Susan Brown
Jul 25, 20194 min
I looked with surprise and some dismay at the bright pink
tent. It was a very nice tent, but its location was troublesome.
“Um. We really can’t
have class until someone moves their tent from our classroom. Can we find out
who put it there?” I asked our indispensable Moses.
Life is much easier with the translators we brought up
acting as go-betweens. Moses wants to be an interpreter and already is a huge
help to us. Nora, also, helps by taking care of our Thai/Lahu phone calls and
handling local business with the water delivery, garbage, etc. One day she
wants to be our Learning Center secretary and help with the students.
But the tent in the classroom…. It was one of many scattered
around our house. It’s preachers’ training week and people are camped out on
every spare (and not so spare) foot of our home. The kitchen is a beehive of
activity as I’kha and her temporary helpers fix meals for the additional thirty-some
men. With our regular crew of 12 and the
workers to feed, too, that’s no joke!
But they are cheerful and willing workers and the sound of
laughter rings into our classroom from the kitchen as the sound of singing and
then earnest teaching filters in the open windows. Paul is teaching the men under
the carport in the backyard.
We found the owners of the tent who moved it without
complaint. They set up again last night and can stay there today since the
learning center is closed for the day. Our
four, day-students have an extra project they must do with the Thai informal
school which they normally attend one day a week. Classes have to go on, even
when our routine is disrupted, but it is nice when a break comes to make it
easier.
Preachers’ training week is definitely a disruption, but a
welcome one. It’s the main reason we are here. Paul faithfully teaches the
preachers sound doctrine and answers their questions. The group keeps growing
and we are encouraged as we hear of their outreach to new villages where there
is no Gospel witness. Recently we had a request for Lahu Bibles to give to the
new Christians in some of those villages. Because of the donations of our supporters,
we were able to supply them. Thank you!
Since the training is here instead of in a distant town, I’m
able to help with the English classes on a regular basis. It is always fun, as
the guys have a child-like enthusiasm and participate in the class with gusto –
and laughter. The Myanmar preachers always sit on the front row and are the
loudest and most eager to learn.
It does make the day long with day-students in the morning,
the preachers mid-afternoon, and then my evening class of Lahu teenagers in the
evening. That class is going well and
soon I will add a second class each day. Fifteen adults are
signed up for a new English class. I’m particularly excited about them. Teaching
English is a great way to make new contacts and open doors for sharing the
Gospel. Also, it is important that the community knows we are here to serve
them. We want to have a good relationship with them. It might make a big
difference in whether our building plans and future projects are approved.
As to the building…. We were so thankful that Bro. Bill Daugherty
and his wife, Freda, were able to come and help us get started. He and Paul determined
the high and low points of the land and picked the spot for buildings. We have a
pad leveled and a plan. After preachers’ training we hope to start putting the
plans in motion.
Meanwhile, Bro. Bill spent the rest of his trip fixing up the
houses we rent. He and Paul hung the
huge banner on our building when covers the old plumbing supply store lettering
and identifies us clearly. Now maybe people will stop coming by to purchase pipes
and things.
He fixed up our new sink in the yard and put up an awning so
the rain is no longer a reason to put off washing dishes. My washer and dryer now sit on a concrete pad
in the yard instead of on the dirt, and the boys’ room is much cooler and more
soundproof. We are so thankful for his willing work! I enjoyed visiting with Freda and catching up
on the news from back home in Oklahoma.
They were here for a big event in our family. The Lord graciously
saved Nora. Paul baptized her in the nearby river. We are so thankful for His
work in the lives of the three who have become Christians since they have lived
with us. Please pray with us for the three others who are not yet saved.
We also had a welcome visit from Brother Ricky Cash and his
family. He is a pharmacist and has been on many medical mission trips over the
years. He did medicine at three villages
and patiently answered my questions. I’ve been the “doctor” for almost six
years now, and I know how to handle most of the requests. The many skin rashes
and some of the odd complaints still stump me, though. We had two lines of
patients going at our clinic in the village of Pa Tong Eh last Sunday and Molly
begged to interpret for Bro. Ricky. She did a good job and Moses, as usual, was
a help to me.
We enjoyed having Ricky’s 12-year-old granddaughter Kiersten
with us. She eagerly helped with the medicines. I think Ricky may have someone following
in his footsteps!
Life marches on quickly. It’s hard to believe we have been
in Thailand almost six years now. Looking at the pictures of our kids who were
preteens and now are 14 to 16 years old make us believe it. So do the
additional wrinkles and gray hair that Thailand bequeathed to us! We thank for
your support that allows us to continue with the work God has called us to do.
He is good!