Just Another Day

I keep wondering what I should write about.  To me my life seems almost boring these days.  I mean I am a student and a friend.  I help out where I can at church and I am a leader at my small group.  All pretty normal things.  But I was reminded by a friend that the main hung I need to remember is that I am doing all of this in a new country and quite a bit of it is in a different language and culture that I am just starting to learn.

So I will do my best to share what I am up to. 

Last week I had my Book 2 (Talking Thai) Exam.  It was a stressful experience because only if I passed this exam could I go on to learn the Thai alphabet and story telling segment.  For the week and a half leading up to the exam I was averaging about 10 - 11 hours of studying a day.  Yet it all worked out because on Wednesday, February 5th, I passed my Exam.  It was two hours long and very intense but I passed.  I have started on the alphabet.

                               

Thursday required an entire post to talk about, as does my adventure on Tuesday, Feb. 12th.  So I will share those in the next post.  I am still studying hard and my homework load has increased.  

We have also started storytelling which is fun but definitely not easy.  We work with wordless picture books and create the story that goes along with it.  We ask about words we don't know and how to best phrase things.  I presented my first full story in Thai yesterday.  I got a B.  I wish I had done better but I will work on that for the next story.  

                    

My teacher is really good but when I asked him to push me to be as good as I could, I was not expecting him to be so intense.  It is good though.  I have a goal to work toward and it is good to keep the focus.  

Now, just because I am me... There needs to be some color in this post so here is a cool photo from the Sunday Walking Street Market where they were also celebrating the Flower Parade weekend on Sunday.

                            

       

Talk soon!

Home is where the Cat is!

It has been a while since I last updated.  A lot had been going on and it is often hard to think of time to write.  I will get better.

So I said that I would introduce where I live.  I will also give you an update as to what I have been doing lately.

One of the first things that I had to do when I arrived in Chiang Mai was to find a place to live.  I looked at 2 houses and God really directed me to take the larger of the two.  I am not entirely sure why that is but I know that God has a plan and I am trusting him.

My house has only ever been lived in by missionaries so that is nice.  You can often tell how long it has been since someone was in Chiang Mai by who they remember living in the house.  I wonder how long it will take before it is known as Jen's House?  It is also known as the: pink house, hot house or (if you are my present housemate) the Crazy House. :-)

My Front Gate

There is a dip in the road outside my gate so it often floods.  However, my house is basically flood proof.  There is a about a 1 to 1.5 meter incline that the water would have to raise before it could even get in the front of the house. 

I live very close to the Mekong Centre where I am based out of.  It is very nice to be so close to where I study.  I also am only about a 6 - 10 minute bike ride to my school (depending on how long it takes to cross the main street).  It is very convenient.  I have started to meet some of my neighbours as well. 

In another post I will show you some of the great places I have found in my neighbourhood to eat.  There is really great food here. 

I live presently with my cat, Mimi.  She really does own the place and I am just there to take care of her every need.  She is a very effectionate and loving cat.  She is playful to the point that I can't let her in my room when I want to sleep because she is trying to play when I am trying to sleep.

A very rare calm moment.

I go to school at The Manna Thai Language School but I study at the Mekong Centre Language Desk.

Very studious, can't you tell.

Please see the attached video for a tour of my new home. My Thai House  

I look forward to hearing from you.

Life in Thailand

Hello Everyone,

So first of all, I finally feel like I am settled enough that I can take some time and update my blog.  Life has been so busy that I have not had the time.  I do appologize.

Over the next few posts I want to introduce you to the different aspects of my new life.  In this first one, I want to give you a bit of a rundown as to what I have been doing since I arrived in Thailand.

I arrived in Chiang Mai on August 13th.  I was staying at the OMF Guest House, called Hudson House while I got settled and found a home. 

Mekong Centre and Hudson House

During the first few days I was given some orientation on living in North Thailand and started to get introduced into the different aspects of my new life.  I looked at a couple of homes, went shopping for a cell phone and bike.  I also got shown different areas of the city. 

