First Week's Pictures

Hey everyone,

It's been a wild week and a half for us! We survived the marathon flight to Thailand, conquered

jet lag (more or less), found a house, found some furniture, learned to drive on the left, ate some spicy food, made some new friends, and started new teacher orientation (for Tim). Here's a few pictures to capture the last nine days.  

Friendly Juni is taking Southeast Asia by storm.

Tim rented this sweet hog (or is it a piglet?)

Here's the entrance to our new neighborhood, Mu Ban Khwam Wiang.

Playgrounds make us hope the tetanus shots are up to date.

Yum!

Angry Birds are big here.

Jill in her new kitchen. New sink, cook top, and oven. And we're not even camping!

Jill's new laundry lean-to.

We're still searching for a vehicle, getting our internet working, completing all the government paperwork, and preparing for school--it starts in two weeks! Thanks for your continued prayers as we settle down here.

Our Last Stateside Update...for a bit...

We have finished our first leg of the journey--Spokane to Seattle--that wasn't so bad. Only 18 more hours in the air. Everything has continued to come together beautifully, and we are amazed to report as of yesterday, we have:

100% Monthly Support!!!!

Absolutely incredible!! It has been brutal saying goodbye to family and friends, but we feel the love and prayers and are excited about this next big step across the ocean.

 

"[We] will go in the strength of the Lord God: [we] will make mention of Your righteousness, even Yours only."

Psalm 71:16 (NKJV)

Life's Not Fair, But God Is ALWAYS There

Yesterday as we hit the road after a tearful goodbye with family in Tacoma, Finn piped up, "Life's not fair, but God is always there." Out of the mouth of six-year-olds. This was the theme of Summit Ridge's VBS a couple weeks ago, and this simple truth has been an encouragement to us as we grieve in leaving. We have a Rock who is higher than us, a firm foundation when we are flush or floundering.

We have seen amazing things over the past three and a half months. Detail upon detail has fallen into place in ways we could not orchestrate or conceive in our imagination. Within the last week we have watched our monthly support grow to 93%, rented our house, and sold our van. I am beginning to feel like a bit like Alfred P. Neuman, "What me worry?" God has been nurturing in us a steady faith, a calm trust in Him based on repeated experience. Everyday He's given our daily bread; in spite of our worries, our sense or urgency, and our attempts to make things happen, He has been quietly leading us along and giving us a strange peace.

YARD SALE!

On Saturday, July 14, we will be selling a bunch of stuff at bargain prices. If you have time, come on by and buy a bed, a book, or a fruit dehydrator.. It's at 3303 East 20th Avenue from 9-3.

PAR-TAY!

On Sunday afternoon, we will be hanging out at Thornton Murphy Park from 3-5 p.m. We would love to see as many of you as possible before our July 18th departure, so please drop by if you can. We wish we had more time to spend with all our friends and family, but it's the eleventh hour, people! We'll have cold pop and snacks (as in chips 'n dip, not eggplant caviar) and hugs for everyone. Hope to see you there!