Update 2 of 2....

Continued from Part 1 of 2...:

The most amazing thing is that we found a house and moved into it the 2nd day we were in Thailand! THAT is amazing...the first night we were here and I laid my head down my brain just started spinning about all the things that we would...

*****I really did have to stop right at the moment...I didn't create that mini cliff hanger on purpose! HA!****

that we would need in order to make a home here...refrigerator, beds, place to put food (most thai homes don't have cabinets), a place to sit and eat...although the floor could do...a place to put our clothes....a water cooler (a must have here because the water is un drinkable and you drink so much because of the heat that they are an indespensable apart of everyday life...almost every Thai home has one...) The list could go on...

I began to feel a bit sick to my stomach and then I realized what I was doing...I was worrying about tomorrow. So I said quickly as I exhaled...God please provide a home that is as full as possible AS SOON AS possible. And with that to sleep I went.

The next morning we woke up at 5am and I had quite the start to the day. I'll post a video of me sharing about what had happened that morning...rough start but still great!

So we headed out and went looking in the neighborhood close to the Pruett's homes and we found about 5 houses right off the bat. One of them had people working in the yard when we stopped so we asked if we could see in side and after stopping by the office we were let in.
This house is fully furnished - thai refrigerator with built in water cooler, two beds, a couch, tv, 2 wardrobes and a kitchen table AND!! it has internet already!!! The really awesome thing was that when we went to talk to her about price - we didn't even have to talk her down...she brought the price down before we even brought it up. Oh and it has air conditioners!!! It is such a blessing! So for the next 6 months we've got it a lot easier than I thought we would and we don't have to invest a lot of money in purchasing these necessities while we're here.

I soon found out one of the reasons why God provided in such a big way and we don't have to invest a lot of money into those things...err...this is my theory. Thai language lessons are EXPENSIVE HERE! I MEAN!!!! AHHH!! A WHOLE $6.88 an hour!! We're used to paying $3 an hour...or $93 for 5 weeks! So every month for us to study 2 hours a day each...3 days a week it's going to be: 11,160 which is: $349 a month....JUST FOR language!!!

WOW! God knows! :) Our language teacher is incredible though - she's been teaching for over 18 years and her vision is to help missionaries learn the language so that the gospel can be spread all over Thailand.

The neat thing about being here in Chiang Mai is that this spiritual ground has been sown quite a bit...so the people are more open to hear what you have to say and they've heard the name of Jesus before. Just yesterday I went outside to talk to a woman who was selling food from her cart on our street.

I went out and started talking to her and asked her her name and what she was selling. She asked me all the normal questions and when she got to the "why are you here" question I told her that "we have come to tell the thai people about Jesus because he changed our lives and he is the real thing". She went on to talk about how she had once heard of Jesus and she believes in him too and then she said something I didn't understand about the temple...

I went on to tell her that Jesus says he's the only way and that you can put Buddhism together with Christianity because one has to be false because Jesus says he's the only way. She gave me the deer in the headlights look...thai's don't like confrontation...and while I was definitly not being confrontational...this would feel like it to her because Thai's are all about "mai ben rai"...

"nevermind"...or just keep the peace...everything is ok no matter how you do it. So I smiled at her and told her I would see her tomorrow - she comes by everyday...give her some time to let that sink in and then...as I began to walk away...to my suprise she said "maybe you could bring me some books?"

That is the first time in 4 years that a Thai person has really asked me for more information without me really really working hard to help them understand their need for this truth. I was overjoyed and I said OF COURSE AND I'll bring you some CD's too!

Her name is Pen...yes...like a pen that you write with. Please pray for her salvation. So the point of that story is that the people here in Chiang Mai are so open...it's amazing. I went to a Christian Thai homegroup last Tuesday and it was awesome!! We sat there in one of the poorest Thai houses I've been in and you wouldn't have known it from the joy that exhuded from their faces as they witnessed about how Jesus had changed their lives.

I'm going to ask permission to bring a camera so that I can share with you what a Thai homegroup looks like. The teaching was wonderful that night but the fellowship was heavenly.
On a different note - please be praying for me. I am going to have to go be admitted to the hospital for a sore that is on my back. I have had to go to the hospital 2 times this last week to see the dr. and both times I had to be given shots of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory pills.
So, please don't be worried but do pray for me.

I have chosen to go to the best hospital here, which is costly...well, for Thailand. My first visit with shot and everything was 1,070 baht which is: $33 dollars and the next was double that and I don't know how much being admitted and whatever they're going to have to do to me will cost...but it doesn't matter...God knows and because I didn't know what this sore was I wanted to go somewhere where I could feel like I would meet someone who did.

And I did. So...I'll be going today. We love you guys and I promise my future updates will come sooner and be shorter! :) Thank you for reading and praying!

With love,
Steph

oh and here are some videos n pictures...!