the joy of learning thai

April 27, 2008

So, my dear friends how are you doing? I hope all is going well, or at least okay for you as you read this. Thank you again for wanting to read and your prayers are so appreciated. And thank you to all who have and continue to e-mail me. It always brightens my day to receive an e-mail or note from you!

This week has been a week full of learning. To begin, I had my first full week of Thai classes-1 every day for four days in a row. It was good though sometimes I have a hard time breaking from it. I’ve even found myself dreaming about learning Thai the last few nights. Waking up, I will have a remnant of a dream stuck in my mind-me talking with my teacher, “Phuut phaasaaa Thay nitnooy.” (I can speak Thai a little, and yes that is phonetic spelling, or at least the closet I can get typing it on my laptop. It really helps when learning the language). However, there have also been some great times of me using the Thai I’m learning. Last Friday I took the afternoon for some personal time and went by the market in the evening to get something to eat. I stopped to get som-tam by the day market. (Som-tam is papaya salad—spicy but one of my favorite meals! My friend Kat and I are sadly addicted). I ended up talking Tinglish with the next customer in line. He began by asking me if I was from Utah. I replied I wasn’t but from California. It took me a while to catch on but finally I gathered that he asked because he was wondering if I was with the Mormon group of farangs that are also here in Lopburi. I replied that I wasn’t with the Mormons and was a Christian. Then, I think he said in a mix of Thai and English that the Mormons were teaching him English and their religion. I asked if he liked it and he said it was confusing. “You Christians-you have one God. The one man (I think referring to Joseph Smith in the Mormon religion) is confusing.” We talked for a bit longer and as our conversation came to a close I felt like I should tell him Jesus loved him. So I did. My friend Kat had taught me how to say it in Thai. He seemed to appreciate it. He probably had heard it before. But his smile reached his eyes. J

Then, as I was going to my bike I had discovered it had been moved to make way for a car to park. “Khaathoot kha” (I’m sorry) I said to the people sitting on the sidewalk, thinking it had probably blocked their car. “May pen ray” (never mind, don’t worry) they told me. Well, that struck up a conversation. “Chuu May” (May is my thai name—like the month of May and also short for Melody). Once the ladies found out I could speak a little Thai they were all excited. We chatted for the next 10 minutes or so, in which I probably used the extent of my Thai, covering where I’m from, how long I’m here in Thailand, what I am doing here and that they did not believe I was from America because apparently my nose doesn’t look American. I was told that I was Pinocchio—or that I was lying when I said I was from America. (and according to my teacher, my eyes also look somewhat European. Go figure!) I’m still laughing about that one. So, the person I mainly got to know, Kay, introduced me to her mom and her sister. Her sister, Ey, wanted me to talk to her boyfriend on the phone so I did—in my broken Thai. It was so funny I can just imagine it in their conversation. “Wow-a farang who can speak Thai. My boyfriend has to know about this!” And then she handed me the phone “here talk to him.” So funny. Kay and her sister sell shirts while their mom sells soft drinks. I found out they are there Monday, Thursdays, and Saturdays. I saw them again briefly last night. I was riding over there on my way to a coffeeshop and stopped to say hi. I didn’t see anyone but then heard my name, “May! May” and I stopped. I hope to go back and just sit with them for a while sometime soon. Even though I can’t converse too much more it’d be good to just sit. They seem like such fun people to get to know.

Today I went for a bike ride and just listened to God. I love going on bike rides by the chong (river). Its so beautiful and so peaceful. Times like that just loan themselves to listening to God, you know? God is definitely teaching me so much—learning to listen and be still with him. Its good.

I love life.

discovering God's heart

April 18, 2008

At this moment I am perched on my bed at the beautiful hour of almost 10pm with my fingers typing to the beat of Postal Service in a very contemplative and pensive mood and somewhat apologetic for not having written sooner. Lots to tell and lots of thoughts to process, I am glad you are a part of this journey with me.

