Life Lately

Thailand was a good time for rest, orientation, and talking with friends and family. Still, we missed our home here in country and were more than ready to get back. Leah and I both received our 70 day business visas with no problems which is a huge blessing.

We got back in country on Tuesday night and had a busy day of teaching the next day. We teach at a school for the Good Book called AMBC each Wednesday. Leah teaches the advanced English class and I teach the beginners. Afterwards our supervisor teaches a class about how to plant fellowship groups. AMBC is a wonderful place that I have come to love very much. This is the school that Eldon* started and runs. Our friend Erin,* Eldon’s sister, is a student in Leah’s advanced English class there as well. There are roughly 40 students ages 16-33, who are like-minded brothers and sisters. Some grew up in believing families and others just recently have joined the Father’s family- regardless of background they are eager to learn more about the Good Book and how to share the Good News with those who have not heard. AMBC is filled with joy and deep faith, its students are an incredible encouragement to us both. Please lift up this place and its students. Ask the Father to continue to provide for the school and that the students will continue to learn and grow while there.

The AMBC Students!

Erin and I

We continue to study language and are becoming better friends with our language teachers. On Tuesdays, our teacher is Sue.* Sue is a beautiful local and great teacher. She has a real heart to help people learn her language. Sue is a devout believer of the main religion here. She has heard but is resistant to the Good News. Recently, her mother passed away and both Sue and her father have been experiencing trouble sleeping. Would you talk to the Father about Sue and her family? Ask for comfort, peace, seeking minds, and open hearts. Also lift up the time that Leah and I have with her- that it would be fruitful with opportunities to continue sharing with her. On Thursdays, our teacher is Daisy.* She is a like-minded local. Daisy is very funny and has been a good cultural informant for us. We hope to be an encouragement to her and would ask that you also lift up our time with her.

This past Monday, we began teaching another English class. This one is for the business where Leah volunteers as an English consultant. The students are all interested in becoming workers in the tourist industry as receptionists, tour guides, waiters, and chefs. We have around ten students and all but one are part of the Family. They have already taken us out for a day of sightseeing around our city. I am excited for the friends we hope they will become. This leads me to an area of ministry that we are really seeking the Father’s guidance in at this time. Leah and I are being led to start a small group that will meet once a week here in our city. We are hoping that many of the young people we have already met will be interested in being a part of whatever we start. We only have the time to commit to one group and so want to be very intentional with where, when, who, and how. Will you ask the Father to guide us and give us His vision for this work?

Another friend we met this week is a young woman named Pam.* She is absolutely incredible and has a wonderful story. Pam is from the northern part of our country but felt the Father leading her to do ministry near our city where many have not heard the Truth yet. She moved by herself to a new area, built a house, and has been sharing with those she lives near. Now each week a group meets in her home to fellowship. She and the others who are like-minded have faced much persecution but they continue to be faithful. Throughout our time here we will travel to her area to share with the people there and put on some English camps where our lessons will be based on stories from the Good Book. Please lift her, her ministry, and fellowship group up.

One last friend I want to tell you about is another young woman named Fran.* I met her in the oddest way and it is clear to me that the Father placed her in my path for  a reason. A few weeks ago I ventured downtown alone to pick up Leah’s camera. It had been damaged and she had taken it to a shop to get repaired. We needed to pick it up that day but she was sick and could not go, so I went out for my first solo adventure. Downtown is quite far from our house and I was going to a place I had never been before. It was quite the adventure and I really enjoyed it but the whole trip ended up taking 6 hours, 5 buses and a taxi to complete. Needless to say I was pretty tuckered out by the time I was almost home. This is where Fran comes in. I was on the last bus I took and incredibly out of it when a young woman came and sat down next to me. I said hello and asked a question in Burmese, to my astonishment she responded in English! It was a glorious sound to me at that point. We began to talk and ended up exchanging phone numbers- something I had never done on a bus with a stranger before. Since then we have gotten together twice. The first time we spent a whole afternoon together. Our conversations are good for her to practice her English and for us to practice our Burmese. Fran is Chinese but her family has lived in our country for generations. She speaks 3 languages fluently and 2 fairly well! We have found out that she has heard parts of the Good News but not all of it. She remains lost. Our hope is that we can continue meeting with her and sharing the Truth. Please be lifting Fran and our time with her up.

Fran, Leah, and I

Cultural Corner: Another fun difference between our country and America lies in the world of fashion. Here women rarely wear short skirts or shorts. Instead, most women wear long skirts called longyis (pronounced lone-gee). Longyis come in a million different prints and colors. Each people group has their own traditional woven patterns that are often used for the longyi fabric. Often times they have matching three quarters length sleeve shirts on top or a simple T-shirt. The skirts can get hot but they are really beautiful and I quite enjoy wearing them.

The fun thing about longyis is that they aren’t just for girls. That’s right folks- the men wear them too. I’ll be honest that it took some getting used to to see over half of the men on the street in what look like skirts to us. The men’s longyis are not as bright and colorful. They are usually plaid and in more muted tones. Another difference is in the way they are tied. The girls wrap theirs and the men tie theirs in this weird folded knot thing. If they are playing sports or doing another activity where a longyi might get in the way the men simply fold them and tie them up into a sort of loin-cloth/shorts version of the longyi. This style is not acceptable for women, however. On the top a white tank-top, button up shirt, or t-shirt are all common pairings.

An example of the men in longyis

For everyone the shoe of choice is flip-flops. Umbrellas are a must have accessory year round- if not for the rain, then for protection from the hot sun. Bags are also acceptable for both men and women to carry. Though usually the men carry more masculine over the shoulder or messenger type bags. Thin gold bracelets, rings, or earrings are common and the girls often pull their hair up in pretty bun nets or twist it around large colored combs. Their style may be different from ours but it is often quite pretty. It has been a lot of fun learning new styles from the people here.

In Conclusion:

We have now been in country a month and a half. It is crazy to think about how much this place already feels comfortable and even normal. Things that I saw 4 weeks ago and ogled at don’t even phase me any more. It is a good feeling. The Father has been incredibly faithful through this time. Doors have been open, people clearly placed in our path, and His presence felt. Join me in giving thanks to Him for each of these blessings. Please continue to talk to the Father about us and the work we are doing here. You are each appreciated greatly!