Apartment, SDA School, Photo-shoot (Jan 11)

After much internal debate, I've decided to go ahead and post to my blog. It's really the easiest — and I really dont' want to live my life with any unnecessary anxiety. So, whatever.

Here's the view from my amazing apartment, a few blocks from the neighborhood mosque! I really admire the Moslem commitment to prayer. They pray over 5 times a day — on a loudspeaker — and it helps remind me to wake up and pray too. I just wish it wasn't at 5:30am *every* morning.

I was so excited about screens on my windows, air conditioning, and a huge amazing bed! (the beds here are different that US sizes, so my queen-sized sheets don't fit exactly). Anyway, please pray for me and the coming media volunteers, since there was a mis-communication in housing funding. But, the building owner has been really understanding and patient.

The SDA school is close by my office, and area churches. I keep forgetting to bring my camera and take pictures of my office, etc. But anyway, the cafeteria food is *really* good, fresh and vegetarian – AND you can go back for seconds, and even thirds all for 50Baht (about $1.50 US)!



This last week, I've been working with the team on recording a testimony. After her conversion, this woman began to share her faith with everyone around her. As a result, many people have come to know how God answers prayer, and have also made decisions to follow Him. While affordable English classes are the main ministry of many of the area church plants, there is also a great vegetarian restaurant nearby too!

We shot video at a nearby temple where she used to work repairing clothes as a street vendor, and then later we went onto a makeup shop by the train station where she shared what God was doing in her life with a friend.




This is a (another) really great vegetarian restaurant near the language school/church. It has this really awesome mural on the side — Thai-style — of Jesus' second coming.


Media team planning (and eating).

Twin Falls Hike with Monica and Dinda

This Sunday, I was so blessed to go hiking with my friends Monica and Dinda. It was awesome that it didn't rain while we were hiking and wasn't too cold (maybe 45F, so 7C). But somehow Dinda forgot to bring a jacket!!! Thankfully, Monica's mom had an extra one at her shop. :) We had a great time talking and hiking. Twin Falls is call that because there are two falls along the trail—but their not identical (maybe they're fraternal). Or maybe there is another set of falls that flow side by side. I'm not sure. Either way it was beautiful. We hiked about 3 miles (almost 5km). We were doubly blessed too because Monica and her mom treated us to veggie burgers for dinner from their shop! I haven't had onion rings in so long... as much as I'm a good vegan at home, it was nice to indulge in a little grease. ;)

Dinda, where is your jacket?!?!

This is the first waterfall that you can see at one point, hiking up. There was fog and mist, very dream-like. 
At the first waterfall! This look-out point is amazing. The fall is quite high—I had to Photoshop two pictures together to get the whole waterfall. At the very brink of the falls, you can see a little gnarled tree without any leaves. It's amazing to think how that little tree got there.

Hiking further up, there is the twin waterfall. Much tamer, maybe less than 1/3 of the size of the other. But, there's a bridge separating it from it's brother. Dinda's actually looking down over the first waterfall. If you look carefully, you can see the same little tree. It doesn't look far in the picture, but after that little tree it drops maybe 10 floors!

Monica making veggie burgers for as at their shop. Thanks Monica! She looks so professional in these pictures!

Wow! These burgers are huge! I can't imagine how big her brother's special burgers are: the "Monster Burger"—two patties, a fried egg, cheese, and grilled mushrooms!

Friday Night Dinner, Dolls and Bible study

This weekend, our church had some special guests, Steve Wohlberg  and Gilbert Navarro from White Horse Media. I did my best to help Esther prep some food—and I admit, I did play with dolls (but that was before I knew our guests were coming for dinner!). I've made a new friend, Dohyoo—we help tutor each other in Korean and English. I was so touched, she made a whole phonetic phrase book/ mini dictionary in Korean for me! It was so sweet!

Oh Agnes, how we love your food! And I'm so thankful you brought it, because I don't know if we would've had enough without it!!! I missed Agnes this weekend—she was graduating in California from the Theology department. Congratulations!

Natalie playing "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee" with Esther singing along. :)

Esther got taller than Eric. I hope I'm not hurting Steve's eyes with the flash, sorry!

My Life as a Rubix Cube and Grandma

Ok. So I've determined my life is like a Rubix cube. The cube I can solve, but God is the only one who can help me figure out what to do next. Each set of steps and turns I takes seems to make things more messed up and illogical, but following His directions, I know everything will turn out right. Feeling torn about staying close to help grandma is my biggest puzzle.

Make the flower. Solve for white.

Follow these notes. 

Do sequence for "fish." 

Remember to have Optimus Prime face you.

Now, isn't that simple?