Snapshots of Life [May - June 2013]

Statistics don't lie. Interestingly enough, the stats of my blog show that the post with the most pictures had nearly three times as many views as the other posts that were merely writing. Popular opinion rules in this case, so rather than tell you about my life, this time I thought you might prefer if I show you instead.

Ah, Monday Nights. 

They are our girls' night out once a week to talk, to share, to laugh, to cry, to drink coffee, and to pray with each other. What a gift those Monday nights have been with you, Melanie! 

Of course, those Monday nights usually involve coffee in some form & flavor.  :) 

Street scene from downtown Chiang Mai with Tuk-Tuk's parked in the foreground.

2nd Term was the "Month of the Foot Problems." 

One of the guys severely split open his toe while playing ping pong. Another one of the students developed a stubborn skin infection on both of his feet. Then there were various hives of the feet, swelling of the feet, & foot pains from going barefoot on concrete floors all the time. I was quite in my element getting to bandage, sanitize, medicate, and diagnose, but I was just sorry it was at the students' expense. :) 

Treating the split toe. I spared you the close up shot of the injury. 

Then there was THE KIDNAPPING. 

I thought I was going out for supper with one of the girls. They had all ganged up on me and had completely different plans for the evening. I was promptly blindfolded as soon as I came down the steps, led to the waiting songthaew (taxi), and hurried off to an unknown destination. 

Surprise! We had arrived at the beautiful Waterfall Restaurant for dinner

All the lovely ladies who joined us for the evening

Me & "My Girls''  ~ I think they are just pretty splendid. 

We had a few empty pots & planters around here that I wanted to use to add some color to the exterior of the school which is mostly concrete. Barb Yoder, the administrator's wife, and I went to a nursery one afternoon and filled the truck with lovely flowers. It was so much fun to get my hands in the dirt again. 

Now it's the challenge of keeping the plants alive.  :)

 

Three of my friends who had been students with me in 2010 returned to Thailand to visit and do some traveling. It was really special to have them over here and we even had a mini 2010 Reunion with them and those of us staff who had been here all together. 

Coffee shop with Yony who traveled all the way from London to visit.
Love how we can pick up right where we left off! :) 

Those of us 2010'ers on this side of the world. Good memories with these people!

And then, there are the daily routines and moments that my days consist of. Just in case you wanted a glimpse of some of my surroundings... 

Khau pad guy - One of my many favorite Thai dishes of
fried rice with chicken served with a tomato broth and a spritz of fresh lime. 

I have to keep five bathrooms and the girls' dorm stocked with paper supplies.
Believe me, we go through a lot around here! 

The cafeteria/dining area

The downstairs lounge where studying, reading, guitar-playing, games, and conversation take place.
Sometimes all at once. 

The Study Hall. Or where studying is SUPPOSED to take place. :) 

Classroom. The students spend between 4-5 hr/day in class.
(yep, that was me too not that long ago. :))

Every morning we have a chapel service, and on Fridays, a group of students are in charge. They have done a great job of planning those chapel services with a variety of activities. Sometimes, that includes skits to
act out Bible verses. 

Chapel Service 

Three women with a scales, a mirror, a black sweater, a silk scarf, and plenty of exaggerated expressions. I believe we got our verse of "do not compare yourselves among yourselves" across quite well. :) 

And sometimes, skits bring out unknown talents among us. Even in our administrator.  :)

Saturday night cook-outs at the Pastor's home.
We love the Barkman's. And we love Mr. Barkman's grilling. :) 

One day I found all these sticky notes from the girls on my door.
They certainly know how to make me laugh & cry all at once. 

And then, I find these random jokes hanging in the shower behind my towel.
Did I ever say I love a good sense of humor?? :)


After three weeks of classes and exams, the students leave for a 10 day ministry trip. That is my time to recoup, to refresh, to sleep, to catch up on never-ending projects, and to plan for the coming term.
It is also the perfect time to spend with friends who have a spare room in their house with A/C. [grin]

Practicing my culinary skills with Jana, Second-in-Command of the Kitchen.
(For the record, First-in-Command would be her mother. Not me) 

Lunch with Mae Wan, our faithful laundry lady and Thai Grandma

A 4th of July celebration for Val's 60th Birthday (with the gift of a hand-drawn picture of his children).
I feel so blessed to work under the leadership of this man of God. 

After the Month of the Foot Problems, we had a bout of Dengue Fever that took it's toll on one of the students and two of the staff. All three of them had to be hospitalized for several days due to very low platelet counts. The fever is spread by infected mosquitoes who are striped black-and-white and are most commonly active during the day, unlike most other evening-biting mosquitoes. 

We praise God for the healing He brought to those three and that so far, the rest of us have been spared. 

Visiting one of the students, Sandra, in the hospital.

Life continues to be a journey of the mundane and the extraordinary.
Yet in it all, He keeps giving me purpose, teaching my skittish heart to trust Him, and multiplying my meager offering of loaves and fishes in ways that make me stand in awe of how chooses us to do His work here on earth. 

May we all be in such a condition of soul, such an attitude of heart as will fit us for any little work in which our gracious Lord may be pleased to use us — not seeking a place for ourselves, but lovingly serving all. The Lord, in His great mercy, grant that thus it may be, with all His beloved people!" 

~C.H. Mackintosh