The Friday, August 16th I went to visit the Language school I would be attending.  I actually ended up sitting in on a class.  The class I was joining had stated on August 12th so I needed to catch up with the rest of the class.  So on Saturday, August 17th I went for a 2 hour catch up class.  I will tell you, trying to cram 4 lessons (2 hours a piece) into a 2 hour session was exhausting.  But my teacher is really nice and my class mates are really patient with me.  I am attending the Manna Thai Language School.  I am in class with a Korean couple.  My teacher is called kruu Anee.  Kruu means teacher in Thai. 

The school is not to far from the Mekong Centre where I have my language desk and do my individual study and homework.  It is only about a 6 minute bike ride.  The schedule for my language study is putty full.  I am presently doing fulltime study, and trust me, I need it.

Language study is from Monday to Friday:
9 to 9:40 am - review previous days lessons
10 to 12 am - Lessons with Teacher
          Monday, Wednesday and Friday I have group lessons
          Tuesday and Thursday I have Individual Lessons with the teacher.
               - Sometime this time is changed to 1 - 3 with a different teacher
1 to 5 pm - Homework, Culture Lessons and Individual Study at Mekong Centre

In the evenings and on Weekends I am trying to expore my area of the city and try to use what little Thai I now have. 

Well that is a glimps into my life of Language study.  Next time I will introduce you to where I live.  I will even give you a tour of my house.

Thanks for Praying.

First Stop... Singapore!

Wow, I am so bad at writing.  I have been in Singapore for over 2 weeks and not yet written.  In my own defense they keep us so busy that I have had no chance to write.  So much is happening and going on all the time.  There are sessions during the week and fun events in the evenings and on weekends.
After having a busy few weeks getting ready to leave for Asia, it was time for me to leave.  

PIBC @ Airport

I truly feel blessed to have a supportive church and family that are standing behind me during this time.

It has been a crazy time of change and transition.  I am not even sure if it has fully hit me yet that I have really left.  I have spent so much time traveling over the past couple of years that it feels like I will be home in just a couple of weeks.  Yet, this is not one of those trips.  I will be heading to Thailand from Singapore and truly begin this adventure.  I pray that I am ready for this. 

Yet my time in Singapore has had its fun moments as well as its emotional times.  I have had the opportunity to experience some fun things and enjoy the times outside sessions.

A Park in Little India

A Chinese Church in the middle of Little India

Then on Friday a whole group headed to Santosa Island for an afternoon at the beach.

The Tram

That is a Peacock walking around.

Saturday was quite and then topped up with a trip to the Singapore Gardens by the Bay.  The most exciting part was getting to visit the indoor garden called "Cloud Mountain".  If you ever get to Singapore you have got to go visit this garden.  It is truly one of a kind.  

The night was a lot of fun.  You can see more photos of the garden on my Facebook.  I will try to write again before I leave Singapore.  I am so glad for everyone who is following along on this adventure.

A Week of Meetings and Fellowship

The past 3.5 months have not been the easiest or the most restful.  My schedule has been busy and getting busier.  I realize I have not written for a while but Serve Asia is getting really busy.  I am in a conference for the week.  This is the Home Staff Mobilization Conference.   A time for regional mobilizers from across Canada to join together with those of us on the Home Staff, working in Mississauga, a time of fellowship, growth and sharing.  I am not a huge fan of meetings but it has been nice to see people that I only e-mail with.  The meetings are not that much fun, but the conversations have been amazing.  This week has been one of facing the changes that are coming on all of us at the office, as well as facing the changes that are coming for me and my department.  It is beginning to look like I may actually be able to leave for Asia on schedule.  That thought along is terrifying. 

God often uses songs to really speak to me in times when I have gotten so busy I have trouble stopping long enough to listen.  Songs are what God uses to touch my heart many times.  This week a couple of songs really spoke to me.  I want to share them with you all.

Be Exalted, O God by: Brent Chambers

I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the people.

I will sing praises to thee, Among the nations

For thy steadfast love is great, Is great to the heavens.

And thy faithfulness,

Thy faithfulness to the clouds. 

Be exalted, O God, Above the heavens. 

