One last post for Mission 2011/12

Hello all, I've been conscious of the lack of blog posts the last couple of days - but debrief and downtime in Krabi Town doesn't really present much of great interest to report back to supporters at home!! Sorry if you've been logging on and been disappointed at the lack of posts.

It's been an interesting experience coming here to do debrief. International Teams emphasises strongly the importance of good debriefing after a short-term mission, so we decided to come here to remove the team from the distractions of the neighbourhood where we had been doing ministry - but although we've enjoyed our time here, we've found that we have had a whole different set of distractions!! Reminders in our daily devotional readings about setting our minds on the things above and not being distracted by worldly things have been extremely timely.

Please continue to pray for safe travel over the next few days - we are heading off in different directions, some will be back in Coffs tomorrow and others are visiting people on the way home. Please also pray for God to remind us in coming weeks of what we've learned and the ways we've felt challenged in Bangkok, and help us know how to apply those things in our day-to-day lives on our return. Some of us have felt quite challenged about how we spend our time and money, in particular, but it's very easy to forget all that once the demands of our normal lives are back in front of us.

Looking forward to catching up with you all soon! :o)

Krabi Town

So we left Bangkok this morning, after somewhat emotional farewells with Chatchai and Hope (a Thai woman who also works for Sampat Chiwit Church). We had become aware in the past couple of days that Chatchai and his family really needed some new bedding, which we were very pleased to be able to provide by all chipping in to buy it as a housewarming present from the team. Amazingly, we were able to find what we wanted (3 mattresses, plus pillows & sheets) nearby and have them delivered to the church while we were there catching up with Chatchai and Hope one last time before leaving. He was very pleased when we presented them to him! We also heard that the shiny new pushbike Hope had been riding last year when we were in town was stolen just after we left - and she hasn't yet been able to save up enough money to buy a new one. So we chipped in for that too. I worry sometimes that we can seem like arrogant, rich Westerners throwing our money around... but we are so blessed in Australia, and things are so much cheaper in Thailand that it wasn't a great sacrifice for us, and they are things that will make life so much easier for these people who are working hard to make Christ known in this dark city... so I think it was a good thing to do. May our gifts help in the spread of the gospel!!

We're now in Krabi, where we will spend a day debriefing as a team tomorrow. We didn't do on-feld debriefing last year so it will be interesting to see how it goes. I think it will be a valuable experience - everyone seems to have been greatly impacted by their time here but that can turn into a negative experience if we don't process properly all the things we've experienced. And also, it's so easy to get distracted by worldly things and lose all the momentum and zeal that's been generated by a trip like this, it's good to start to think before we get home about what changes we might make in response to what God's been doing in our hearts here.

Appropriately, tonight's devotional reading was Colossians 3:1-11, which includes the verse:-

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

This is what we must remember to do every day, even when life is crowding in on us from every direction.

Day 9: A sad farewell begins...

Today was our last full day with our brothers and sisters in Bangkok. We started off the day in high spirits after reading Psalm 95: "Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud the rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song..."

We were so excited to be a part of the church dedication which began the day's events. The church was packed with visitors attending this great occasion. Some were friends from other churches, others were those we had met during the week, including the (Muslim) community leader of the area we met Thursday. Mark shared his testimony which went really well and was a great witness for the work done in his life through Jesus.

Praise God for so many answered prayers - one of my prayers has been for the children I met during the week at English classes. We invited them to the service and YAY, the Sunday School class lead by Anna, Ellen and myself was about 20 children! Some of which we had been meeting with throughout the English classes. This was a huge encouragement for me to witness. Anna told them of Jesus' death and resurrection and they each took home something to remember the story by. We also taught them the song 'Jesus is the way, the truth and the life' which they thoroughly enjoyed. Pray for these children that they may hear and understand "for the kingdom belongs to such as these" (Matt 19:14).

Following the service we shared in a meal and then attended a baptism of three women from the church (one girl I remember from English classes last year!).

The evening finished off with a farewell dinner which was very enjoyable, chicken and cashew....'pet mai' (no chilli), much to the disgrace if the owner of the store who keeps trying to change my mind! It was nice to sit and talk with Bessy and Eden in particular (two beautiful Filippino missionaries who I have gotten to know these last two visits).

It is sad to say goodbye and I'm sure we will all be feeling a bit flat tomorrow but the time spent here has been so wonderful and we have some great memories to take back with us. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to serve, to witness some of the great things God is doing here in Bangkok and to be a part of this great mission.

Liz cutting the muslim community leader's hair at the church after the dedication service.

Annabel, Amy and Ellen with some of the girls from the Sunday school program.

Chatchai with the three women who were baptised on the rooftop of P.P. House.

Vid update from Steve

Day 7, the day of rest

We have had another fantastic day today. It was free time in the morning/till 3 o'clock. Some had a sleep in before our daily morning meeting. Kelly, Anna, Steve and myself hit the pool while Amy, Deb and Mark took a load off by having a thai massage. It was a testimony to the teams strong bond as in our free time we found ourselves eating and drinking all together. In the evening, the team spilt up. Chatchai Anna, Steve, Kell and Liz went to visit a christian orphanage that took children in from abusive relationships, or whos parents were ill fit to look after them. They enjoyed getting to know the children and providing dinner for them. Liz took the opportunity to cut some children's hair and was able to leave the centre a pair of hair clippers donated by a salon in Australia.

Meanwhile; Deb, Chris, Mark, Amy and myself held the last English class for this mission at the church. There was not as many people as the previous nights but the classes that were run ended in opportunities to tell people about God. Some of us were able to help with preperation for children's day tomorrow, which apparantely is a big thing!!

It was priceless seeing the jaws drop on the children when Sophia told them they would not see us until next year. Well, maybe not true anymore as many have said they will be coming to church on Sunday. Praise God of the many reminders we have had today of his faithful presents in the city of Thailand. Amy finished the night meeting not feeling too well. Please pray for her health and our big day tomorrow heading up English Day Camp.

cheers, Ellen

Day 6.......Hi this is Elizabeth and I wanted to tell you about what we did today,I still have a smell of raw sewer in my nose but seeing the smile on these kids face made it all worthwhile in the slum areas.

Today we taught English at a school for selected children....exceptionally bright kids and their English was much more advanced than the other school we went to the day before.

Annabel,Chris and I taught how to say the practical things in life ..like water,glasses,phone,bandaid...etc.

After the classes we were ask to go in the slum areas with Chatchia and be amongst the people ..it was a really rough area and to be honest I felt a little uneasy,We met the Muslim leader for the area and she asked us for Dinner sat night back in the area....it will be very interesting.

The hairdressing part of what i am doing is going great I have done 13 style cuts so far to these missionary wives,children and a 1 husband. If I can use my skill to bless other people then its all worthwhile ,the missionaries have been blessed by this ,not only cause its expensive to go to a salon but the love,laughter,support we are giving then to make them feel good too.

We found a eating place that make a nice chicken and cashew nut stir fry...but to be honest i loved the piece of chicken we snuck into KFC for (don't tell Deb and Steve)...

Mark and I are missing our Kids alot if you see then in the streets can someone take them home

My Dads recovery is going good, missing not being able to talk to him and tell him I love him.

God is using us in many ways,we just want to be able to give of ourselves so we can bless other people.

Mark is snoring now so i should sign off and get sleep for another action packed day.

Elizabeth,Liz,Lizzy,Lizzard what a lot of thai people have called me .

English students for the afternoon english camp.

Muslim kids from the slum community.

Ellen meeting a local pastor.

This woman is the local community leader.  We had a chance to pray for her while she visited us in a child care centre in the slum.