I hope you have had an enjoyable, productive, happy, and prosperous week.
We have had a good, uneventful week in little old Mae Sa Luang. (By uneventful, I mean nothing out of the ordinary as there is always something happening.) The students are getting better at English everyday, my Bible students all got A's on their quizzes, and just overall a rather good week. Well, minus seeing another snake! Ah! I do not like them! I was taking a walk minding my own business, when I hear something move in the bushes. I look and it was an 18" or so snake. It freaked me out and needless to say, my walk was finished for the day. Yes, it was probably just a harmless garden type snake, but still... ICK!
Before I get into the pictures from this past weekend, I have a random story from the week that I think is funny. One of my students after class asked me, "Ajan, do we have class singasong?" My response, "What?" He replied, "Do we have class sing a song?" This made me laugh! He was asking about choir class, but called it class sing a song. It totally makes sense, but I just found it hysterical. Some of the things they say can make you laugh pretty hard.
This past weekend we had planned to visit one maybe two refugee camps. We left after English class on Friday and were ready for a four hour road trip to the headquarters where we get our permission papers. Everything went smoothly to HQ. When we got there however, they said that roads weren't good enough to take our 4-wheel drive vehicle. We needed to rent one that was lifted due to it being rainy season, which was quite pricey and we'd have to wait a couple of days. Well, I guess all I can say is "wtt!" (Welcome to Thailand!) We make plans and then they change quite often. After about 2 1/2 hours of negotiating and finding out about the other camp and maybe 20 phone calls or so, we had plans of going to the other camp- hopefully. :) We were back in the car for another 2 hour drive. Things worked out pretty much perfectly from there on out. It was really an answer to prayers. I know we were all praying.
We were able to visit the Mae Sa Rian Camp. We met the family of a very sweet lady who is currently working for Legacy. They were happy to have visitors. We were happy to meet and visit with them. Imagine, five people you've never met, three of which are another ethnicity and do not speak your language show up at your door unannounced to talk to you. I'm sure most of us would be less than thrilled. In our busy lives, that means pushing the pause button and entertaining these people. In our case this trip, we think they knew we were coming because the lady who works here is able to talk to her family. There were so welcoming and happy to have us there. It just amazed me.
This was my first trip to a refugee camp. It was definitely very humbling. I simply had to stop and think about the many things that I take for granted on a daily basis. We are all very blessed; some of us much more than others. It seems in the traveling that I've done, the people who have the least are the ones who really understand what life is all about and are truly the happiest people. They are thankful for the small things. Many times, we overlook the small things because our lives (well, at least mine) can become cluttered with the noise of life and I forget to appreciate life fully.
Thailand has provided refuge and economic opportunities for large numbers of
Burmese people over recent decades. Refugee camps were established on the Burma-
Thailand Border during the 1980s in order to accommodate people displaced as ethnic
Karen, Karenni and Shan armed groups lost control over territory to the Burmese
military. Continued low-level armed conflict in the border areas has maintained the need
for the camps, with some people newly displaced and return to Burma unrealistic for
most refugees. Many refugees have been living in the camps for as long as 22 years
and are almost completely dependent on external assistance. Separate from the camps,
it is estimated that up to 2 million Burmese may now be living in Thailand, the vast
majority integrated into the Thai economy.Thailand has provided refuge and economic opportunities for large numbers of
Burmese people over recent decades. Refugee camps were established on the Burma-
Thailand Border during the 1980s in order to accommodate people displaced as ethnic
Karen, Karenni and Shan armed groups lost control over territory to the Burmese
military. Continued low-level armed conflict in the border areas has maintained the need
for the camps, with some people newly displaced and return to Burma unrealistic for
most refugees. Many refugees have been living in the camps for as long as 22 years
and are almost completely dependent on external assistance. Separate from the camps,
it is estimated that up to 2 million Burmese may now be living in Thailand, the vast
majority integrated into the Thai economy.
I would recommend checking out this website, if you're interested in further information. I found it very interesting. It helps understand Burma/ Myanmar and what's going on over there. It also gives you a basic idea of what the people who were in the camps went through before getting there.)
