Saturday, July 25, 2009
give thanks.
Thankfully, we've been able to update this with very little stress! We've found faster internet and were able to upload pictures and write stories quite easily. After a few stressful attempts at this, we are really thankful. Enjoy this with us :)
thanksgiving in july!
July 24 was Thanksgiving Day (or Blessings Day) at Noh Bo Academy. Twelve years ago, the Thai government came to the school and said they needed the land so the school would have to close. The teachers and students fasted and prayed for the school for three days. The Thai government came back and said they didn't need the land anymore, and Noh Bo could continue to meet. Every year, they have competitions and celebrate the anniversary.
The kids are divided into four teams: red, blue, green, and yellow. There are competitions between the teams in football, caneball, volleyball (girls and boys), singing, and reciting. The singing is one girl and one boy from each team who sing a student-written song about the situation twelve years ago. As a team they also sing the school song in Karen and English. For recitations, one boy and one girl from each team recite the 22 school rules by memory (yikes). 
We got put on teams, too. Kelli was on red, which made it to the football final (a very big deal). This was the group of cheering girls all sporting our team spirit.
If you can see, the girl in the back row on the far right is Hsar Khee Lar, our Karen teacher. She is so sweet to us and teaches us patiently every day during her free time.
There was a big ceremony on Friday to hear the singing, recitations, and other special events. It was fun, but an incredibly long four hours of not really knowing what was going on. Knowing our numbers and alphabet in Karen didn't get us too far...
The kids are divided into four teams: red, blue, green, and yellow. There are competitions between the teams in football, caneball, volleyball (girls and boys), singing, and reciting. The singing is one girl and one boy from each team who sing a student-written song about the situation twelve years ago. As a team they also sing the school song in Karen and English. For recitations, one boy and one girl from each team recite the 22 school rules by memory (yikes). 
We got put on teams, too. Kelli was on red, which made it to the football final (a very big deal). This was the group of cheering girls all sporting our team spirit.
If you can see, the girl in the back row on the far right is Hsar Khee Lar, our Karen teacher. She is so sweet to us and teaches us patiently every day during her free time.
There was a big ceremony on Friday to hear the singing, recitations, and other special events. It was fun, but an incredibly long four hours of not really knowing what was going on. Knowing our numbers and alphabet in Karen didn't get us too far... We did get to participate a bit. This picture is Stephen getting to hand out prizes at the end. We also were asked to "sing a special song" with the band. This was fine, except that they sing FAST. They start fast and then they get faster. So, we sang "You Said" at incredible speed, and gave them a bout of laughter in the middle.
This is Stephen and I in a coffee shop in Mae Sot. We've come back this weekend to regroup and make tests for the kids...we have to give exams this next week and give them marks for July.
This is Stephen and I in a coffee shop in Mae Sot. We've come back this weekend to regroup and make tests for the kids...we have to give exams this next week and give them marks for July. Thanks for the continued prayers. We're headed back to Noh Bo tomorrow for two more wonderful weeks, and then we've got a few days of rest before tackling the America and whatever God has for us. Please keep up the prayers; we're dependent on them.
oh, my.
We really can't capture their athletic ability in pictures, but we have to at least include a few. This is caneball (or takraw or kball), which is a mix of soccer and volleyball. You use your feet and head similar to soccer, but you play over a net with the three-hit pattern of volleyball. It's absolutely incredible to watch them.
This was the tournament for Thanksgiving Day competitions. As you see the pictures, just keep in mind they all landed on their feet and kept playing like it was completely natural to move like that.
Can you see his foot in this one? It's directly above his head.
This was the tournament for Thanksgiving Day competitions. As you see the pictures, just keep in mind they all landed on their feet and kept playing like it was completely natural to move like that.
Can you see his foot in this one? It's directly above his head.welcome to the hut.
This is our lovely home at Noh Bo! We both live in a volunteers hut on the school campus. There are also two boys dorms and one girls dorm that are similar to ours. For the volunteers, the boys rooms are to the left (so Stephen and one other guy live there). The kitchen and common area are in the middle, and then the girls rooms are to the right (where Kelli lives with one other female volunteer). It's absolutely lovely, made of bamboo and teak wood with a roof made of leaves. It sounds incredible when it rains.
After a days of prodding the kids, they come to visit us now in the evenings. This was one night of painting and games. This particular picture is taken in the common area, where we have meals and such.
Poh Reh is one of the grade 12 students.
Quite a few of the kids are learning guitar and have liked learning English songs from Stephen. This is a view of them playing on the front porch.
Toela has been a big help with translating for us. He has a very kind heart and seems to be very genuinely seeking the Lord.Saturday, July 11, 2009
beautiful kids.
We are currently in Mae Sot for a weekend of rest and nourishment. The last two weeks in Noh Bo have been great; the students are so smart. We teach during the days. We do Bible together on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings; Kelli teaches sixth, eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades. Stephen teaches two fifth grades and social studies to the eleventh and twelfth graders.
In the afternoons, the kids love to play sports. We try to play along, but stick out pretty badly! Stephen played football for an hour and touched the ball twice. We have fared better at volleyball, but definitely have our share of screwups. They figured out we can tell they are talkig about us when they say our names, so they've switched to "thramu" (teacher) and "gulawah" (white person).
We are heading back today for at least another two weeks. We have absolutely no internet in the area, so we are sorry updates are few and far between! Even internet in Mae Sot has been frustrating. Even so, please continue to pray and lift us up. We know this is where God has us, but he is stretching us and showing us our dependence on Him.
Kelli trying jack fruit that the kids brought us.
