Nearing the end…less than a month left in this place God has put me. (silent pause)…
Emotions and thoughts and feelings…they are trying to figure themselves out. I think they’re having a hard time.
It’s like I’m a person cut into two parts…one half is so excited to return home, hug my mom’s neck, pet my cat, go to Taco Bell, make a shopping run to Target. The other half is desperately trying to grab onto all things I love here, and even the things I don’t.
Learning to cook Thai food so I can have a taste of this place, buying a few little things that remind me of Thailand, spending lots of time with friends and having some great conversations.
My days are currently consisting of editing previous trips, finalizing some slideshows, writing a story to go with a video from India, waiting on a response from Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas, planning my itinerary to America (looks like maybe the 24th I’ll be headed out), selling my furniture, having a few dresses specially made, enjoying the rain as it cools the temps here, and preparing my pup for travel.
The differences in culture and life is hitting me hard…I keep seeing all the differences in Thai culture and American culture, where as before, Thai culture became the norm. I thought it would be interesting to share 50 things that pop in my mind that I cannot find in America (special to Thailand)…maybe when I’m back in America I’ll do the reverse and do a list of 50 things you cannot find in Thailand…
Here goes…
1) Markets (open all day long…and sometimes into the night) filled with fruit, fresh meat, fish, clothing, plastic goods, shoes, anything you could possibly imagine or want at a minimal cost…(better than Wal-Mart for prices…but much more unpleasant for the nose)
2) Coffee shops (on every corner) we’re not talking about Starbucks here, I mean yummy lovely and cute little shops with delicious Chaa Yen (Thai Iced Tea) and awesome atmospheres, not to mention the company that goes with you into these little shops
3) Elephants on the street (usually at night) you can see them walking down the highway or side street with their owner, looking for money and food…and as you might imagine, they draw attention, especially for the tourists
4) Mountains surrounding a huge valley (completely surrounded by mountains) this place does hold in the smog and rain and smoke from burning fields, but let me say, the sunrise is absolutely breathtaking coming up over the mountains and pouring out onto this place called home
5) Tuk-Tuks and Rot Deengs (the easiest and cheapest form of transportation) these three wheeled and covered motorbikes called tuk-tuks are awesome, but mostly for tourists, then there’s the local (and way cheaper) truck called a rot deeng or song taew for the locals, it’s a truck with a covered back and two rows of seating (awesome)
That’s all for now…more to come.
Please remember me, my friends that don’t know Him yet, and my time here as it comes to a close.
Blessings
Posted in 
Well, or so they say. Dad made a new template for this little old blog…and I kinda like it. 
Thanks Pops!
New blog look, new projects to edit and work on, new world headed my way. This week it seems like I’ll be heading back to America near the end of August. (I say “this week” because I’ve gotten used to not making any kind of stone hard plans…so next week it could be entirely different…and that’s ok). The end of August…that leaves about two months left…two full months. Got lots of projects coming down the pipe, a camp for MK’s in July, and a week long conference to follow that, both of which I am to be interviewing folks and taking pics to make an LMCO thank you video for during the last two weeks of July. Whew. The awesome news? I’ve been asked to sing with the worship team for our yearly conference. So excited! Thanks God!
My last two weeks have been filled with (well, are you ready for the gory details?) puppy licks, nibbles, smelly chicken food, a new leash, squeaky toys, puppy poo, and piddles. All for the low low price of 1,500 baht…that’s about 40 bucks. In exchange, I got an adorable little Shih Tzu pup who’s name is Burin (that’s a famous Thai singer here, he sings in the band Groove Riders…I learned one of their love songs and have sung it at two Thai weddings)…and the name means “king of the city.” My little pup. He’s my baby.
