Bags are Packed

It is Sunday morning here in Thailand and everything is packed and ready for me to come home. Yesterday was a very eventful day. Bob and Yo were at our training and offered to take me around town. We had some great conversations about how God works in and through our lives. They are a young couple who recently joined the Wycliffe staff to get the Bible translated for 14 different dialects in the tribal areas that are close to Laos. I can't even imagine! We took the train and boat to go to the King's Palace but it was closed for some special ceremonies. Instead, 10 minutes after we arrived they shut the street traffic down as the King and Queen passed by in their motorcade. Instead we went around town a bit and Yo showed me the university she went to. Then it was backtracking back to the hotel to go to the playground dedication that Kids Around the World built last week in the Queen's Park. There I had the opportunity to meet the Governor of Bangkok. It was great to see the kids celebrate the event and enjoy all that the equipment had to offer. Then it was back to the hotel to enjoy the privileges of having executive status in a 5 star hotel. I definitely got spoiled at the end of this trip! So what did I walk away with? - in a land where less than 1% of the people are followers of Christ, the people are hungry for ways to reach their kids - most Buddhists don't practice their faith. They are Buddhists because that is what their family is. This seems to be the trend no matter what the predominant religion of a nation is: Christianty in America, Moslem in Iraq, Hindu in India. How important to reach the kids for Christ when the spiritual foundations are being built. But also the importance of reaching families so children are being discipled at home. - Bible Storying is so impactful no matter where you are in the world with whatever age group you are with I can't thank you enough for your prayers and support. Thanks for joining me on this journey. I am always amazed that the Lord would use the likes of someone like me to further the Kingdom throughout the world. If He can use me, He can use you as well. Is He challenging you with something that you need to say yes to? Touching Heaven...Changing Earth...Together

More Adventures to Come

Today was the last day of training. The people are so eager to learn and reach their kids and community for Christ. We certainly could have used more time but I believe we gave them some really good nuggets to start with. One surprise today was to have Bob and Yo Artz join us. Bob is originally from Chicago and was teaching here where he met and eventually married Yo. They have recently started ministering with Wycliffe to get the Bible translated for some villages close to Laos. What turned out really interesting is that Yo had an instructor here in Thailand that was a close high school friend of Heather. What a small world. I will get to spend some time with them tomorrow as they wanted to show me around Bangkok before the playground dedication with Kids Around the World. It ought to be a good day spending more time with them and seeing some things here in the city. The needs are so great. The people are so appreciative. Bible Storying proves itself to be a very useful tool in teaching God's Word to any culture, any age group, any place in the world. One last thing for today: Tonight we moved to the Mariott Hotel - oh my! This place is not like anyplace I have stayed in before. We have also been given Executive privileges which means the special lounge and other things. Not your normal missions trip. Here is one example: I thought I would go down and take a quick dip in the hot tub. You go down to the spa where you are give a key for the locker. Not sure why you would need one - got my bathing suit on and will just go back up to the room. You are shown where there is a men's side which is different from the woman's. There you discover that bathing suits are not needed and that it would not be appropriate to go back up to your room in a dripping bathing suit. (I did at least manage to dry it off enough so it did not drip! Not quite there yet getting into the hot tub with other men in your birthday suit!). Needless to say - I won't complain about this kind of treatment! I will report in tomorrow after what promises to be a full day.

Bangkok - What a Difference

Jim and I got into Bangkok yesterday afternoon and got to our hotel which is in the middle of downtown. There's a taste of India here with the new being built right next to the old and all the street vendors. Sadly there is the sex industry here with everyone trying to get you to their shows, especially two men walking down the street. Last night we went to an Italian restaurant and a different tasting lasagna! After class we went about town and took some time along the major river going through the town. Tonight it was a very nice dinner with the Rotary club who sponsored the playground built by Kids Around the World which will be dedicated on Saturday. We have about 35 people at this training which represent 24 different churches and Christian organizations. They are so eager to learn how to teach their kids the Bible. Jim and I are able to teach well together going back and forth utilizing our strengths(though Jim has been taking the lead as it is mainly his materials and flannel graphs we are using. And the people love the flannels; though seemingly to be outdated in our culture, they see them as a great teaching tool.) Throughout our time together, Jim and I have revamped trying to utilize more Bible Storying techniques and find it extremely effective. Imagine having a class without notes and having it be very hands-on. The people love it. The language barrier prohibits a lot of interaction, but what we are able to have you hear how much the people appreciate the training they are receiving. Here too we are finding that the people have to write their own curriculum. It boggles our mind that there is nothing here. That might change as partnerships develop here and things can be posted online. Tomorrow we wrap up our training and for various reasons get moved to the 5 star Marriott hotel. That will be different! I will post more then!