Let thy glory be over all the earth, 

Be exalted, O God, Above the heavens          

Let thy glory be over all the earth.

I have also been extremely tired lately, and then a song was brought to my mind.  It can sometimes be hard to fully trust God when we are tired, yet, the more tired we are, the more we need to rely on His strength.

The Steadfast Love Of The Lord by Edith McNeill

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases                    

His mercies never come to an end      

They are new ev’ry morning                                                 

New ev’ry morning

Great is they faithfulness, O Lord                            

Great is they faithfulness!                       

May God grant each of you and myself His mercies this day.

I challenge each of you to allow yourself to be renewed each day, in God’s perfect wisdom and love.   How is God speaking to you?

Busy Life, Busy Times!

Habakkuk 1:5

 “Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.”

Martha gave me this verse.  I have found as I have contemplated this verse, God has brought to my mind some of the amazing things that God is doing around the world right now.  If you are someone that is able and willing to pay attention to what is happening in missions today, then you know of some of the awesome things that are happening.  If not then I would suggest you take a look.  This is a great time to be watching and I firmly believe that God is going to do something in our days that we would never imagine. 

UPDATE

Ok so I have not updated in a while so let’s start off with letting you know what has been going on in my life as of late.

Wrist Issues

Some of you may have heard that I was experiencing some issues with my wrist in the summer (this is part of why I did not post much). For those of you that have no idea what I am talking about here is a recap. In July I woke up one Sunday morning and realized that my wrist was hurting. I headed off to church and thought nothing of it. I figured my must of slept on it wrong or something.

By the end of church it was throbbing quite bad and was holding it because letting it hang down was very painful. Martha and I then headed off to find a Shoppers Drug Mart and get a tensor bandage. I spent the day icing and resting it while Martha went to bible study.

Over the next 4 weeks the pain came and went with no indication as to what was wrong or what I had done to it. Finally at the end of August the pain was constant and getting worse so I started trying to make an appointment with a doctor to check it out.

First of all if you have ever had to change doctors you will know that getting that first appointment takes time, patience and prayer. I finally got an appointment but not for another 3 weeks.... so I went to my Chiropractor to see if he would know what to do about my wrist. Praise the Lord he did. At this point the pain had intensified and people had started making guesses about what was wrong. Some thought it was actually dislocated or a cracked bone. I can not explain how hard I prayed that they were wrong.

Turns out they were...it was actually Tendinitis. So much better right?? NO! Tendinitis takes a long time to heal and means a lot of physiotherapy. It also meant wearing a brace all the time, putting my arm in a sling when I was standing or walking around for longer periods of time. It also meant that if I wanted it to heal I had to not use my wrist to much. I type of a living so this was really hard. I have however become quite good at one handed typing. :)

Physio every week for almost about 6 weeks, then every other week for 2 months and now down to hopefully every three weeks. When you don't have medical insurance this is not a cheap injury but God has provided and I have learned a lot about listening when my body is telling me something because of this experience.

The brace is now off and I no longer have to use the brace. I do need to take it easy with the typing and stop if the pain starts. I praise the Lord for understanding family, friends and awesome co-workers that have helped and supported me so much.

Liberty Bound

While all of that was going on I was in the middle of taking a course for my Master’s program. This course had the added benefit that I actually went down to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia for a week of Intensive Course work. Being back in a classroom with other students was a blast and I made some great friends through this experience. I was also able to experience some firsts along the way... First time seeing a year-round ski hill, First time staying in a hotel all by myself (not a fan by the way), First time being searched at an airport, First time eating Chick Fil-A... so very good!

However, flying while having your arm in a brace and sling is not a fun experience and to be honest people are not that helpful. Not till my last flight did someone help me getting my carry-on into the overhead bin. I am sure watching me struggle with one hand was much more fun for them. But I am an independent woman who is strong and self-reliant... you need to be with no gentlemen around.

Martha's Trip

On October 25th, we drove Martha to the airport for her Vision Trip to Cambodia and then Taiwan. I encourage all of you to contact her and ask about it. I am also hoping to get her to write one of my posts and tell you all about it. I am so very proud of my sister as she went out on her own and did this. She had a great time and I am looking forward to seeing where she goes from here. This trip has had an impact and when she talks about some of her experiences she just glows. I am so glad she is back; however, I missed her badly.

