English Camp

We all came back to Bangkok on an English Camp high.  It was a great time of connecting with students, not only for improving English, but also for sharing our team's purpose for being in Thailand.

The English camp was long enough that we got to know the students, and they got to know us.  We were able to break down some preconceived ideas about Christians and Christianity while showing them Christ's love.  At the same time, we were open about what we believe. 

In one lesson about speaking, Tiffany gave a short speech, 3 Reasons Why it's Great to be Missionary.  In the closing thank yous, one student mentioned that speech.  We were all encouraged that God opened their ears and minds to remember what was shared.

Another morning, over a breakfast of omelets, toast and fried rice, Stephanie was able to share the gospel with a student. 

At lunch one day, a girl asked me, "What do you do at church?"  The whole table leaned in to listen as Liz and I explained not only about church, but about our relationship with Christ outside of the church building.

I'm hopeful that as God continues to work in the lives of these students and teachers, he will bring up more conversations and prompt them to get involved in small groups or come check out church for themselves. 

Traveling together on the bus.  About 45 university students joined the camp and 5 Thai teachers.

One night some students showed us around the night market after camp activities were finished (I still made them speak English...hehehe, what a strict teacher!)

Teacher Julia.

Listening attentively.

Practicing speaking by giving a short presentation about Cambodia, and dressing up Cambodia style too.

Working hard!

Enjoying the sunrise (but only one morning, the other mornings I was sleeping.)

We went to the beach on the last day to take lots of pictures, play in the water, and SPEAK ENGLISH in real life situations.

Ministry Glimpse: Hope Cards

photo from www.ywamthai.org/hopecards

What do you do if you live in a slum, have small children, and your husband leaves you? He doesn’t give any financial support, and you can’t get a job because you never finished grade 7. Even if you could get a job, who would look after your children? If you send them upcountry to the grandparents, it means you will only see them maybe once or twice a year. You certainly can’t afford a babysitter.

 

photo from www.ywamthai.org/hopecards

That’s when Hope Cards steps in. It is no accident they’re called “Hope Cards”. They’re called that because that is what they are. A place of hope. A place of caring.

www.ywamthai.org/hopecards

Hope Cards is located just a few blocks from Lifepoint Bangkok church.  It's great to get to know ministries in our neighborhood.  And it is encouraging to know other people are reaching out in specific ways to the families around us. 

If you are still wondering where you will buy Christmas cards this year, take a look at www.hopecards.net.  

Not only are the cards beautifully handmade, they directly support Thai women who are working to raise their families while being discipled and growing in their walk with God.

 

Beyond English Class

English students making cupcakes

University students wander in after a day of classes, some grab a game off the shelf to kill time before English starts, others relax on the couch and let their eyes close for a few minutes. 

Working professionals jump off motorbike taxis outside, making it through the door just before the evening rain starts falling.

Kids, with voices bouncing off the walls,  run to the back table for a fun lesson with Taam.

People from the cafe peek inside to see what all the commotion is about.  

English nights are crazy.

But with new students coming in almost every week, the craze is worth it.  New students mean new relationships and the possibility for these students to know who gave them their language. 

From English class many students will get involved with our Friday night activities, like making cupcakes (last week), a talent show, or engineering night.  And then from there they may be willing to join a small group Bible study or come to church. English class is just a small dot on the map, but one that draws in many people. 

In the quiet moments, usually after class as we head out to grab dinner together, God puts words to the craziness.

"This place seems more like a family than an English center."  Wat commented.

My heart smiled.  Even when we get caught up in the details, God is working. 

Our delicious cupcakes!

Homemade Peanut Butter (Wow! So easy!!!)

From roasted peanuts to peanut butter right in my mini food processor!

Wow.  I've known I could do this for a long time.  I just had no idea it was so easy and would come out so well.  

**While this isn't a food blog, I enjoy cooking and baking and have decided to occasionally share a few of the best recipes I come across while living overseas.  Hopefully they will be helpful or give you an excuse to try something new.**

Here's the scoop.

