We are so sorry! It has been a very busy time as we finish shadowing and try to grasp the expectations in our new roles. To say there is a lot to learn is an understatement, as we are having to completely relearn everything from cultural norms, academic expectations, and even the level of autonomy some staff positions come with. So, where to begin?
Well, it is officially summer, and the summer heat is something we have never experienced before. No showers to cool the days down, just endless sweat-inducing heat as temps are hitting close to 40 degrees every day. Yes, I said it, 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 Fahrenheit for those still using that old imperial system we had to leave behind. The middle of the day is a game of cat and mouse with the sun, finding shade, breezes, or hunkering down in a coffee shop so we don’t get stuck with a nightmare electricity bill (we haven’t seen one yet, but I will let you know). But, it is time for another “What have the Weirs been up to?” update!
Uthai Thani Food Festival
We have come to terms that Thai people love two things: markets and food. This event was simply pushing them both together. We journeyed down a kilometer (half a mile…ish) market, which hosts every imaginable assortment of food and beverages. It also hosts things like birds, small rodents, and even fish that you could call your pet and bring home with you. Though not specifically at this market, we did see things like giant tortoises in tubs and even meerkats for sale to the general public. It is wild.
Finding a place to eat our delicious food 
Always time to stop and paint thought the seats were so SMALL 
Aiden has found his happy place in a room full of fish. 
A fair in the distance 
The first Thailand ride 
Never too old for a merry-go-round 
Smiling though the pain (Chris) and Madelyn finally setting to ride a thrill ride 
New Fish in their happy home.
We ended the event at a temporary carnival with a smattering of rides, such as carousels, and something I can only describe as a spine-and-tailbone adjuster, which Madelyn required me to ride with her. My back might not ever be the same, but the smile on her face was worth it. This was also the first event for which Aiden was able to acquire new additions to his outdoor pond, and the very frugal boy went all out with his allowance to bring more life to his beloved pond.
New Traditions Being Made
TGIF, get out of the way. Here in Manorom, Wednesdays are the night to remember. Every Wednesday, just down the road and right past our one stoplight, they host a massive market right outside a temple to Buddha. There are all manner of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats (raw and cooked), along with random stalls selling everything from toys to purses. This is where the city gathers, the heartbeat of the community and we are there. I think that biking/walking down to be among the people and filling our baskets and bags with nutritious food and one too many sweets is the start of a new tradition, a single act of consistancy and sign of finding a new place to call our own (for a while).
The Girls Open a (Fake) Shop
You give the kids a large estate to roam free and maybe frolic in the gardens, but instead they find the old snack shop on wheels, long abandoned and untouched for likely years. Inside, they start making drinks from mud and water, and even create a solar oven (tin foil and prayer) to bake their mud pies, cakes, and, apparently, hamburgers. Jess and I just spent the entire day working on curriculum at their restaurant, our “drinks” and “snacks” always topped up.
The Cave, the Jungles of Thailand, and the Hot Springs
Sheer Mountains 
Temple in the Mountains 
Welcome Center for the Cave Exploration 
Into the jungle we go 
Flashlights (torches) required. Bats slept peacefully above our heads. 
The wild side of Thailand 
The cave where children used to be able to just play hide and seek, no a national park and attraction 
Headed further into the mountains to find coffee 
Sight from “The Climb” coffee shop. 
Lake beside the hot springs 
A dip in a 18 inch covered swimming pool
With Jess down in Bangkok for supervisor training, the clueless father with three kids has been adopted by one of the sweetest ladies on the compound and chauffeured to quite a few amazing locations. I have promised to take Jess to each when she returns, and the sun stops actively attempting to turn us into dried raisins. The pictures really speak to the trips and showcase how beautiful Thailand can be, even when you are not on the southern beaches.
Ruth Retirement Home
We had the privilege of attending a service, lunch, and Songkran ceremony at a retirement center, which the local church helps out a few times a year. Naturally, the event was mostly in Thai, but we had a little help with one of the hosts, who was a very good translator, and the staff and elders tried really hard to communicate with the kids. We even had one “attempt to keep” Elizabeth because she was just too adorable. The program was light, full of dancing and laughter, and it genuinely felt as though we were there simply to visit and shed a bit of happiness.
This was also another experience with what I assume will be a future of being more outspoken in prayer and speaking about God. At the end of the program, all regions of Thailand were asked to pray (north, central, and south), with a representative from each region sent to the front to speak for them all. The last request was for foreigners to speak to the audience, and the pastor from the Filipino church and I were called forward. I do not get stage fright, but I do like to be prepared. In these moments of uncertainty, the most amazing thing has started to occur. An overwhelming sense of peace guides me through the prayers, a guiding hand on my shoulder reaffirming that I am not alone. It has truly been remarkable and pure joy to experience.
For now, we believe that covers the highlights of the last two weeks or so. We will try harder not to let such a long stretch between posts, but life is in full swing, and finding the time to just sit down, write, and upload pictures is more challenging than we thought it would be! Until next time, we ask…
Next Steps and prayer
As the summer continues, we request everyone to pray that HIS hand will guide us to the best way to reach the lost students and plant seeds that will grow in faith. As we take our next step forward toward learning our new roles here at Manorom, we ask that you pray for continued strength and understanding, and that we will continue to take steps forward into uncertainty and trust in God’s plan for our lives. Jess has also arranged a meeting with AWANA South Asia next week so please pray that we make positive steps toward bringing such an amazing program to the local kids to better share the gospel with them.
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