We got up early in the morning to make our trip to the camp. It was a two hour drive to the camp and then about an hour/ hour and a half trek to the family's home.
This was on the way to the camp. I'm trying to master my skills at photography out the window of a moving vehicle.
This was our faithful, amazing truck. It just looks like a plane toyota truck, but with prayers it was awesome! The following pictures are of the drive to the camp, but they do not do it justice!
This was a nice size road- it even had markers down the middle.
However, I think they are used to line up the middle of the truck down the road.
You can't really tell from the angle I took the picture.
You think this looks like a sidewalk?
Well, so did Erika and I, but nope, it's a road.
We even battled with cows in the middle of the road.
Who needs a road when you have a riverbed???
This was a toughie to cross, but will all of us praying and the durable 4-wheel drive truck all was well. We were told before going that we would have to drive 2 hours in and then walk because of the river. So with that in mind, after we crossed a couple of these rivers, I told Erika, "There must be a mighty big river, if we can't cross it with this thing."
Another little house with lots of green.
Yep! I was right! That's a pretty big river. I think our driver is contemplating crossing it in the truck though. :) Maybe we should swim?
No swimming necessary,
we have a lovely bamboo bridge to cross.
This was the first of about five.
Photo Credit: Nathan
This was taken from the family's house looking at the camp.
Kids everywhere LOVE sugar! I was sitting in the kitchen and thought this was absolutely adorable. He's the baby of the family.
"What sugar?"
Photo Credit: Nathan
All of us crossing on the bridge on the way back to the truck.
Notice it's the white girls who are holding on to the handrails for dear life. :)
Almost to the truck... we were sweaty, gross, dirty/ muddy, and
in dire of need of showers at this point.
This is the whole gang. They came with us to the truck to get the food and clothes that we brought with us. They had to carry it back to the house. I don't think they minded. They were super excited to get the vegetables and fruit to add some variety to their meals.
The guys got to ride in the back of the truck.
I think they enjoyed it.
It looked like fun, but I was thankful
to be a girl that day and be with chivalrous guys.
Ms. Erika and I got to ride in the cab of the truck.
Notice she is gripping my arm for dear life.
That's not because she was afraid (at least that's what she says;)),
but because it's manual and the road was bumpy to say the least.
We didn't want her kneeing the gear shift.
We don't look tired at all. Not the most flattering picture of us, but this was us cozy in cab. You can see out driver too who was really chill throughout the whole trip. He wasn't nervous at all even when we thought we were going to be stuck. He was definitely a Godsend. He wasn't even frustrated when...
thankfully after we got back to the main road,
we had a flat tire after hitting a small rock.
The guys got right with it.
They could work at a tire shop
or in the pits of NASCAR.
Following our little adventure, we were back in the car for another 2 more hours to a hostel, which had warm showers and soft beds. I don't think I've felt that dirty in a long time. I was really, really thankful for a warm shower and good night's sleep on a soft mattress.
It was after this trip that I realized, I don't think I'll EVER take for granted the amazingness of a warm/ hot shower or the luxury of a soft bed.
Speaking of things, I won't take for granted... in study hall this past week, I was talking with one of the students. He saw I had a textbook and asked me, if I was in school and what I was studying. I asked him about studying and if he went to college (some of our students have some college under their belts) he didn't, but he has finished high school. He did however say, if he had money, he would want to go to college. It really touched my heart. Not only am I blessed enough to have graduated from high school, have a Bachelor's degree, but I now have the opportunity to pursue a master's degree. It's another one of those things that I get caught up and though I am most thankful for my education, I think maybe I forget how blessed I am to be able to further my education.
Well, I think that brings everyone up to speed on my life thus far. This upcoming should be pretty low key... teaching classes, doing homework and staying out of trouble. :) Please remember us in your prayers as always they are much appreciated.
Hope all of you have a fabulous week!! For those of you starting school this next week, have fun!! Remember there are many people, who don't have that opportunity. For those of you who are teachers, look for opportunities to inspire. There are those who would love to be able to teach that same class you get to teach.
Sending Love and Hugs,
Lainy J.
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