Sorry...it's been a while.
Saturday I went to the weekend market with Jeanie and another missionary, Martha. This market was huge and amazing. You could get everything from bathtowels to live fish to Thai antiques to pet cats. I didn't see any Siamese fighting fish or Siamese cats...maybe they made those names up. (FYI Thailand was called Siam until 1939.) I'll have to go back there sometime; they had some different stuff than the markets we went to last year. Which reminds me of something. The first thing Ms. Jeanie said to me when I got in the van from the airport Friday morning was, "Suck it up, Timothy, and come on back!" I'd waited so long to hear that again! lol Thought you'd enjoy that all you who went last year.
Sunday morning we went to church at Calvary Baptist Church. They have an international service in English (which felt very much like any service here). They also have services in Thai, Burmese, and Nepalese. After the service we had lunch in the fellowship hall. Most Thai churches here serve lunch after the Sunday service. It was a good time. I got to meet the pastor and some of the Thai members.
This morning (Monday) I went with a street preacher, Henry to a prison. He lead a Bible study/service with about 18 Africans in the prison. Most of them from Nigeria. That was a really cool experience. They sang hymns so loud! Can you imagine being in a prison on another continent, unable to understand the language, and still singing hymns at the top of your lungs? It was simply amazing. In the afternoon I went with Mark and Charlotte, the leaders of the prison ministry, to one of Charlotte's art classes. She teaches six classes a week in various prisons. There were about 20 students in the class, two of which were Americans: Ben from New Jersey and Jesse from Buffalo, NY.
Jesse had an interesting story. His father is a pastor and he grew up in church, even went to a Christian college for a year, but, as he explained, he chose to rebel against his strict upbringing and chose his own path. That path has lead to being arrested in Thailand for selling drugs and sentenced to 27 years in prison. He was so positive though, in spite of it all. Pray for him. Pray that God will use American missionaries in a prison half way around the world to lead Jesse to Himself. Pray for me too, that God will use me in the prisons to do his will; that I will speak what he has me to speak and do what he has me to do.
Thanks for reading, hopefully pictures are coming soon, but we'll see! Keep the comments coming :)
Timothy!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see you at church this week. I figured you were just working Journey Kids, right? :)
Anyways, I'm so happy to read your updates. The market sounds FABULOUS! And, it seems you're already making an impact on those around you. We're all praying for you over in the ME!
See you next week ;)
Kara
That market sounds awesome! If you could of found anything, you should of found yourself .... a banana phone!...bahahaha ;-].
ReplyDeleteAnd wow. Kudos to you for the whole prison thing. That still totally amazes me you have the guts to do that, I'd be scared outta my pants! But ya...first time there and you've already got some amazing stories...God's got big BIG plans for you Timothy!! I'm totally praying for you lots!
Oh, and just a side note. I had a dream last night that I'm like AH! I gotta tell Timothy! I had a dream that I was like captured and was on the island of Lost (haha, that's just funny and a side note)...but anyways...then LISA ISRAEL was there too...I know completely weird and random, but anyways, she wanted to talk to me, and said they changed their mind that they wanted me back as a RA next, but only had room in Cougar. And as soon as she told me I started running around like a crazy person to find/tell Jess to get her to kick one of the new ppl off staff...but then I woke up...hahaha.
Oh, and just FYI. Be ready this summer for some LOOOONG and random comments on here. Because I'm at work and have ALL day to comment and tell you some great random stuff happenin' in the states!! =] =] =]
Awesome! What are you going to buy me at the market? I want a pet cat, pleeeeeeeze.
ReplyDeleteOk no I don't. One Newcom cat is enough.
I like how you're mixing a bit of history into your blog...I didn't know Thailand was called Siam! You'll be on the history channel in no time!
Thanks for posting, Timothy! It helps all of us who are trying to comfort your mom when she doesn't hear from you in a few days. ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's exciting to hear all you are getting to experience. We have always known you were not of this country!
I still have your picture on my phone to remind me to pray for you. And don't worry... I'll be commenting, especially once school is out. Yay!!
Oh... and I hope the bugs aren't bothering you over there! haha
Ah!!! I literally lol-ed at each one of your posts! You are hilarious!
ReplyDeleteKara: JK was great last week; too bad I didn't get to see you though :) You would love the weekend market! I know it. And as always, thanks for your prayers!! I miss you guys already!
Katie: I'll look for a banana phone next time! lol That is the greatest dream ever!!! Thanks so much for telling me! I wish it were true (only better, though). lol. Really, that's hilarious!! The prisons really aren't as bad as they sound, but still a little intimidating. It doesn't feel dangerous at all, def a good thing! And I will look forward to long and random messages!! Have fun at work.
Aaron: I see if I can find just the right thing, something not alive perhaps. I'm glad you like the history; I certainly do, but then I picked it as a major! Be thinking of a title for my History Channel show...
Aunt Denice: I will try to post more regularly in the future! (I also sent my mom a pretty long facebook message, so hopefully that will help too). Thanks for your prayers! I really need em. And so far no bugs...o goodness, I can't believe that was the last thing I said to you before I left! O well!! lol
Timothy, thanks for the post. It sounds like you are already having an awesome experience! We are praying for you here.
ReplyDeleteAnd btw-Aunt Denice is right-the more posts the better I am!!
We love you lots!
Man..I totally want to go to the Market. It sounds way better than the Soulard Farmer's market...shoot.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I kinda fee like Jesse was trying to one-up Claire Danes from Broke Down Palace. :)
You rock!
Thanks for the info Timothy! I feel like I'm going to be pretty smart by the end of your summer! I'm afraid we're going to need some pictures pretty soon. You may have forgotten that I have a 17 month old whose memory is still developing...we don't want her to forget Uncle Timothy do we?
ReplyDeleteOh, and my summer project is going to be watching Friends from the very beginning so you may be getting some random quotes. :) Although I'll try to only tell you them once...not twice in the same conversation. Thanks for telling that to the whole world, btw. I middle named you in a post following yours. ;)
Have a lovely day/night...you're how many hours behind? I can't remember...shocking, right? :)
Love you!
SarahFae!! I hope everyone will be well educated in the ways of Thailand by the end of the summer! I will be working on pictures soon, I promise. There's still too much to learn and find out where I am/where I'm going to be taking pictures, but soon I hope. I hope Hannah doesn't forget me! But I don't think that will happen. I thought you just finished watching all the Friends? But it is def okay that you're doing it again! I will watch vicariously through your quotes. I look forward to it! I thought the whole world should know; it was too of a story! And I'm used to you middle naming by now! btw, it's morning now; I'm exactly 12 hours ahead of you. Love you too!
ReplyDeleteCourtney: You also would love the markets! I've actually never been to Soulard (oops) but I have a feeling it would be a lot different. I've heard of that movie, but I've never seen it so I can't say...I think it worked though. He would have had a life sentence, but he plead guilty so I got cut in half. Thanks for reading!
ReplyDelete