The last two weeks have also been filled with ideas of returning back to America. Honestly? I’m a bit frightened. You know, sure I’ve only lived here for two years…but in two years…a lot can happen. You adjust, adapt, become part of the culture you live in. You learn the language, you fall in love with the culture, the people, the food. I’m a bit afraid of what I will think of America when I get back. I know it will be quite a ride on the reverse culture shock monster…and I’m praying He will be my seatbelt and constant. It will be difficult for friends and family as well, because where I have been changing and growing in Thailand without them, they have been changing and growing in America without me. And we both have not seen each other through that gradual process, as we would if we lived in the same country. No…this way is drastic. No gradual-inity in this transition. Get ready Neisha.
Can you sense I’m a little tense?
Well, if it comes to mind…lift up a little prayer for me, my family, and my friends. As well as those I will be leaving behind here. I will miss them dearly.
Blessings
Here’s something you can look at to see what I’ve been up to the last two weeks. More to come in words…
P.S. Trying to work out the kinks of a video insert…sorry if the quality is quite up to par. Hopefully I can fix that in the near future. For now, you can get a “preview.”
Blessings
open source video, online video platform, video solution
That is the question…
I realized tonight, while my mind was wandering in a youth group meeting (it was in Thai…so I don’t feel so bad that my mind was wandering)…that I have not written in a LONG time. I thought it had been about 4 weeks…but now looking at the blog itself…it has indeed been longer than that. The answer/excuse…depending on how you look at it…is my computer.
It is true…if you set a laptop on a small table, have dinner and an open water bottle on the table as well, and you get up from your seat and hit the table with your hip along the way, the bottle will topple over, and it will spill onto the keyboard and into the computer…and it will in fact, cause your computer to short out, shut down, and not turn on again. In which case…one might take it to the Mac Store, be told it might cost you $600 to fix, and then continue to wait 3 weeks for it to be fixed…but luckily only costing about $40…but then have to return to that same Mac Store (let’s see…) about 7 times (literally) to finally get your laptop back…still with problems…and not having a working wireless access or email program. So…lesson learned? Don’t have any kind of food or water near your laptop at any time…I don’t care how careful you are or how often you do and have no problems…just don’t do it. Oy.
Now I’m in the south of Thailand…near Phuket with a family I met last year at MK summer camp…spent today with a team (Thai) from Bangkok and we went out to a nearby village sharing the Gospel. Very amazing. Very hot…but amazing. Then this evening was the youth group…only about 10 or so showed up…but still a good evening. Tomorrow we’ll do a children’s camp with the Thai team and then I head out in the afternoon to return back to Chiang Mai. The family here…they’re quite hilarious. I have to say only nice things on here about them (because the mommy reads this sometimes) hahaha. No but really…they are great. The mom…she’s a bit scatter-brained, super energetic, and simply makes me laugh. The dad is pretty calm and collected…and handles his family so well. The two kids still at home are adorable…the youngest has the bluest eyes and smiles like a million bucks. The daughter, 14 now, is a cutie…and pure servant heart. Such a sweet fam. They’ve been great letting me stay, feeding me, and even letting me crowd the couch to watch American Idol from the internet.
Pictures soon to come of this little adventure…it was a rush project that the WMU needed…so I’ll get the pics edited soon and put up a few. Even got to do some family portraits this afternoon with the fam. Good times. And…the mom likes photography so (hopefully) I’ve gotten to teach her a few things about it along the way. She’s been a great listener and I’ve gotten to process some things with her lately. Good trade.
Blessings…
So, have you ever had one of those days when nothing seems to fit? To work? To be fun? Well…it’s one of those days. Lots of things running through my mind, decisions to be made, ideas to be formed, videos to be edited, pictures to be taken, chaa yen’s (thai ice tea) to be drunk (drank?…I always get confused with the past tense of that word).
