This is a large collection of recent experiences primarily for two reasons: 1) The old borrowed computer I have been using died; and 2) I’ve been busy.
This past weekend I went with Tot’s careteam on a retreat. We piled 16 people into two pickup trucks and drove a little over two hours to Khao Yai. On the way Tot’s truck (which I was in) started to smell like a dying vehicle. I was surprised by how long we persisted in driving after we first smelled the smell. When we did investigate we discovered that the truck was dry in the oil department. (Trucks don’t like running out of oil while they are trying to climb a mountain).
This did provide me with an enjoyable language discovery: the Thai word for oil is machine-water.
God sent someone with oil our way shortly after we stopped. With the oil refilled we went on our way.
We spent Friday night in a house owned by Pi Tot’s church. After a breakfast of rice-egg-pork soup and a time of worship some of us drove to Khao Yai National Park. I appologize for not taking my camera. I have requested that the one person who did have a camera email me his photos. We saw a waterfall that is apparently in some American film. We saw a monkey, and elephant, and a whole lot of birds. I’m told that at times tigers can be spotted. We unfortunately (I suppose in some circumstances fortunately) did not see any tigers.
After Khao Yai we met the rest of the group at a spring where we swam for a while. After swimming in the mtn spring for awhile I was shivering outside of an aircondiitoned space for the first time since leaving PA.
During dinner and on the way back to the house, the group I was with taught me how to say “do you have a problem with me,” “come on/bring it,” “get ready I’m going to hit you.” When we arrived at the house I provided a great deal of entertainment by delivering my lines to one of the other guys.
After cleaning up from swimming we loaded up to head home. We hadn’t gone too far before Pi Tot’s transmission started dying. God again provided someone to come to our aid. A guy on a motorcycle made several trips between us and a small, middle-of-nowhere garage. We eventually managed to coax the truck to the garage.
The three guys at the garage were remarkably adept with their limited tooling. In the time from 8-12:30 they . . . well I’m not exactly sure. But the truck was restored.
While waiting for the truck’s restoration we had a good time playing games. I also got to know some people a good deal better.
We arrived back in Bangkok around 2:30 AM. Needless to say getting through a gate that locks at 10:00 wasn’t much of an option. I spent what remained of the night at Pi Tot’s house.
Sunday afternoon I attended choir practice. During this time I recieved a new name. My name is now ไมตรี [pronounced something like “my tree”]. It means “friendship.”
Today for language school we met at a park so we could apply what we have learned. It was a beautiful morning to spend in a park.
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