To begin with, last week was the Songkran Festival! J It is a national holiday that has been happening for many years now and originated with people sprinkling water on each other around this time in April in order to bless one another. My understanding that over time it has now evolved into a full scale national water fight! It is one of the funnest (and yes, I know that is not a word yet it is a Melodyism that describes the week perfectly, its so hard to believe I’m college graduate sometimes) experiences you can ever have! I had the opportunity to travel up north with Bob, Chris, and Jason and my friend Kat came along too. We journeyed to visit Chey Kong and specifically to visit the Khmu people whom Bob and Chris will be working with in about a year. We visited the same 2 villages and the nursery school that my team had visited last summer. It was a bit of a surreal experience for me, not being there with my Action team but visiting the same places and even stayed in the same bamboo church! I loved it so much. I got to know one little girl in particular (who I realized later I had also connected with last summer), she was about 5 years old and one of the cutest girls I know. I started playing sticks with her-I had just been learning my numbers in Thai (I can count to 10!) and was practicing, making funny sounds and faces along the way. She just thought that was absolutely hilarious!! It made me laugh to see her get her huge smile and laugh. When she laughed her eyes got all twinkly, her mouth opened up huge-almost in a smile too big for her face and without her front teeth she would give me the biggest grin possible. After the initial “stick” time, we hung out and just sat together a lot, had piggy back rides or played ball. As I was sitting with her in church on Sunday, I realized that it just felt so right. It struck me that it felt like I was doing what God created me for.

Wow.

It still strikes me a bit speechless. So, lets just say I’m praying with how God wants me to respond to that. I’m also reading this incredible book by Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust, in it he talks a lot about radical trust with God. He gave an example of Mother Teresa. I have to share this with you because it convicted me so much:

“When the brilliant ethicist John Kavanaugh went to work for three months at ‘the house of the dying’ in Calcutta, he was seeing a clear answer as to how best to spend the rest of his life. On the first morning there he met Mother Teresa. She asked, ‘And what can I do for you?’ Kaavanaugh asked her to pray for him.

‘What do you want me to pray for?’ she asked. He voiced the request that he had borne thousands of milds from the United States. ‘Pray that I have clarity.’

She said firmly, ‘No, I will not do that.’ When he asked her why, she said, ‘Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.’ When Kavanaugh commented that she always seemed to have the clarity he longed for, she laughed and said, ‘I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.” (Ruthless Trust p. 5).

What do you think? It really convicted me because coming over, one of the things I was praying for was clarity—especially clarity for serving God in long term missions. However, perhaps the bigger thing to pray for is trust?

Anyways, the rest of the week was great! Lots of amazing experiences-and we even participated in the water fight. Bob has a blue “sang-taaw” (a truck with seats in the back and a cover, but only flaps that can be pulled down if cover is desired) and we purchased a big black garbage can, filled it with water, and proceeded to use our small buckets to sling water on the roadside people. However, numerous times they soaked us more than we got them partly due to Bob. J He would slow down right before the people allowing them to soak us before we could retaliate or even load with ammo. J Then he would come back and check on us with innocence dripping in his tone, “What-you’re wet? How did that happen?” J talk about making me laugh…. A lot. Anyways, it was great fun.

It was a good time to rest and just spend some good time hanging out with God. I’m learning to listen more…which is good. I also had some great talks with Kat which were….revealing in a lot of ways. So, hey-here’s to learning to trust God!

“The reality of naked trust is the life of a pilgrim who leaves what is nailed down, obvious, and secure, and walks into the unknown without any rational explanation to justify the decision or guarantee the future. Why? Because God has signaled the movement and offered it his presence and his promise.”~Brennen Manning (Ruthless Trust p. 13)

from the words of "dek" (children)

What Love means to a 4-8 year old . .
A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to
8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?'

The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have
imagined See what you think:
________________________________

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint
her toenails anymore.
So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands
got arthritis too. That's love.'

Rebecca- age 8
________________________________
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'

Billy - age 4
________________________________
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne
and they go out and smell each other.'

Karl - age 5
________________________________
'Lo ve is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French
fries without making them give you any of theirs.'

Chrissy - age 6
________________________________
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'

Terri - age 4
________________________________
'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip
before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'

Danny - age 7
________________________________
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of
kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.
My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss'

Emily - age 8
________________________________
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening
presents and listen.'

Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)
_______________________________ _
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend
who you hate,'

Nikk a - age 6
(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)
________________________________
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday.'

Noelle - age 7
________________________________
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still
friends even after they know each other so well.'

Tommy - age 6
________________________________
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked
at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'

Cindy - age 8
________________________________
'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'

Clare - age 6
________________________________
'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'

Elaine-age 5
________________________________
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is
handsomer than Robert Redford.'

