Stickywrites

It has been a furiously busy month with so many visitors that I realized I have GOT to start a guestbook for our house. I counted about 15 people who have stayed at our house in the last 10 months. We also had a short term team here from Calvin PCA in Pittsburgh, who helped us paint the office and with Mahathai outreach as well. The office building looks beautiful and we are so thankful for their hard work and service. Here are a few pics although the new paint job might be hard to really see -

1st Floor.

2nd Floor – getting ready for JoyKids on Saturday by covering the walls and decorating.

And 3rd Floor, the office desks and classrooms floor. The black chair desk is where Andrew sits everyday for admin , financial, etc office work.

Other visitors we had included, first, our friend from college and Dallas church buddy, who came through while travelling, Spencer. So much fun to catch up!

Then, an old friend from our Dallas church, Vanida, came through Bangkok while touring Southeast Asia and visiting relatives in Nong Khai, where her family is originally from. Here she is helping with JoyKids on Saturday (pink shirt)

and here we stand in front of our church’s banner advertising our Thai church and worship service on Sundays at 1:30.

She was such a blessing to us and a wonderful encouragement. Many years ago Andrew and his brother and sister used to help and lead a summer camp for the Thai/Lao congregation’s kids at our church. Vanida was one of the participants, and then in later years, one of the fellow leaders at this camp. Over the years she is still helping the church and working in Dallas and it was wonderful to have a Thai-American friend to chat with about our ministry and Thailand in general. Pray for her calling as well!

Then, our friend and former Bangkok co-worker of Andrew’s, Chris, came through and provided many opportunities for us to visit and see old Thai co-worker friends of Andrew’s. We don’t do this enough because we live in eastern Bangkok and most of them still work downtown or have families, so it is harder to meet up with them regularly. We missed Taeng, his wife on this trip, (who is Thai and whose family lives in Bkk) and we wished had come but she couldn’t make it this time.

And…we found a shuffleboard in Bangkok!! This was an exciting discovery for us!

THEN, we welcomed BETH – AN – Y! Andrew’s younger sister who of course we miss dearly and are so glad to have here. She is helping with our team some and hanging out with us, then she will go with us and our church’s mission trip due to arrive here July 14th. We will go to Vientiane, Laos; Nong Khai, Thailand; Chiang Mai, Thailand; and then back to Bangkok. What a whirlwind in 12 days. She got to meet up with Chris and Andrew’s former co-workers as well.

Some other pics from our adventures so far….

at a restaurant with Chris and Phii Lee, Andrew’s “Thai mother” when he lived here before, and a close friend…

Bethany babysitting the Cunninghams, while Emmy Mills visits…

Beth visiting with Emmy at the Mills house….

Bowling with students after class one night…

And brother and sister smiling at the SkyTrain stop when we go out for our day off! More to come!