I'm in Australia

Its been a number of months since I left Thailand and ahead of me is a 9 hour train ride along the sunny coast of Australia, we've just ordered a vegetarian lunch option from the buffet car and thought to catch up on some reading and maybe a blog entry or two.
Returning home to New Zealand after 10 months away was not like it once was while on my first overseas experience - with facebook and Skype as it is, it's almost as if you've not been away at all. In fact being home was as if I hadn't been away at all, but I just seemed to have a number of months of new experiences. Upon on my arrival, my daughter leaped into my arms and we cried with the excitement of seeing one another again, only to find 15 min later it was like "Meh, only saw you 6 hrs earlier over Skype". It was a delight to finally hold her though, and to hug all my friends one by one as I reconnected with them.

Sofia and I enjoying an early summer's afternoon in the bottom of NZ - it was freezing! A contrast to Thailand!

My luggage just tipping the scales at 19.5kgs, after leaving with 15kg months earlier. But I was now bearing Christmas gifts. Home didn't feel as 'small' either, but it seemed to glow as if I was wearing polarized sunglasses. It took a good week to get used to it again. Summer hadn't hit NZ at that point and my 3 week stay in the deep south was really cold. My daughter had preempted this and brought me some thermals and a merino wool cardi, and I lived in them.

I hunkered down to work the first 3 weeks. The Lord indeed took care of me, giving me several clients needing my services as soon as I landed, I also wanted to complete my Christmas card collection - so burnt the candle at both ends for a while. As my girl finished her music studies, I kept my vigil on her couch beavering away at what I love to do most - being creative.

 

My first Christmas Card collection

Among all that work we sold most of her things and scaled the rest of her world into a suitcase (she learned from the best). I was very proud of her as she chose to do it and did it well without too much assistance from her Mum. Her future was unsure, she had learned she had made it to the final audition of a music ministry band in Australia and I had secured her return flights for the two day interview. In faith I knew it would work out for her - with God leading - but it took an active participation of said 'faith' to get her prepared to go - it was like hard work - I had only purchased one way tickets to Australia, so it's was Aussie or something else, without really knowing what that something else would be. New Zealander's are able to live and work in Australia without the need of visas and constrictions.
With her year finally finished and everything sold we packed and drove north to our hometown of Christchurch. The weather was warming up and we had gracious friends who gave us a good sized room in their home for our 3 week stay. Sofia volunteered her time at her old high school, assisting with the end of year happenings and community Christmas caroling program they produce annually and was able to say goodbye to all she needed too.
Overall my trip home served its purpose. I worked, reconnected with those I love and I come to the realisisation I was comfortable in this new lifestyle and excited for year 2 - I enjoy living out of a bag, traveling round, volunteering and house sitting. I noticed God was blessing each idea and endeavor and everything was falling into place - even to selling our car - which was an answer to prayer as I sold it 3 weeks before I needed to leave yet had full use of it till the day of departure.

Which was to Australia in the middle of December. 

Enjoying the very sunny and hot Gold Coast

It had been a long while since I'd last seen my folks and brother and I we all converged on my brother and his partner for Christmas. Having planned 4 months in Aussie - I was able to arrange several house-sitting jobs while here also and each one was perfectly in alinement with our plans.
This is where I am now, having completed the first house-sitting placement and heading to the second after final goodbyes to the family. In tow is my daughter, who, after her two day audition has been told she made it into the band - it's such a thrill and a little bit surreal it's actually happening. And it happens to be further perfect timing as we are in the neighborhood in our current house-sit to easily drop her off in her new career - a 2 year contract. So with my girl sorted and secure for the next 24 months I can get on with my travels and volunteer work.  

Currumbin Wildlife Park

The days have been HOT and SUNNY here in Australia - it's a great country full of people I can talk with - something I missed while in Thailand.
Not that I expected it, nor wish it (who does?) but we're starting out in this leg of the trip with a few challengers. I'm very grateful to God for teaching me a thing of two while in Thailand about accepting a situation as it is.
 

