Just want to put some folk's minds at ease. I may be on the other side of the world right now but you better believe that, even here, we're gettin' geared up for some Georgia football!!!!! Wooohooo!!!!! There are actually a few of us Georgians here in town which will make for some fun times when we're staying up real late on Saturday's or getting up real early on Sundays to catch the games...ONLINE :o) Listening to games via online radio will certainly be a first for me! BUT, I am thankful to have at least that!

Thailand

After arriving home from my trip to our annual meeting, I had only two weeks to prepare for my next trip! I was off to Thailand! What an incredible trip this was! My first week was spent attending a week long conference for first term people here who do what we do. This was a wondering time of seeing old friends and making new ones as well! I stayed on a few extra days with some friends and did a little bit of everything from getting massages, to eating MEXICAN, and then we even got to do a little hiking! It was awesome!

My bithday was in July, so I got to celebrate with some good friends in Bangkok! Every year, on...near...around my birthday, I always find a way to get myself a Bloomin' Onion at Outback. Well, It wasn't until I arrived in Bangkok that I realized that they actually have an Outback Steakhouse!!!! Birthday tradition lives on! The Father is SO good to me!
While in Bangkok, we also went to a big fancy theater to catch a movie...in ENGLISH!!!! I haven't done that since I left the States! And then of course...there's one man who will be with you always...no matter go on this great planet (except where I currently live of course ;). Yes, that's right folks, I am speaking of none other than Ronald McDonald himself ;o) I amazed even myself at how excited I was to see that man! Ha! Ahh....french fries ;O)

Even though it was amazing and so good for my heart to see friends, eat some yummny western food, and see some new sights, after a few weeks of even these great things, I was ready to get back to my Asian home. This was such a wonderful feeling. It was the first time I had been away for any length of time and I found I was so ready to go home! Time away is nice :) but the Father has truly blessed my life here in A-land! I have an awesome team that I adore! Not everyone in this kind of work can say that and I truly am thankful for the family the Father has given me here! I also missed some of my national friends! What a GREAT thing! I love my home here!
I will try and post more as the Father provides opportunitites here!

Summer Travels

Hey Y'all!!!
I know you all must think I've dropped off the face of the planet when instead I feel like I've just traveled it! Ok, well maybe not the entire planet but I've certainly had a bit of a tour of our region here in Southeast Asia! Here's the rundown on where I've been!

In June, on a little island not so far away, we had our annual meeting! It was a wonderful time to reunite with friends! I was even blessed to see a few familiar faces from HOME!!! What a treat!
The island we were on is predominately Hindu which is very different from the rest of our islands. This made our visit all the more interesting. So, while they spoke the same language I am STILL learning here in A-land, the whole time we were there I felt I was in an entirely different country! The culture there is very different than that of my island!

*Here are some precious Georgia ladies that came over for a visit!
*MY Kristen! So good to see a sister when you're so far from home ;)
*Now here's something to get excited about. Can you see that Krispie Kream sign in the back?!?!
*On this little Hindu island you will see these offerings placed everywhere! Their Hindu beliefs seem to touch every corner of their culture and every curb and vendor as well.

We Remember...

A few short weeks ago I had the unfortunate opportunity to see a small glimpse of the fear and panic our people must have felt when the 2004 tsunami struck our coastlines. There is now a warning system here designed to send out alerts if there is ever a threat of another tsunami. The other week, one of the alarms went off sending our city into absolute panic.
I wish I could put into words for you the hopeless fear I saw in the eyes of my neighbors and friends as people ran out into the streets shouting and gathering their things while some literally ran towards the mountains. Some people left town for days and I am still hearing rumors of other tsunamis that are "sure to come" in the next few days.
Though a few years have passed now since the tsunami, there are still images scattered across town that remind us of the loss and destruction that took place here among our people. In light of this recent reminder, I thought I should share some photos with you and ask you again to lift up the people here who have suffered so much and who still mourn so deeply those they lost in the tsunami. There isn't a week that goes by that we don't come in contact with someone who, whether we ask or not, pours out their story of suffering and loss. It truly breaks my heart knowing that these are the ones who mourn like those who have no hope...



This is a VERY LARGE barge the wave carried about 4 miles inland. It was set down in the middle of a community crushing the houses and people beneath it. It remains there to this day with no plans of ever being moved.


What was once a lighthouse, is now just a tower that sits on the coastline of one of our communities. The wave was so high, it came up and over the structure removing the upper portion of the tower. I am standing at the bottom of the tower to show you just how high the structure is.


There are actually people still liveing in this house


This is a mass grave. It is one of several found throughout this area. It is reported that there are between 40 to 60 thousand people buried here at this one site. It is considered to be one of the smaller graves.

There's a new Hut in town ;o)

Pizza Hut has arrived!!!! I can hardly believe it!! They're having the big opening this weekend so we thought we'd treat ourselves on this fine Sunday afternoon to some good 'ol pizza! It's just like home!!! Well, so long as you don't get the seafood special which has no telling what all on it!!! My roommate M and I think we'd make great delivery girls!!! Check out those rides!!!



I just had my folks send me some hats from home because, so far, this is the only "hat" I've found in the city permissible for women to wear!!! Good for working in the garden...which we have...but maybe not for anything else but a fun photo!

~AND~

I had to get a picture of this! Every week we take the volunteer teams we have here in our vol. house out souvenir shopping! There are 2-3 shops we go to every time we have teams...we give them business, they give us discounts. Today, I saw this for the first time....A BUTT RUG!!!!! Ha! No kidding!!! It's actually a pr. rug but the brand just so happens to be "Butt" ;o) I couldn't keep myself from very discretely snapping a quick pic of the all too funny butt rug ;o) Hope you enjoy it too!!!