Last Days in Thailand 2007

The Fountain in front of the building.

Overall it was a great trip. Those going on future trips will benefit.

A condensed list of potential opportunities:

1. In my-an,mar we can teach at college but it must fit curriculum and there are access restrictions.


2. Boys dormitory needs to be built but first land must be purchased and there are access restrictions.


3. By travelling further in we can support people who have less governmental interference.


4. For those interested, a small group can continue on to China, make a loop through Laos via the Mekong river, and back to Thailand.


5. Timothy has a need for a week long pastor and spouse retreat: family (marriage) & ministry & teach things they can use and replicate.


6. Teach them (Timothy's church and others?) how, why, show effectiveness of skits. Remember bible verses read in Thai are twice as long as English.


7. Build bamboo church and pastor's house in a hill tribe; can be completed in a week.


8. Paul & Lori - Medical team - doctors or nurses would be most useful, they can handle everything else.


9. They could teach us how they do mobile medical.


10. Stop at their Ahka tribe north east of Fang and hear their story.


11. Ask them what to do teach?/do? skits.

The last days:
I did the first Sunday morning sermon in the new building - a skit of David, Saul, and Goliath (starring me.) I stole Dan's 5 smooth stones talk and made it better :-) George Butron also spoke about happenings in Vietnam and Cambodia.

I got to explore more food, and learned the 'intestinal' problems we experienced are often due to diarrheic herbs, not microbes. I experienced century eggs for the first time, these duck eggs are buried raw and cook/rot in the ground, it was better than it sounds. There was lots of durian around but no one to help me eat it. Lots of stews and soups prepared in a clearly Chinese way.

After church, and the served lunch, everyone else was heading north so I took the 3rd class bus south to Chiang Mai, no air con, an unforgettable experience. It 'stops' for anyone along the way, but most wait at the mini-bus stops every few miles. No bathroom break in 4 hours, I guess you just get off the bus use the non-existing facilities and catch the next bus in 30 minutes.

I spent a lovely night in the new Bangkok airport, very modern yet somehow still dingy Thai. With many sushi restaurants and bars, I stole away in small coffee shop with WiFi and worked. Since I flew unrelated airlines I needed a new boarding pass which was a massive task. I learned they are at the entrance, but from inside there is no obvious entrance.

A typhoon hit Taiwan just as I arrived, and the airport closed for 7 hours. That gave me more time to try the food - mostly really good noodle soup.

After 49 hours of non-stop travel (and waiting) from Fang, Thailand to Pullman, it is nice to be on the right side of the road again.

The view out my hotel room in Fang.

Stacy treated everyone to ice cream.