A few random reflections to mark the end of my first week
here, this trip (February 6 to March 6).
Language Leaks
I’ll blame it on a more difficult than usual first few days
of adjustment. This past week has had me
dealing with more brain fog than I normally experience. Coming this way is usually easier on the jet
lag. Two, three days tops is all it
takes for me to get my appetite and sleeping turned around enough to fully
engage mentally and physically in my Thai life.
But this time I notice I’m not really catching what Suradet is saying
during morning worship times, and it seems a very slow process to drag my Thai
vocab from the recesses of my scrambled brain to form anything close to a
coherent sentence.
It’s always a concern.
When you’re not immersed in a language on a constant basis, it leaves
you. And as much as I try to practice,
and listen to Thai worship CDs, and write out my Thai verses every morning when
I’m in Canada, it’s a challenge for this 61 year old grey matter to keep those
new neurons firing. I’m also coming with
a longer list of ‘business’ on my mind this time out, being the new entity that
we are in New Family Foundation. There’s
a ton of behind-the-scenes work to be done with writing and signing official
documents, lots of emails flying around connecting all the right people at all
the right times so that not one, but two, government offices will be
satisfied. So there’s that.
Now that my head is clearer, my Thai conversation is
coming back. I’ve been making a better
effort in just daily interactions. And since
I hope to read Isaiah 49:8-9 in Thai as part of the beginning of my sermon on Sunday,
I will have that to practice as well, in
aid of keeping things sharp.
Sometimes I wonder what craziness prompts someone to
learn a new language at the age of 51 and keep plucking away at it for ten
years?
Less Is More
It’s the end of term and the high school kids are in a
heightened academic stress mode. Exams
are looming and there are many heavily-weighted end-of-school-year assignments
due in the next few weeks. As such I’ve
actually been asked if we can keep the Bible and ESL lessons down to about 30
minutes each school night. On the
weekends a fuller lesson is great. I’m
told the children love the songs and activities we’re doing. But we need more time in the evening to work
on school.
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| Photo Credit: Evangeline Wilton |
My first reaction to this request is that I am ever so
delighted that Suradet communicates this to me.
In a land of gringjai where it is more common to just endure something
rather than speak candidly for fear of offending, it’s another sign that I have
indeed been accepted into that next level of Thai relationship where more
honest opinions and requests can be made.
Of course I’m also happy to comply. These children have come here so they can
succeed in their futures, and a good education is a principle part of
this. To keep them from their school
books just so I can run my ‘full program’ makes no sense.
As an educator of one sort or another for most of my life
(teaching grade one Sunday school was my first real ministry position at the
age of 16) lesson plans are actually quite exciting to me. Just like preparing a sermon or any kind of
teaching, there’s so much fun to be had in presenting material in happy,
creative ways that promote both learning, and love of learning. So my tendency is, yes, to see how much goodness
we can pack into the hour. The white
board is full!
But being reduced by half provides another opportunity to
prioritize and press into creativity without losing the fun edge. ( The LAST thing I want to be remembered for
here is that either English, or – heaven forbid – the Bible was boring!!!)
Easy Twelve-Hour Days
Today I felt a familiar paradox that only seems to happen
when I’m here. I’m working a minimum 12
hour day, every day, seven days a week, but it doesn’t seem onerous or terribly
taxing. I am relaxed and rested without
feeling rushed. Even in the midst of
this large family, the introvert in me has enough time alone. How is this possible?
A big part of that reason is the split shift
component. I’m up early to begin morning
worship at 5:30 a.m., on the go running errands or having meetings or working
at ‘my desk’ (a table outside) for the entire morning. Lunch normally happens around noon. Later, when the children arrive home from
school, I’m on again, making myself available for any of our kids who want to
read their way through the newly donated (November 2018) set of early readers,
having their cards signed so they can choose a prize when all 24 squares are
filled. Supper happens, then evening
worship where all those lesson plans for ESL and Bible learning go into
action. After worship is homework time,
normally done in the computer room or by the fire, where more reading usually
happens. Bed time is around 9 p.m.
And in the afternoons, unless we are in the city for
something, I’m “off”. And it’s a common
rhythm here to lay low in the afternoon.
Naps are cultural. A low
expenditure of energy is wise in the heat of the day. And generally speaking, Thais are not all
wound up around the clock like we are.
There’s a gentler flow to most days, especially here out from the
city. And I like it. This agrees with me at this stage of my life.
Valentine’s Day
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| Photo Credit: Megan Ogilvie |
Today is a day I particularly miss, appreciate, admire,
respect and love my husband. As we
navigate the calendar in this new way of ministry for me, his ability to flex, and his selfless act of releasing me to be here continues to be the unique and remarkable
hinge pin that makes it possible. Never
mind that he’s admitting on Facebook that he’s buying chocolate he intends to
eat without me. This man IS a
Valentine! So I hope the little surprise
I’ve arranged arrives as planned today.
And I can’t sing his praises enough, even as we celebrate this day of
Love on two different sides of the planet.
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