Thai class...and pictures....

I had the most wonderful Thai class I have ever had today and we didn't even crack a book!! As we began our two hours today both Khruu Ruchida and I were tired...so we had some tea. We both woke up a little and our conversation soared. We began to speak about how difficult it is for Thai people once they are saved and about what most Thai's believe...buddhism...and then I was blessed enough to hear the story of how she came to know our God.

Before I tell you what she told me...we went to her church yesterday instead of going to Abundant Grace Church. She had invited us to go and we were so blessed by going. This church was a true...spirit filled Thai church. It was small but incredibly large in spirit...the Thai people there worshiped from their hearts and love God deeply.

My teacher is the pastors wife...this is there 4th church that they have started and seen grow to where they could leave it to find where God wanted them to begin a new church. I was so moved by this churches strength and heart - it was awesome...they weren't bogged down with religion or duty...they were there to worship the God that changed their lives.

So...anyway, we talked about church and how it went and she quizzed me a bit on what was talked about - which I failed horribly because I couldn't understand her husband very well...but man did I get some new vocabulary!! WAHOO! So after sharing about this church and what her and her husband had done I was reeling to know how she came to know the Lord.

She told me that her mother and father came to know the Lord because a missionary came to their village to tell them about Jesus. They were extremely poor and could not read at all...so the missionary would bring them tapes to listen to. She was raised with her parents telling her "Jesus loves you..." but she didn't believe...she didn't understand.

Her mother died when she was 10...and she always remembered her parents faith. When she was 15 she heard a Thai man preaching about Jesus and her heart was stricken and she fell in love with Jesus and was never the same. Even at the young age of 15 God spoke to her and told her that she would have the job in the body of Christ of teaching missionaries how to speak Thai!

She once met a german missionary that spoke thai so badly that one time he said "Phrat Yesu ben blatoo"...which translates to "Jesus is a tuna fish"...what he was trying to say is: "Phrat Yesu ben pratdoo"...which means "Jesus is the door"...she always remembered thinking...if God ever blesses me and allows me to...I want to teach missionaries how to speak Thai because back then there were no schools to go to to learn Thai.

She continued on and told me how God provided for her and brought her into a situation which allowed her to begin to teach thai at a school eventhough she knew no english and didn't have the correct qualifications...Khruu Ruchida's heart is so incredible - she takes her job on as if it were a crown to be worn. She truly loves missionaries and her vision is to equip missionaries from all countries to go out into Thailand to reach the Thai people. She's now been teaching missionaries and working for the Lord for over 17 years!

She is a truly amazing sister in Christ and I am honored to meet her and see her shining her light so brightly in this very dim country and in some places...pitch black country. I thank God for her!

I have much more to tell you guys but I'm going to leave it with that and a few pictures...

John, Josiah, Jude and Joss out for a walk with mommy...

Joss was worn out by the end of our walk...whew!
Here's Joss yesterday...isn't she so adorable!
My children...wow...I'm blessed!
Trent Pruett, Todd Pruett and John...what a team!
The kids checking out the dead centipede they just killed...turns out there were tons in the yard because they killed at least 20 babies that day...good thing they were just babies...
Here they are in all their glory - 9 of 10 missionary kids that make up our team...Joss isn't pictured...she makes 10. Yeah...that pool didn't make it through our little pool party. Good thing it was cheap...they had a blast together!
Me studying Thai....the flower on my shirt was from church. They honored mothers on Sunday because Tuesday is Queen's Day (birthday of the queen)...like Mother's Day here in Thailand...

John workin hard...
GOT MILK?