This and that...by Juli

Sorry all! It seems like it has been a really long time since I blogged! Here is a little this and that to hopefully make you smile :) my Mom told me that a family in their hall include our blog in part of their family worship to help show their kids that reaching out and serving another country can be very fun. This really touched my heart and I feel so flattered that our little adventure could hopefully inspire a little brother or sister to do that when they grow up. So thank you!!!

Today we had the awesome privilege of having our annual pioneer meeting with the local elders. In the picture you see a collection of those who serve in the foreign language group while there was another group of the local Thai pioneers meeting in the library. About half of the people pictured are actually Russian and had the meeting interpreted in Russian. We are a big international group from all the far corners of the earth but with all the same goals and lifestyle. I won't be a spoiler for those who haven't had theirs yet, but as usual it was encouraging us pioneers to keep up with our daily spiritual food, keep following the direction of the faithful slave and take advantage of all the tools given to us, like the website. At one point we talked about how we can't be attached to material possessions and to keep our preaching work at the forefront. At home I would think a need greater in our position has already accomplished not being attached to material things. From looking at our current home you would agree, a single room with the basics, and even a luxury or two. Transportation? A used and abused motorbike that got 3 flat tires this week, yeah not too fancy. But since we still have all of our "stuff" at home this point struck me like never before. I have come to a realization that it is harder than I thought to really give up EVERYTHING. I couldn't even comment when we were asked how we have applied this in our lives because I kept thinking, "I'm guilty..." I really love my little house back home with my unique do-dads that I have collected over the years...my mid century furniture, the class room size chalkboard, the headboard kit and I made, my beautiful yard I practically broke my back fixing up, and thats with out mentioning my most loved possession, Lola, our English Bulldog/child. None of these things in particular have huge monetary value but they are more emotional attachments. So the real question is, can I really forever and ever give up these things? I am going to be brutally honest ladies and gentlemen, this is a tough one and I hope that one day I can cut the emotional cords and be able to give myself fully without hesitation to wherever Jehovah wants me. It's just good to know that even when you think you are doing as much as your current position allows you can always push yourselves a little harder and further and do more and that it is something we all have to work on. 

Here are some more highlights of our daily lives here in Pattaya

Kit and I stumbled across a Buddhist temple {in Bang Saray} where monks lived on the grounds. I was really hesitant feeling like this was overstepping our boundaries, I mean they're monks they don't want to hear about the Bible. But I was with go-get-em Kit and he placed Truth Tracts with some of the Monks! So brave! Then as we were sharing this experience with the brother and sister we were out with they told us that a Thai Elder in the congregation actually learned the truth when he was a monk and also a sister came into the truth when she was a monk because she said that all he monks she was with seemed very unhappy. So this served as a good lesson to us that you really can't hold back the truth from anybody!

My brother in law commented previously that it seemed like we were in paradise here in Thailand based on some pictures I posted on Instagram. This picture shows that in fact most of Pattaya looks like this, but imagine a hot sewage smell, 10 street dogs barking at you along with lots of dog poop and trash you have to hopscotch over....so Joel, not quite paradise. Despite the ambiance when you turn around and everyone you just spoke to is still standing dead in their tracks reading what you gave them you get a happiness that could last a lifetime.

Service break {Bang Saray with Suzanne from Sweden}

 Return visits in the afternoon with Rafa & Lizette...while she was sitting there I was....

Petting this little lady.... A really sweet pit bull wearing a shirt {a lot of dogs where clothes...it may protect them from skin diseases or they are just really classy}

Nothing goes to waste here, old motorbike turned planter....side note...notice the lock on the door? It's really easy to tell which houses are "not at home" because they pad lock their front door or gate. So if it is locked from the outside you know nobody is home and don't need to yell "Sawadeeka" 

Well that is for now, I hope everyone at home is doing well and we miss you!!!