Speaking and Events

Over the last little while I have had the chance to speak to a number of groups and be a part of a number of events.

PIBC Missions Conference

On October 21st I had the chance to share at my own church and tell them about my ministry and future goals. This was a great experience.

Heart For Asia - Kingston

November 2-4: A group of people gathered together to hear what God is doing in Asia. Along with a Home-Assignee helped to facilitate this event and I had the chance to also be one of the presenters. This was a great time. I also had the chance to look after the daughter of another appointee couple as they spoke in a church the next day. Have I ever mentioned just how much I love kids? Such a cute little girl. Great conversation, Good speakers, Good food and Lots of fun. If you have never been to a Heart For Asia Conference you should definitely go if you get the chance.

Heart For Asia - London

November 10th - While I was not a speaker at the London conference I was the facilitator and MC. This was a lot of work and yet so much fun. Hearing about what God is doing in Asia made me want to go all the more. The challenge is there... we just have to follow God's path for us.

Asian Christian Fellowship - Western University

November 9th - Wow this group of University students blow me away. They are so passionate and fun. I had such a great time interacting with them and talking to so many. There were about 100 students and we had a blast. Music, a testimony by one of the Executive Counsel and a game before one of the Home Assignees and me started our presentation. The game was so much fun as we played "Are you Smarter than a University Student"? Let me say this... I am not smarter than a University Student - which is sad since I am one.

Prayer Group - Peterborough

November 19th - I praise the Lord for the amazing people that gather to pray for missionaries. They are such a really blessing and I am grateful that they were willing to have me come and present my ministry last night. It was a lot of fun and even though I did not get home till midnight, I would not trade it for the world.

Up-Coming Events

November 21^st: Mission’s Under Discussion Meeting: Burma

November 22^nd – 25^th: Vacation Days

November 28^th: Chiropractor Appointment where I find out how my wrist is healing and if I can go down to Physiotherapy every 3 weeks now.

November 29^th – 30^th: In Chiang Mai, Thailand - There is going to be a 24 hour long prayer event.  Two of my Serve Asia workers are involved in this.

December 15^th and 16^th: PIBC’s Christmas Cantata – Come check it out if you are in the area

December 26^th to January 1^st – URBANA

This is my third one to go to and this year I am going to represent OMF at the booth.  Should be fun!

Countdown

Christmas: 35 Days

Clearance Deadline for Asia (May 3^rd): 164 Days

 

 

Prayer and Praise:

 

Praise

Ø  Praise the Lord, I am now at almost 30% of my total monthly pledged support

Ø  42 Individuals Approved for Short Term Service with OMF Canada this year

Ø  Another successful “From Here to There Conference” (October 12-13)

Ø  Martha had a safe and exciting Vision Trip

Ø  I have had a number of opportunities to speak about my ministry

Ø  Final Mark on Course – A!

Prayer

Ø  For more opportunities to share with people

Ø  For churches and small groups to have me speak

Ø  For the rest of my monthly pledges to come in

Ø  For patience as I wait on God’s timing

“I know who holds the future,

And I know who holds my hand;

With God things don’t just happen –

Everything by Him is planned.”

~ A. Smith~

New Leaf

WOW...  I cannot believe it has been so long since I last wrote a post.  I am making a pre-New years Resolution.  Write Updates More Often. 

So Now I will turn over a new leaf and start now...

However, knowing me I need a plan (Martha, No laughing) :)
So in each Blog I am going to include the Following:

• A Brief Update
• Atleast 1 Story
• A Verse that God has given me
• Upcoming Events (if any)
• Prayer and Praise
• Countdown
• Something Funny
• Quote

I am also going to do my best to update every other week!

So Here we go with the New Leaf.

Praise and Joy

I know it has been a while since I wrote a post.  I really meant to write a lot sooner but things are crazy right now.  I can't wait to tell you all about it.

