Humans and Tigers

What an adventure it's been since I've been in Mae Sot. I've had the chance to see a couple of the children from Agape, and the one that I support to go to college, Yupaporn, came to Teep and Terra's house and spent the day with us! It was so awesome to see her and ask her about college and what she's learning, what God's doing in her life, and how much fun she's having!! We played Uno with all the kids and checkers. I played checkers with Somoo, and when we played the Thai way he would win.....but when we played the American way I would win :) It was pretty funny!! I felt so bad for two of the kids, Kawee and Somoo, because they came all the way from their village to come visit us. The villages are hill tribes that are far and deep in the mountains. They walked 3 km and Somoo realized that he forgot his I.D. so he walked back to get it. Then they walked 20 km and he realized that he forgot the key to the motorbike that was waiting for them. He ran back the 20 km and got it and ran back to the motorbike. So total he went 46 km, left his village at 7 am and arrived at Teep and Terra's house at 7 pm. He was exhausted. Even being so tired, he still wanted to stay up with us and play games and chat! Such a sweetie!!

We stayed up late that night but it was worth it to spend time with the kids! We had to be up early the next morning, because me and Becca were off to Chiang Mai (about 6 hours from Mae Sot). Our bus left at 8 am, but we had to leave the house at 6 am. We ended up missing our bus, so we took a mini van to Tak (a province about 2 hours away), then purchased tickets for a bus to Chiang Mai. They pack the buses as full as they can, so we ended up having to stand and sit on the walkways for the remainder of the trip (it ended up being about 5 hours). Needless to say, we're definitely in need of another massage now :)

After our long bus ride(s) to Chiang Mai, we finally arrived and hailed down a tuk-tuk to take us to the Tiger Kingdom. It opened about a year ago and it has tame tigers from babies to adults. You can go into the cages and sit with the tigers, pet them, play with them, and take lots of pictures with them. The baby tigers were so cute! I was a little bit more afraid to go in with thebig tigers, but the trainers were able to protect us with their sticks :) It was an incredible experience! I've never, ever, been so close to a tiger! They were sooo cute!

Now, it's off again to do some shopping at the night bazaar (market). It's going to be hard coming back to the States and not being able to barter for what I want. I'm actually going to have to pay the price they tell me.....so sad :(
Well, it's back to Mae Tan (where Teep and Terra live) tomorrow. Then, on Friday we're going to Huai Bong school, which is the school I used to teach at. There will be lots of Agape children there as well! I can't wait to see all of them! It will be a big reunion!

Prayer Requests:
*Please continue praying for Teep and Terra's car. It's still at the shop and they haven't told them how much it is going to cost yet.
*Pray for Becca. She thinks she might have parasites. She got some medicine from the pharmacy, but she's feeling weak.
*Pray for a safe drive back to Mae Tan tomorrow and that we don't miss our bus this time (we seem to have a habit of missing busses :)).
*Pray for our time at Huai Bong School. It's always such an awesome time to share God. I'll be back with the teachers that I was able to share God's love with when I was here last time. Pray that we will be an encouragement and a light!

Thank you so much everyone!! I've been super safe and super healthy because of all your prayers! God is good! Love you all!!

Mae Sot and broken down cars

After 6 hours of riding the bus and 3 hours of riding a mini van packed to the brim with 19 people, we made it to Mae Sot. It was quite an adventure. It was raining almost the entire drive and the weather is gorgeous here. We're 9 hours north of Bangkok and surrounded by mountains and jungles so there's rain and a breeze. God has definitely blessed us with beautiful weather after all the heat and humidity I've been through. It's a nice break before I have to come back to the heat in good ol' Phoenix in about 10 days.

Teep and Terra (my friends in Thailand) were waiting at the bus station to pick us up when we arrived. It was so great to see them and be back in Mae Sot. It was like coming back home! As we were driving to get some dinner, Teep and Terra's car began to overheat and started to rattle and break down. They live in Mae Tan, which is about an hour from Mae Sot, so there was no way we were going to make it back to Mae Tan, considering it was about 9 pm when we arrived. So we ate some Cow Mun Gai (I have to eat it as much as I can while I'm here :)), and then booked a hotel room for the night. They're going to take the car in to the shop tomorrow. They are both missionaries here, so they are on a strict budget. I know, as do they, that God always provides. Please pray for God's provision and that the car is able to be fixed at a reasonable price. Thank you! Sawadee!

Happy 4th of July (yesterday)!!

Yesterday, I celebrated 4th of July Thai style. We went to Pattaya beach and soaked up the sun! We splurged a little and got a massage and even spent $5 on lunch (that's crazy expensive here :)). But it's ok because we were celebrating our national holiday!

I started my morning with eating my all-time favorite Thai food, Cow Mun Gai. It was delicious! I haven't eaten it for a year and that made it oh so much better!