As a family we decided to purchase a car - it was ideal, as I'm here for 4 months, my folks were hiring a car so we combined our money and with the aid of my brother brought. It has been great, ideal and convenient. Petrol is cheaper here than it is in NZ and therefore a cheaper option than using public transport and with the size of the country it makes sense.
 

Standard in the middle of nowhere

So as made our farewells to the Gold Coast to drive 8 hours to Newcastle our car decided to breakdown 538kms short of our destination. Marooned on the side of the road we practiced giving praise and gratitude for our circumstances rather then freak out. The Lord blessed with me with calmness and wisdom throughout the ordeal. I only dealt with  the issue before me and not what would happen if... if you know what I mean.

goodbye

I called the Australian roadside assistance to be told I needed to join, for either $274 or $350 plus - I stopped listening as it had already exceeded my budget. God's wisdom - call a tow truck, get to mechanic, assist the situation.
Alas the head gasket was the issue - and a longer story cut short - we're now on a train heading down to Newcastle. Left the car behind for the wrecker. A night needed to be spent in the small town we were stranded in and after that all went smoothly without running ahead of the situation on the moment. I'm so thrilled with this.
Our house-sitting appointment was pushed back and the couple we are sitting for will collect us from the train station and offered to lend us their car for the 3 weeks we're at their place - God is still in charge. We lack for nothing. :)

 

Stay tuned to learn how God will lead. 

How God Moves is Just Amazing

I've received an email from a friend of mine. I'm bubbling with excitement and wonder. 

God has an amazing way to orchestrating our lives, doesn't He?

I had a girlfriend visited me for 6 weeks through the later part of the year. Because it was that long, she needed to make a visa run. It happened to coincide with my own need for a visa renewal. And working on a date that was ideal for both our trips - we went a week earlier than I had originally planned for.  

walking over the boarder on a very wet day

Destination - Cambodia

I'd arranged to stay at SALT, an orphanage though our week long visit. A ministry run by an Australian family over the past 20 odd years.

A long story short - So one afternoon I'm walking with and chatting away to Tim, the chap who runs the ministry, school, and media ministry and I ask him what he needed in his ministry. He's a faith based, meaning they trust God will give them what is needed to function. I had no money to give him, so don't really know why I was asking - still you never know, maybe could do something, was my reasoning, how wold I know till I asked?

He stopped and said "Well we really need a mechanics teacher to teach the boys, we've not been able to get one". Then God did a wondrous thing, using one of the gifts He's given me. The gift of networking. He brought to mind my good friend Tony back home. It was a spark, an idea, pool of possibilities.

I said "Well I happen to know some one who could fit your requirement, someone who's a great mechanic, and who has a heart for reaching and teaching kids." I'll ask him right away.

Which meant a 20 minute tuk tuk ride into town as the net was out at the orphanage. So I trundle into Siem Reap and email.

So I'm excited, as my friend - months later - has just emailed me thanking me for thinking of him, and after prayer he told Tim he's coming! And heads over to Cambodia yearly next year.

It's so very exciting to know I was part of the plan, as they would not of connected without me - although I will not discount that God didn't need to use me, but He chose to and that is what makes my heart sing.

Visiting Cambodia, and also Laos and Malaysia were wonderful refreshing times for me/ I hope my friend Tony will totally enjoy his time there.

Photo college above: L-R Floating village - houses on the move! / Genine pumping water, I could get used to that, didn't mind the rustic-ness of our accommodation / Our tuk tuk ride and driver, it was the most comfy ride to date / Genine beside the tuk tuk (Genine and I are only friend, we first meet on our trip to Japan 20yrs ago and have kept in contact since) / We ate breakfast each morning outside Tim's home, which he built himself, reminded me of Robinson Crusoe / Me, standing outside SALT's gate / Again with the tuk tuk ride - proof we enjoyed it / Tim using the car battery with a contraption he made to hull coconut. Amazing! 

So how do you manage Working & Volunteering?

always can be found at my laptop working - in cool locations

My blog is about missionary designing and being location independent. But I really haven't talked much about that side of my year. And as I am 2 days from finishing my time here in Thailand I've been reflecting about what I've 'done' while here work-wise.