First of all I have some great News to share.  I had previously mentioned that there was a problem in Thailand with the organization that we get our Missionary Visas through and no one was able to get visas or renew their visas.  Well Praise the Lord, the Thai goverment is allowing the organization to give missionariy visas again.  Now we pray that the problems within the organization will be resolved and the Christian reputation will be restored.

Another Praise item is the Blessings that the Lord has given to the Serve Asia department.

At present there are 34 Serve Asia Workers approved for 2012.  Another 5 working on applications and yet more still that are inquiring to go out with OMF.  This is quite a crowd and I am blessed to be getting to know each one of them.  The people that the Lord has brought our way have been wonderful dedicated individuals.  They each have a passion for Asia and the lost.  I pray that God will guide each of them as they seek His further will.

There is one in particular that I am thrilled to be able to tell you about.  She is a young woman who has felt God's calling on her life for quite some time.  She has a passion for those that are often overlooked by society.  She heard about the need for people in Asia and now feels that the time is right to visit.
She has a big heart and a willing spirit.  She will be heading out this fall to visit not 1 but 2 countries in Asia.  The goal of this trip is to hopefully determine where exactly God is calling her to serve in the long term. 
I am so very proud of her faith and courage.  I am also so very grateful to call her my best friend and my sister.

Martha and I

The Oates Women

I am grateful for the chance to organize her trip and I know that this will be an amazing experience for her.  Please pray that everything goes well.  If anyone is interested in her journey please let me know and I will get her in touch with you.

LANDMARKS

There are times that this experience does not feel real. There are times when everything seems to just be going along and nothing is going to change.

Then things will happen in your life to make you realize that things are always changing and maybe those changes are ok. This can be scary to say the least but also exciting and confusing.

I have recently faced a couple of these experiences, where the reality of what I am doing, made itself very clear. The reality that where I am now is not where I will stay and things will change... they will change in a very big way. I like to think of these experiences as Landmarks that help us to know and mark the way we are going. Often these Landmarks go unnoticed and ignored for the most part. Then there are those landmarks that are so big they can't be ignored or overlooked. I have had a couple of these types of Landmarks recently.  

LANDMARK #1

My vision trip to ChiangMai, Thailand. I did not know you could fall in love with a people and a country that you had never even seen before but that is what has happened to me. Before I ever arrived I knew that Thailand was going to be the place for me. Yet there is always that fear that you have raised your expectations too high and will be disappointed or that you won't fit in.

The moment I landed in ChiangMai, I knew I had nothing to fear about not liking it. There was still the fear that they would not like me but I had this feeling of contentment as soon as I got there, that I had not expected.

To be honest, when I first landed in Bangkok I was just tired and stressed. I had three hours to get through customs, get a visa, find my bags, go through immigration and then check back in and find the gate for my flight to ChiangMai. Picture long lines, grumpy customers agents and a language I do not know. Yet when it finally got to be my turn, and thanks to a couple of very nice people I met in the Hong Kong airport that let me go in front of them, I got through immigration quickly. The agent did not even ask me anything. He looked through my papers and then stamped the visa in my passport, stapled the exit documents into the passport and waved me through. Then my luggage came really fast on the belt, again thanks to the nice lady that watched my bags while I tried to find a cart to use. Then off I went to try to find someone, hopefully an English speaker, to point me toward the departure area.

I even got to see someone really important in the departures area... I have no idea who it was but they were surrounded by guys wearing dark glasses and guns. It was very cool. Back through security and I found my gate. I then slept through the snack on the plane and landed in my future home.

ChiangMai is a "modern" city in the middle of rice fields and villages. It is really quite an interesting view from the air. As soon as you leave the city you are headed into fields and villages and the whole view of things changes. In the city it is more modern and almost western...yet not really that western but they try. Then you leave and everything is old school.

Ok so that is enough stories for now...need to save some for the future bogs.

It is hard to ignore your future when you are seeing it first hand and standing in the middle of a dorm of kids asking when you are coming.

