Along The Path

~ By David Cross ~

Recently I went away with the ZOE youth for a 3-day retreat in a remote village.  When I say remote, it was only a few hours drive away but in my mind when you are without electricity and your phone reception is intermittent, it qualifies as being ‘remote’.  I had such a wonderful time away with the youth and I just love any chance I get to hang out with them. 

Although my family and I are approaching our 4 year anniversary of being here in Thailand, it never ceases to amaze me how, when in the village, everything is either edible or useful.  Nothing is off limits!!

As our group walked along a small path that was headed toward a huge strawberry plantation (on a 45 degree hill) a group gathered a little way ahead of me.  Crouched down, they were picking up what could have mistakenly just been stones, but as they dug each one out of the sandy path, it was soon discovered that they were small chestnuts- still in their very spiky outer case.  We gathered them all up in bags (to be fried up later that day) and we continued on the path…

A little way further up, one of the boys was hurling rocks at a tree above and, after a few attempts, down fell some (incredibly) sour fruit that I am told is good for sore throats.  Though my throat was not sore, I was encouraged to try it. Yikes! My whole face screwed up like I had just swallowed a lemon, which of course always gets a chuckle from the kids!   If indeed my throat does become sore, I don’t think I could ever eat that again.  It was seriously sour!

We continued on again and I heard a rustle in the bushes beside me and out popped one of the older teenagers with a big stick in one hand and guavas in the other.  The ‘botanical knowledge’ that they possess is just so amazing.

We then continued onto to our destination… the strawberry patch! 

We were here to help with the pruning.  The last time we visited, it was the end of the strawberry season, so we searched the bushes and collected all the ones that were missed (and ate them), but this time, we were helping to prepare for the upcoming season by pruning the bushes and removing the weeds.

After a few hours of work, we started to head back to the houses but of course the journey along the path included many more discoveries along the way …

On the return trip, one girl held out her hand and offered me some delicious blackberries, then as I continued further I could hear the sound of a machete swinging, so I climbed a fence to go and see just what was going on.

There stood the best find of the day… bananas!  The boys had scaled a tree and cut down huge bunches of bananas.  Some were ready to eat (which of course we did … delicious!) and some others were still a little green, but they were just what we needed for our afternoon activity of making deep fried banana chips!

After all the work in the strawberry patch was done and thousands of banana chips were made, Denise (the youth leader) and I also had the privilege of seeing glimpses of the internal ‘work’ that’s been going on inside these precious youth. 

Just like it took a big effort to prepare the strawberry patch, to prune and to weed… a big effort is also required for a transformation to occur in the hearts and lives of our amazing ZOE children.  

 These teenagers have testimonies that regularly bring me to tears but when I get to witness the harvest, after all these years of our ZOE parents consistently pruning… and weeding… and sowing, then that’s when we get to see a yield of: reconciliation, forgiveness and trust. 

Along this path there are treasures a plenty and I can not wait to keep discovering what’s still to come.

Bringing Back the Color

So my "official"-go-in-to-the-office work day is a Friday.
Dave works from home and does the school and preschool pick ups and I head in to the children's home.  One word: FUN!
A couple of weeks ago, when I was in, the children had a day off school and were enjoying decorating one of the concrete landings with their chalk creations.
I smiled as I watched them from the balcony outside my office {okay so it's really just a room with several people's desks... and I sit at Dave's desk.... but still} and I had to smile as I saw them grab a mop when they were done with their picture, wash it away and start again.
It kind of got me thinking and inspired the blog, Color of Love that I wrote for the ZOE Children's Home blog. 
If you want to check it out, you can read it over there.
And I haven't forgotten that I need to update this site too.  I am working on a post- a reflection from something that happened to Dave in a village on the weekend, but I have to go and finish my Thai homework {insert deep breath here and the words "think positive Andrea"} BUT I will be back here soon with more updates.
I hope you're having a great week! 

A Moment In Time

Early Sunday morning as I just began getting our children and myself organized to go to church, David was putting the last few things he needed in to his backpack to set off, meet the team and head up in to the mountains to visit a village.  

Staying overnight Sunday night and returning Monday afternoon, it was so wonderful to hear all the stories and events that had transpired over the two days that he'd been away.

Here's what he had to say:

It's amazing how time stands still.  

When there are no emails popping up, no phone calls and... no bed!! It's simply, "no worries"!

This past weekend was like that for me.  It felt like time stood still as I went away with the team from Grace Baptist Church into a village south of Chiangmai.

I love going to the hill tribe villages of Thailand.  