Background

Before I came to Thailand, while working for myself back home, I had the intention in the back of my mind of heading overseas in 'mission' service. I'd had the travel bug for a number of years and the idea appealed to me. I processed and prepared for this for a long time, about 8 years. I started to down-size my 'stuff' and learned to live frugally etc.

I knew some other things about me. I love variety. I love a good mission story as much as the next person but the thought of spending years in one spot didn't appeal to me. I began to see how God made me. I was just wired with a need to have a bag of mixture-lollies rather than a gobstopper - if you know what I mean. My ideal was perfectly OK also.

So when circumstances began and doors started to open towards 'perhaps it was time to actually go on a mission trip' God stepped in to actually talk with me. You see I didn't want to teach English, I wasn't qualified to doctor anyone, let along nurse them. If anyone ever needs me to deliver a baby - I'll ask God for instructions when the time arises - that'll be fun.

What I really wanted (talking to the Lord here) was to use the gifts He'd already given me - and for me it was in being creative. I was still limited with what that could be. I hadn't come across any calls for anyone in my line of work. So I pondered on this and had little chats with God through the process.

Then one day in Sept 2011 this idea struck me, and I mean STRUCK me - totally out of the blue. I knew it was God, as it became 3 dimensional, and He spoke, telling me what He wanted me to do.

I want you to work for yourself and offer your services to ministries around the world in your field of talents I've given you. You are to support yourself half the time while serving the ministry half the time.

That was the 2nd most direct amount of words I've ever heard from Him! Then, like a Si fi movie with the latest FX, He took every little idea I've ever had from my mind and before my minds eye - as if it was a real tangible thing - put them all together and formed a hovering ball of blue light, buzzing with the ideas, and then other little ideas I once had as a 6yr child came flying out from my head to join it. It was sureal and was over before I could really grasp it, yet so real I can still see it now.

The Lord then impressed me that He'd given me all these ideas and now it was time to put them all together as they formed a jigsaw of the big picture. I was to go. With that, I came back to my senses and was speechless and alone, so couldn't share it anyone, not that I could of at that moment, kind of sat there with my mouth gaping. 

Over the next while the picture formed more solidly about the 'what and how's' of what I was to do, which I wrote down. I'd made enough contacts around the world that I network with, I had the necessary qualification to easily obtain visas and be 'officially' welcomed into a ministry overseas, and I was about to become childless, my one and old daughter was leaving home, the timing was perfect. 

So the business of being in business while being location independent was the next tackle. I was pleasantly surprised that there are others that have gone before me and I zealously read everything I could, to saturate my head space that I could do this in a practical everyday manner (or should I say manna?). Well I believed I could do it, and .... long story short - my first call was to Thailand.

Tania as a volunteer

I think I started all wonky, but the Lord knew what I needed to learn and what I needed to accomplish while in my first year as a location dependent creative. So here I am in Thailand thinking I'm the bees knees for actually achieving this goal in selling everything and getting this far.

The practical side 

So this year I have been working for AVS - Adventist Volunteer Services  - in Bangkok. Assisting as their graphic designer and illustrator in their media department. I've been working alongside a small team of my American boss, a Thai co-worker in video and a young American student, also in video and photography. Both the boss and his fellow American student have long since departed (from Thailand, not from this mortal coil). 

There was a lot of work to do - and in short, I hardly touched them, in fact I'd be lucky to have got more than a look at them. The nature of what I had in front of me more than took my time. And I had the variety I wanted also, with being in and out of the office, tripping here, going there etc.

Basically I designed two full projects over this time - a van wrap for a ministry and my favourite, an illustrated colouring booklet for kids. If you'd like to the full designs pop across to my web page

Section of the van wrap / colouring book for Thai kids / Poster design for AVS volunteers

On top to ministry in my field, I was also apart of a film crew and assisted them as we captured stories of peoples lives on how'd they'd changed after meeting God - amazing stories - only wish I could speak Thai to understand them.

filming her story. Married at 13 divorced at 18, only to marry and divorce again. Single Mum, actor in 10 major Thai movies and then found God, turned her life round, educated herself and now at 28 owns a hair salon - lovely woman!

filming tigers - amazing!

