In light of Thanksgiving being just last week, I wanted to share some of the things I'm grateful for, especially from this past year.
- I'm grateful for my Thai teacher, Kru Jum, who has helped me to speak, read, and write Thai as fluently as I can.
- I'm grateful that my formal Thai studies are over, not only because it's a huge milestone but because I have more time to focus on ministry and things going on in my community. (I'm still grateful for my studies though! ;) )
- I'm grateful for my interim supervisor, Kyle, for taking up our internship last minute and faithfully leading and caring for us interns amidst many changes and hardships.
- I'm grateful for Kyle, Alex, and Limxuv - the latter two of whom are my fellow interns - for their support in many things this past year, cultural adjustment and personal challenges among them.
- I'm grateful for P'Oh, Baa'Ladaa, and their entire family, for allowing us to use the community church for various activities, for their generosity in giving us rides to and from church, and for spending time with and supporting us foreigners.
- I'm grateful for Baa'Koo Lap, the main cook in our community, for blessing us with cheap, delicious Thai food every day.
- I'm grateful for our Thai friend Jaa, for sharing her culture with us and making us feel at home here in Thailand.
- I'm grateful for Lung'Rachan and his family, for spending time with me, allowing me to come over and visit, and blessing me with delicious food.
- I'm grateful for continual financial provision, which enables me to live and work in this beautiful country.
- I'm grateful for all the hardships that have come my way, for I know they're making me better and stronger and being used for God's glory.
- I'm grateful for the upcoming holidays, for the opportunity to see my family again after 14 months and to spend the holidays together. It'll also be their first time abroad, so praise God for that!
- I'm grateful for the generosity and hospitality of Thais, for their willingness to assist a helpless foreigner when language, culture, or something else fails him. (Trust me - this has happened a lot!)
- I'm grateful for my Heavenly Father, who continues to love and be faithful to me, even when I don't deserve it.
- I'm grateful for the freedom and victory God has graced me with this past year.
- I'm grateful to have yet another year in Thailand, and with that, more opportunities to grow, be stretched, and learn more about God and God's Kingdom in this part of the world.
My heart is full of gratitude this holiday season. I hope yours is as well!
[Photo: Thanksgiving dinner, including a roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, rolls, and papaya salad. It wasn't entirely like home, and it was even somewhat of an American-Thai fusion, but we did what we could, and hey - I'd say we did pretty good!]