We just played a thankful game with the jewelry artisans where everyone said what 3 things that they were thankful to God for.
Here's my list of things I'm thankful for about my time in Thailand. It's going to be a lot more than 3. =)
1. I'm thankful for the kids that I got to know. They are awesome.
2. I'm thankful for the ways I could connect with people through words in Thai.
3. I'm thankful for the way I was able to connect with people without using words.
4. I'm thankful for the friendships I had in Pattaya, that made it a lot easier to be away from friends and family at home.
5. I'm thankful for Pin. I love to spend time with her. She has a beautiful heart and is fun to be around. She taught me Thai and was patient with me in speaking it.
6. I'm thankful for Angela, who was so welcoming and encouraging during my time here. It was great to see how God is blessing her in this ministry.
7. I'm thankful for Jiap. I loved getting to know her better this year. I loved eating mango, carrots, and papaya salad with her. She is so kind and fun. (And she has the cutest little girl named Gracie!)
8. I'm thankful for Aom. It was beautiful to see how she is growing in Christ and serving him with the kids. You can tell she loves the kids so much and she's great at connecting with them.
9. I'm thankful for Jacie, my friend from the US here with me, to get lost with and laugh about being not-so-flexible Americans. She was a great person to teach the kids with, and she'll be a wonderful teacher someday.
10. I'm thankful for the jewelry artisans of PSM. I'm thankful I got to learn more about them and spend time with them. They have such beautiful stories, and it is awesome to see how God is working in their lives.
11. I'm thankful for Pu. I'm thankful I got to know her better and spend time with her. I loved teaching her English and just having fun with her. She has such a joy and passion for serving the Lord in Pattaya, and it is really exciting to see.
12. I'm thankful for my time in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai with Pin. I loved meeting her family. I loved getting to see another completely different part of Thailand. It was beautiful. I loved getting to spend more time with Pin and get to learn more about her life.
13. I'm thankful for my scuba diving experience. It was a fun adventure.
14. I'm thankful for dinners at Monica's with girls from the Tamar Center. It was great to get to know some of these girls and just spend time with them.
15. I'm thankful for papaya salad and sticky rice. Yum.
16. I'm thankful for lots of cheap, delicious watermelon that I ate.
17. I'm thankful for lots of other delicious Thailand fruit like rambutans and dragonfruit.
18. I'm thankful for my church here, seeing everyone come together, including former and current prostitutes, ladyboys, Thais, and foreigners, and worship God.
19. I'm thankful for new things God taught me and new ways I saw his love.
20. I'm thankful for getting to walk everywhere...to work, to the grocery store, to my apartment, to the "laundry mat", to the internet cafe.
21. I'm thankful for lots of time to read.
22. I'm thankful for lots of time to just rest. I really enjoyed the slow pace of life here in Pattaya.
23. I'm thankful for the ways that I see God transforming people in this city.
24. I'm thankful for flip flops.
25. I'm thankful I got to run quite a bit this summer and that I didn't get bit by a dog.
26. I'm thankful for my running times with Pin at the park.
27. I'm thankful for good health and safety while I've been in Thailand.
28. I'm thankful for skype and email.
29. I'm thankful for really supportive and encouraging friends and family.
30. I'm thankful for the opportunity to teach kids here. I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn from them.
31. I'm thankful for prayer and devotion times with the PSM team.
32. I'm thankful for Tim Deller coming to see me in Thailand and being really encouraging along the way.
33. I'm thankful for great parents who are interested in what I am doing in Thailand.
34. I'm thankful for people who read my long emails and blogs about Thailand.
35. I'm thankful for getting to spend time with friends and do fun things with them like go to the beach, go to the market, or eat good Thai food.
36. I'm thankful for all I got to see and experience and the way God continues to open my eyes to what is going on in the world.
37. I'm thankful I got to be here for a long time.
I'm sure I'll think of more. I'm thankful for a lot.
Khawp Kun Phra Jao (Thank you God) for my time in Thailand.