Along with helping out in this ministry I also helped in another in the lines of more video production. This crew was half fergan and half Thai and it was a blast working with them in ministry and business. I was brought on in project management, and really found a liking of it. Got to go and do some pretty cool stuff which I'll talk about in another post.

Both of these positions saw me travel a fair bit of the country - a dream come true :)

self employment

So with the volunteer work aside - I also had my own business to conduct. As I am a self supporting volunteer, I need to earn money to live and breath in Thailand.

I still have so much to learn, but Thailand has been a time of learning to balance and achieve goals that've taken a while to work through. For example - I have to be flexible to the job before me, whether it is either a paying or volunteer client. I need to put time aside for the background things, like a regular business just in half the time. But at least it's just me, and not running a company. I've learned a lot this year in business.

Some of the things I've achieved are: Logo redevelopment for DFoG ... I was pretty pleased with this transistion and it came to be when I was in the far north, at the tippy-top, of Thailand in Chang Klong.

From this - to This

I also spent many hours figuring out and creating my own website - my first - and I need to learn more, I look forward to a week locked up in a beautiful place to do just that. In the mean time I'm very happy of these goals which tick along in the back ground. I go at my own pace and I enjoy the process.

I also network with people, I live in my social media hotspots, I study and have learned a lot about a new venture I'm very interested in and believe to be a good fit for my business - art licensing. And most important I plan, write lists, talk things over with God and am inspired. One more thing I've done a lot of is write - I've enjoyed documenting my experiences into story's, and I'm about to have one more printed - this time I'm being paid for it - very exciting.

As I am now heading home, I've got the next few months planned out more. I like the idea of the next adventure and I'm learning about marketing and this is wonderfully exciting.

My ideas for 2013 are kept behind God's leading as He's been pretty good in showing me the direction so far.

Things I've learned:

working on my greeting card series along the River Kwai

Back up - ALWAYS - I had a computer melt-down and lost everything I'd done, my back up was a little old.
DO NOT send your computer to be fixed overseas - it not only costs you an arm and leg but Thai customs charge you to get it back on top of courier costs - could of brought a new laptop!
Think carefully about bonding yourself to a ministry for a long time - this can be great and not so great.
Be flexible in everything you do
Stop to enjoy your surroundings. I don't have to work in the office all the time, I am just as able to sit outside and enjoy the view and feel as if I have achieved both my intended goals - to work and play.

The BEST thing I have taken away with me in business is this - I don't need to worry. As each time I've needed a paying client the Lord has provided one. I recall His promise that He is my provider. And so my worry has lessened, as I know there is always enough. He has blessed me throughout the year also with a couple of financial gains to help me when I needed it most. and true to His word - there is enough to return home on.

YAY. Now I focus on whats head towards the next adventure.

Sometimes it's not about others but about yourself

God is so gracious with me, as I spend time in a 4 star hotel in the famous River Kwai in Kanchanaburi

I want to praise God! He is so good to me (to us!)

I should of known He'd cap nicely my time here in Thailand with some insights, wisdom and understanding, as He explains the reasons I went though a couple of the not-so-nice-internal-issues over the past 9 months. Firstly He encouraged and reminded me with this -

I should not present my petitions to God to prove whether He will fulfill His word, but because He will fulfill it; not to prove that He loves me, but because He loves me. "Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for when I come to God, I must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of my diligently seeking Him" Hebrews 11:6 (I like adding me, I, etc so I feel it for me personally)

What an interesting, hard, delightful, exciting, and life changing 9 months it's been! What is life, if it's not intertwined with exciting, once-in-a-life-time experiences, eh? Even the icky stuff.

My expectations on being a 'missionary' have certainly been altered, or should I say refined. I've internally 'down graded' myself to volunteer, lol. Maybe I got it all wrong - I was all gun-ho on being the catalyst for positive change in the people I was to meet. But it seemed to backfire - or rather, in hindsight, my pride took a little tumble :)  I don't recall in the years I've been a Christian to date, of a more harder personal inward experience. Trying to put my finger on the 'why' was a little elusive, so I had a little talk with Jesus...