Here we are on the porch to the volunteer hut, where the kids come to hang out with us in the evenings. The boys brought us mango and durian to try this night. The mango was delicious.
This is the view from the volunteer hut we live in. There is lots of fog in the mornings during rainy season, but you can see the large football field of mud and the girls dormitory across the way.
The boys are faithful to play football for hours each day, no matter the weather. Here they are sliding in the mud while we watch from our clean, dry porch.
In the afternoons, the kids love to play sports. We try to play along, but stick out pretty badly! Stephen played football for an hour and touched the ball twice. We have fared better at volleyball, but definitely have our share of screwups. They figured out we can tell they are talkig about us when they say our names, so they've switched to "thramu" (teacher) and "gulawah" (white person).
We are heading back today for at least another two weeks. We have absolutely no internet in the area, so we are sorry updates are few and far between! Even internet in Mae Sot has been frustrating. Even so, please continue to pray and lift us up. We know this is where God has us, but he is stretching us and showing us our dependence on Him.
Kelli trying jack fruit that the kids brought us.
Here we are on the porch to the volunteer hut, where the kids come to hang out with us in the evenings. The boys brought us mango and durian to try this night. The mango was delicious.
This is the view from the volunteer hut we live in. There is lots of fog in the mornings during rainy season, but you can see the large football field of mud and the girls dormitory across the way. 
The boys are faithful to play football for hours each day, no matter the weather. Here they are sliding in the mud while we watch from our clean, dry porch.Thank you for your faithfulness to pray. Here are some specifics to help:
- energy and patience in the daily stresses of teaching, sports, and relationships
- that our conversations and impact would be eternal
- Kelli's new, two-week-old neice, Emma; she's been in and out of the hospital with unknown health issues. this is especially scary from such a distance, so please be praying
- stress with what awaits us in August as we return to a very stressful two months of finding jobs, a place to settle, and plan a wedding...we are confident this is where God called us to be, but it has left us in a place of utter dependence.
Ta blut doh ma!
(Thank you very much)
Saturday, June 27, 2009
more pictures of popphra!
We got a few more pictures uploaded; sorry they are so small. The internet just can't handle anything bigger. Enjoy!
Stephen and Kelli with John, a Christian English teacher at the Thai school. We taught some of his classes, had lunch with him every day, and were invited to his house for dinner one evening. We ask that you pray for him as he is in such a dark place and a very young Christian.
These are all out of order, but this was one of the older kids at Thoo Mweh Khee singing a special song to us as we left. They called us up to the stage, presented us with Karen bags, and said their goodbyes. We were able to thank them and pray for them. It was such an honor to be so warmly treated after just two weeks.
Kelli teaching her third grade class.
Stephen with his fifth grade class.
We were just minutes drive from the Thai-Burma border. The pastor we worked with had connections along the border and was able to get through the checkpoints easily. This is us just along the border (which is formed by the river); we are standing in Thailand and Burma is directly behind us.
This is the group of volunteers that were at Popphra (plus the English teacher, John). It was a hard week, but we really feel like God had us there and we were forced to depend on Him.
Stephen and Kelli with John, a Christian English teacher at the Thai school. We taught some of his classes, had lunch with him every day, and were invited to his house for dinner one evening. We ask that you pray for him as he is in such a dark place and a very young Christian. 
These are all out of order, but this was one of the older kids at Thoo Mweh Khee singing a special song to us as we left. They called us up to the stage, presented us with Karen bags, and said their goodbyes. We were able to thank them and pray for them. It was such an honor to be so warmly treated after just two weeks.
Kelli teaching her third grade class.
Stephen with his fifth grade class.
We were just minutes drive from the Thai-Burma border. The pastor we worked with had connections along the border and was able to get through the checkpoints easily. This is us just along the border (which is formed by the river); we are standing in Thailand and Burma is directly behind us.This is link to see where we are along the border. We've spend some weekends in Mae Sod (or Mae Sot) to the north and spent the last two weeks in Popphra (or Phop Phra). About an hour south.
This is the group of volunteers that were at Popphra (plus the English teacher, John). It was a hard week, but we really feel like God had us there and we were forced to depend on Him.Thanks for your prayers! Please continue to pray as we are heading out to Noh Bo in an hour.
a couple pictures from popphra (pope-rah)
We've just finished two weeks of teaching at Thoo Mweh Khee Migrant School and a Thai school in Popphra, Thailand. We really loved our classes at the migrant school and everyone was so kind. The Thai school was a much harder environment. There was a very strong Buddhist presence that was difficult. We did meet two Christian teachers that we got to know and were able to encourage. We've included just a couple pictures of us teaching. We'll try to get a better internet connection soon so we can get you more...
Kelli with her "third grade" class, ages 9 to 14.
Stephen teaching English words for family to his "fifth grade" class, ages 13 to 19.
As of tomorrow we will be heading to Noh Bo, where we were originally headed. It is now a safe area for us to be in, so we'll be there for the rest of our time in Thailand. We are really looking forward to this and think it will be a better fit for our gifts. We'll have much more time with the kids personally.
Please keep up your prayers--for energy, selflessness, and love for the kids. We've been praying for a supernatural ability to remember names and learn Karen, too.
Kelli with her "third grade" class, ages 9 to 14. 
Stephen teaching English words for family to his "fifth grade" class, ages 13 to 19.As of tomorrow we will be heading to Noh Bo, where we were originally headed. It is now a safe area for us to be in, so we'll be there for the rest of our time in Thailand. We are really looking forward to this and think it will be a better fit for our gifts. We'll have much more time with the kids personally.
Please keep up your prayers--for energy, selflessness, and love for the kids. We've been praying for a supernatural ability to remember names and learn Karen, too.
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