Thailand 2009

Just before going to Thailand we spent our first Christmas in Mexico. Our church in Ixtlahuacan had a fiesta on the Sunday evening prior to Christmas. We played a few songs with the worship band and then came one of the most amazing experiences. The pastor said everyone should hug someone else and what an experience to be hugged by upwards of 100 people. It truly was heartwarming. Then we had a great potluck dinner together. Here are some pictures of us eating under the tarp of what is usually our "auditorium" on Sunday mornings.

Then we were off to Thailand for a couple of weeks and Nancy's sister, Joy, came with us this time to experience life with Adam and Cindy. This was the first time we saw their completed "compound". It truly is that, in that there are three homes within the walls of the property. There are two large homes, Adam and Cindy's and then Sean and Prang's and then there is a smaller house that Cindy's mom has built as a guest house. That is where we stayed. The houses are situated on the property so that there is a large grass area for the children to play between the houses. All of this can be seen in these photos. Here is a video of the daily soccer game. They also have two garden areas that provide most of the produce they need, including a mushroom house that yields this delicacy for them. There is a long driveway that the kids can play on, a playground and then a large covered area for scooters and bicycles. Here is a video of the kids on a furniture dolly. In this video you have to excuse the dust from Nana sweeping up after one of the 3 dogs tried to dig up the lawn and plants. The whole compound is very well laid out for its' intended purpose - raising orphaned children. We can now clearly see how God has brought things together for Adam, Cindy and Sean in just four short years to where they now have their own facilities and are beginning to populate it more and more.

We took Joy to the elephant camp so that she could enjoy riding the elephants and seeing how they are trained. They play soccer, and actually paint pictures, too. Here are some pictures of us at the elephant camp. We also found the time for Joy to experience the large Sunday street market and the night bazaar. A place not to be missed is Ban Tuwai, the village where Thai furniture and carvings are made. It really is an amazing place. A trip to a Celedon plant was also included plus a silk farm. This is the first time we went to a silk farm. Here is a video of one of the ladies weaving Thai silk, clearly a tedious job. Walt took Joy up to Doi Suthep, the Buddhist temple on the mountain. A long arduous and winding drive but well worth it when you get to the top. Here are a couple of photos taken at the temple. Joy was also able to experience Thai BBQ where you cook your meal on a BBQ at your table. The BBQ has become a major event every time we go to Thailand and this time we had sixteen people joining us for dinner.

Before going to Thailand Adam had asked if we could build an entertainment center together - perfect dad/son bonding time. He sent the plans in advance so that Walt could connect with the plans. The big iffy item was the type of materials that were available in Thailand. Sean had or was able to borrow all the necessary equipment for this project. However, before going, Walt felt he had to retrain himself or rehone his woodworking skills. So he built himself a workbench that is shown in these pictures. While we were at Home Depot in Guadalajara we saw the coolest saw ever. It is a Makita "Flipper" that is a table saw that when flipped over becomes a chop saw. Searching for it on the internet we only found it in Germany and Denmark - not even on Makita's own webpage!! But two of them in Guadalajara - go figure. The entertainment center Walt and Adam built is mostly teak, four meters long and almost two and half meters high. The workshop in Sean's carport and the finished product are shown in these pictures.

The greatest event during our stay was a telephone call that Adam and Cindy received during the last week of our stay. They were informed of the availability of a two year orphan boy and through the network Adam and Cindy were contacted. Adam and Cindy were going to spend some time with this boy and then, when everyone felt comfortable, bring him to their home. However, within a few hours of visiting him they returned with Nathan, our newest and latest grandson. In the two or three days that we had to spend with him he appeared to be adjusting quite well. The other two year olds, Isaac and Abby, quickly played with him as only two year olds can. Here are a few photos of Nathan.

We returned last Friday with uneventful flights, healthy and safe and we thank God for that and were back playing in worship band on Sunday, slightly worn with jet lag but back in the saddle again.