"Just what have I been going through?
I mean, what have I been internally dealing (or not dealing) with?" 

OK, breathing deeply - these are the questions He seems to LOVE answering quickly. If I'm to learn from this, then I best know what's really going on so I don't sweep it under the carpet, so-to-speak. I noticed I've been tempted to wonder if I'm even suited for mission service. Once I heard that in my head I knew it was the whispering ways Satan has been niggling at me, trying to fill my mind with comments that have made me miss trust God.

So realising at least this much, we begin a little convo and He draws my attention to these issues: 

"Self-reliance / lack of trust / misappropriation of my faith"

Shivers! - Didn't have to wait very long on hearing that! He must of prepped me and was eager to let me know! OK, I guess I was ready to hear this - "like or not, here I come!" rings playfully in my ears from childhood hide and go seek games. :D

Life never seems to be cut and dry, or what you think it's all about - And as I try to nut out with God whats really going on at the core issue, it seems that the happenings in my daily life are all reflecting the 3 areas above, so I'm learning. When I pondered each one, the Lord brought to mind each instance and yes He was correct - as usual :)

However the Lord then reminds me that there was a reason He's allowed the year to happen as it has - for my own personal growth. Finally after that being all said and done He encourages me with the following comments though our time together:

"Don't fret about the less than glorious times you've had here, I knew you'd react like that because I know you, and I am leading you even when you think I'm not. 

Don't fret also that you've not 'done' what you thought you were coming here for, as I have a perfect plan and part of it was allowing you to grow more by squeezing you a little - remember I'll not put you through something harder than you can bear

I've guided you here to Thailand because, 1) You said you were willing to come and I like that willingness in my children, 2) I knew you desire to travel, I enjoy giving you your hearts desire

It's ok to leave, as I've got Thailand, I know what I'm doing and I know how my plan proceeds. Not everything rests on your shoulders and remember I know the end from the very beginning - so don't 'take on' that it's your job. Remember that you are an instrument in my hands and I have worked though you and in ways you don't know. Trust this.

Know that you've grown since being here and this will be made evident in time.

Remember that I have promised you that I will finish the work I started in you."

He is a good God to talk with and encourage me as He does. And He's guiding me into my next adventure.

Toilets - how we wish they were - a pictorial!

Although I've been in Thailand 8 months now, I notice a little piece of me dies when I'm shown to the squat toilet. It's only a moment - hardly noticeable really, and and... it's quickly turned to a 'Oh cool, I've got a handle on this' attitude - phew!. I can squat and balance nicely without getting any part of my feet 'wet' - "ewww - overshare!" I know you're thinking, but I'm rather chuffed with this minor/major accomplishment, depending on weather your pre or post toileting.

You've been wanting to know, I can feel it, especially for those of you who haven't used them before. How does one actually use the Asian toilets? Just what are "Asian' toilets? Well, let me explain the joys, pains and anxieties in needing to 'go' through illustrations I've created.

And that is what happens.... no one shows you, and the only advice I was given was "use water" ... it takes a creative mind to figure out just what that means when you're balancing precariously over a hole in the ground.

As for number 2's? - good luck there, even I haven't figured it out correctly. That's when I wait to 'go' on a western loo - if I'm in civilization. But I found my groove while in the 'field' and I don't think it's a story I'll share openly in a blog post. But enough to say - I was happy when it all ended.

The only advice that I will give is take loo paper and hand sanitizer - hand sanitizer will be your best friend! as well as a packet of tissues. Oh, and all the best in learning to 'go' in Asia. It'll be an experience for sure - :D

The Crash and the Caving

My intention behind writing this blog was to entertain with witty stories of some of the funny and ordinary things that've befallen me while overseas, cover some of the practicals of travel, to inspire through documenting my personal experiences with God, and, to be brave enough to tell of the not so nice things that I've gone through. In my heart I wanted to give a true account of mission service, so that other mission minded people would get a clearer picture of what they're walking into.

morbid & spooky hanging head

But who really wants to admit to their 'stuff'? Sometimes its just easier to have the 'happy sabbath' face on and not share what's really going on. To give you the impression I've got it all together so much more suits me than to be vulnerable and transparent which would be reserved for my closest of friends. I also want to be careful with my words, I don't want to discriminate, hurt, offend or stretch the truth about any one person or a situation I find myself experiencing, nor do I wish to have you go through my underwear draw!

