Since Sunday we have been staying at a Children's Home in Chiang Rai. It is called River Of Life Children's Home. From the moment we set foot into one of the buildings we realized that this place was not normal. We were invited into their sunday morning service, and I expected the typical children's service; a service complete with Hillsongs' Kids video worship, a Jesus picture to color, maybe some puppets, loads of candy, and a candy coated message. Not the case at all. Over the next two hours we encountered a worship service filled with passion and excellence. The kids lead the worship and they have a spot on team! Honestly, the best worship band that we have heard in Thailand. That is just crazy the team being all under 21, but these kids just know how to worship. Not only worship, but also teach and interceed. The founders of the home, Pat and Debbie, have been incredibally welcoming to us, and better yet have shared a wealth of wisdom with us. Not only are these kids some sick warriors for Christ, they are an absolute blast! We went swiming/fishing/noodlin'/muddin' in their pond:
We also got to hang out with two of the dudes' home village, which just happened to be an elephant village! And they drove their elephants, and we hung out with their grandparents, eating sugarcane and other sweets.
This was in my devotional like a week ago, and has been haunting me ever since: "It is one thing to go on the lonely way with dignified heroism, but quite another thing if the line mapped out for you by God means being a door-mat under other people's feet....Are you ready to be not so much as a drop in a bucket - to be so hopelessly insignificant that you are never thought of again in connection with the life you served?" - Oswald Chambers from My Utmost for His Highest
I am not at all close to being there, but I am closer then I was two months ago. Especially after being inspired by this 80s classic:
Our Family...We stayed a whole week with these amazing people!!!
Well it has been a little over two months and, WOW or maybe even holy crap, is all we can really say. We never thought we make it this far, It may sound cliche, but we are just so amazed at all the the things that God has allowed us to do, how much He has worked in us and through us, and has done so much the words can not really describe. He has been faithful, and ever present, provided us wisdom and peace, and showed us how to deal with our circumstances and each other. This is funny, but we were hanging out with this married couple the other day, and they were recently married, and we began talking. It seems that a lot of the challenges that newlyweds come across(concerning each other)Josh and I have dealt with. Not saying that we are married or anything, but we have literally been 30 seconds away from each other at all times for the last +2 months. But God is faithful and amazing things are coming out of our friendship.
SO what have we done and where will we go!!! We have been in Northern Thailand for almost two weeks now and got to spend some time with a Thai family. It was a great week as we dominated the local basketball court with our amazing American basketball skillzzzzz. We are so thug. Here is a video after a day of battle.
We taught English in a school and got to ask simple questions like..."What is your name," "How old are you," and"What do you think are the major implications of the global economic crisis". It was good times! We then traveled to Chiang Mai, and met up with some friends of a friend and talked about one of my favorite topics for most of the afternoon...TEXAS. Being local Austinites, good times were had as we talked about Mozarts Coffee, Kirby Lane, and Freebirds...OH FREEBIRDS. We then met a dude at our guesthouse who invited us to go to Chiang Rai for a worship conference for the youth of the area. We were already planning on going to Chiang Rai to work at an orphanage, so we jumped on the chance to party with some Thai youth! Next is Laos, and we cant be more pumped. The prospect of a 2 day boat ride to our city is an awesome idea, one of which i can not wait to experience...More to come!!!
Josh's preferred form of transport to and from streetball magic
Over the River and Through the Woods to Rambo's House We Go...That's Right you are Looking at Burma!
To All You Haters Who Said It Couldn't Be Done...Facial Hair is a Total Go
This is Our Squad Ripe after 4 or 5 Consecutive Wins!!!
Ok so me and Josh have lived in the same room for over 8 months now. Needless to say, we know each other very well and know how to push each others buttons. One of the things that Josh really hates is Pillow Talk. I love it and really know that if I push long enough Josh will get really ticked and utter some of the most hilarious phrases in the history of man. I kid you not. Last night after 20 min of Pillow Talk this dialogue was birthed.
Josh- "Dude I hate this" Me-"HEHEHEHEHAAAAAHHHaAAA" Josh-"Dude you were that kid at summer camp" Me- "Of course dude I was MR. Youth Group" Josh- " No dude you were that kid. You know the kid that i would plays bows and arrows with just long enough to get him to go on the blob with me."
This may be the best fat joke in the history of our friendship. For those of you who do not know me that well, I am, well lets say a lil plump. Anyway watch this video and enjoy a classic scene from the movie Heavy Weights!
