It has been a minute! Sorry for the delay, but it is time to bring you all up to speed on all things happening with the Weir family. It is now the end of week 3, term 2, and we are fully back in the swing of things. We follow the same routines, and life continues. I guess that is what life comes down to, finding your routine, with a few very interesting events in between. So let’s talk about those things.

Hawaii!!!

Nearly two weeks in paradise have come and gone. We were able to spend time with Jessica’s parents and then a week with our best friends, the Coveys, a trip planned before we left America to give our kids and us a milestone to get to in a new land far from home. It really was a very special time that we were able to reconnect and recenter ourselves as we prepare to finish out the rest of the year. Don’t worry, I won’t turn this into a slideshow of the wonderful sights, but if you are interested, you can always message Jessica and she can share her favorites. After we got back, one of the staff devotions asked what we were thankful for, and Jess said airplanes. While it seemed an odd answer, she really made me think about how much easier things are when we can be halfway across the world and in two plane rides (and a lot of hours) we can be with those we love once more. The world no longer feels so distant.

Our First Broken arm…or as Madelyn would say, Wrist!

That is correct. Two weeks ago, my middle child was playing football (soccer) with some friends, playing goalie, and stopped a ball with her hand, resulting in a very small break in her wrist. We were able to get her to the emergency room, X-rayed, and given medication that evening, and she has been in a soft cast until today. The bone is healing nicely, and the doctor wants her to go without a cast for the next month, but to take it easy and not put too much pressure on it. Madelyn has been so strong during this entire event. She was actually a little bummed that she didn’t get a hard cast because she wanted people to sign it. She is doing well, and was basically back to her normal self after about a week.

We talk about God’s guidance and care all the time, but what does that look like? I was quite angry when it happened, going into full Papa Bear protection mode, and wondered why God would want this to happen right after the great vacation with the Coveys. But he is always here. Two days prior to this event, one of the students tore cartilage in his knee while playing basketball, and I was the one who helped him. After being checked out, the doctor on campus still wanted an X-ray, so we took him to the local hospital. I stayed with him for several hours in the emergency room. I bring this up, because when Madelyn was really hurt, I didn’t have to ask, research, or attempt to find where I needed to go. I knew exactly how to get to the hospital and knew they spoke enough English to be able to communicate with us. God was preparing me. I actually laughed out loud when I thought about the timing of God.

COVID

As I write this, I am getting over the last of the body aches from COVID, which has been running its course through the school. So many kids and parents have been sick and absent. Teachers and students are masking up and doing what they can, but it is a nasty virus that has already caused several of our teachers to be absent. Nothing is more fun than sitting at home in a mask so your kids and wife can go to school without fear of contamination.

Work with the kids here at Manorom

We do a lot of talking about our own family and the school, but I thought I would take a second to tell you how the students here are being exposed to God’s word. Students here follow the PACE (School of Tomorrow) curriculum, which requires them to memorize bible verses to complete sections of their work. Required readings and even anecdotal stories within these PACES are all God-centric, though they vary in depth and perspective. Teachers, called supervisors and monitors here, are there to answer any questions they may have and have more in-depth conversations that might arise after reading or memorizing a certain scripture. The curriculum also uses a privilege system to score pages or use the bathroom without permission with a primary criteria being the memorization of core scripture. That means each day, the students are exposed to the bible, though at very different levels of depth, retention, or actual understanding.

In addition to PACE, the school holds an assembly every Tuesday and a chapel time every Friday. Tuesday assembly is held in a learning center (classroom), where students lead the Thai national anthem, the pledge to the Bible, and the Lord’s Prayer. Additionally, there is a short (12-20-minute) lesson or demonstration led by the Chaplain that focuses on one of Jesus’ 90 character traits. Each character trait is taught for two assemblies and is heavily drawn from Scripture and practical application.

Finally, each Friday, Chapel is led by the oldest classroom, with an introduction and worship song, followed by a 15-20-minute lesson by the Chaplain. Since the beginning of the year, we have been slowly working through the book of John, having just finished the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. These discussions are a little more in-depth, as Kindergarten does not attend, and they help pull the foreign concepts in the Bible back to something school-age kids can understand.

Personal Observations about Assembly and Chapel

I started off doing way too much. Too many bullet points and way too many takeaway points. I forgot two critical things. These are children (unlike the adults I have normally trained), and English is their second language. I have shifted and adjusted tactics so many times I have lost count, but I think I have finally hit the sweet spot of moving toward more practical or physical props to help drive the point home, slowing down, and having only one main point, not the standard Baptist three! Speaking of slowing down.

Still Waiting for the Basketball Court and Table Tennis Table

Things here happen slowly, and in the order they are received. The school hires only a few handymen, and they finish one job and move on to the next. I am not sure where these improvements are on the list, but we are still waiting. To be good stewards of our finances, we will wait until these are complete before we provide any additional funds directly to the school. However, teachers have been asking for a few quality of life improvements (furniture, whiteboards, cutting boards, portable badminton nets, that we are looking at securing for them very soon. Thank you for all the support you provide. It directly goes toward improving the lives of the kids and missionaries here at Manorom.

Jess and I trucking along at Liberty University Online

Jess and I are continuing our education to help better serve the community here and elsewhere. Time is not something that either of us has in abundance, so we ask your prayers in giving us the strength to teach full-time, parent, and work part-time at school! You may ask why we have decided to take this one right now, and that would be a valid question. But it is something we have talked about and prayed about, and we feel it is what we need to do to prepare for now and the future.

Still looking for more to serve

As always, if you know of anyone who wants to serve on short- or long-term missions and has a heart for teaching, please let us know. This is not an easy place to be. We will not sugarcoat or lure anyone in under false pretenses. But this place has so much potential to shape and mold these children if you have the heart for it. They are particularly looking for a male at the moment, especially one who can take on Physical Education, as their current instructor (me) has one too many things on his plate. 🙂

Thank you for all your support!