Peanut butter is expensive in Thailand.  Although I'm sure its price is increasing all over, $6 US just seemed like too much for a small jar.  Every once in a while I would find it on sale or just buy some anyways, but in general, I have gotten used to not eating it.  And that's okay with me. 

However, with my new-found revelation, the peanut butter option may be back.

The problem has never been a lack of peanuts.  One of Thailand's most popular dishes, Som Tam (papaya salad), includes roasted peanuts.  Which is how I ended up with a bag of peanuts in my cupboard.  A few days ago, my friends helped me make papaya salad.  It was great, and the leftover ingredients turned out to be great too.

So this morning.  I pulled out the bag of peanuts.  It was probably about 3/4 of a cup.  I tossed them into my mini food processor and pushed GO.  Then I thought I "might should" (as my southern friends would say) look at a recipe.  (Side note, I'm not just learning Thai in Thailand, my team is also teaching me "Southern" English.)

Okay, back to looking at the recipe, well actually, recipes.  One said I needed to add salt, honey, and oil.  Another said don't add anything.  I picked the one that suggested adding what you think it needs, but included that extra oil is unnecessary because the oil from the peanuts comes out as you process them.  I decided to add some salt and kept blending. 

The peanuts went through a few stages.  Big chunks, little chunks, dusty particles, dust clumping together in a ball, ball getting wet, paste. At this point I tasted it and decided I should have added less salt.  So I added some sugar and kept blending.  The paste went from chunky peanut butter to smooth peanut butter after another minute or so.

Another taste test confirmed that I should have done this peanut butter thing a long time ago.  It was amazing. 

Then I had an idea to make it more amazing.  I scooped out about half of the peanut butter, just in case my idea didn't work as planned.  Then I sprinkled some chocolate chips into the food processor with the remaining peanut butter and blended some more. 

Yep.  You guessed it.  Chocolate peanut butter.  Why I reserved some of the first batch, I don't know.  How could you go wrong with chocolate peanut butter???  It was even more amazing than the original.

I have a feeling the peanut guy at the market will be seeing me more often now, and not just when we are making Som Tam.  Even if you can buy peanut butter at the store, I suggest trying this.  It is so incredibly easy and so incredibly good.  Not to mention, it's a lot of fun too.

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Recipe:

Homemade Peanut Butter

Ingredients:
Roasted Peanuts, about 1 cup or as much as you want to make/your food processor can hold
Salt, about 1/4 teaspoon depending on your taste and preference (you can always add more, but you can't take it out)
Optional: sugar, chocolate chips, or other creative ingredients

Instructions:
Place roasted peanuts and salt in food processor.  Process on medium-high for 3-5 minutes, scraping the edges to combine peanuts evenly every 30 seconds.  Taste peanut butter and add more salt or sugar if necessary.  A longer processing time will result in more creamy peanut butter.  When the desired consistency has been reached, add chocolate chips or other flavoring if desired and process until combined. 

For creamy peanut butter with chunks (something like store-bought chunky peanut butter but SO much better), reserve 1/4 cup peanuts after the first 30 seconds to a minute of processing.  Continue processing remaining peanuts until smooth.  When the desired consistency has been reached, add the reserved peanut chunks and process a few more seconds until just combined.

Store peanut butter in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or cupboard, but it will stay fresh longer in the refrigerator.  Peanut butter will solidify more after processing and even more in the refrigerator, as the oil from the peanuts cools.

Ministry Glimpse: Timothy House

Welcome to Timothy House, a children's home in Thailand.  "Most of the children we have come from an abusive background.  Their stories are as varied as their personalities. We show them the love of Christ. They slowly heal and return to a child like nature. Only love can heal the broken heart."

Currently 17 kids between the age of 4 and 17 call Timothy House home.  Located on the edge of a national park, Timothy House has plenty of space for these kids to play and grow.