I enjoy the pace that things seem to take as well as how people seem to have endless time to stop and have a chat (or even just stand around a little awkwardly).

This particular village was home to a Karen tribe, so although my Thai is getting better, (slowly) it was of little use here as the ethnic language was much more dominate.

The weekend involved a time of sharing the Gospel message, visits to local homes, a church outreach, a school event and a human trafficking awareness program for local children.

Though only overnight… it felt like I had been there for much longer.

In summary, it made me want to leave the comforts of our suburban home and move to the village… but hmmmm…I guess this is not a decision I should make at this time of the night…

I am wondering though whether I should sleep on our timber floor tonight (like I did in the village) or back on my comfortable mattress…

Whilst Andie thinks I'm crazy, I must admit after doing it a few times now… I do quite like sleeping on the floor…

What about you?  What's your vote... Do you prefer creature comforts or roughing it? 

No Need To Rush

I feel like I am forever saying to my children, “Hurry up!” “Quick…” “Come on” “Can you go a little bit faster, please?”

But one thing, about living here, that’s a stark contrast to me (always trying to rush everything) is the very relaxed Thai culture that surrounds us.

Yesterday morning Dave and I had the alarm set for 1am!  By 2am we had snuggled the kids into the car with their blankets and favorite soft toys and were headed for Ban Maesa village, four or so hours drive away.

Don’t you think it’s fun leaving to go somewhere in the middle of the night?  To me, it always seems to add a sense of mystery and excitement to the journey.

We were on our way to celebrate the wedding of some friends- our first time to a village wedding and, for our children, their first big trip to a village.

P Jip and P Jack, who both work at ZOE, were due to be married at 7.30am Saturday morning!!

With the odds stacked against us, me getting carsick on the winding journey and Spencer being quite unwell with a fever and ear infection; we finally arrived just after 6am and we were greeted by one of the ZOE parents who used to live in this village and still has a house there that her mother takes care of.

Seated around a fire pit (in the middle of the house) we sat warming up and sipping hot drinks.  It was hard to believe that there was a wedding beginning in less than 2 hours as the pace was very relaxed with a “chilled out” atmosphere.

It was soon announced that the wedding would not be starting till 8am, which added an extra element of “no need to rush” and made things that bit more “cruise-y”.   As we walked around the beautiful village, the word passed that the wedding would now be 8.30am … and then it changed to 9am… did anybody seem stressed?  No, not one bit!

Eventually, some time after 8am, a bell could be heard ringing and a friend explained, “Gin khaow”.  We know those words well, time to eat!!!

We made our way to P Jip’s house and were ushered into the living room.  Sitting on the floor around a generous serving of rice, curries, vegetables and soup we ate and enjoyed the company of those around us.  Actually, I should explain, that those around us were mainly just the few other foreigners who had come to the wedding- our friends, the Tang family and Mike (co-founder of ZOE who was the one performing the marriage ceremony).  What was amusing though was that the villagers (who were eating outside) kept looking in on us through the doors as we ate and bringing in more and more food.  Our children, the only ‘white’ children present in the whole village, drew a lot of stares!!

I even had little children looking at me during the wedding ceremony and pointing to my eyes with amazement- I guess blue eyes aren’t seen around these parts very often either!!

  

From P Jip’s house we walked up a steep road that led to the village church.  I had to keep reminding myself that I was going to a wedding.  No one was stressed, no one was rushing and I was beginning to understand how this uncomplicated, relaxed way of life could actually … be … {uh} … better!

My brother-in-law asked a local person the other day, was it rude to walk around eating?  The man looked confused asking why would anyone need to?  Sometimes in our western culture we get busy and eat on the run- breakfast in the car on the way to work, lunch on the way to the next meeting… some how we have lost sense of the value of just sitting and being… enjoying the food, the company… actually sharing meals together and not eating in a rush just because we’re hungry.

So my challenge from all of this is to: Sit and eat.  Enjoy life.  Allow enough time just to “be” and try not to overcomplicate things.

In Thai they say, “May pen ray”.  It means, no worries!

Have a great week,

Andie     

HAS IT REALLY BEEN OVER A WEEK?

since i blogged?

Okay, sorry about that.  I ... was ... just ... ummmm ... giving you a chance to catch up!!!

No, that’s not entirely true.

Honestly, it’s been a busy (and GREAT) week.

Firstly, it’s wonderful to feel well again!  Oh so well.  And, I’m loving it!

This week at ZOE we have been hosting a team from Rockford First Church in the USA.

WOW!  They have been fun.  

This team of 10 girls (... well women really) had me in stitches.

They had such a sense of humor, adventure and ‘spirit’ that it was just a delight to be around them.

