BNN News: Staff retreat!

Last sunday, we had a staff retreat at Phetchabun. It was a long ride to this place, about 9 hours drive to get there. We had a good time of getting to know one another better. We were staying at a national park which was located next to a river. A very refreshing place for a reatreat! Photos tell a thousand words, so here goes 8 thousand words! =)

(the mornings were 16 degrees!)

(the dogs chewed up our shoes!)

(at the waterfalls of San drit)

happenings and things in my week...

When we came back and returned to Baan nana we found out that the storeroom, library and the first-aid room has been burnt down! Some kids were playing with fire and the house caught on! Within 3o minutes, everything was gone. Medicines, supplies for school, everyday necessities and all the books they had!

So right now, they're slowly buying medicines, soaps and laundry powder to start off again.

They're thinking of building a new one soon but yet to find funds to do that.

For the past 6 months that I have taught at Baan nana, we've been using the library as a classroom. It was a bright and clean place that had a plastic sheet over the cement floor. Last week, I returned to teaching! But it was a challenge to find a new place. We tried the office on thursday but it was too cramp as this year we have 6 more kids than the last. On Friday we wanted to go to the main hall ( the Church) but it was locked up. So we decided to go to a nearby villa (bamboo house) to have class. It was a pretty scenic place over a small stream directly below us. The danger was, things fall in. And it did! My teaching cards! Haha! It's now being dried. Overall, I think we should go back to the villa for lessons. It's a nice place. =)

Another thing to thank God for is that Achan Sompong was ordained as a Rev. after 13 years in ministry!

Into the new year! 2010

Hello there! It's been a month since I've last posted! The trip back to Singapore was great!

It was really nice to meet up with old friends, especially my kindergarten friend!
What I really enjoyed most was my church youth camp. It was a time of bonding and experiencing God.For one of our sessions, we prepared tracts and packed it with buns to give to mainland Chinese constuction workers. A friend and I played the violin and the rest of the youth sang a chinese christian song. It was a meaningful time for us, and I hope they were blessed as well.

Music has open many doors for me, in places I wouldn't expect to be and I thank God for that. =)

Another thing I'll like to share is for this upcoming year in which I have to take my O' level exams. I've always worried about what and how I'm suppose to pass my exams and when and where to take it. This morning, the tittle for my daily quiet time was " Fear of the Unknown". It said, " Never be afraid to entrust the unknown future to the all-knowing God." It really struck me that I've not been really trusting God that He's going to work things out, but rather I've been depending on myself.

So all of us out there, God has a purpose and plan in everything He does and leads you to. And remember, always trust Him! =)

goodbyee...MS!

Returning back to Singapore for a month! Going to miss Mae Sai very much but looking forward to the fellowship with friends! =) I hope to update this blog when I'm free!

Tosha!

Tosha was here for 4 days! What a wonderful time with her! =) She has been our homeschooling coordinator was 9 years and we finally get to host her in Thailand! haha!
She has shined her light very brightly with her smiles and laughter! I'm amazed at her attentiveness and her willingness to serve others! She definitely has taught me things during this trip, and has caused to want to shine my light wherever I am! =)

In all things give thanks....

So as you can see, my thanksgiving was filled with friends and food and most importantly, Jesus Christ's love for me. I am thankful that He has blessed me with a Saviour, family, friends and He answers my prayers in ways I can never understand! =))

Tomorrow we'll be sending my mom to the airport, she is going to KL for the ATI conference!

Pray for safety as we are on the road!

new BOOTS!! =)

Dad got new farming boots! Looks like 'Pua Chu Kang huh? too bad it isn't yellow! Dad has been farming lately planting tomatoes,cassava (tapioca), banana, pandan leaves and chye sim! And not to mention a passion fruit creeper and a lychee tree (already planted by the landlord)
that yielded abundantly this year! We've also bought a lime tree! :))
Hopefully we'll get to eat our crops soon!

YOUTH CAMP!

Youth Camp pictures are here!! =)) long awaited I know. I took mostly of games so it's mostly game pictures. The games are really so army style! Crossing the river with ropes, crawling in the mud under barb wires! The camp was the first youth camp for the teens at BNN!

