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To: Don Woodard Sent: Sun, August 5, 2007 Subject: Ouellette Update (c/w photos) |
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...we are in Lopuri for another 4(ish) weeks!
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
I (Becky) have been studying Christian communication with a local Thai Christian woman who pastors the church we have been attending. She is teaching me how to pray, and share my testimony in Thai! Today, I found myself sitting with a Thai woman who was visibly in distress. Something deep inside of me seemed to be suggesting PRAY! Oh Lord, you know how limited my abilities are, but OK. I offered to pray for her. She said "Die kah" (that means YES!) So, I began to pray. Mid-way through a sincere, yet slow, not-so-fluent attempt to speak with the God of all languages, the woman spoke something which I understood to mean "pray in any language!" Whew! I was released to pray in English! I think the woman was just grateful that God was understanding my prayers - she didn't mind that she couldn't! ...at the end, I flipped back into Thai as I spoke 'in Jesus' name, amen." I was hoping she would understand that part! We want to be found faithful to step into the opportunities God gives us, even though we may not be found eloquent. :)
One of our neighbors stopped by the other night to let me (Greg) know that Emma was no longer playing at their house with their daughter but was at another neighbors house looking at the new puppies (Emma's love for animals has resulted in her being the quickest to get to know our neighbors!). So I went over to check in on her... and wound up in a conversation with the father of the home. He asked (keep in mind this is all in Thai) why we came to Thailand. My usual response to that is "because God asked us to". (Its simple to say in Thai and, well ...it's true). But then he asked, 'But... HOW did he tell you?". Easy to answer in English, but another ball-game in Thai. He invited me to sit on the tailgate of his pickup truck and helped me (!!) share the story of how clear and specific God was in asking our family to move to Thailand. It was a stretching experience - but encouraging too! Most of the opportunities I have had to speak about God to people in Thailand seem to revolve around this theme: that God is a God who SPEAKS! Personally, specifically and clearly! I think that people are hungry to know that. So as you read this, please pray for this man (and his wife who was listening nearby) that they would hear what it is that God wants to say to THEM!
SCOUTING TRIPS BEAR FRUIT!
Greg and I have each had the opportunity to visit Phuket City this month! We are thankful to God, not only for safe travel (something we never take for granted in this country), but we are also VERY thankful that God has provided us with a great home in Phuket City!! We are excited both about the house and the location - there are lots of markets nearby, and a great big park that is filled morning and evening with lots of local folks out to get some exercise. The house itself, is more than I imagined. It is a 3 bedroom single level home, so it is none too large for our family, but it is lovely! It is mostly furnished, which makes settling in much more simple for us! The kids have seen some video footage of the place and are all eager to move in. :) We are thankful!! Thanks to those of you who were praying specifically during our "house hunt". Pictures to come in a future update! We need to finalize the rental contract mid way through August with the landlord.
WHO WILL OUR TEACHERS BE??
As we look ahead to the "fall" we still have not resolved what is going to happen with our children and their education. To all of you teachers out there, and those of you who know a teacher or two, HELP!! We would still love to see 2 teachers join us in Phuket for the Sept. - June school year. We are open to the possibility of it being one teacher, but think that for the teacher's sake, two is better than one. Also, my level of involvement increases dramatically if there is only one teacher. If you are wondering what you can do about it....
- Pray with us for this need to be met.
- Tap a teacher or two on the shoulder, (or a person who is not yet a certified teacher who you think would be terrific....we really are open!)
- Just pack your bags and join us!!! :) ...okay, there is a little more involved in the process from getting from there to here, but let us know and we will fill you in on the details!
THANK YOU for listening once again to another snapshot of
our lives in Thailand.
Your friendship, support, encouragement, and prayer are absolutely essential
to our life and ministry.
With thanksgiving,
Greg and Becky, Caleb, Emma, Luke, and Silas
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Picture #1: A little contest for you... This is a picture of a local fruit market in Phuket city, close to where we will be living. If you are the first person to email us back with a list of all the fruits pictured here, we will send you a prize! (If you can read Thai, then one is a dead giveaway!). You can use Thai or english... and you can't be living in Thailand already!! |
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Picture #2: Last week was the final week that everyone from our team would be here together so we decided to take our language teachers out for lunch!! The Griffioens and Cynthia Friesen have now moved to Phuket City and we (and the Klassen family) will be joining them in September... so we wanted to say a BIG thank-you to these amazing teachers who have brought us soooo far this past year. Not only in understanding the Thai language, but also Thai culture as well... we count them as friends and will miss them!! (fyi- for those that know them... Judy and Cynthia are not in the pic, because they had to already be in Phuket to meet the truck that shipped their things south!). |
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Picture #3: Silas, our youngest... just turned a big 4 on August 1st! (He was pretty excited about this gift!!) |