Chris - age 7
________________________________
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone
all day.'

Mary Ann - age 4
________________________________
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old
clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'

Lauren - age 4
________________________________
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little
stars come out of you.' (what an image)

Karen - age 7
________________________________
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross.'

Mark - age 6
________________________________
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you
mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'

Jessica - age 8
________________________________
And the final one

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an
elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.

Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's
yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there.

When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,

'Nothing, I just helped him cry'

a bit o my rambles

Beware...I’ve started writing. Who knows where this could end up? :-) I have a feeling that my fingers will type reflectively tonight as I feel in a somewhat reflective mood. I’m tired too...so its quite possible there could be many repetitions as well. I’m starting that life has many ups and downs and in-betweens. There are times when we feel like we are on the moutain top-shouting to the world "I am alive and glad to be so!" And then there are the valleys where we just have to keep walking...and walking...and walking. Yet we enjoy the beautiful scenary as it passes. And then there are the hills we climb where it is hard yet eventually we make it to the top and while we are climbing we have that goal in sight. And sometimes...there are those times when we go down into what seems like a pit only to eventually climb out agian. I wonder...sometimes I wonder how we choose to live and why we choose to live in certain ways? If that makes sense....

Its like we can choose how we respond to life. We can choose to be joyful, or sad. We can choose to embrace what is happening or not. We can choose to live our life with intetnion and adventure. What drives us? What makes us who we are? Is it what we believe? What we choose to believe? How we respondn to those around us? Is our faith so much a part of who we are that that in itself can define us?

Lots of thoughts...so much contemplation. :) Psalms 92 talks about revering God with an undivided heart. That verse is sticking with me...what does it mean to revere God really? And what does it mean to give him your whole heart? If he has our whole heart, doesn’t he have our whole life as well? And how can we live that life in a way that would reflect him? So much of life is about reflelcting something greater, isn’t it? I was realzing the other day that love here on earth is perhaps just a reflection of what God has for us. Like the feelings and care that we can’t even believe is inmaginable yet we do feel lit for other people though we can’t articulate it. Those feelings are simply an imitaiton of the real thing. That real thing being the love God has for us. I know I’ve heard that concept before..yet its struck deeper this time....something to ponder eh?

(I know I just said eh...all lthis Candian influence) :)

So, on a more informative note...I started Thai lessons week. They are going well--I've only had two so far but so far so good. Its really hard. Yet its good for me. I'm practicing so many different sounds. I can hear the differences but at times my mouth refuses to make the sound. So strange, eh? Well...I'm learning a new defintion of the word "practice". :) I know that I will only be able to take lessons for about a month and a half, yet anything I can get will help me so much for now, and hopefully for later on down the road. I really do love the language-its like music. All that choral training I've had with Roy Klassen at Pacific is more affective in learning Thai than I realized. Having learned how to listen to those around me and match my voice to theirs-ithelps as I'm working to match my voice to the CD's or my teacher's as I am trying to make these new sounds. I'm grateful it is one-on-one learning. That helps me so much. I'm still incredibly shy in my lessons, but hopefully I will get more confidant as time goes on. I'm also very grateful for all the linguistcs classes I had. At the time, I had never imagined that I would havce wanted to learn Thai and that international phonetics would come in handy, but guess how I'm learning the sounds/words in Thai? that's right-international phonetics! :)

Its been a bit of a harder week this week, yet I'm still learning so much. I listened to a friend's sermon tape today and her pastor was talking about how we need to live an adventure for God and that we need to ask him to lead us. I was struck by the realization that I would have never dreamed 2 years ago that I would be here-in Thailand, learning what it means to serve God and learning what it means to love others. Once we say God-here I am, its overwhelming and exciting to see where he takes us. Sometimes I feel like I'm just along for the ride. :) This week has been more of a day-to-day walk, but that's okay. I suppose some weeks are just like that. yet I am still learning what it means to connect with God, even day to day. I think sometimes I thought it would all be a moutain top high. I'm realizing that is not the case and even being in Thailand has its harder times, yet God is still there. Its good to be realizing that.

Learning to live open, learning to love, learning to experiment with the truth. Life may be hard...yet it is still good.

Would love to hear your thoughts on my quiet ramblings...I’m always open to conversation! So....what do you think?