Crying Shoes. What next?

So with all the kids in bed, I'm sitting here wondering what to do on this feeling-kind-of-lazy Sunday night.
I can see how having a television might come in handy on a night like this.  
But after much deliberation, I have decided to write a post!
It's been a good few days.  I had a wonderful Thai lesson on Thursday where my teacher shared her testimony with me for the first hour and 20 minutes and I just listened.  I love it when she diverts from the text book.

On Friday, the staff and volunteers at ZOE had a "fun day" outing where we met at Sticky Falls and played games, relaxed and climbed the lime stone waterfall.  Dave and I both felt like it was such a refreshing time and everyone enjoyed a few laughs, great food and team bonding.

Yumi and I relaxed and deep in conversation.

Group photo!

Saturday morning had me up bright and early.  
Cissy, Kaylee and I headed off at 6.30am to participate in the annual Run for Relief 5km fun run/walk.  It was a wonderful morning and I was kind of disappointed to see the finish line as I was enjoying the walk+talk so much.  Kaylee and I did muster up a last-minute surge of energy though and ran the final 100m in fits of laughter to the crowd of people who'd already finished, cheering us on.

It was such a fun morning and so great to know that all the funds raised will go to help the Internally Displaced People (IDP's) of Burma.


I have been enjoying the opportunities that I have had to be able to do more at ZOE this year. My dear friend Jessica has been here in Thailand for 5 years now and I had the privilege of interviewing her and writing a post about her experiences here for the ZOE blog.  I'm hoping you'll zip across and check it out!
For those of faith, we'd appreciate your prayers right now for the state of our air here.  At church this morning they were handing out face masks as the quality continues to worsen each day due to burning off season being in full swing.  I also received an email from Spencer and Eliana's preschool tonight saying that, until the air improves, all outdoor play will be very limited.  The weather is expected to sit at 37 degrees all this week and the haze in the sky today was very concerning.  You might recall the sicknesses that Spencer has had in the past involving his lungs and breathing; we do not wish for this to occur again.  At the moment, praise God, we are all well and have managed to avoid the last few stomach flus and colds that went around.   
We'd also like you to pray for wisdom and sensitivity for us.  We have several families that we know over here that are undergoing serious challenges right now and we want to be able to offer support and assistance to them in whatever shape or form that looks like.  
And while we're here talking about prayer requests, we always covert your prayers regarding learning to speak Thai.  
I actually need prayer for the faith (even the size of a tiny little mustard seed) to believe that I will ever "get this" language.  
David continues to make progress and is applying what he knows at any given opportunity.  He enjoyed a trip to a couple of villages last weekend and the chance to meet and converse with the locals.  
He was able to share his heart and faith (using an interpreter) with these lovely welcoming villagers who had invited the small group from ZOE and CHF (Children's Hunger Fund) in to their homes.

He did feel a bit embarrassed at one point though when the driver (who he knows reasonably well... thankfully!!) pulled him aside and quietly corrected him on something he'd said.  
During a conversation, that he'd been casually having with some of the ZOE staff earlier, he thought he was saying one thing but he'd actually been repeating something completely different... and unmentionable... poor Dave!  It was even worse than the week before when he'd told someone that he was crying shoes out his eyes!     

It's Time To Share.

I was reading an article the other day which reminded me, again, of why we are here.
It was describing a recent raid on a massage parlor in Chantaburi province, here in Thailand where 67 Burmese women and girls (37 of them were under 18) were rescued after a tip-off from Somaly Mam Foundation’s partner in Vietnam and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). The women's rights organisation reported that the girls had been coerced into working as prostitutes. An investigation discovered that the women had been lured into the sex trade by a trafficker.  They all faced debt bondage and were never let out of the parlor.

Unfortunately this story is too common and even worse are the cases of the children and women that have not yet been freed. 

If you haven't read The Road of Lost Innocence, I encourage you to do so as well as buy a copy for a friend for Christmas.  Her life story is truly inspirational.

From her website, Somaly Mam Foundation: Somaly was forced to work in a brothel along with other children, she was brutally tortured and raped on a daily basis. One night, she was made to watch as her best friend was viciously murdered. Fearing she would meet that same fate, Somaly heroically escaped her captors and set about building a new life for herself. She vowed never to forget those left behind and has since dedicated her life to saving victims and empowering survivors.
Just like Somaly Mam, our team at the ZOE Children's Homes is committed to caring for orphans, or victims of other heinous crimes and abuse, as well as rescuing children who are at-risk of being sold into slavery or have already been sold.
ZOE exists to combat the trafficking of children globally, especially in the sex trade, and provide shelters as well as loving homes to these orphans and children who have been abused or who are at-risk of any crime against them so that they can have life again.
Throughout this busy Christmas season, spare a thought for the little children who need fighting for and are waiting to be rescued.
You have the potential to share what ZOE is doing with an audience that we cannot reach- your friends, family, work colleagues, sports team, mother's group, church, school and neighbourhood.

You can create awareness about the atrocities of human trafficking, child trafficking and modern day slavery.
You can address these issues through your Facebook page, your blog, your local newspapers or any other link you have to mass media.
If you've been moved {at all} by the work going on to fight human trafficking and care for children. If you've seen, read, heard or experienced something that has affected you, then please share your experience with others.

It's as good a time as any.  Click on the link below {under the three little photos} and raise awareness about this important issue TODAY. 

Thank you,

Andie.

Burmese Refugees Fleeing to Thailand after Violent Clashes

I don’t know how much news you get back home about what is happening in Burma.  It’s hard to comprehend that civil war can go on for such a long period of time that it just become part of every day life. 

Can you imagine a civil war that began in 1948…..and continues today.?  It was happening before I was born, and before my mother was born! 

The political climate and policies of our neighboring countries has a significant impact on the work we are doing here with human trafficking. 

There are a number of elements that make people easier prey for human traffickers.  Poverty and drugs are two of them, but there are two other major factors: war and illegal immigration. 

War forces people into situations that separate them from family, reduces their ability to earn income, destroys farm land, houses and livelihoods.  

Some reports estimate that 250,000 people have fled from Burma and now reside in Northern Thailand.   

The estimated total number of illegal immigrant in Thailand is 500,000.   They are people just like you and I, except they were born into a political climate that sees them grow up consumed in a civil war they didn’t start. 

I won’t write more on the political climate, however there is plenty of news articles on the situation in Burma that you can read online. 

 

In the past two days 20,000 people have fled to Thailand!

Tobiah’s school (Grace International) organized to take blankets and clothes to assist  these displaced people.  This morning before school. Tobi got out a few t-shirts and added them to the pile of Andie and my clothes and we delivered them to his school this morning.  

It’s such a small thing to do! It really feels like it is not nearly enough to give a bag of clothes to help 20,000 people.   

I can’t possible comprehend the situation these people are faced with, let alone explain it to Tobi.   So I just simply said to him that some people needed help and asked was he willing to give some clothes of his to some people that didn’t have any or just needed some assistance?

I am so proud of Tobi.  He sure has difficulty sharing many items in our home!  Many times he thinks he is the centre of the word (as young children often do) but today he showed kindness and compassion.  He willingly gave something of his to someone he doesn’t even know, just because they needed help.   

Please keep these people in your thoughts and prayers, 

Dave

PS  I encourage you to read up on the situation in Burma. 

 

Photos from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2010/nov/09/refugees-burma-election-violence-thailand-video