I've come to realise that everything is perceived from my point of view, and therefore the disclaimer here is "Everything shared is NOT necessarily the opinion of others". Although - you may relate. :)

So - I'm in Thailand. I mean ... THAILAND! The place you told me was SO amazing and assured me that I'd LOVE it. You told me you've been holidaying here for years. You told me about the beaches, and how you learned to dive here. You talked about the food, the shopping, the heat. I was geared up to enjoy Thailand.

Yet 3 months into my service trip I find myself feeling cynical, disgruntled, disillusioned, disappointed, despondent, doubtful, annoyed, irritated and dispassionate, oh, and recently - arrogant and angry and vis-a- vis.

It seemed in one swoop I was in a bad place after the highs of the previous stories I've shared. I mean, God had spoken directly to me, then through me... God!... Who created everything! S.p.o.k.e. toooo meeee!!! And I feel like this so soon after?!

I started feeling challenged on every side. Small things at first - like noticing all the rubbish everywhere to the pong of the klong (waterways), the grime and hustle and bustle of the city, the fact that cars don't really stop as I attempt to cross the road. I wanted to give people a piece of my mind. You should of heard the inside of my head... "If I was in their shoes I would....!!! fix this!".

From that slippery slope, I plunged into issues I persevered in those around me. The cultural delights I'd first noticed started grating on me, I chose not to understand and I think I stepped on toes and caused offense, and it seemed to me I was a bull in a china shop. I was not a happy camper.  

I was being lovingly mentored about the relational aspect of working with the lovely people in the Thai culture, that it's to be first and more important than my task driven, list making orientated ways. Huh?! Think I was looking at an alien - it did not compute.

Still, I wondered at the teaching that I was been spoon feed. But like a stubborn child in a highchair, I refused to eat what was on my plate, but my hair and nappy were full from playing with it.

Then it came. The crash and the caving. 

The White Temple - Chiang Rai, Thailand. Hundreds of sculpted hands reaching up from “Hell”,
symbolizing the way to happiness through overcoming cravings. I made it over the bridge - Phew!

I wanted nothing more to do with people. I almost laughed as I was reminded (God trying to get through to me) of the Pineapple Stories and how the missionary speaker said "I'd be a better missionary if it wasn't for all you natives!". But I pushed away the plea from God to connect with Him, and I entered my cave and drowned with the drone of the thoughts of my mind that seemed to come from nowhere with a DVD. After that I played another, then another, and another.... and maybe one more... Oh ok, and one more before going to sleep.

This went on for 4 days solid. I seemed frozen, drowning, and wondering how on earth did I get here? Behind all the distraction my mind was filled with fears, questions, and statements that went something like this (in quick succession with the mixture of 'I's and You's): "What am I doing here? You're a miserable missionary, I should just go home, tell everyone Thailand was not where I was meant to me. They don't like me... no one likes me... you are single, you're still not married after all these years, you'll never meet anyone in Thailand, you're going to find it hard traveling the world and people will think you can't settle. You've not completed that job for your client! What kind of business person do you think you are?! What about all those ideas you've had, you'll never get them completed, it's just not working, you're going to go home with nothing, you'll never make it and now you're now having problems with so-and-so, just go home.... what are you doing here?...

This broken record went round and round... and I let it play on. The morning of Day 4 came with a remembrance of a story I'd heard years ago. The speaker shared that as he was working, some negative thoughts came into his mind out-of-the-blue, and within moments he was under a dark cloud of oppression. he said it was so dramatic and sudden that he discerned it wasn't from his own thinking as he was a chap with a naturally upbeat personality normally. So he tested it by thinking purposefully of negative thoughts, which made him more depressed. Then he prayed out loud, and despite his dark mood, started praising God. Within moments the dark oppression lifted. This story flooded my memory upon wakening.

