Just a few more pics

Quick update on Vern

Thanks for your prayers regarding team member Vern. He had dinner with all of us yesterday and got out last night for a little walk. He will join the group today to celebrate New Years with the Burmese Church. Cathy Bowery is doing well too. She's a trooper.

Happy New Year!

Our hotel has a big shindig for New Year's eve set up around the pool area. The Thais are playing music and performing tonight, and everyone will celebrate all day tomorrow.

Today the medical team got up early again and did the medical clinic at the church. They served nearly 100 people Tuesday and more than 100 people today. It has been going well, except for one baby who was very sick, B.J. said.

The children's ministry team and the water purification team took a "cruise" today out to a small island about an hour away. When we got to the boat, it was sitting on a mud bank. We waited more than an hour for the tide to rise high enough to set sail. But when we finally took off, it was an enjoyable ride. We passed some commercial boats and some people living on the banks of the channel. Plus, we saw some boys jumping out of a tree into the water. I caught a video clip of it.

Children waited for us on the concrete dock when we arrived at the tropical island. There were a small group of people there who were not Thai nor Burmese. They spoke Mochan, which has no written language. The tide was high and lapping the bottoms of their weathered wooden homes there on the beach. We unloaded and climed stairs to a church built on the hillside.

Much like at the Thai and Burmese school we went to on Tuesday, we taught the children some songs and had games and crafts. They really like songs with motions. Joy teaches them "Singing in the sun," which is sung to the tune of singing in the rain, but at the end of each verse you add on motions: thumbs up, elbows back, feet apart, knees together, bottom up, tongue out, eyes closed and turn around.

Then Joy and Christina told them the story of Noah and the Ark. The kids stuck foam stickers onto foam crosses. Even the adult ladies enjoyed the craft. As Brenda explained, the children there have to grow up so quickly and don't get to enjoy childhood. Many of the women were very young — children having children.

It's also not very sanitary there. At least they had a western-style toilet — but no flushing mechanism and no soap and water to wash your hands. The water purification team worked on setting up the new system, but they will have to return tomorrow to finish the job. The large water tank had to be cleaned out, and they ran out of water.


The tide had gone out some when it was time to leave, so we had to wade out to a small boat to take us to the boat we came in. A few of us went for a swim in the Ottoman Sea. We got back to Thailand and went out for dinner. On the way to the restaurant, Brenda told us how to say "Happy New Year" in Thai. It sounds like "sawadee bee mai." She encouraged us to try it out by yelling it out of the van, saying we wouldn't see anyone we knew. But the minute Christina stuck her head out the window, she saw the medical team having dinner on a curb-side restaurant.

The food here is very good, as mentioned before. But for those moments when there is mystery meat on the table, the missionaries offered this meal-time prayer:

Lord, I will put it down if you keep it down.

We got to our restaurant a little after 6 p.m. They sat us on a little balcony area, then moved us to the main floor because they were afraid we had surpassed the weight limit for that area. All the ferang (foreigners) seem big to them. Now we are back at the hotel wondering how to celebrate the new year. Brenda offered to take us back to the hot springs where we went last night to soak our feet and lay on a large concrete slab warmed by the springs. But then again we might just stay here and play some games.

Wherever the New Year finds you, whether in the U.S. or far from home, we hope it finds you happy and healthy. God bless.

A successful first day

Our team had a very busy first day of ministry. The medical clinic saw over 80 individuals and the ministry team organized a carnival for over 100 kids at a local school. It was a school holiday but they all came back just to participate in our carnival. We also prayerwalked through a local outdoor market and passed our literature to the local Thais and Burmese there. Please pray for Vern Mitzen, team member who cut and broke his nose the first evening here. He's been hanging out in the hotel since then trying to get better. This is just a quick post letting you know everything else is running well.

Arrival, at last

Peace and grace to you, brothers and sisters.

We finally made it! We arrived safe and sound in Phuket about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28. Brenda, a local missionary, and her daughter Vanessa met us at the Phuket airport, where we loaded 40 or so bags into two vans and an SUV. It was quite a chore!

We left the island of Phuket and drove a short distance north to our hotels in Kao Lak. It quickly grew dark, but before the light faded we had time to take in our surroundings. The land here is green, with trees sprouting from every inch of soil. The skies are cloudy but still let in enough light that it's very sunny here. Driving on the left side of the paved road (like in England), we passed many Thai on their mopeds. There are a lot of Christmas decorations here, and many are getting ready for New Year celebrations.

Lots of dogs run around town. Vanessa explained that the Thais believe in reincarnation and never kill animals. Instead, they let them run loose, because after all — that mutt could have been a human in a past life.

We ate a late dinner at a restaurant called Jai. Their fruit shakes were excellent, and their fried rice was tasty. Another plus: things are surprisingly inexpensive here. We fed our group of about 25 for $60. If any of us were hoping to lose weight on this trip, we'll be a little dismayed. Thai food is wonderful!

But I think what we were most grateful for, after more than 10 hours on an airplane, were the beds. Our hotels were very nice. You get one key — an actual metal key — for each room. The plastic key chain must then be placed in a slot by the light switch. Otherwise, the electricity doesn't turn on.

Monday morning we left early for the beach at Phuket, where a memorial wall shows the names and pictures of many people killed in the tsunami. We met in a little gazebo to go over some dos and don'ts of Thai culture. Here are some examples:

Greet adults with a "wai" (hands together as if in prayer and level with your nose) instead of shaking hands.

Always give or receive something with your right hand (the left is traditionally used to wipe).

Don't disrespect images of the King, which is on all the money.

Don't point your feet at anyone or anything (because feet are the dirtiest part of the body).

Don't touch anyone's head (this is the most honorable part of the body).

Use a straw when drinking from a can or bottle.

Speak as quietly as possible and do not yell to get someone's attention.

Carry tissues with you as toilet paper is not always available.

After some devotional time and singing, Brenda gave us all devotional booklets, prayer cards and little bottles of perfume the Thais wave under their noses whenever they get a whiff of anything unpleasant. We also received hand-woven bags from a Christian group. After our meeting, we rode about three hours north to Ranong, the city where we will be doing our mission work.

We ate dinner in the food court of Lotus — the Thai version of Wal-Mart. Tuesday we will begin our ministries, so Monday night we met in our groups and made plans. The medical team sorted out supplies and pills, while the children's ministry team stuffed goody bags with candy and small toys to give to a group of Thai and Burmese elementary students.

It's been a long day, but we're all ready to start planting some seeds. Brothers and sisters, keep us in your prayers.

youth group at their very best

We are in Taipei waiting for our flight to phuket.

Packing Party and Last Minute Details

On Monday evening, our group met to pack the medical supplies, water purification equipment, crafts, carnival items and gift bag items. We have 20 bags packed and ready to go. Matt, Hayley, and Corey are coming with musical equipment and other items. They are joining us from Dallas, to pray that our connections meet up. We join one another in Taipei.

Temperature in Ranong yesterday was 86F so it will be quite an adjustment for the Alaska Team members!