Last day of 2006!

Yesterday was my first free day in Bangkok. I now know right where to go on my next free day...Siam Square!! I reminds me a lot of LA, plus there was good cheap shopping. I only packed 4 shirts so I was happy to find two shirts to add to my wardrobe. The guys all came back with matching Ralph Lauren Polos in different colors, but they were only 180 baht so we are questioning if they are real!!

Things I'm thankful for...
Starbucks
A clean place to live and sleep
Pizza Hut for dinner
Translators
A welcoming host family

Happy New Year!! I love you all so much! Laura

touchdown in Thailand

Hello everyone!! Today is my first Saturday in Bangkok, Thailand, and my fifth day here. Bangkok is very different from Perth, Australia. The city is huge, so many people, so much traffic so little saftey laws, living conditions are much less then what is considered normal for us, and it is very dirty. This is my first time in a third world country, besides the few days I have spent in Mexico, and I am all the more thankful for the state I was brought up in. All that to say, the people are really nice, and friendly. Even if they don't understand you, they give the biggest smiles. I'm learning a bit of the Thai language to fit in as well as customs so I can show them respect.

My team of 19, 12 guys and 7 girls, is staying at a church. We are sleeping on mats in the classrooms and living out of our bags. We will be here for 4 weeks. The church is very small and in a three story building. The meeting hall on the first floor, classrooms (our rooms) on the second floor and third floor is where Pastor Sanguian, his wife Papah and their three kids live. They also run an English teaching program three nights a week, which we will help teach. We, the farang (foreigners), are the desired teachers by the Thai people because English is our native language. Yesterday we went to Ram kam hand University, a school of 600,000 students, and had lunch at the canteen so that we could meet students and tell them about our english lessons. We had many who are interested, and some who want to meet for lunch again. We talk to the students with a translator, who are different people from the church. Some students ask why we have come to Thailand and then we can share about what we have been doing in Australia and how God gave us a heart for helping people because of His love for us. Thailand is a country that is 95% Buddhist and a lot of people have never heard that there is a God or about Jesus. We met a girl yesterday who thought that God only cared about western culture and didn't love the asian people. When we shared with her that Jesus was not white, but that he traveled throught Asia and that He love all nations she was amazed. She had never heard this before. Many of the people we talk to also feel like they are locked into Buddhism because it is their family's religion; this is where we share that everyone will be accountable for their own decision, again a concept they have never heard. I'm finding it surprisingly easy to talk to people, they will sit for 15 to 30 minutes with you and really have a nice talk with you. We talk about all different kinds of things with them.
The next awesome thing that was waiting for us in Thailand is the opportunity for sports. We found on campus that every night there are many soccer, basketball and tennis games going on. When we showed up the first night to play, I went with the basketball group. We started shooting around on an empty court and within 5 minutes a group of Thai students came and asked if we wanted to play 4 on 4. Then more people came over and wanted to play the winner. This went on, swapping in and out, for 2 hours! While we were out we got to meet all kinds of new people and they are so friendly. We went back again last night and the same thing happened again. The guys from my team who played soccer experienced the same thing. We are all so excited about this! It is so much more than we could have asked for.
Tomorrow is Sunday. We will be joining the church for their Thai service at 9:30, to show them support even though we won't understand it!! Then lunch afterward. Robert from my team says two hours of church is worth it if their is food after!! We are all really loving the Thai food!!! A few questionaable things, but so far I have not been in a situation that I had to eat them! Back to Sunday...then we have the English service at 7:30 and we will be doing a skit during the service...we crack ourselves up when we do it so I hope they like it too!!
Today, Saturday is a free day so I am headed to downtown or China town with a few people to do some exploring of this enormous city!
I am now two hours behind Perth. Gotta head out! I love you all!! Don't worry too much, I'm safe and I go everywhere in groups of three!! Laura

P.S. Thank you for the Christmas gifts!! The money will go far here...35 baht to one dollar and most meals are about 35 baht. I just bought a pair of addidas sport shorts for 250 baht, about $7.30!!

two more nights

I sat down to write you all to tell you about Thailand, but got distracted with helping someone download pictures. See what I mean, I'm a busy girl! It is late now, I just looked at my watch and see that it is 12:20 am!! I'm tired, I'm going to bed. I'll write tomorrow, I have lots to share!

Lots Happening

We are in our last week of lectures. Last night was Commisioning Night, when the base formally prays for us and prepares to send us on outreach. 19 of us are headed out to Thailand on Dec. 25. Over 100 students are leaving this base on outreach to 10 different countries. We have seen over $500,000.00 come in to pay for everyone's outreach!! Isn't God amazing!!! Will write more details later, gotta head to morning exercises! Love you all!