Sitting in my favorite coffee shop, it’s yellow on the inside and I’ve gotten to know the owners (a cute little family who just had their first baby girl)…and I started thinking. What a day. What a place I live in. What opportunities lie ahead of me. What mistakes I will make. What lessons I will learn. Somehow…it feels as though I’m on the edge of something and I’m not quite sure where it will take me. This all sounds very vague and “Alice in Wonderland-like” but really…it’s pretty scary…but amazing. I know I’ve changed so much while being here…my ideas about myself…my confidence level…my faith…my ideas about church…my hopes in sharing God’s love…my ideas about how to do that…etc etc etc. But now…as this time begins to come to a close (only about 4 months left…one of which will be filled with conferences and MK camps) I begin to think about the time as a whole that I’ve spent here…and the lessons learned along the way. I’m eternally grateful for the experience. I know I’ll never be the same. I hope I have grown closer to God and more like His likeness…and I hope that I continue to do so in the future.
Right now I see all the things that I used to be afraid of here…and all the things that I love here now.
Past fears:
-language – cultural inappropriateness – not sharing my faith clearly – not sharing my faith enough – messing up at my “job” as a photographer – not satisfying folks in the company that I work for – letting people down with my “results” – driving – getting fat from all the delicious food – and more
Current loves:
-language – cultural things I’ve learned that I now know how to handle – being able to share my faith in small ways and in big – loving my “job” and being confident that God’s equipped just for this time – aiming to satisfy and glorify only God and not man – I love to drive here and think I’m a better driver because of it – I love Thai food and have gained weight but then lost it again – the friendliness of the culture – the relaxed nature of the culture – the community driven ideas of the culture – the mountains – the funny sounds I hear coming off the street – the prettiest flower in the world ลีละวดี lee-lah-wah-dee – and more
So fun to look back at how I viewed this place in the beginning and how I view it now.
As a last note…I love the rain. I never liked it in America really, but here, it’s like a breathe of fresh air. Literally. The smoke and pollution accumulates in the valley we live in and then the heat makes it worse. So…the first rain (the one I prayed for and asked others to pray for) was such a relief.
So as one song I really like says…”bring on the rain.”
Blessings!
For many reasons, this question is on my heart today…what is the core of being a believer and where should there be lines drawn? Not lines of separation per say, but boundary lines…lines that protect…lines that guide…lines that keep truth? In America, in college, I was faced with deciding against my friends, against my fellowship at school, against the things I had been involved in for two years, and go a different way because of my belief, to fight for and stand up for the Truth. It was possibly the hardest thing I had done at the time. I thought those days were over, and I would no longer have to deal with this idea of “having to draw lines” and “choosing to separate for the Truth.” I was wrong.
Although America does not compare to international places in terms of cooperation, love, and “One Goal” there is still a line that one must draw as a believer, a believer in the Truth. Where is the point where we can say, “Ok, this person doesn’t believe EVERYthing the same as me, but the core is the same (and that’s all that matters) so I can still fellowship with them, love them, and serve with them.” ? And…where is the line where one must say, “No. I’m sorry. I do love you. I do care for you. I do want to serve with you. But I cannot adhere to what you are teaching. I cannot go with what you are interpreting in the Word.” ? Does there need to be that line? And if there does…where should it be drawn?
I love this place because much of the infantile separation that occurs in the states is diminished, and almost non-existent here. It’s lovely. People working together for one purpose: to reach the lost, those that have never even heard the name of Jesus. Here, it is not a matter of “What church do you go to?” or “What denomination are you a part of?” but rather “Do you know who Jesus is?” and then when believing friends meet, sometimes you may go months or even years or even a lifetime before you even know what “denomination” they a a part of. It’s no longer “Are you SBC or Lutheran?” It’s simply, “Are you a believer?” And the answers? No longer, “I’m Methodist” but rather “I’m a Christian, a follower of Christ.” I feel like in America there is so much fighting, so much pushing away, so much judgement…in unhealthy ways. Ways that separate and defile what God made the church to be. It saddens me.
But…where is the line?
Have you ever thought about this, or dealt with it? Just curious…it’s worth thinking about…because one day…I’m almost certain…you’re going to face it.
