HOH Photos.

Such pretty r a i n.

When it rains, it p o u r s. Our team had the joy of working in the rain!

Authentic Thai "Squattie potty".

The 6' by 6' septic hole some of the guys dug.

  Team weeding, not your typical weeding! 

    The children's home & playground.

A home for two mothers living with HIV.

The artwork of a child.

"Bamboo Palace"

Beauty of Chaing Rai.

(I don't have much time, so more to come later.)

Superman, and Aching Hands.

This week our team woke early to work with HOH (Home of the Open Heart). I believe I've shared before about the ministry and what their vision is, but recently I've been updated with a few more details.

There are 11 children on the base as of right now, 5 of whom are HIV+. About 6 of the children are orphaned by parents who died with AIDS. And 5 of them have family that it either to old to take care of them, or they are too sick (with AIDS).

HOH runs just like an orphanage, only with more ethics and moral standards than most orphanages. Plus, the children are raised there with an understanding of who Jesus Christ is, which is incredibly amazing! Each morning the children ages 5 and up go to an international school and come back around dinner time. The younger children stay at HOH with nannies (usually from around the world). Their days are usually full with english teaching, crafts and games, naps, and playing.

We are not personally working with the children, teaching them english and playing games. We are actually only able to be around the children when they are allowed for a break to come and visit. At least two children come and visit the team every day.

One young boy (age 4 and speaking perfect english), runs around wearing the infamous red and blue Superman outfit, asking to be called just that...Superman. He later told Ted his name "really isn't superman, its Joe." He also told Ted, "I am four and I don't pee the bed anymore." Very, very cute!

So what is our team exactly doing at HOH? More manual labor! Our team arrives around8:30 or 9 AM each morning, and splits into about four groups. One group is working on a 6' by 7' hole for a septic tank for one of the homes of the mothers living on the property with children and AIDS. They have worked SO hard digging, and digging away.

Another group works beside them at another home getting built for a mother living with AIDS. They have been working on a cementing walls, and sidewalks. Another group has been working with a lot of dirt. Shoveling, scrapping, moving, tearing,leveling...you name it, we do it with dirt! (I am in this group, therefore I come home covered in little specs from head to toe).

The last group has been working on weeding, and when I say weeding, I do not mean your typical gardening weeding of the occasional dandilion here and there. No way, they have worked full days, amidts the thorns, ants, lizards, spiders, snails...pulling weeds from a very long fence line, and the ground surrounding a newly built home.

Our team has really enjoyed the manual labor for the last few weeks of outreach. I am very glad that we have gotten this opportunity to help with a project where you can physically see the progress turning out to be beautiful.

Many of the things which we have experienced and been a part of on this outreach, are those which plants seeds deep within the people and the students (and ourselves!), but those seeds will take time to grow. We are so thankful for the opportunities we have had here Thailand, and many of us will go home, and never forget the memouries created here. N e v e r.

(Tomorrow, I will update you with photos our our week and weekend!)

love, Jami Joann
"Be blessed" - Ted

Red Letters and Revelation.

Recently, Ted and I both have really been inspired for more revelation of not only who we are in Christ, but who He is. God has really blessed Ted with revelation, not to mention the ability to read a scripture once, and memorize where it is, and what it says! Even when he does not get revelation or understand about something, He pursues and pursues until he knows! He inspires me so much to not give up! To eaglery await!

I want to have more understanding and revelation on what Jesus was truly saying through his parables and words. The red letters of our Saviour.

I'm going to try and read all of the words of Jesus, and get understanding and/or revelation of what Jesus was saying. Some of the parables seem to be simple, but some of them... I really want to know what He meant, you know?

However, for now...I love how the Bible is spirit breathed, and still to this day a l i v e. This is amazing, if you really, truly think about how much God has spoken to you, and to others through His love letter to us! God is relational to the core, and I love that!

Seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: “ Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:1-11

Did you picture Jesus? It's hard not to get a mental picture. My mind is extremely "visual", so maybe it's just me! I actually thought of the Jesus we paint him to be in pictures. You know the one...long brown hear, beard, cream robe...only I picture him with eyes alive, and passionate.

How awesome that day when we will hear Him speak, sharing the "hidden things"! I can't wait, (hopefully like children waiting for a story!!), and listen to Him speak. How exciting!

Well, I need to run. Love you!

Jami Joann

Left Behind.

Tonight we had, yet another, adventure. They just keep coming!

Our team headed downtown Chaing Rai to explore the market. Where they sell authentic, hand-made Thai Souvenirs. We began around 6:30 and were told to meet at 9pm.

Ted and I walked, in and out of shops and booths. It was a lot of fun, and very very reasonable in price. We headed back towards where the team was to meet. Unfortunetely we decided to run inside a shop and buy water, making us 3 minutes late.

When we arrived at our meeting place, there was no one from our team to be found. (Side note: Our team is n e v e r on time. Not ever) So Ted and I sat and waited, for ten minutes, and then I went up and down the market streets, still finding no one. We then headed into the market together, realizing we had been left behind.

So, we knew we needed to find a way home. We unfortunetely also didn't have the address or any contact numbers on us. We decided to head to a fruit-smoothie shop, where earlier we had a few drinks. I remembered that the girl at the counter spoke very good english, so thought maybe she could help. Of course she could! I told her all we knew was we were on a super highway, across the road from the university street and next to a post office.

She wrote in Thai on a small piece of paper, and told me to give it to a tuk tuk (taxi). The nice part was Ted and I rode a two man Tuk Tuk earlier, and got another one on the way back.

Funny thing is, we both really loved the excitement of the night. The excitement of not knowing if we were headed the right way in the Taxi. Or even wondering at times is we would have to find another place to sleep and find a way home in the morning, in time for work to begin.

Ted told me this is definetely worthy of being in our blog, thus we are here, writing you of this evenings adventure.

Ted says "be blessed" and I say i love ya!

p.s. During this time of writing you, a spider has been taunting me horribly. You may or may not know, but my worst fear is spiders. Irrational as it is, it is the truth. This particular is on the pillar next to my head, crawling up to the top and back down towards me! And I can't kill it! Why? Well, to the Thai's it is incredibly rude to pick up your shoe and smash something or stomp on change or anything, so Ted says even a spider! Peace comes in handy at moments like these! YIKES!

Temple Tour Photos.

Everything was created with such intricacy.
created by God. Incredible!

Astonishingly tall.

From the temple's top.

Our team heading to the top to pray and look over the area.

More photos to come...

For My Burden is Light.

"Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soulds. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Lately my heart has been really burdened. I'm learning a lot about the burdens which are good to hold and those which just weigh you down. I've come to realize that I need to understand more about the peace and rest of God. For me personally, this verse is talking about the weary, and those whose hearts have unrest, or lack of peace. I tend to let the circumstances around me, really weigh me down, and cause my heart to feel unrest. Especially here in Thailand. Only this time, God has really shown me that burdens that he lays upon our hearts, do not need to weigh us down in the negative.

Last night, Ted was out with the guys, and I was journaling and reading in Matthew, and God showed me that the burden that is on my heart, He has let me have, but in this burden I can have peace and rest. It's always sounded like a contradiction to me, but last night He showed me, I can have a heart and a burden and still have peace. When I am weary, or burdened, I can pray for the very things which makes me weary at heart, sometimes even physically.

With Christ in us, we can have an everlasting rest and peace! It encourages my heart and mind.

I felt led to share with you, because I know that this does not just apply to me. The awesome part about reading God's word...it relates to everyone! So just an encouragement to you this day, when those things come to you which burden your heart, move in compassion, in love, and through prayer, and do not become weary or have unrest. For his burden is light!

"May the Lord bless you, and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up His countenance to shine up on you, and give you his peace." AMEN! (Num.6:26)