Rodney and Phimpha love the kids as their own.  Acting as dad and mom to 17 children is a big job though.  Volunteers, donations, love, and a lot of hard work keep Timothy House running. 

Playtime after school!

Catching dinner in the fish pond out front.

Making dinner in the kitchen.

The dish washing crew!

There's always work to be done, but doing it together makes it more fun!

Every night after dinner everyone comes together for worship (led by some of the kids) and a Bible study (led by Mom).  Every Sunday church is held at the home and members of the community join for worship. 

Praise God for the heart he has given this family, for the love that overflows to these children, and for the example they set for the community!

For more information or to make a donation, please visit:

www.lovecareproject.org/wp

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Blessings in the Spur of the Moment

The night before English Camp started the university students and I gathered together.  "The camp will be for about 180 students in ninth-grade who speak almost no English."  We were told by the leader who invited us.  "What will you do with them?"  

If it were up to me, that question would have sent my stress level over my head.   Instead, the university students jumped into brainstorming mode, turning the next two hours into a laughter-filled conversation that resulted in activities, games, songs, and lessons for camp.  

To teach the kids that they don't need to be afraid of making mistakes, I translated the camp rules into Thai.  They laughed at my mistakes, but we made a deal.  If I was going to try to speak Thai, they had to try to speak English.

Thai students are used to lining up and listening.  We tried not to keep them in this position for too long.

Some classrooms look very similar to a classroom in you would find in the States.

The school grounds look a little different though.

Practicing teamwork (using English!)

At one station, students learned about Thai herbs.

 

 

Vocabulary and art can go hand in hand.

Making people bookmarks helped us practice our colors and body parts.

See the picture of the king in on the right side of the whiteboard?  His picture is in every classroom. 

Camp wouldn't have been complete without some silly songs.  We also taught the students some worship songs. 

By the end of camp, students were asking for my Facebook name and taking tons of pictures.

Maybe the most encouraging part is that the school's English teacher is a Christian.  He will be at the school all year long and is connected with a Thai church in the area. 

May God work through these students and this community to make his name great in Chachoengsao!
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Chachoengsao...Where?

Tuk Tuk in the rain.  We are taking a pickup truck to Chachoengsao.  Hopefully the rain will hold off until we get there.

 
I've found my life's adventure with God is sometimes like my average trip in Thailand.  It usually begins with a side conversation ending with something along the lines of, "Will you join us?"

"Sure."  Then I hesitate.  What did I just agree to?   "Umm, I mean... Where?  When?  How much will it cost?  Who else is going?  When will we return?  How are we getting there?  What do I need to bring?"

 "Chachoengsao."

"Bless you!"

"I didn't sneeze."

"Come again?"

"Chachoengsao, a province about three hours east of Bangkok, for an English camp and to visit a children's home." My friend clarified.

"Okay.  Sounds good to me." I agreed.

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About five years ago, God asked a similar question of me, "Will you join My work in Thailand?"

My response was about the same,  "Sure."  Then hesitation as my mind began to process what I had just agreed.  I tried to stay afloat in the details of my drowning thoughts.   

Thailand?  When?  How much will it cost?  Who will I go with?  How long will I stay?  A ONE-WAY ticket!?  What do I need to prepare?

By His grace, I made it to Thailand.  I didn't know all the details, but as deciding points came and went, I always had the answers I needed or enough direction to make a choice in faith.

"Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, 

what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 

waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God..." 

2 Peter 3:11-12

 
Other than Chachoengsao (and I'm still trying to figure out where that is), I have no idea what God has planned for this week's adventures.  But I know we want to use our time well.  This may be the first time these kids have heard of Jesus.  The seeds we sow may be the seeds that God grows into a well-rooted ceder tree. 

As Gif and I discussed yesterday, we will be flexible and ready to say "yes" when God gives the opportunity. We know the outline, a children's home and English camp.  And God knows the rest.