Changes

We have been very busy - so busy that finding time to write a blog has been difficult. Our days begin at 5.30am and often don’t finish until 11.30pm, when Col and I finally have time to chat through the day and have our bucket shower. The nights are warming up and the days are getting sticky. The principal comes back next week; we have both enjoyed and felt exhausted with various aspects of our time in leadership at the school/orphanage/medical clinic. We have struggled to be at peace with our role amongst the Karen people. We are trying to determine if we are needed or if we are an intrusion – detrimental to their ownership of their futures. This and other factors mean a constant degree of tension in our hearts and minds. Tension of this kind is not all bad…it keeps us thinking and abiding in Christ. We feel at peace about the need to teach them English, and we certainly want to stay very involved in the lives of these Karen people (many of whom we are connected to deeply). We want to work alongside them, eat with them and worship with them. We want to remain accessible as their friends, mentors and in some cases parents. However, in order to protect our family unit and to remove ourselves from the politics of the school/denomination and release ourselves from the presumed role that because we are white we are in automatically in charge; we have decided to move away from the actual school campus. We will still be very accessible to Bamboo school coming out everyday for English week (every second week) and many of the weekends to work at the school with the children.

We are moving into Sai Yok a little town close to the school. In Sai Yok I have the opportunity to teach at a high School of nearly 800 Buddhist children. I have already done some teaching at the school and have loved the enormous challenge of it. I will teach for six hours a day and have just one break of 30 minutes for lunch. I will be able to get to know the teachers there (all Buddhists) and will be able to live and work as a Christian there. Colin will home school the children and we will have a lot more time as a family. It looks as if we may also start a church in Sai Yok (there is no church there yet). This will initially be a family gathering but one where others (including children from the school) may come to discuss the Christian faith. Quite a few of the older children from Bamboo School also go to this high school. It will be great to support them at school, where they are the only Christians among many peers. Last week (when I went to teach for the day) the school lined up for parade. During the parade children and teachers pledge allegiance to their country and salute the flag and then turn, bow and pray to Buddha. The children from Bamboo School (three at this stage) don’t turn, remaining still and facing the front. It is a loud and clear statement that tells everyone present that they are Christians. It is a statement which often results in taunts and laughing from others. I spoke that evening (at Bamboo School) to all the children during devotions. I spoke of how Jesus says that none of us should ever be ashamed of being his followers. I said that I was proud of these young people who stay committed to Jesus in light of teasing. I encouraged them to all continue as ‘hot’ followers of Jesus, never to go ‘lukewarm’ and to be confident that Jesus would then not be ashamed of them. The new school year begins in April, but I may begin before the end of the current school year. This is an exciting adaptation to our lives and mission here in Thailand.

I will be paid about $300 a month and will be given a house. This will be enough for food and internet connection and clothing supplies. So…if you come and visit, you can stay with us and we can take you out to teach and work at Bamboo School, you can also come and teach with me at the High School. Sai Yok is situated on the River Kwae (as in Bridge over the River Kwai) and the school is fed with children from the numerous surrounding villages- many of which are situated alongside the river.

I wrote this blog a week ago and never got to an internet place long enough to post it. We are now on our way to Cambodia to go across the border to then reenter Thailand. I haven’t as yet organized my teaching license and therefore had to leave the country after three months of being here and reenter. We have needed this break away from the intensity of the school and our children need us to reconnect with them. Our children have been 4 of 60 for the last month – so we needed this time to remember what they look like!