You know, God blesses us in so many different ways.  We are testament to His continual provision for our family’s needs here in Thailand.

This team came and blessed me, personally, with a big dose of laughter.  Usually this kind of laughter is shared with just your close girlfriends, or your sister... you know the kind. 

The kind, I sometimes ... often ... really miss.

So thank you Rockford!  I know you came for so much more ... but you BLESSED my socks off!

I hope we meet again x

SEATTLE MEDICAL MISSIONS TEAM

The ZOE family has such a sense of fun. I love it how the Tang family organised for the ‘welcoming’ team to bandage themselves up at the airport to welcome the Seattle Medical Missions Team.

"My doctor gave me six months to live, 

but when I couldn't pay the bill he gave me six months more!"   Walter Matthau.

I love the ZOE family.  Pictured above are some staff and students that met the medical team at the airport all dressed up in bandages to welcome the medical team.  So funny!  

I heard it actually took a few minutes for team of traveling doctors to realise that it was all just a big joke though... they all appeared very shocked and concerned as they walked through customs and almost set straight to work on the sad and sorry looking bunch. 

~

Proper medical care is something that many of us simply expect or take for granted, but to be able to go to a doctor and receive treatment and advice is a service that millions of people, in other parts of the world, miss out on.  

You may remember back in June when I posted on ‘A week of goodbyes and hellos‘,  I mentioned our dear friend Aunty Joyce who was returning home to the States for a time.  Well, for the past week she has been back at ZOE with a team of medical experts.  The team consisted of doctors, nurses, pediatricians, orthodontists, optometrists etc.   At the start of the week ZOE was transferred into a series of medical clinics, and the team treated the ZOE children, staff, students and children from a nearby children’s home.

As the team relocated to a more isolated hill-tribe village (where medical facilities and trained practitioners can be few and far between) the ZOE staff and students oversaw all the logistics and provided the translation service for the team as they conducted a four day medical clinic.

As we’ve been away the past couple of weeks, we only got to meet the team (and see Joyce) this morning at the airport.  They departed today :(

I loved hearing the stories this morning of the team testing the villagers eye sight and being able to match donated eye glasses to people who would otherwise not be able to see properly.  Though we were unable to be with this team we wanted to share some of the joy with you.

Thank you so much Seattle Medical Missions Team- what a blessing you are!

OUCH!

Poor Eli! This photo shows her swollen lip.  She had an accident recently where she tripped on the stairs and cut her bottom lip open.  Some kids will do anything for an extra icy pole!! Ha ha. 

As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, ZOE has had many visitors lately.  At the end of last week we had another team from America arrive.  It’s so amazing that these groups give up their free time and want to come to help and serve.

I had the privilege of spending the day with the team yesterday as they went to minister in a village and at another children’s home.  It was a wonderful experience and so interesting to see another children’s home in action. 

Below are some more photos from the day.

David is still busy lifting, loading, driving and unpacking to make the move from our old children’s home to the new one possible.  It is a massive job!  

AND... in just 10 days our family will also be moving to a different house... should seem easy after moving ZOE.  We can only hope!

WELL, WELL, WELL

This is a photo of Jessica and I looking down a newly built well at a Compassion project in a village 4 hours north of Chiang Mai.

I had the pleasure of visiting some very beautiful, traditional Thai villages yesterday.  Jessica and I, along with four of the Thai staff, took the winding, daylong journey up in to the hills with an assignment to accomplish!

In July this year, ZOE Children's Home is hosting several short-term missions teams one after another.  Every year teams are booked to come however, this time; most of the other full-time missionary staff  who usually do the hosting, will be home in America on furlough for 2 months.  There is only a small team remaining and it will be all hands on deck! Yes even Spencer will be expected to pull his weight!!

Yesterday’s trip up to the mountains was to look around for suitable locations for the teams to visit and stay as well as make contact with the relevant people needed to co-ordinate each of these three-day events.  

It was particularly interesting visiting two Compassion projects from the point of view that our family has a Compassion sponsor child who also attends a similar project here in Thailand.  This was not her location, but we would like to visit her some time this year.

What I enjoyed most about the day, besides getting to spend time with the phenomenal ZOE staff, was just experiencing more of the ‘Thai’ way of accomplishing a task.  Despite there being a lot to do in the day, it was just sorelaxed.  At every place we stopped (unannounced) we were welcomed with open arms and warm hospitality.  The Thai’s are not just all smiles but their gentle ways and calm composure make them such a beautiful community of people.  It was a privilege to be included on this trip and to have this experience.  It was definitely one I will never forget.