This way, I get to celebrate Thanksgiving twice in one year. I figure one can't go wrong being grateful a little more often in life. Typically, for the US Thanksgiving celebration in our home, I will make a turkey (or ham) dinner for the family and we'll have pumpkin pie (or maybe something apple-y) for dessert. Sometimes we play games or just enjoy visiting and laughing with each other. I feel so rich.
Once in awhile we actually have American family or friends at our house over the US Thanksgiving. That seems especially celebratory. This year, as the American Thanksgiving arrives, we are neither at home nor with our family (I'm talking the Kenites, or the Tribe of Dan or the applepeople) nor with American friends that we have known for years.
That's because we are half way around the world! Literally, we are 12 hours ahead of "home time". What brought us here to Chiang Mai, Thailand for a few weeks in November is the fact that Ken was put on the IGo (Institute for Global Opportunities) Board back in January of this year and the fact that the Board members are encouraged to visit the Institute at least once in the five years of their term on the Board and the fact that Ken was asked to teach the Life of Christ class during third term of first semester at IGo this school year.
I guess the Board and the other people that decide these things thought they're not going to waste any time having Ken do his once-in-five-years visit, so they decided to bam - ask him to teach a course only 10 months after coming on the Board. Essentially, they asked him to make the visit to IGo and to hang around for three weeks while he's at it.
So, Ken consented to teach, and here we are. We've had such a good time getting to know the staff and students these three weeks. It's a small term, with only seven students enrolled, which has its own particular benefits. If the group would be large, I'm not sure that we'd as easily find out that Byron is trying to learn Spanish, or that Marcus is passionate about developing discipleship in his local church, or that Carla has a quirky habit when it comes to putting away her socks after laundry day.
Or that Lori, the dean of women, can make a mean pot of pumpkin spice latte to serve for snack after chapel on Thanksgiving Day. There have been other acknowledgements of the holiday today since we are in the company of Americans. We spent some time in morning chapel collectively focusing on gratitude.
One aspect of that was audibly thanking God for who He is, Asian prayer style. This means that everyone prayed aloud, at the same time. (It's different than we're used to, and noisy, but powerful.) We also gathered around a Thankful poster that we had been adding items to all week, and verbally thanked God for what we read on the sheet.
On Wednesdays here at IGo, most of the morning chapel session is spent in prayer. The staff and students meet in small groups to share specific prayer requests with each other and to take turns praying about those needs. I found those times of prayer to be so refreshing. This week during our prayer group gathering, Secretary Janelle mentioned something that really struck me. In thinking ahead to Thanksgiving Day, she talked about wanting to be grateful for the gifts that come with change in our lives.
So often we lament the things that change takes from us, and fail to notice the blessings that change adds. For her, living here in Thailand has meant living far away from family, struggling with the language barrier, dreading the heat and smog of dry season. But it has also expanded her knowledge of other cultures, brought growth of character, provided a wonderful group of people to learn to know and work with.
I took that as my piece of inspiration for the day. It helps me as I process some of the losses that come with our being here. Like not being home to welcome daughter Kerra when she arrives there from Faith Builders. We don't get in on any of her long Thanksgiving Break. And I really hated it that we weren't there when Kayleen and Carlin came back from their honeymoon and opened their wedding gifts. It would have been so nice to ooh and ahh with them over the items and to help them pack up the gifts in our van for hauling to The Carleen House in Guys Mills, PA.
At the same time, we have enjoyed so many blessings that come with our being here. My list of things I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving includes numerous things that wouldn't be there, had we not come to IGo.
Here are some of them:
The flowers and plants around here are incredible! I could go crazy taking pictures of all the beauty.
It was our privilege to interact with and learn from these dear people. Allen was the other guest teacher this term. He was an excellent coach for Ken who was a rather newbie teacher. Carolyn encouraged me by her example of faithfulness and prayer.
I got to sit in on most of Ken's classes, joining the studious IGo youth in learning more of The Life of Christ, and the impact that has on our own lives. We have thoroughly enjoyed discussions with these young adults, both inside and outside of class.
I looked after this young chap, Kai, a few days for an hour or so when his mom was in Allen's class on Church Planting. Kai helped to provide my grandma fix for the day!
IGo seems to be a place to make connections! We so enjoyed chatting with Renita, a friend (and relative) from back home, over lunch one Sunday.
The variety of tasty fruits here is phenomenal. Those small-potato-looking things on the tray are longkong fruit. They have a soft, bland-colored interior that tastes pleasantly sweet and citrus-y.
Amphan, the Thai cook here at IGo made a special dessert in which she hollowed out little pumpkins and baked a custard right inside them. When they were cooled, she cut them into wedges, and we ate them, rind and all. This is as close as we got to having pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving week.
I'm not sure what this dish is called, but it involved pork two different ways and noodles two different ways. (Those "noodle pouches" there on the right had ground pork and seasoning inside.) With the broth and choice of toppings to add to my bowl, I ended up with the best pork soup I have ever eaten.
These young ladies from Compassion Home decided among themselves to hold up heart symbols on this pose. Aww, love you right back!
This market vendor was cutting up jack fruit to sell at her streetside stand. I didn't buy any, but I have eaten jack fruit other times and enjoyed it a lot. The taste is similar to strawberries, which is surprising considering the vast differences between the two fruits.
This photo shows some typical modes of transportation here in the city. The pickup-like vehicle parked along the street is a songtheaw (Thai, for two-bencher) which is used as a large taxi. Cycles, or bikes, as they are more commonly called, are plentiful everywhere you go. This particular bike has a cart attached, which isn't quite as common to see in the mooban (village) where IGo is located. When Ken and I walk in the mooban, we often see children riding with an adult on a bike like this. No helmets or other safety features are required, it seems!
This Post's Quote:
Since we are in Thailand, we've discovered a bottled drink that is currently trending here. The drink has chunks of fruit and little squares of gelatin-y stuff in it. When the IGo students were describing it and discussing its merits (and de-merits), one fellow drawled, "I prefer not to chew my drink."
This Post's Childhood Memory:
Our family would sometimes get asked to sing a song or two for an informal audience, such as in the living room of our friends' house when we were guests in their home and were preparing to leave, or some situation like that. We'd find a song that worked, and sing that one every time. For awhile, we were stuck on the song "Thank You, Lord, For Your Blessings on Me." (I think it was mostly Mom who kept us in that rut.) The chorus went like this: "There's a roof up above me; I've a good place to sleep. There's food on my table, and shoes on my feet. You gave me Your love, Lord, and a fine fam-i-ly, And I thank You, Lord, for Your blessings on me." I'm guessing it was that "fine family" line in there that made Mom pick it every time! (Winky face)
Esther was visiting Chiang Mei too, just this last week! They are in a beach community now (can't remember the name) and will finish their travel with a few days in Japan. Wouldn't it have been funny if your paths had crossed. Your experiences remind me of my times in Cambodia.
ReplyDeleteWow, that would've been something! I wonder how close we actually were to each other. Thanks for replying.
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