Learning, Struggling, Advice?

 So much seems to happen between my chances to write a post I don't know what to write.  Like life in most places, highs and lows.  And like most times, not spending good time in the Bible and praying in the morning makes the day much more difficult.

   I think I'll write this post asking for your thoughts, suggestions, advice, and godly counsel.  We have a responsibility to be a good example and to teach good principles to those around us, especially the young ones who are beginning to develop their ways. 

   Kids want to play.  That's normal.  But there is also a time to work, and here there is much work we have to do.  Half the time the older boys are good examples in working, and the other half the time lead the younger ones in sitting around.  They speak the younger ones' language and are of the same culture, so they relate and look up to them more.  I am the odd ball for trying to motivate to work if nobody wants to.  I won't scold, though sometimes I think I might be bordering that.  I don't like that.  

   I also don't like begging or cheer leading.  I too often get complaining and murmuring, in which I respond,  "Do you not like living here at the lake?  You want to go live at Bamboo School?  We work here or we work at Bamboo School."  They like living here, and so do I.  If we don't take good care of what's been given to us, it will be taken away from us.  That seems to be my only motivation for them.

   Today I was thinking about the talents and gifts we are given, some more than others.  We are only responsible for using what we've been given.  Jesus said that he who hides what he's been given, even what he has will be taken away.  Use it or lose it.  That's a good lesson we need to learn here I think.  There is always the free will and consequences that come from bad choices.  That is not under my control, unless I think of consequences to implement.  Then I need to be sure I'm doing so fairly at the right times. 

   I'm still trying to figure out what I'm suppose to be learning here.  How to lead and be a good example?  Not harsh.  Someone recently told me leading by example only goes so far.  Not sure what to do here.
I just know I want to do things right and be a good example, make a difference for good.  Above all love. 

  Many times, like yesterday though, I'm very proud of them for how hard they work.  Maybe they deserve a day off after how hard they worked yesterday.  I'm sure there is much I need to learn in all this, not just teach.

  So any suggestions on getting them to work when it's time to work?  To get them to clean when it's time to clean?  Everyday I'm telling them the same things over again.  They don't like it and neither do I.  I have someone translate about working smart and not hard, about just doing what you know you need to do without being told.

   How about destroying or stealing?  What kind of consequences could be implemented?  They love to play soccer.   It's good exercise and fun.  I would hate to take that away for a time, but is something they really enjoy.  I don't want to be an "authoritarian" bad guy.  I just want to do what's best for everybody.

   I hope this post is not complaining, just looking for growth in my life and to be effective where I'm at.   Maybe by being transparent someone else will learn with me.  Thank you for any thoughts, advice, and prayers. 

 Building a stone stairway.

Boys moved out to the lake!

I'm driving us back to the Bamboo School from church at the lake.  Just go slow, it'll be alright! 

I just started posting some pictures and communicating on facebook again if you want to check out there as well.  Chad Weissert

   Six of us boys moved out to the lake property to live here for a week.  I hope to live out here for the most part of my time helping the Bamboo School kids.  By the way, you can see their site at www.bambooschool.org  There's no running water; just the lake and rain water caught in big containers.  There is a well with no water, so we need to get down there and dig deeper, and I hear it's rock.  There is a big garden to plant and work with. Yay! :)  Also wild edibles (Morning Glory) all around the lake that the boys pick and cook often.  There's papaya trees, banana trees, baby mango and coconut trees, pinapples, and I brought a large variety of organic seeds with me from Texas to plant.  The dorm built with mostly bamboo is up on a hill which gets a nice breeze and reduces mosquitos.   

   Most of the children are on vacation and gone to visit family.  When they come back Cat said I'll have 20 something boys out here!  Thank you for your prayers praying people!  There is a retired married couple that should be arriving soon and maybe living out here to help.  Help would be great and I believe God will provide.

   It has definitely been stretching here.  For someone who likes to spend much time alone it is a real challenge.  Just trying to sit down and write, have a little time to communicate back home seems almost impossible.  If I do it in site of the kids I usually have them over my shoulder asking me questions I don't understand, or "play game!? watch movie!?" 

   I just got a smile and a wave of joy because God is so good, even when it hurts.  I know the LORD wants me to learn to live in community more for the better.  This place is like boot camp for that.  They do EVERYTHING together here: wake up, worship, eat, clean, work, play, sleep, etc.  When I feel a bit guilty and selfish for wanting to get alone I keep remembering that Jesus went off alone to pray often.  Yay!! That's so good to know!  So there is a time and place to be alone.  If Jesus needed to get alone with the Father I think it's important for us too.  Hopefully we will all become more balanced.

   I ripped my little toe nail almost completely off the other morning.  Just hanging on by a little bit.  Got caught on a rock somehow.  That hurt, but looked even worse.  Cut the little connected part off yesterday to avoid getting infection and it really hurt last night, so I found some Ibuprofen at 1am.

 Peek-a-boo.  Now ya see me...

 Now ya don't.  We had some visitors for lunch and Sunnythor and Zac decided to eat under a table.

    Biggest, hairiest, wild spider I ever did see.

I did not want to let this one go.  LORD forgive me if this thing had a purpose.  I'm pretty sure those are fangs.

 Gas gauge is broken and we ran out, so refueling.

 Dokmai and Zac planting seed potatoes from Texas.

Addajoe leading the way to his family's home.

Addajoe and his family.

This tree gives some kind of edible fruit.