We went on an adventure trying to find the bus to take us to Pattaya and get a good deal, and after an hour of going back and forth to find a bus or mini-van, we finally joined a group and took a bus out there. It only took about an hour and a half and the weather was great there. There was a breeze coming off the ocean. We laid out on the beach and spent some nice time relaxing because we knew that tomorrow we'd be off to Mae Sot where we'd get set to a workin' :)

It was time for us to head back to the bus station to get our bus back to Bangkok. We hailed down a motorbike taxi and asked Tao Rai Ka? (how much?). They told us it would be 30 baht each (the equivalent of a dollar). But I just wasn't having that, I wanted it for 20 baht each (mind you that's only like 20 cents difference....but it's the principle of the matter :)). Becca was making fun of me for bartering, but we ended up getting it for 20 baht each......I'm just such a good barterer......it probably helps that I can speak Thai, because they think it's funny so they say "what the hey, I'll take 10 baht off for this little lady". It has been surprising how much of my Thai has come right back to me. It's like I never left :)

We're off to Mae Sot today. I can't wait to see all the kiddos and all my friends! I'll be in Mae Sot until July 14th. I'm not sure if there will be an internet connection so I don't know if I'll be able to blog at all. Keep checking in case I can :) Please pray for our bus trip to Mae Sot. It's about 8 hours and it's a really windy road in the rainy season. Also, pray for my time in Mae Sot and that I'm able to truly show God's love and share Him with everyone that God brings me into contact with!!

I can't fit in that hole!

My last day in Ho Chi Minh was awesome! I went on a tour to the underground tunnels (which are called the Cu Chi tunnels) that the VietCong had created during the war for safety. They built everything down in the tunnels from a kitchen, to a meeting place for the officers to talk, to a honeymoon room (that's the triangle room, where a couple would have peace to spend their honeymoon night. It was built to withstand shaking that would come from the bombings and shootings. Such an important room :)).

We saw all the booby traps (and our guide was quick to inform us that this did not mean boobies, like the ones on your chest. Booby means stupid in Vietnamese, and so they set up traps for the stupid). Some of them were pretty crazy. I thought this one was the funniest of them all.

The hole where the sniper would wait. I didn't even try to fit :)

Then, we even got a chance to walk down into the tunnels. I walked the 140 meter length tunnel. Every 30 meters they have an escape so you can leave the tunnels if you wanted, lots of people couldn't handle it. It was extremely hot and humid down there and extremely tiny ( Asians are a lot smaller than us large Americans), but I didn't come all the way to Vietnam to not walk the whole 140 meters. Sometimes it was so tight you were practically sliding down the dirt and scooching your way through. It would be so dark at times, you just had to trust you weren't going to run into the wall :)

After the tunnels, the bus dropped me off near the airport. I still had about 4 hours until my flight left, so I ate my last bowl of Pho and did a little shopping :) Then I boarded my plane for Thailand! I was so excited to board the plane! We landed safely and I got in the taxi to go to my hostel. The taxi driver got lost, as they always do when I go to this hostel :) I jumped right into bed, I was exhausted. I think all the flights are catching up to me :) Then, my friend Becca (from the States) arrived here in Thailand about 3 am. Now I have a traveling buddy!! Woo-hoo!! We're off to Pattaya beach today to celebrate 4th of July and then it's up to Mae Sot tomorrow!! I can't wait to see all the kids and all my friends!

Please pray for safety, as we'll be taking a bus from Bangkok to Mae Sot through the windy roads in this lovely rainy season. Me and Becca are going to try and put an English camp on for the kids because they have a week off of school, so pray for guidance on that!

Turbulence

I'm reminded again of how we are to become like children. On the flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh, there was some wicked turbulence. It rocked us back and forth, up and down. The first thing to strike me was fear. A few rows in front of me, there were two children. With each bump and sway, laughter exploded from them. They shouted woo-hoo and ya and joy was heard throughout the airplane. A smile coudn't help but form on my face. My fear was cast out and replaced with joy. In the midst of trouble-turbulence- the children found joy.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance (James 1:2-3)

How much more in life can we find joy when turbulence hits. I looked out the plane window and we were encompassed by the clouds. In our life turbulence, God is surrounding us, showing us joy, and reminding us that there is light at the end, and as we count it pure joy, God strengthens us through it all. We came out from the clouds, and the sun was shining. The land was within reach and God gracefully set us on it. I'm reminded how much more He brings us through our sorrows and troubles, shows us the sun, and sets us gracefully right where He intended. I pray that you are able to find the pure joy through your turbulence, and that you laugh and have shouts of joy through it all, knowing there's sunshine waiting for you on the other side of the clouds!

Americans: Good or Bad?

Well, I guess that depends on who you meet and where you go. I've had the absolute pleasure of meeting some awesome people while I've been in Hanoi. I met a wonderful lady named Goguie from El Salvador (but she lives in Japan), a great guy named Faysol from Lebanon (but he lives in Dubai), and another wonderful gal named Jhett from the Philippines (but she lives in Hanoi).