Blessings…
I’ve had the privilege and opportunity to teach a photo class at Chueng Doi church (the Thai church my friends go to). This morning was the first class…we learned lots! And got confused a lot too (just kidding)…it did make it a bit difficult to have to translate it all (technical terms and such)…but I think the 9 Thai and 2 farang (foreigners) understood, enjoyed, and learned. So much fun…and such a blessing. Please remember the students (as most are not believers) and me (as I try to teach something that is dear to my heart…keep me humble…and able to communicate clearly). Thank you in advance!
These pics are some that a student/friend at the church took of me and others during the class.
Question from a student…
My faithful translator…P’Thum
One extra special student way in the back…
Blessings!
ขอบคุณพระเจ้าสำหรับเวลานี้ (Thank the Lord for this time.)
From different times, different places, different lessons learned…
Blessings!
Hmmm…a month? Already? And no notice from me. I’m sure those of you “regularly” follow this are thinking…”ok…Neisha…seriously…what could possibly be taking up your time that you cannot sit down and write to us?”
I have no excuses.
What have I been up to? Lots! Lots of good things…lots of work…lots of fun…lots of learning…lots of stress too…lots and lots and lots.
This month I’m working on two videos (well actually more than two…but two shooting/recording times). One is for Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. An MK video where the MK’s thank the kiddos in America that pray and support them and their families. It’s been fun so far…I’ve had freedom to write and direct and produce all by myself…so that’s been nice…but also scary. I’m not a videographer. I’ve only done ONE video my entire life…so to get this assignment, with a strict deadline…a little intimidating to say the least. Next week I also begin doing something new with video, and that is to record testimonies of some of our workers from East Asia. So, I’ll be using new equipment, lights, and then editing those into 3 or 4 short videos. Whew. I never thought I’d get this much experience in the video world. I guess all those talks my professor Mr. Veneman gave us in class are proving true. He always said that one day we’d cross over and be “multi-lingual” in the media world. It’s true. I’m not so sure of what I think of it so far…but hey…”learning a new language” is always a benefit in my book.
Speaking of language…things are going…slllllllow. I’ve hit another plateau. I still love the language dearly, and want to learn more and more so I can share my faith, but it’s been rough lately. I feel as though I’ve not learned much of anything and each class I have with Khruu Panida…I’m just so drained and tired, and frankly grumpy, that I just don’t feel up to “learning.” But…life goes on. I’m sure there will be a hill and maybe a valley in my Thai future.
My dear friends P’Gade and P’Thum have been with me through thick and thin. I’m so grateful for them…great friends…believers in a place that it’s so hard to hear and know of God’s love. It’s quite amazing. They’ve heard me complain and gripe and whine and have good days too…and stuck with me through it all.
Looks like…hmm…about 5 months left in this place. Wow. Part of me hates to think of leaving. Part of me struggles with what I am to do next. Part of me can’t wait to get to my family and go to Wal-Mart. HA…I know…pathetic. But I do miss it. (or not really…Wal-Mart…but just things that remind me of “home” and “America”)
That’s all for now…
Thank you for your prayers and your thoughts and your encouragement!
Blessings!
Listed in my iTunes files…Track 03 Jill Philips…
“In the secret of His presence, how my soul delights to hide. Oh how precious are the lessons, which I learn at Jesus’ side. Earthly cares forever vex me, all my trials lay me low. But when Satan comes to tempt me, to that secret place I go. To that secret place I go.
When my soul is faint and thirsty, neath the shadow of Your wings. There is cool and pleasant shelter and a fresh and crystal spring. And my Savior rests beside me, as we hold communion sweet. If I tried, I could not utter what He says when thus we meet, what He says when thus we meet.
Only this I know, I’ll tell you. All my doubts, my griefs, my fears. Oh how patiently He listens and my sorrow slowly cheers. Do you think He n’er approves me? What a false friend He would be, if He never never told me of the sin which He must see. Of the sin which He must see.
Would you like to know the sweetness of the secret of the Lord? Go and hide beneath His shadow, and this shall then be your reward. And when have you leave the silence of that happy meeting place, you will surely bare the image of the Master in your face. Of the Master in your face.”
Hope this was a blessing…