Rite of Passage

Well...if you happened to be driving down the road today in Chiang Mai, and you happened to pass us on our motorbike you may very well have thought we've lived here 10 years.  Or you may even assume that we were, in fact, Thai.

See, we had to go to the grocery store today.  That in itself is quite a feat on a motorbike - but nothing out of our ordinary.  To make matters more exciting today is that we hadn't been to the grocery in a couple of weeks.  We piled our motorbike more full than we've ever had it - and we felt very "Thai."  Now we weren't carrying a refrigerator or a big-screen TV (which we have witnessed), but all of our groceries made us fit right in.

We have carried large things before; Ryan even experienced this with us.  Here are Bret and his brother on their way to the airport.  We couldn't send Ryan off in any other way -- fully Thai style!  Yep, that's a suitcase in Ryan's lap and a duffle bag on his back.  Why isn't he smiling!?  Anyone else up for a visit?

I wish we had a picture of our grocery run to post, but that would have sent us over the edge - to have a camera on our bike, too!? No way.  But I will share with you a list of what we overflowed our nice blue Honda Dream with.

1 case of water (that alone filled our front basket...and we only have 1 basket.)
2 quarts of milk (those were in between me and Bret - don't ask where the rest of it fit)
1 bag of BBQ chips
1 bag of regular chips
1 bag of museli
2 boxes of cereal
broccoli
carrots
cauliflower
2 mangoes
1 papaya
16 cups of yogurt
instant coffee packets
coffee-flavored milk (it's really good)
loaf of bread (that didn't look like a loaf once we made it home)
1 bag of apples
and of course...peanut butter

I didn't mention that our grocery store doesn't give bags...

Quite the adventure, and we are soooo thankful for our motorbike!

Picture Central

Bret's 3-minute tutorial before giving Ryan the keys
and making him drive on the busiest roads in town
on the busiest night of the week.  Nice.

Are you ready for all of these pictures?

1. Ryan’s visit - Bret’s brother flew all the way for a visit in the beginning of January.  It was so refreshing to be with family! We rented him a motorbike and made him drive it around the city after being here for, oh, 5 minutes.  I wish you could hear him tell you all of the hilarious things that happened on that bike! 

Then we did all the touristy things - visited the Royal Flora exhibit honoring the King, an excursion to Sunday night Walking Street night bazaar, and a full-day ATV trek through the jungle (definitely recommended for anyone visiting Chiang Mai).  Ryan even got to guest lecture in the high school health class about Godly decision making. 

Rest time - since 1 of the ATVs
is broken down...again,
and the other has a flat tire. 

In addition to loving that Ryan was coming - we were also excited because with him was coming a suitcase full of goodies from our family.  However, when we picked up Ryan from the airport, there was no suitcase to be found.  Luckily for him all of his supplies were with him in a carry-on.  Apparently our suitcase didn’t make it out of Delhi.  After just a tiny bit of research we found that “once a suitcase gets lost in Delhi it’s as good as gone.”  And apparently Jet Airways is notorious for losing bags! Here are some sweet comments we found spanning several websites about this exact same thing: 

“...almost a month has left and they were not able to track my baggages”

“lost my two suitcases enroute, and what’s more amazing is it was on a direct flight!”

“I did not receive my bag...Today is one week...I still haven’t recovered my bag. This is very frustrating.”

JetAirways was very unhelpful, but Thai Airways worked hard for our cause - helping us contact the right people and being so patient with our many phone calls.  Eventually we spoke with the perfect lady.  She located our bag in Dehli, fought for us when we were told we would have to pay to get it back, and eventually reunited us with our bag.  Thank you!!  After hearing our story, a friend’s dad who travels through India often told us, “With all the traveling I have done,  let me confirm that this is indeed a miracle.  Praise God.”

2.  Soon after we got into our second semester, the boys basketball team had a tournament in Bangkok.  It was a weekend full of basketball.  While it wasn’t quite as exciting as watching our Hoosiers would be, there were lots of cheers and screams that came from my mouth throughout the weekend.  Bret did a great job job leading the boys over the weekend. 

This weekend also adds to our list of the times we’ve been close to terrorists.  Is this something many people can claim?  I suppose lots of people could be close to terrorists...we just know when we have been: 


(A. Flying from Minneapolis to Amsterdam as the Underwear Bomber was flying on the opposite flight from Amsterdam to Minneapolis, 
B. being in hotel 2 doors down as a bomb went off in a bank in Athens, C. being at the airport the same day a terrorist was arrested in Bangkok)

Us with Rachel and Master Park (the 7th degree black belt)

3. We finished up our extra-full month (actually the month is only half-over isn’t it?) with a send-off dinner in honor of the “modern dance” major who has been leading our stretches and trying to get us to dance in tae kwon do.  We’ll still do TKD regularly - we just won’t have our good friend cheering us on (or laughing at us, taking video of us, and snapping photos).  We love you Rachel! 