"True Friend" camp

So it has been a week since I've posted! It has been a really busy week for me with two camps going on! Well, I'll let the pictures talk! We had so much fun! The pictures below are from the Shan kids camp, the BNN youth camp pictures would be posted later! On other news, my family and I have enrolled ourserlves to thai lessons again after a year of break!! I'm pretty excited but yet hesitant as it would take up time for other studies. Anyway, enjoy your week ahead!

camps!

From the start of tomorrow I'll be busy! We'll be helping out at the youth camp at Baan nana and kids camp at the shan village! Whew... Lord give me strength! =)

On the day that Aaragon was found, it was also the day where I played at a concert! =) I've been CYO for about 1 and a half years, and it has been fun and a good experience! I've met thai friends there and one girl ( the picture above) has been especially dear to me. I've been keeping in contact with her as she recently moved down to Chiang mai for studies. I've talked to her about God and shared with her a tract. Please keep her in your prayers! =)

I'll be gone for several days!

was lost but now am found!

Aaragon has been found! =)) Praise God!
We've posted up some 'missing dog' notices and have been waiting for calls to come.
Yesterday, after five days since Aaragon went missing, two girls spotted him ( they must have seen the notice) and followed him. He stopped at our friend's home where he use to stay when we were on vacation. The two girls knocked at our friend's home and asked whether he was their dog. Quickly they called my parents to tell of the exciting news! =))
Aaragon was found covered with all types of dirt you can imagine, poo, mud, sand, etc. He stank! My dad and our friend bathed him before letting him go home, when he got home, dad bathed him another time!
I really really am soooo thankful! Those 5 days that Aaragon went missing were days that I really learned to trust in God. To know that our lives are fully controled by God with a plan He is unfolding. =)) I'm grateful for that lesson Lord. You can ask me for the story about God working in my life those few days. It's just too long to put in here!

missing my missing dog....

Aaragon has been missing for two nights. We usually let him out by himself and he will always come back after a short while. Two days ago, we had let him out at around 4:00pm and he came back after that. At around dinner time, there was some fire-works celebration. Aaragon has been very scared of the noise and so we had put out his box to hide. We tried to give him his dinner but he refused so we decided to feed him later after our dinner.
At about 8:00pm, we went out looking for him. We searched everywhere, he wasn't there. And we realised that we had forgotten to close the gate when he came back home earlier that afternooon. My heart sank at knowing that he had ran away because he was scared. I wished I had close the gate when he came home.
We quickly took our torch and looked for him in our neighbourhood. He wasn't there.
That night was the most hard night to sleep through, my thoughts race thinking of the worst.
I couldn't wait for daylight to come.
The next day, I got on the motorbike with dad and continued our search. We went at least 4 times an hour each time. Still no sight Aaragon.
Today, we went out again but Aaragon wasn't in sight.

I've prayed countless times, why doesn't God want to answer I keep thinking. That I cannot fathom. My dad said that maybe God wanted to teach us a lesson. When our dog is lost we are sad isn't it? So how much more we should grief when a soul is lost for eternity.Maybe God wants us to go share the gospel with more courage.

So Lord, give me courage to share the gospel and can you please please send Aaragon back to us? Help us to locate him. Please pray for Aragon that he'll be safe. Right now I can't think of anything else except Aaragon. I can't concentrate on doing my homework. Lord, bring Aaragon back. PLEASE.

LOVING you always

Having a sister around again is something special! The way she and the kids talk is so nice to hear, watching her teach with experience is something I need to learn. The kids never cease to brighten ones day and especially my sister's! Creating a special bond with them ever so fast!

Yesterday, my sister left for Singapore. Goodbyes to me are hard, but yet I've been so immune to it. This one though I cannot, it was hard. Having a brother in one other country and having a sister in another country. That makes it hard. Thank God for skype! =)

After a one hour english lesson, we'll have story time and games time. The kids just shrill with laughter everytime we play. Each child has their own character to love. And I know they're specially and wonderfully made by God.