  

Today some of the kids and I went up to the lakeside property to wash some clothes and do some garden work.  I don't really have much gardening experience, but do want to learn so I enjoyed it very much.  There are quite a bit of rocks which reminded me of the "Parable of the Sower," where seed in rocky ground the roots don't go very deep.  So we planted seeds in one row then I figured we better start picking rocks.

Afterwards the kids washed their clothes and played in the lake.  Then back to the Bamboo School for lunch.
In the afternoon we heard a truck coming up the driveway fast.  Cat says to the older boys, "Go find out what's going on! Get the kids out of the way! That sounds like trouble."  It was.  The police were chasing a vehicle up our driveway which is a dead end on the top of a hill.  So the fleeing truck managed to do a U-turn and was chased back down the driveway.  They were gone as fast as they came.  That was pretty unusual for here.
Not like Sunny Slope, AZ, where gun shots and ghetto bird were the norm.

The highlight for me today though, is seeing a change in some kids' attitudes towards me.  I've seen at least three times now that showing compassion for those who are really hurt makes an impact.  Then they know you really care.  I been having a real hard time getting them to do their chores and work.  They really test you to see how you handle disobedience, and I'm not sure how I should handle it.  So I been doing much of their work because I don't want to beg them or yell or whack them with a bamboo.  I'm still figuring it out.  So far it's been a painful learning curve for me, but I believe I am hear to learn, and love.  And I see God working in moments of conflict, when we chose His ways and love and pray.

On the way back from the lake today I ran over a snake crossing the road.  The first one I've seen since here, though there are many.  Through body language one told me it was a cobra.

  I saw a couple boys picking these to bring back and cook for lunch.  Wild edibles! Love it! "Morning Glory" Cat says.  Bathachore holding a bunch that Cherthapwee was picking.

Check out the size of that mushroom. At least I think it's a mushroom. Not good to eat they say.
Parkay, Bathachore (brothers), and Begoo. The father of these brothers was murdered by the Burmese army and mother missing, assumed dead.  Begoo was shaken as a baby and pretty much deaf as a result.

Learning how to build a bamboo/grass roof for a Sabbath school place at the lake property.

The white man seems to need more sun protection.  With Acharm (left) and Cherthapwee (right).

Another surprise when grabbing some clothes.

The lake that we sometimes bath in.  Today I had a girl take out the baby diaper I found out she through in.
I hope it was a clean one.

And I thought pineapples grew on trees.

Would like to post more pictures but have to go for now.  Blessings!

Songkran Festival

Yesterday was Songkran.  The Thai people are on the road side and in the streets throwing water all over everybody and putting some kind of nonstaining paint on others' faces.  They actually celebrate it for a few days, but yesterday was THE day.  So we had the kids in the back of the pickup with their squirt guns and garbage cans full of water.  Great to see so many smiles and laughing.  Some drink heavily (not our kids!) but I only saw one aggressive man.

Songkran is the celebration of the new year here.  The throwing of the water is supposed to be a form of blessing I hear.  And as hot as it is, it is a blessing!  I haven't had any time to do online research since I've been here, so I don't have any detailed facts to share.

I've been at the Bamboo School www.bambooschool.org since I arrived in Thailand.  I've come to learn about orphanages and the culture and seek God's guidance in my daily walk.  So my only plan right now is one day at time, and probably visit other places in the future. 

  Watch out when you pick up your clothes.

 Second one I killed.  1st one the first night.

  Sunrise view at Bamboo School.

I have many more photos but limited time.  Hope you subscribe to receive my new posts to your email!

Everything New

   This is my first blog and I haven't spent much time reading others, but here it goes.  I will do my best to share what's happening around me and keep it real, including sharing difficulties and struggles, but with the goal to inspire and encourage, and above all glorify and exalt our awesome God.  I hope to make others laugh, smile, and maybe some tears of joy.  If any tears of sorrow, remember that joy comes in the morning.  God is near to those with a broken heart. 


  So after receiving a burdened heart for orphans in 2002, now I am finally on the field, in the jungle on the Thailand-Burma border, 10 years later.  Been here in the small village of Bongti, Thailand for 2 weeks already and it has been more difficult than I thought it would be.

  I write this to let others know about the work that is plentiful and the laborers are few.  If you feel called to go, may you pray for confirmation and count the cost.  It is more difficult for some than others to overlook the bugs in your rice.  I nonchalantly pick them out or just don't look too closely.  I am always thankful to those who prepared it and enjoy it with them saying thank you and "arroy" (delicious).  And it is.  Clean freaks will especially have a difficult time here.  I can hear a few who know me well laughing now.

I have to sadly say that the hardest part for me so far is being willing to clean the diarrhea off of 8 year old John, who's blind and deaf.  I've been dreading my turn, and yesterday and today was my initiation, though someone else did the wiping.  There's also the clean up of what he painted with it, all over.  So I still dread it and see that the love of Christ must be lacking in me, or something.  

  This blog is also for others to know and pray for the great needs and pray that God will send out laborers into the field.  I thank everyone in advance for every single prayer.  I will do my best to keep updated often and share pictures.

  Thank you to the many people, family, friends, and brand new friends who God used in such a huge way to encourage and uplift me.  I knew God was using you all in such a powerful way to ensure me when the times get tough, like now, to know I am where I should be.  So I remember and am so thankful for every one of you in my life.  I am very blessed.

Here's a few pictures just to get started.  Many more to come!