I'm so scared that I'll just not continue posting about the trip if I let it off my mind for too long. So, before I actually go into that state of mind, I need to post all finish as soon as possible. This is difficult guys. Why so many photos!
I should have just share the video link from youtube here. Settle. Hah.
Anyways, with the money that we collected, we gave the church RM1000 and immediately they were able to build a proper cement floor for the kids to play.
Special thanks to the people who have sponsored us. Since my company, Holiday Tours & Travel Penang sponsored RM500, I shall do a mini shout out/ads for them. Hahaha. Not only that, my boss and colleagues collected cash and gave them to us for this ministry. :)
There are a few 'stations' going on to build this proper flooring. First, the big pile of sand, which women/kids/Van and me scooped them into a gunny bag and then the men/boys/kids will carry them down a slope.
Then, they will pour the sand out and make a big hole-kind-of-pile where they mix the cement and sand and stones, I think. All this under the hot sun.
Then, the ladies will line up in one line and they will pass a bucket of cement at a time to the starting point of the flooring process. Oh my, I don't know exactly know what I'm talking about. Anyways, this part I didn't participate because it was way too hot and I'm not as strong as these women are. Seriously, I don't know what they eat. They like never get tired. *salutes*
At this point, the boys were still helping them out. Van and I decided to do some final touch up to the paint in front of the church. Then, we rested a while and Koay's best friend, Chard suggested to take us to his 'farm'. I think you can call it farm lah.
I say Koay's best friend because everytime he sees Chard, he will for sure go to him and talk in his broken Mandarin. Chard is always laughing at him. So cute. What I think is Koay really has a heart for people. People like Chard. This is one of the things I admire about Koay. Despite the language barrier and difficulty in understanding each other, Koay always put in the effort to be with him, be it standing next to him, giving him food, playing basketball, speaking in one word by one word.
Then, when Chard invited him to his farm, he immediately said yes. Yes, without thinking. I know, there's really nothing much to think about also since he invited but because it was evening and we had to prepare for some stuff. At the end, what matters most is not our resting time. It's not lying down for a good 15 minutes.
It's developing a friendship that has already been made. And that I really love about Koay. God shows me so much through you, it's crazy.
Anyways, we walked with Chard up the hills to his farm. His family's. Sort of. His biological family is not in Chiang Mai. This is like relative kind of family.
Photo credits to Vanessakym :)
The view was superb so it was worth the short hike, which we didn't expect at all. Haha. Chard said very near only. He said it in Mandarin, so it was rather convincing. There were lychee trees, chickens and piglets. Oh goodness, they so cute okay! I don't think I've ever seen piglets in real life before. There were like 6-8 of them sucking milk from their mommy. Sooo cute. Tak boleh tahan ahhhh.
Nic trying to touch the tail of a very big wild boar.
Koay and Chard.
We were kinda late for our dinner already so Chard decided to bring us through shortcut. This is real adventure because it's path that people have never traveled in before, and they look like homes to snakes and God knows what else. It's crazy but fun at the same time. All Chard did was laugh at all of us because we looked so terrified, especially Nic. Such good times though.
The other night when Koay and Andrew promised to join Chard and his friends in a friendly basketball match nearby, only to find out that we had to go to a lil girl's birthday dinner with other local pastors. Chard looked so sad when we told him that we couldn't join him.
While waiting for everyone else to change for the birthday party.
It's not just only a birthday party but also a mini cell-group kind. We sang a few songs and Pastor Cowan preached in Mandarin. Superb la his sermon in mandarin. Then, we ate. Then, when the sun is gone completely, we kept on eating because it was so yummy. Don't know what we put in our mouth also. Just chew and swallow.
One of the man that Koay remembered from last year. His life inspires Koay in so many aspects. He was a soldier who fought for his country and loses a leg in the battle. Yet, you will see him doing hard labor for the church anytime. There is no excuse from this man. If I'm not mistaken, he's also a pastor in this church.
Later the week only we started spending more time with the children. We made lanterns, coloring contest, hand print art and many other mini games. Oh and selfie! And some of the girls taught me how to write my name in Thai. Moments like these cannot be captured with my goldii. Only with there two eyes I have. It's beautiful. Jesus loves all the same. All.
This boy is Ronaldo. He speaks Thai and Mandarin, so all our conversation with him is in Mandarin.
Ronaldo: *points at me* She's your love?
Koay: Yeah.. How you know?
Ronaldo: *shy* How old are you? And her?
Koay: *reveals our age*
Ronaldo: Married? How many children?
Koay: Mei yo!
Ronaldo: *looked super shocked* (the people gets married when they hit 20)
Koay: Why? You want to be our son?
Ronaldo: *smiles and nods*
And there you have it.
The only time I actually enjoyed sweeping the floor. KIDDING! Later you all think I'm so spoilt never do housework all. Hah.
Chef at work :)
Part IV will be the last series of this trip. My plan is to update them all tomorrow. Let's hope I have some time to spare from work.
Other news: Vanessa is improving so fast now it's crazy. Prayers move mountains. And all your prayers is moving our big mountain now. Thank you again! You guys rock :)
Out for now.
