Two weeks have passed since we arrived at Manorom, and what a journey it has been. We have been blessed with the kindest of neighbors, teachers, and locals who are patient with us as we stumble through everything from ordering Khanom Krok (small coconut pancakes) to figuring out exactly where we are supposed to be throughout the day as we observe our future roles at the school. So, first, let’s get to some life updates.

Kittens

Yes, that header is correct. We are now in possession of two baby kittens whose mother has to go back to China for a month during term break. Our two girls were more than willing to fall on the sword of service to “take care” of them for a month. We all know exactly what this means. We now have two cats for the foreseeable future. Please meet Run Run (because he is a runner) and Hoy Hoy (grey grey in Chinese). There are literally a dozen stray cats around the property, but alas, we have two indoor dedicated kittens, and at least we won’t have to worry about the lizards. We will say that God answers prayers, as Madelyn, tucked in after learning about the kittens, told Jessica that God had heard her desire for kittens and delivered in a big way.

School Friends and a New School

Where to begin with this? The kids have done amazingly, jumped in with both feet into the deep end, and are thriving. There are, of course, moments of being unsure and testing the boundaries, but each has found a pocket of friends, an answered prayer of Jessica and me as we took on this next journey. Here at the school, there are about 20 Chinese boarding students who play until the sun falls below the horizon, then think about going home, and instead simply move over to the lit badminton court. The kids know to be back by 8:30, and a few times already they’ve been very close to that time. It is so different to be somewhere that feels safe enough to allow them to wander, allowing them to become more independent and keep their minds and hearts engaged with the other students.

The kids are settling well into their new classrooms, and the teachers have been so kind to allow them to work on their PACE books in the classrooms even though they are not officially enrolled. Madelyn and Elizabeth seem to really enjoy the goals they set and accomplish each day, and they also enjoy hanging out with the students with whom they will formally join next term. Aiden is doing very well with instruction and has found a teacher to take him under their wing, making the transition a little easier. All in all, they seem to be thriving. Jessica’s efforts to prepare them are a genius move, so they don’t have to get used to new work, new friends, and a new dialect all at once.

Please continue praying for them as they navigate their new enviroment and that peace will find them.

New Jobs

Jessica and I have been shadowing the grades and subjects that we will be doing next term, and it is so much to take in. Something we have learned quickly is that there is a lot of trust in the teachers to create an engaging environment for the kids, and each has a sort of freedom that we are not used to. The teams seem eager to have our input from the very beginning and to ask us questions about how to improve or mold processes to make the school better for students and teachers alike. While we thought we would be in a more passive role for the rest of the term, Jessica has already been able to share the Easter story with her Kindergartners, actively work with the students in their work, and start connections with the very cute little ones.

I have done a little bit of everything, from setting up assembly rooms to conducting coordination tests for Kindergartners to ensure they are developing at the appropriate pace, and even helping with a tour of a new school plant in Bangkok that came to see our curriculum. I am taken aback at just how quickly they were able to integrate us into their processes and allow us to already be a part of the kids’ lives. They all know our names, say good morning to us, and are excited when we show up in their classrooms. The staff here, the missionaries, really want to help each other and watch the students grow academically and plant the seed of Christ within them all.

Blessings and Amazement

On the whole, the kids really do have kind hearts and want to help one another. In a school, there will be conflict, but especially with the older kids, they seem vested in lifting each other up and encouraging one another. They have amazing hearts, and the teachers work to sow the gospel into them every day. The school remains 90% Buddhist, but you can see the budding spirit within them, and one day it will bear fruit. Personally, I have seen God at work, watching the students get ready to host a chapel or assembly. The band is 100% student-led, including warming up and helping each other with tempo, words, and even harmony. There is something so pure about watching a teenager help his friends find the right chords, then walk up to a microphone and sing proudly about Jesus’ love to the entire student body. I caught myself smiling in the control booth and being just a few seconds late in turning up the sound, too captivated in the moment to work the sound board.

First Illnesses

The Churches

We have tried two churches, each presenting different opportunities for both spiritual welfare and spiritual work:

The local church is small, but filled with locals and people we see every day, either on our school grounds or at the local market. The entire service is in Thai, but they have been so gracious to send up PDF copies of the sermon, and the songs are mostly translated. Google Translate also works wonders, but you do have to stare at your phone the whole time. Monoram Christian Church provides us with the opportunity to embed ourselves with locals, immerse ourselves in the language, be part of the Chinese students’ spiritual journey, and potentially grow on Sundays. School to help spread the gospel and help with English.

Thannamthip Church is a bilingual church where several of the teachers attend, with sermons delivered in English or Thai, and a live translator allows the family to hear the full message in real time, providing a more familiar feel. The pastoral team is dedicated to local outreach but is struggling, and the church has surged and dwindled many times in the last few years. The executive pastor there wants to start an AWANA program, offers English classes to locals on Sunday afternoons, and is open to any suggestions or help to bring in the local community. Here we have an in with AWANA: the kids can immediately attend a familiar style of Sunday school, and a portion of the staff attends, providing an avenue for closer friendships and relationships.

Jessica and I are praying heavily on the right church for our family and ask you to join us in that prayer.

Good Friday

Everyone has their own preference for what a good Friday service should look like. Should it be a Broadway production to illicit strong emotions or a service of reverence to capture the sacrifice made by Jesus on that day? I honestly don’t have an answer, but I know that at the local church service we attended, the people have a heart for God, and it shows in their worship. The night culminated in lighting the cross, with the elder lighting the center candle and the entire church taking turns lighting a candle and affixing it to the cross. Even when the process was not smooth, and the candles fell over, the crowd persisted, all seeking to place their light upon the cross. Literally halfway around the world, in a country of young Christian believers, and to witness something so pure was inspiring.

For now, I believe that is all the highlights, the praises, and the struggles for our limited time here.

Please continue to pray as we get settled, continue to learn our new roles and where we can invest in the student body and the community. Also pray as Jess attends a training in Bangkok for supervisors (lead teachers) and for God’s guidance on running a two-week summer camp for Kindergardeners in April.

As always, we continue to follow wherever He leads.