LANDMARK #2

As of today it is 1 year till I need to have all my clearances in order to be approved to attend the Orientation Course in July 2013. This is held in Singapore and from there you head to your respective country of service to begin language study. These clearances include: medical, psychological, prayer and financial support.

Talk about a Landmark...365 Days till I get approval to go to Asia. The list of things to do for that to happen is now glaring me in the face and I am excited to see what God will do.

If I am being very honest though, I am terrified. There is so much to do and I already feel overwhelmed and exhausted. I struggle with feelings of discouragement and fear. It would be so easy to stay right here and continue in the Serve Asia department. The thought of leaving my family and a job that I actually enjoy, to go half way around the world, is really hard.

Yet I know that God does not ask us to take the easy road or to do what is simple. He calls us instead to trust in Him and allow Him to guide our steps. We are not to look in the short term but look to Him for the long haul.

When I attended the conference in Singapore...after I was in ChiangMai, someone used a saying that I thought was really good. They said that God is the Great Mobalizer and He is the Wonderful Candidate Coordinator. I was at a Mobalization and Coordinator's Consultation. LOL. I have thought a lot about that quote since the conference and here is my addition to it.

God is the Great Mobalizer, He is the Wonderful Candidate Coordinator but God is not a Short Term Missions Coordinator. He does not call us to serve Him in the short term only. He does not ask us to only give Him 2 weeks one year. He asks for our lives. We are to serve Him always.

So I will follow God's direction. Please pray with me and for me as I know I am facing times of stress and strain. Please pray that I will ever be in God's perfect will.

Caught the Vision

Hello Everyone,

Sorry it has been so long since I posted.  Things have been crazy since I got back from Asia.  But before I finally get to go on Vacation I need to post about my trip.

First of all let me say that I LOVE Thailand.  It is such an amazing and fascinating place.  The people are incredible and it is simply a gorgeous place to visit and to live.  But let me show you.

The Entrance to the Mekong Centre

The View from the Centre - Chiang Mai City

The Thai believe that if colours go together in nature they can go together in a display.
Very pretty!

This skirt is 100% cross stitched!!!  WOW

Even items that are not sold can be reused to make something interesting and BEAUTIFUL!

Mountainview Dorm and one of the Awesome Dorm Assistants or "Aunties"
I can't wait to be an "Auntie" too.

A Song tau or taxi of sorts.

A Spirit House. 

OK so that is just a taste of what I saw and what I experienced.  I promise to write more and tell you all everything. 

Thank you to those that have been so supportive.  I appreciate you more than I can express.

Blessings and Prayers.

Aspects of My Life

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."
                                                                                      John Burroughs

There are many aspects of my life... faucets of my existance. Each part is important and valued, yet the fuller your life gets the more you forget to value those parts.  So I wanted to take a closer look at the parts of my life to help value those who are a part of it.

MINISTRY/Work

 Serve Asia is getting busier all the time... 25 Workers approved for service so far this year. 

Praise the Lord for His guidance and strength.

Please pray for those who are still seeking God's Direction.

Family

 Family is so important in my life.  I am blessed to be so close to my family 

and be able to spend time with them.

Please pray for my family as we serve and live for God.

School

Such a big part of my "Free" Time is spent studying while I am in school.  For any who don't know I am a Masters student in Professional Counseling at Liberty Universty Online.

Please Pray that my courses go well. 

Also that when I am in class I am able to focus.

Personal Life

Even those who are super busy have got to make time for Friends... especially when they are such good friends and leaving for a Year!!!!

LOVE YOU CHRISSY!  I am so happy for you.

Please pray for my friend as she serves in the DR for a year.

 Headed to the ROM in Toronto with a Friend  So much fun just wandering around 

and having great conversation. 

Partnership Development

There are the not so fun parts of Partnership Devlopment.  The creating of the letters, printing, folding, labeling, stuffing and mailing takes time and energy.

Praise the Lord for Family that have been so helpful getting the letters out.

Then there is the fun stuff.  Even though I was nervous, having the opportunity to share is a gift that God gives and I truly appreciate those that allow me the chance to share from my heart.



I praise the Lord for each person who has supported me, listened to me

and especially those who pray for me.