The first day I arrived in Hanoi, again I got to see a taxi driver waiting with a sign that had my name on it.....it kind of makes me feel famous. He was waiting just for me :) He drove me to my hotel and I felt like I was living in luxury. I actually had hot water AND A/C. How lucky am I?? I walked around the city for a bit, and realized I am only about 5 minutes walking from the river. It was awesome! I met up with Jhett (one of the ladies from the Philippines told me about her friend Jhett who was living in Hanoi and we connected over Facebook) for some coffee and dinner and we had a blast talking! At dinner she ordered all the food, that way I was getting the best of the best, and it was delicious! I stuffed myself silly and slept like a baby that night in my nice cold room!

The next day I ate my free breakfast and then jumped on the bus for my tour. I decided to book a tour since I'm traveling by myself, and it was a great thing that I did because I met Faysol and Goguie, who I ended up hanging out with the entire day. We went on the Hanoi city tour and they took us to all the temples, museums, and even a pottery village (where I bought kissing cups....too cute!) where we got to see the people working and making amazing pottery.

Ho Chi Minh's house and the Masoleum where his body is still able to be seen. Two months out of the year they send his body to Russia to do the touch ups to his face and make sure he's still presentable to be shown to the loads of tourists that come every year and walk into the masoleum (cameras are not allowed inside and they are strict about no talking (it was really hard for me to do, I got in trouble a lot and told to shush :)) and you have to walk in a double file line).

1. Ho Chi Minh Museum 2. Single Pillar Pagoda 3. Confucious

1. The lake right by my hostel 2. Banging the gong at the Temple of Literature

1. The Temple of Literature 2. The turtles that you are supposed to rub to make you smart (after I took this picture I saw signs everywhere telling you not to sit on them.....I guess I'm destined to not be smart now ;)

We got back and I went shopping and around the town with Faysol and Gougie while we waited for our Water Puppet Show to start. I did some great bartering for my new friends (they're a little bit shy to do the bartering and I didn't want them to get taken advantage of). I even got myself a really cute hat for half the price of what they were asking (Gougie got the same one) :)

This made my shoulder sore, I don't know how they do it.

Our water puppet show started at 6:30 and we were there right on time. The show went through 17 different acts and each one told a story about the history of Vietnam. They had music and singing as well. Some of the Vietnamese instruments are amazing and the things that the girls do with their voices are crazy! It was a good time!

Then I took a taxi to my friend Jhett's apartment and she made me traditional Filipino food. It was awesome! She was so sweet! It was great talking with Jhett and being able to share my faith and my testimony. I also got to talk with Faysol and Gougie about my Love and that was awesome (Gougie's catholic and Faysol's muslim).

So are Americans good or bad? If you ask the people I just met, I bet they would tell you we're good. If you walk through the history museums here, I bet you would get told we're bad. But don't worry. I've been representing our fine country well, and now America has completely been redeemed in Vietnam and they now love us all! What a good ambassador I am :)

It's back to the airport in about an hour to head back to Ho Chi Minh for 2 days. I'm going to try and visit the war museum as well as the underground tunnels that the Vietnamese used during the war. Then it's back "home" to Thailand!

Is it Saigon or Ho Chi Minh?

Both :) And what an awesome city it is! When I first arrived, there was a taxi driver sitting on the bench holding a sign with my name on it and a huge smile on his face. I pre-arranged a taxi to pick me up so that way I knew I'd actually get to the hostel that I booked :) He grabbed my backpack and in his broken English began talking to me, the smile still remaining. We made our way through the ridiculously crazy driving and traffic and made it to my hostel, Yellow House. I walked up the three flights of stairs to my room lugging my backpack like a warrior. Then, I set out into the town. When I walked out the doors to go tour this great city I was amazed at how many foreigners there were. On the main street, everywhere you look you see a white face. It was kind of dissapointing, but as soon as you go into the city, it's less touristy and you get to see the history. I took a motorbike into the city and my knees almost knocked a car and a couple other motorbikes.....it was quite an adventure :)

The motorbike taxi dropped me off at the Reunification Palace. Then an old man riding a bike with a lounge seat in the front of it asked me if he could take me around and show me all the sights (he was missing most of his front teeth but that didn't stop him from smiling :)). I agreed to let him take me around and I got to see all the sights in Ho Chi Minh by bicycle :) I saw the War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, General Post Office, City Opera House, Ben Thanh Market, and the Saigon River. It started to sprinkle while we were biking and it felt awesome!

Cruising the city in style :)

War Museum

I met one of my roommates, Jack, from England and he joined me for dinner at a little Vietnamese shop. I ate some Pho (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup) and it was awesome! After dinner, I had to treat myself to a little pampering and I enjoyed a nice 2 hour full body massage and facial, a pedicure and a manicure........and all for the lovely price of... $20 (including tip :)). I just love Asia ;)

Now I'm sitting in my hostel about to eat my free breakfast and then jump in a taxi to take off for the airport for Hanoi! Keep those prayers of safety coming!