Ok so it has been quite awhile since my last blog post. Sorry bout that, but I was in the trenches battling a very gnarly collapsed lung. It was so brutal, but i survived... Rambo would have been proud. So last week we were in a small town named Ratchaburi and got to teach English, and minister to some Burmese refugees in a little village outside of the town. That was fun, and the kids that we got to hang out with seemed to be really interested in the Gospel, so it was an amazing chance to spend some quality time with some awesome ninos. http://www.ywamthai.org/ratchaburi/ This next week, we will be traveling to the North of Thailand, leaving Bangkok behind for the last time. It will be weird knowing that we will not be coming back here, as we have made so many awesome connections and have, in a way, made this city home. In the North, we will spend our remaining 3 weeks(ish) traveling around visiting a village(whose name we do not know), Chang Mai, and finally in Chang Rai, before heading on to Laos. It should be a very interesting and packed time. Missing everyone! Oliver
Here are some videos that we have finally had the time to edit and post. again like the last video these are not for the squeemish so be ready cause BOYS WILL BE BOYS
spiders taste good!!!
umm i just watched the video for the first time and now realize that youtube decided that the dragonforce audio track wasnt worthy of youtube glory so just put in some headphones and rock out to your fav jam while you watch it!
About a week ago Oliver thought he had a collapsed lung, Mordeggi assured him that it was not. Most likely he just sprained a muscle between his ribs. Regardless, it put him in a world of hurt. This world I was welcomed into shortly after Oliver started recovering. Last Wednesday night I thought I had a toothache, Mordeggi assured me that if I had no tooth, it would not ache. Twelve hours later I was one step closer to looking like a professional hockey player. But why not watch it happen:
For those who were concerned during the video, I was very adequately numb, and the hole is closed up. I even chewed some Pad Thai on the left side of my mouth for the first time in around a year. I am keeping the tooth and might put it on a necklace.
We left Cambodia on Friday and stayed in Bangkok near the river closer to the city and the bus station. This was important because Monday we hit the road to go to Rachaburi to work with a YWAM couple there. Rachaburi is famous for the floating market, so hopefully we can view that, with snorkles! We spent Saturday and Sunday in Bangkok hanging with the YWAM crew, going to churches, and on Sunday night we went into some of the "red-light" alleys with a man named Jim that we met at church. Jim organizes The Well and he has one of the most amazing fathering hearts I have ever encountered. We are constantly being amazed and humbled here. Please keep us in your prayers over there! "Do justly, Love mercy, and walk humbly with The Lord your God!" I read that this morning and I love the simplicity of it!
As our week here in Cambodia progressed Oliver and I kept thinking to ourselves: "How cool is it that we ended up coming here!"What we first thought was going to be a glorified border run, has completely turned divine!The missionary couple from Namibia that we have been staying with has given us so much wisdom and laughs.When asked what their country is like they responded: "Have you seen The God's Must Be Crazy?"That movie being a childhood favorite of mine, I emphatically responded a yes.They have shared much about their lives before, and during their time on the mission field.The last week has been full of some of the best fellowship I have had overseas.They also have two sons: Gideon and Anton, they are totally turbo tots.We babysat them last night, Oliver and I totally out-turboed those boys. But the after effects are hitting us; I have a headache and some swole glands, and Oliver has a lot of bodily problems.This is the first time on the trip we have both been a little ill on the same day, but it's all part of the experience.Come to think of it, Sunday afternoons really are the best times to regain your health, especially when you have a big outreach the next morning.Tomorrow morning we will be waking at 5 am (which is possible in Cambodia, remember they have real coffee), and beating to city traffic to a small village in middle-Cambodia.So please pray that we are in health when we wake tomorrow! Oh, just in case you have never been blessed by "The God's Must Be Crazy", here is a quick clip:
We have visited many orphanages as well as some important Cambodian historical sites in this past week.The NGO (Non-Government Organization) that Mordegi (our contact) is working with has connections with most every orphanage in Phnom Penh.We have gotten to work with three orphanages this week, and played with a lot of ninos.Here are some of the favorite pictures and a video montage of the week from orphanages:
And the baby with the Texas doo rag!
We also got to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and "The Killing Fields." Visiting these two places really broke my heart for the Cambodian people. I understand a myriad more about the current state of this place. Cultural research is invaluable! I am convinced of this more and more every day. I wish I did more before I left the States! To inform yourself f the bloody past of Cambodia watch the below video and be informed:
This is a poem that describes what the Khmer Rouge leaders enacted during their rule. Click the picture to inlarge it.
S-21:
The Killing Fields:We gear up for another week, and much travels. From Phnom Penh to Bangkok to Rachaburi. Keep us in your prayers!
-Josh
We also got to hang out with two of the dudes' home village, which just happened to be an elephant village! And they drove their elephants, and we hung out with their grandparents, eating sugarcane and other sweets.
Much Love,
