe that awesome things are in the works. Before I left, she said "I weeat for you"...I had trouble understanding until I figured out she meant "I wait" Suffice it to say, some tears were shed. That was the first (of many) significant goodbyes/endings to things on this short adventure in Thailand, which gets me thinking about the END to this whole thing and how much I'm dreading it. I miss everyone at home, but I'm not ready to be finished here. It's a real comfort to know that I will be coming back here in the spring (well..to Chiang Mai...and hopefulllyyyyy PN)

We went to a prayer meeting last night at The Promise Church and I was struck, once again, by how few Christians there are here and how much need there is for Jesus. It's encouraging to see how World Vision (who sponsors many of the schools we visited) has a very large presence in Phanat, but the workers are so few. It seems like every Christian we meet is a super-Christian..and a great candidate for burn-out. I am continually humbled by their energy and their commitment to seeing Thai people come to God and the huge sacrifices they make. It has been so refreshing to be around these people.

I've been battling a cold, but I only lost my voice this morning...pray that it comes back in full so I can help sing tomorrow! We have a church camp to run for the remainder of our time here and then we'll be back in Fresno and then I'll be back on the East Coast! Thank you soo soo much for your prayers! I must go for now, be BLESSED! PRAY FOR PHANAT NIKHOM and Ben :)