An important piece of paper - part 2

I've been hearing good things about Chiangmai immigration recently - less waiting, less paperwork and even stories of immigration officials bringing out Birthday cake for people celebrating their day by waiting in line!

This is good news because honestly, if you live overseas, you spend a lot of time at immigration. It's one of the less glamorous parts of an overseas life . . . . 90-day check-ins, visa renewals, applying for re-entry permit before we leave and updating our residence every time we get back. I have not added up the time spent filling in forms for a family of 5 or waiting in line for someone's important piece of paper but it has been a lot. 

As some of you may know, I have been having a bit of drama with my visa recently. When I started work at Thai Village I switched my dependent visa linked to Tyler's job to a volunteer visa of my own. Thanks to a lot of work by my Thai Village team-mates, I was able to get a 1-year work permit on this visa in November last year! A big answered prayer as work permits had previously been disallowed for holders of volunteer visas. 

The checklist of papers for the work permit is pretty extensive!

Jessie and I are holding the papers but really Jade (front right) did all of the work!

This was a huge high point on the paperwork journey . . . but there have been many low points too like being denied visa renewal recently and having to leave the country unexpectedly at short notice.

So far, in the past 9 months, I have done 3 visa run trips to neighbouring countries - Vietnam, Malaysia and Laos - plus obtained one visa during a planned trip to the UK. If you know me, you'll know that I love to travel so it's not the worst burden ever, but honestly visa runs are costly and are mostly all the boring bits about travel and not much of the fun stuff, unless you have time and money to add on some extra days. In Vietnam we did (see this post) but not so much the other times.

Our most recent visa run to Vientiane, Laos was 2 days spent mostly waiting at the consulate and working in coffee shops but I enjoyed a few walks around the city and snapped this pic outisde Wat Sisaket

Tyler and I are very lucky that we have colleagues at our places of work who prepare most of our immigration paperwork for us. With rules often changing and officials being very strict about how forms are filled, we are so glad we are not on our own in this and we're very grateful for the hard work of our team-mates. Thank you!

I am writing this post now, because my visa obtained in Laos will be up for renewal soon and together with my colleagues at Thai Village, we are hoping to successfully extend our visas for a full year, thus eliminating the need and expense of more visa runs. I would be grateful for your prayers in this process. The pile of papers required will be even thicker than for the work permit!

In the mean time, I will be going to immigration next week to do a 90-day check-in for two of our kids (don't ask how the five of us got on four separate 90-day schedules!!) and maybe, if I'm lucky, someone near me will be having a Birthday that day! 

The in-between-ness of Advent

This year, the hope of Advent is holding particular meaning for me because I am waiting for something, aching for something for one of our children. It has been intense and really hard at times. But thanks to the wonderful Jesus community here, I have had lots of people point me towards hope and encourage me in the waiting. I wrote this poem recently and thought I would share it with you all.

There is a dawning between the darkness and the light

and that is where I am

Sometimes falling back into the dark

Sometimes leaning towards the light

But in the dawnlight nevertheless

It is dim but it is coming

I see it and I know

I will not be consumed by the darkness.

Photo credit Ned McNair, Hilton Head, North Carolina

There is a sprouting between the dry ground and the verdant pasture

and that is where I am

Small shoots, vulnerable and fragile

but a sprouting nevertheless

Tender unfurling of new growth

Becoming, emerging

 I feel it and I know

We are not yet what we will be.

Tropical ferns unfurling, Chiangmai, Thailand

There is an in-pouring between the emptiness and the fullness

and that is where I am

A slow drip, sometimes hardly noticeable

But a pouring in nevertheless

A puddle is made from tiny drops

An ocean is made from tiny puddles

I hear the raindrops and I know. 

Streams will flow in this desert. 

Rainy season droplets, Chiangmai, Thailand

There is a restoring between the brokenness and the wholeness

and that is where I am

Not overnight, not on my timeline perhaps

but a restoring nevertheless

I cling to the dream of shalom, 
peace, wholeness, harmony

And then I glimpse it when I least expect it

It surprises me but I should know by now

My brokenness is where he works best.

It's messy here in the in-between

Things are not yet as they will be

We wait, we hope, we groan with creation

How long, O Lord?

But we are not consumed

Beauty is coming from these ashes

Dawn is coming

He is coming

He is making all things new.

I pray this will be an encouragement to any of you who are also hoping for something this advent.

"But hope that is seen is no hope at all.

Who hopes for what they already have?

But if we hope for what we do not have, we wait for it patiently."

Romans 8:24-25

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Romans 15:13

3 holidays in one

This year the Thai holidays of Loi Krathong and Yii Peng fell on the same day as the American holiday of Thanksgiving, so we celebrated all three in one night last week! It was a feast for the senses - fireworks, lanterns, sparkling lights in the river and in the sky, lots of colour everywhere, good food and good friends . . . and crowds of people on the streets.

At this time of year, Thais like to decorate with colourful lanterns (khom fai) so the city is really beautiful and vibrant.

Lanterns hanging at Wat Lok Moli

Thursday night after school, we made our way to our Thanksgiving dinner invitation across the river carrying pumpkin pie, apple crumble and pumpkin brownies and taking pictures of all the pretty stalls along the way.

Beautiful krathongs for sale along the river

 Loi Krathong is celebrated by sending elaborate floating "krathongs" down the river to symbolize letting go of past transgressions and waving goodbye to the misfortune of the previous year. Our friends live along the river so in between courses for Thanksgiving dinner, we joined the throngs on the river banks to add one more krathong to the mass of twinkling lights in the Mae Ping.