Chiang Mai Comes to an End

There is so much more that I would have wanted to share last night but after continually falling asleep, I just pushed the publish button! The training finished well today. Jim and I complement each other really well in the strengths we bring to the training. The 45 people who attended represented 23 different churches. It was definitely a multi-generational group with many young adults and several senior citizens participating. One gentleman gave part of his testimony today. He was a month shy of becoming a Buddhist priest when he had a vision which he later discovered was Jesus. A couple years later he was in a church and saw a picture of Jesus which was the identical person in his vision. Another person talked of their dad having a vision of Christ and soon thereafter becoming a Christian. After the training we went downtown to the night market where Chuck and I got an hour long massage for $6 each! Oh did that feel good. Then we got a bite to eat and did some bargaining with the marketers. it's been great being with them and their boys. Well this body is fading fast Blessings Gary

Great First Training Day

A great day was had by all who attended  the training.  Everyone was pretty stoic at the beginning but Jim did a great job at loosening them up so by the end of the day, everyone was very engaged.  Some thins we came to realize at the end of the day is that each of the 45 participants have to come up with their own lessons each week - there is no curriculum available here in the country.  Jim and I have started talking about how could we easily put some curriculum online so the leaders have something to access.  Also, the need for training is huge.  One participant is from Burma and he is wanting to have uis come back and do a training for leaders throughout his and the outlying countries.  Opportunities abound!

 Here are some pics to help show you what this week has been like:

After teaching at the orphanage

Training participants doing Bible Storying using the flannel graphs...

Mark 6 begins

It was a blessing this morning to teach at the church on the grounds of the orphanage. The worship time reminded me so much of my times in Africa and India. A small church but everyone of all ages singing their hearts out to the Lord. I have to believe it was a sweet fragrance to the Lord. I had been prepared to use the story of Jesus and Peter walking on the water but yesterday I was feeling impressed to use the story of the Good Samaritan. It was the right story to pick. As I was speaking I found thoughts and concepts coming to mind that I had not thought when I have read the story before. I have to believe the Holy Spirit was working inside the hearts of the children and leaders. Now of course I tried to get them to interact with me during the teaching - that was going too far! So it is hard to know exactly what God was stirring inside them but I trust He was at work. After the teaching we had lunch and then made wordless bracelets and gave out candy. Erin Russell's second grade class wrote notes and did a candy drive to give to the children. I will try to post some of the pictures tomorrow. Tonight I met with Jim (Kids Around The World) and the national director of Compassion International. It was fascinating to hear them talk about the different people and organizations they know and work wih. One can see how God is endeavoring to network His people to further His Kingdom. Though the Compassion people cannot attend the trainings, you can see the desire to partnership and reach more kids for Christ. It has been a treat to be spending so much time with all the Dalbys. The encouragement we bring to one another is wonderful. Be in prayer for us all as headaches and sore throats seem to go from one person to another. It does not seem to go into a full blown cold or flu, just an irritant. Hmmmm, Mark 6. We probably need to bring out the oil along with our prayers! Okay, back to bed and see if I can get a couple more hours sleep before our first day of training. Jim and I are excited to see how our strengths complement each other as we go through the day. As always, I definitely appreciate your prayers for strength, clarity of thoughts and the Spirit to give discernment as to what is needed in all aspects of their lives.

Thailand is Hot!

After delays in all my flights, thus missing my connection from Hong Long to Bangkok, I am finally here.  It was great to meet up with Jim from Kids Around the World and Prem who is organizing all the trainings in Thailand.  Coming out of the airport you felt like you were in a sauna.  I don't know that I have ever been hit by that kind of heat at 1am!  Off to the hotel for a quick few hours of rest and then a flight to Chiang Mai in the morning.

It has been great to catch up with Chuck and Kristen Dalby and hear all that God is doing in their lives.  It's one thing for me to go half way around the world and do some training and then return home - they have moved their family for a year to minister to the kids in several orphanages in the Chiang Mai area.  Talk about surrendering everything to the Lord - but you see the fruit of the Holy Spirit in them and their boys.

This morning we went with the kids from a larger orhanage to a place where there are tiers of waterfalls as you can see in the picture below.  Not only beautiful but refreshing!  Later this afternoon one of the orther orphanages came to their home to make personal pizzas and chocolate chip cookies.  A great time was had by all!  If you go to my facebook page  you can see a picture of Zander holding the puppet he made today.  He should be proud of his accomplishment as he even had to hand sew everything!

Time for bed.  My internal clock still does not know if it is coming or going.  I teach at the orphange's church in the morning and then off to meet up with Jim for dinner with someone from Compassion Intrernational.  I will post again romorrow so stay tuned for more!