Just last night as were riding home on our motorbike past the old city lit up with Christmas light reflecting in the moat, I was praying that God would help me remember this time - specifically this night but also this time in a broader sense.  When we're 80 I want to be able to talk about "when we lived in Thailand" and about seeing God's work there.  I haven't written much recently, but I need to.  This is one way that God will help me remember.  

Best Bits

We have some great friends here, The Coes, who spend a few minutes every night during dinner each sharing their "best bit" of the day.  I wanted to share some of my best bits with you.

1.  Watching, hearing, and cheering for Bret as he played at least 38 games of ping pong.  And he only lost once -- but it was the last game and earlier in the evening his opponent was heard saying, "I just want to beat him once.  Just once."  I think Bret was being nice.

2.  Ironing underwear.  It struck me today, as I was ironing our underwear, that I was actually...ironing our underwear.  Maybe some people typically do this, but I certainly never had.  It's pretty funny.

3.  Hearing that the Thai government has declared Chiang Mai and the surrounding provinces to be a "Cold Weather Disaster Area."  Seriously.  I read in the newspaper that we are advised to be wearing heavy clothing for protection.  It did get down to 58 degrees last night.

Thanks for listening to my "best bits."  What were yours?  I'd love to hear them. Leave a comment!

What a weekend!

"Those who sow in tears will reap with joyful shouting."  Psalm 126:5

"Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did this [clothe, feed, provide for] for the least of these, you did it to Me [Jesus Christ]."  Matthew 25:40

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves."  Proverbs 31:8

Back home a few years ago I was involved in a juvenile ministry with Lindsay and the Soldiers of The Cross.  This was before we were even dating.  Then I started attending a prison ministry with the same group.  We then were dating and soon married.  Since then we have been involved in various things including a place called Outreach, Inc.  This is a place for homeless kids under the age of 25 years old.  The things we saw, heard and talked about with these homeless kids would be enough to make the average person blush.  These were all important experiences that would be preparing us for things throughout our life as a team.

While God has allowed us to work with some of the less fortunate in our society, this past weekend was different.  We've always worked with people who know where they belong - even if they are in prison or don't have a place to call home, they have all known that they were citizens of a nation.  The children and adults we were with this weekend don't have a nation to call their home.  They are running from their nation where there is outright genocide going on right now - and has been going on for decades.    There are millions of people who are systematically being wiped away by the Burmese army, and those who are able to are literally running for their lives.  They are running on their feet for weeks or months from Burma into Thailand, but Thailand can't possibly house millions of extra people.  Right now there are 9 refugee camps set up,  and they are over capacity by thousands.

We were at what's called a "migrant school" this weekend.  This is a school for children who can't get into refugee camps.  There were about 250 kids living on the school's campus.  Their parents are either still in Burma, have a spot in a refugee camp, have been killed, or are trying to get papers so they can live legally in Thailand.

Partners International is a Christian organization working with the people in refugee camps and migrant communities throughout the Thailand border.  We and 36 others from the Grace community (students, teachers, and parents) got to help Partners with their annual Christmas party for the students at the Thu Mae Kee migrant school.  There are some pictures below.  We've also updated pictures on our Flickr account.  You can get to those by clicking the link in the upper right of this screen.

There are also several incredible stories about the lives of those still in Burma and the rescue efforts that are being made daily on their behalf.  Here are some links if you'd like some more information, as hard as that information is to hear.

Free Burma Rangers

International Justice Mission

Bret and the boys playing in the river that is the border between Thailand and Burma

Our students led the children in outdoor games all day Saturday.

How many people could you fit on a truck?

     

Oh Rats!

Another one bites the dust....except it's not in the middle of our street this time.  We didn't think much of it when we walked into our BEDROOM last night and the air smelled a little "off." Honestly, it smelled like poop.  But we handled it like the champs we are: we went to sleep, woke up, went on with our day - nothing out of the ordinary.  Until we came home in the heat of the afternoon only to find our entire house (for the most part) smelling very much like poop.  As we nervously made the journey upstairs the smell got heavier and heavier until we reached our bedroom (not too far to travel from the rest of our house).  The culprit was certainly near by. Our nice bedroom had the fragrance of poop and puke "wrapped up in sin and nightmares" (as our friend Peter Harris likes to say)! It was unbelievable...immediately we could tell something was dead, and clearly it wasn't dead in the middle of our floor.


Those stinkin' rats that we can hear every night in our ceiling...have apparently lost a friend.


Anyway, on to better things.  Before the rats started smelling up our house, we got to celebrate our anniversary.  December 8th is a great day for an anniversary - and we celebrated well.  Bret bought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers :) He was actually heading up to my office - out of the locker room, through a snack bar area where all the kids were on break, over to the elementary building, then up to the 4th floor.  