Lanterns were already being set off for Yii Peng which is a spectacular and mesmerizing sight. Our stomachs were full from a delicious Thanksgiving meal, our hearts were full of gratitude for wonderful friends and family and it felt out of this world to be watching these lanterns fill the sky around us, carrying with them the hopes and wishes of those who released them.

Yii Peng lanterns on Nawarat Bridge, photo credit Jessie Langr

The moment of release, photo credit Jessie Langr

It wasn't until the following night that we got to send off our own lantern (khom loi), this time with our sweet Thai neighbours. Certain members of our family had actually opted out of braving the crowds again the second night and we planned to stay home, but the neighbours started lining the driveway with candles and invited us spontaneously for sparklers, fireworks and a lantern release. So lovely to participate with them in this Northern Thai tradition. "What are you wishing for?" they asked, as we prepared to release the lanterns. They know it's superstitious just like when we blow out Birthday candles, but it's still fun, especially for the kids, to send their wishes up in this way.

This year, I could wish for a lot at Yii Peng - there is much I am hoping for and praying for.
I could also say sorry for a lot at Loi Krathong - there are many thoughts and actions that I have not been proud of this past year and many experiences I would like to put behind me.
And of course, I am grateful for a lot this Thanksgiving season too - for family, friends, adventures, experiences, work, grace in the present, forgiveness for the past and hope for the future.

Thanks for reading and sharing the adventures!

My small thoughts and His big plans

As you may have seen, I just got back from a jam-packed 12-day sales tour of the UK with Thai Village. This whole trip was a leap of faith for me - buying the ticket to go when our finances were tight, not knowing whether I would have enough events booked to make it worth it, leaving the family here for 2 weeks in a busy intense season etc etc. But in it all, I had a peace and following that turned out to be a whole adventure in learning how God's ways are so far beyond our small human understanding.

The whole thing actually started off with a big diversion from my original plan as I had initially thought to go to the US instead of the UK. Despite making some inquiries there however, it clearly wasn't the time as doors weren't opening and then some friends in the UK suggested I come there instead. From there, the ball was rolling and I ended up with 14 events booked in 12 days. The doors were clearly opening elsewhere.

Honored to have a table (top right) at the Healing Space, Storm Church, Worthing

My hopes for this trip were to raise some support for my work with Thai Village and to expand our market for our handcrafted products, which had previously been mostly in the US and Thailand. Seemed like a pretty good plan to me but I realized fairly soon that God's plans were much bigger than just that. I felt foolish in the end that whilst I was focusing on the numbers, He was focusing on the people (of course - duhh!). I was amazed at some of the conversations He led me into, and the way that some events turned out to have a different purpose than I had imagined. Oh how small my plans seemed in comparison! In addition I got to be with my Mum again, just 3 months after the loss of Len, her husband, and that turned out to be really well-timed too.

With my Mum at one of the many events she helped me with

Wonderful time at Zara's house

Another thing I learned was that even when it came to sales of our products, God was turning my expectations on their head! My two "big" events with lots of foot traffic actually made little sales and my best event by far in terms of numbers was at the house of my ever-faithful godmother in London with her neighbours and church friends. We reflected afterwards how the event had more than surpassed any of our expectations. After this, I was actually so low on product, I had to order more to be express shipped from Thailand!

With my godmother, Juliet 

Finally, I want to end with a fun story that illustrates this lesson of my limited human understanding so well. As I said, I had a jam-packed schedule for this whole visit, thanks to the many friends and family who helped me set up events and hosted me. Unfortunately one of my larger fairs on my first Saturday in the UK fell through at the last minute. I should have known to trust and not to worry but I was disappointed and frustrated that all the other fairs for that day were now fully booked and it was too late to organize a private event.

On the morning of that Saturday, I woke up with such a drive to find something and I prayed one more time for God to open a door, before quickly scrolling through a local events listing on my phone. The only thing I saw that I hadn't already tried was a church bell-ringing fundraiser being held about 20 minutes from my Mum's house. I wasn't that hopeful that they would want to have a random lady from Thailand at their fundraiser at the last minute but I tried the phone number just in case. No answer. Not sure why, but I wasn't in the mood to accept a closed door that morning, and after breakfast, I decided to just fill my car with all my stuff anyway and drive over to the church and wait to ambush the organizers! 

So when the bell-ringing ladies arrived that morning with their cakes and raffle prizes for their event, there I was accosting them at the gate with my story of plans falling through and hopes for a venue. God was at work and they were very gracious! I was able to give a few items towards their fundraising raffle and they welcomed me with open arms to share their space, giving Thai Village a little table in the corner of the church! That day I got to ring bells for the first time in my life and also met many lovely people from churches all over Worthing. Sales were not huge but the people were huge-hearted and since many churches were represented, I got several invitations to other events locally and I'm excited to see where this will lead for Thai Village! 

Thai Village at Findon parish bellringers fundraiser 

This was one of the lovely ladies that I ambushed outside the church door!

 All in all, it was an incredible trip . .. and my family back in Thailand survived too, despite coming home to a house with no power and water because I had forgotten to pay the bill before I left!! Oops.

Today is Thanksgiving in one of my adopted countries and today I want to thank all of you who helped make this UK visit such a success - especially my Mum for her huge efforts (and for keeping the heating revved up way above her comfort level the whole time I was there), but also Sue, Zara, Juliet, Susie, Jon and Elma, Janet, Ginny, Lynn and many others at New Life and of course the bell-ringing ladies! Above all, I give thanks to our God who works so far beyond our small human mindset to bring about His good purposes in all of our lives. 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways.' declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55: 8-9 

P.S. If you haven't checked out our gorgeous Thai Village products yet, you can do so on our website www.thaivillage.org. US folks can order through the website but UK orders need to come through me for now! Thankyou!