Frozen In Time

Day Camp Sign - Note the two churches pictured :). 

 Two days of Day Camp already!  So many exciting things to report!

First, the facility is working fantastically!  The air conditioning is definitely a bonus, and we're enjoying the half day format.  There were 56 kids on Monday and 60 on Tuesday.  Pray for creative expansion of our supplies, as we were told 50 and prepared for 60, so things could get interesting...in the best kind of way.

Monday was definitely a get-to-know-you kind of experience.  Our previous Day Camps were geared for kids who already had some English experience.  These kids, however, are at a very basic level.  This called for a on-the-fly change of plans, which the Team has handled beautifully.  Our English goals have changed significantly, and we're concentrating on days of the week, months of the year, and colours.  We're also having the children work on a short, three-sentence self introduction.  Repetition is the key.

Today everyone, including us, seemed more relaxed and engaged.  Suradet commented that some of these children would not have met 'farangs' before and could find us somewhat intimidating.  By today it seemed we were less scary.  We even got a few hugs at the end of the morning.  Lots of smiles.

Registration first Day - Megan and Heidi are loving every minute of it!

 What continues to be remarkable about this is the open door at the Buddhist school, and the eager response from parents to send their kids to learn English from the Christians from Canada that Suradet knows.  I'm not entirely sure of all that God has in mind in providing this opportunity, but we're all keeping our eyes and hearts open for how He's leading.

Some of our Day Camp kids....Learning the Days of the Week

Hot Springs own Worship Band warms up the crowd.  Boy on drums, Fruk on guitar, and Bee is lead singer. Note the Buddhist shrine int he background.

The half day format is making this very doable for the Team, particularly as the afternoons are getting hotter by the day.  It was 40C again today, and we start to feel that about 1 p.m.  Having the afternoon to just lay low means we can prepare for tomorrow, get recharged, and hang out with the kids a bit before supper.

Today I got to spend some time in the back kitchen with Yupa, Thim, Miki, Apple and Bao.  I wasn't allowed to help, but it was a big step that I was even allowed to just come and be back there.  We sat on the floor while Yupa and the girls unfolded giant banana leaves filled with Stevia purchased at the market.  They stripped off the leaves and broke the stems into small pieces all by hand.  All the while we chatted about the morning's Day Camp experience, how hot it was getting, the wonderful meal Yupa prepared for my family when she was at my house.  I felt like I had been welcomed into a new level of being family.

Later Suradet told me to get ready for something special, and he went up onto the mountain and brought back some wild honey, still in the comb, complete with bee larvae.  That's about as fresh and raw as you can get. 

Another spectacular moment.  After evening worship we were accompanied back to the guest house by at least 10 of the kids, none of whom are afraid to take the path in the dark.  They led the way.  And behind me Megan started singing "Let It Go" from the newly released movie Frozen.  On the chorus all the little girls joined in, in English, singing loudly and with great feeling.  With Kratae on my left and Tonkhao on my right, holding hands we climbed the hot and sweaty hill in a joyful troupe.  As ironically hot as we all were, I wished the moment could be 'frozen' in time, just by the sheer force of the love and delight that collected tightly around us.

Prajao Prabeeda, Father God, for these holy blessings, I am can barely find the words.....