BUT, I was heading to the snack area to meet a student, and all of the sudden I heard all the students start cheering.  I looked up and there was Bret walking around the corner with the beautiful flowers.  He wasn't expecting me to be there - I wasn't expecting him to be there.  It was so funny - all the kids loved it and were cheering for us, a few girls even snapped a picture or two.  Just like a movie - I've always said I felt like I was in a movie!  I've been trying to hunt down the pictures that were taken, and as soon as I can find one - I'll post it.  

We're so thankful to be married! 

Sermon on the Mount

Ok....Ok.....maybe not quite the Sermon on the Mount, but I did my very best!!!  What a fun experience to have the privilege of giving a message to a congregation in a Lahu village in Thailand.  

So here is the story....I learned on Friday that there was a possibility that I would be giving "the message" on Sunday morning in a Lahu village near the border of Thailand and Burma!?!?!  After I woke up from apparently passing out, I began thinking,"God, what could Bret Hardin possibly offer to a congregation of Burmese people living in Thailand."  Well...apparently quite a lot!!!  

After the incredible story of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords coming to the earth He created, allowing Himself to be mocked, spit on, beaten, and separated from His Heavenly Father.....I love talking about Saint Stephen in Acts chapter 7.  This may be a familiar passage to some of you, but maybe not everyone.  In this particular passage, Stephen is about to be stoned for his faith in Jesus Christ.  About that time Stephan looks up to see our Saviour Jesus Christ STANDING at the right hand of His Father.  This is the only time in scripture where Jesus is said to be standing instead of sitting at the Father's right hand.  I have an incredible picture in my mind of Jesus gathering the heavenly hosts and looking down in approval at Stephen.  In my vision, I can hear Jesus say out loud, "Look....can you believe he is going to lose his life on My behalf."  I can only imagine what Stephen is experiencing now!!!!

Now.....for those of you that know me, you know that I am not a huge fan of public speaking!!!  To those of you that share the same problem, I highly recommend flying around the world to people who have no earthly idea what you are saying and getting a translator to help out!!  I loved speaking in front of people while being translated!  

When we arrived at the Lahu village which was about a 2 hour drive, we were greeted by the pastor whom we were allowed to call Boon.  I say allowed because Boon is what his friends called him.....his real name was Sam Boon.  We were whisked away to the church.  It was time to get started.  The church itself was great!!  It was quite small and when we started to approach the building, a man began hitting a gong, apparently the signal that some white folks had arrived and it was time for church to begin.  

We sang a few songs in English that the Miyakawa's had arranged.  We then sang hymns in Burmese.  I was sitting next to Boon and loved hearing him worshipping the King in a language unfamiliar to me!!  After the singing, Tom Miyakawa introduced his family and I introduced myself and Lindsay.  Tom then got up and gave a message in Philippians on joy and suffering.  It was great, and it led right into what I was going to talk about.  When Tom was finished, it was my turn!!  When I approached the podium, I greeted everyone with Saw Wat Dee Kop.  That drew a laugh from the crowd because I was attempting to say hello in Thai to a bunch of people from Burma!!

After that, everything went according to plan!  Boon was translating while I went through my notes that Lindsay and I had put together the last few days.  

If you would have told me 7 years ago that one day I would be married to the most beautiful, incredible girl on earth....giving a message in Thailand (where we would live for a year), and give a message about Jesus Christ and the incredible grace and forgiveness that can be experienced only through Him, I would have laughed and went on my way!!  It is absolutely absurd that God would allow a sinner such as myself to represent Him in such neat ways!!!

To God be the glory!!

Thankful

Most of you are like us in that we're celebrating Thanksgiving this week.  I do realize everyone is not in that same position; in fact,  I just learned recently that Canada celebrates this holiday typically in October - closer to a time of harvest rather than a time of remembering a certain event in history.  Regardless of whether you'll be enjoying a turkey dinner this week or not, this time of year always causes me to think about the practice of being thankful.  And I do have to understand that this is a practice - hopefully a natural one, but a practice nonetheless.  

Psalm 92:1 reminds us that "it is good to give thanks to the Lord."  That is certainly something I know, but how I live it out should be quite telling of my relationship with that Lord, Jesus Christ.  The ultimate thing to be thankful for (and there are many) is what Christ has done for me - rescued me from a life apart from Him and graciously brought me into an eternal, saving relationship with Him. The Book of Romans explains this gift so well: 

Do you not know that when you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey - either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?  But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart...and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness...for the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

- Romans 6:16-17, 23

Practicing thankfulness should alter my life drastically. 

I can't be complacent, because I should live in a way that shows my gratitude.  
I can't be arrogant, because I have to realize that everything I have and everything I am has been given to me by God the Father.  
I can't be discontent, because I see how much there is to be thankful for. 
I can't be anxious, because I know God is gracious and takes care of me. 
I can't be selfish, because God has given me so much. 

My practice of being thankful must penetrate every aspect of my life.  I need to think about that every day.  I hope you enjoy a day and week of thankfulness, whether you are officially celebrating a holiday called "Thanksgiving" or not.