The story became a stronger new voice in my mind throughout the day, I then decided to tell someone what I was going through. It was hard, I was embarrassed to admit I'd just spent 4 full days watching movies and had wallowed in bad thoughts. But I wrote my friend Sandra back home a long sorrowful, disjointed email. I then text my boss telling him I was going through a personal crisis and could he and his wife pray for me. That was one hard text. I did not wish to admit to him - my boss - I was in such a state. I'd skipped work as well you see and I ignored all phone calls.

The moment I reached out - however fragile I was, the dark cloud of oppression started to lift. It was startling. I then gave God permission to help me and by the next morning I had a bounce in my spirit and in the evening I was choosing to do something more constructive with my time than watch movies and actually craved to spend time with Him. Everything that my mind was saying was a lie, I saw it for what it was... a spiritual attack.

In fact I bounced back so quickly, I feel like a new person and seeing life again with a glass half full attitude. And all those feelings I mentioned earlier have left me. I'm now optimistic, enjoying myself, productive, friendly, laughing, bright and cheerful, with more of a sensitive discernment at the cultural differences around me.

The golden restrooms and money pool of The White Temple - all is well again.

What is even better is, I sat my boss down today and confessed it all to him and he was gracious enough to understand and 'get it' and remind me that it's happened to everyone before me, to those around me, and those yet to come and even to him and his family. We're fighting a spiritual battle. For the record, yes he and his wife did pray for me and I also received an email from her, which I was very grateful for. As did my friend back home.

So, no one was hurt in the writing of this blog post, in fact things have been restored and renewed and I felt impressed this was something important to share - however personal. But that's the point isn't it?

I'm still God's work in progress... as we all are.

If I can ask anyone who is willing - please - please pray that I'm spiritually protected my God Almighty Himself, and add anyone you may know who works in any kind of ministry. Thanks :)

Want to read about how God has used me?

If this post has been encouraging you're welcome to share it.

I threw these pictures in as they were rather fitting I thought, of the content.

The laziest of days

Rain persisted down all night, which made for great sleeping and upon waking, for a cosy lie-in for hours. Seems it doesn't matter what culture you belong to, everyone in the house had the same thoughts and no one stirred till about 9 am with a call to gang kai (eating) at 10. While it was still bucketing down, we enjoyed a hot breaky of rice, green veggies with garlic, roasted nuts and omelet.

This this the coldest I've been in Thailand, though still wearing a t-shirt with arms bare, I could really use a second layer to warm up. I actually stood by the open kitchen fire for a few minutes to do just that and while eating, the dog, obviously sensing my slight discomfort, slept on my tootsies keeping that part of me warm. Off course he was duly rewarded with on-purpose accidental dropping of food from my bowl - what a lovely doggy.

I avail myself of the toileting facility and notice that with all the rain the bath is now full and overflowing and while using the amenities I was also showered with droplets of water from the gaps and holes in the iron roof above me - ahhh, gotta love country living.

The sauna was ready again and I was offered first dibs - O heaven! 45min in there then a freezing few buckets of water afterwards, now I'm all wrapped up back in bed. There's nothing else to do, so it's a relaxing Sunday of reading, writing, snoozing and eating. Power is out so writing by hand to save laptop battery. During my sleep it seemed the neighbours all around learned about our sauna and are all lined up outside to get their turn. It's actually a way they can make a bit of extra money and for 80B about 14 people enjoyed what I was offered for free.

The village people started arriving for their own sauna treatment - at the end of the day the family had earned 1000B - about NZ$40

This time I enjoyed the sauna in the rain - almost heaven!

This is what we did all day long, read by light as power was out.

The afternoon consisted of much the same procedure as the morning, and after a pretty wonderful mid morning, early afternoon sleep, lunch was served. That over, some more reading, writing and another snooze saw me through to dinner time, which had to be in the light as power never returned to the village. After dinner I had another sauna and don't really know what else to do, so, you guessed it, I'm back in bed, reading, writing and considering another snooze. Rain is starting up again.... cosy. Needless to say, we didn't find any elephants today. Night all.