Visas Visas Visas!

So i was looking at my passport the other day and noticed that i needed to get a new Visa soon! My last day in Thailand would be April 5th. Which is coming up pretty soon! Crazy! So today i went to the dentention building to figure out what i needed to do to get my 90 day visa. When we got there, the Thai staff who went (Suwadee) went and talked to some people. I just stood around like an idiot. BUt when she came back she was like oops, looks like we didn't need you to come today. But instead of going back i had to sit there with her because she needed to take care of some other stuff. So we spent a good hour and a half there waiting for our number to be called. When they finally called our number she went up and then 2 mins later she was done. That quick. all for an hour and a half wait! Wow! Crazy! But O well. all i know is that i need to get out of the country by Saturday.

I think they might fly me to Singapore. Maybe? Not sure yet. That looks like the best place for me to go. So i'm just really praying that I am bale to get my 90 day visa! I will be traveling alone so i hope that i can find my way around and all. Hopefully it goes well! This week during church i will be giving announcements during service...so i'm a little nervous about that...and then i will have to play guitar for wed. night small groups...nervous about that too....i kinda suck at playing the guitar...so we'll see how that goes!!...=D....

The weather is getting hotter and hotter by the day...it was so humid today. It's crazy!!!...but i'm hoping to get out to the beach sometime...and just chill and relax!!...=D...i can't wait for that!!...That's all for now!! Peace!

Murder Mystery Dinner

So last night i went shopping for the murder mystery dinner on Saturday...it was fun trying to find an outfit for my character...i am a ghost of Elvis..so i needed to find an flamboyant outfit...i found some really funky looking pants...and a cool shirt...now i just have to go buy some beads and hot glue them on to the shirt..to make it look even more flamboyant..haha...it's going to be fun tho!!

Well this week has been crazy!...since the senior pastor is gone and all...we are left to take care of things around the church!..i've been asked to put the order of service together for the next month...so that's been interesting to do...and then i have to meet with a guy tomorrow..for a counseling session....eeks!..i'm nervous about that..didn't think i would get to do that so quick!...ahha..but good training....I have been taking care of the senior pastor's salt water tank....and yesterday it just got really really couldy..i am not sure why that is tho....it's making me really nervous..i hope nothing dies....that would really stink if the fish died...

anyhoo..just thought i update this quick..it's been a while...but i need to get back to my lesson plan for tonite...so i'll write more later...

Good Friday Service...

Last night was the Good Friday Service. It went well. The preparation before hand though was so chaotic. I was running all over the place to find things and then no one knew where things where and then when i asked someone else they said that we had it and man, it was just hard. I never knew it took so much to put a service together. But praise God because all in all the service went well. There was not as much people as we expected but it's okay. I got to serve communion. We had 6 stations where the people dip the bread into the wine and then ate it. I was manning one of the stations. It was so interesting to see so many unbelievers come with friends just to watch. Many unbelievers came to the service and then afterwords came to the communion area and watched their friends take the bread and the wine as those who were serving said that this was the body of Christ and this is the blood of Christ which he gave for you. I wonder what the unbelievers were thinking when they heard that? It was cool because i got to serve the junior high boys that i taught communion. Those guys are funny.

Today we are getting ready for Easter Sunday. there's lots to do and so little time again. Haha. but i think later i am going to buy some fish for the new tank in the kids zone. So that should be fun! Going to the outdoor market! It's going to be crazy but fun at the same time! Can't wait for that. But for now, i better get back to work. only like an hour left. On saturdays we only have half days. So i should be done in a bit. Or at least i hope so!

My 22nd Birthday in Bangkok!!

Well today is my birthday...and the office played put on a little party for me...they kinda tricked me...saying that i had to go do something in the old fellowship hall...but it was good..i was totally clueless..when i got there..there was a cake...a present...all the staff...along with their wives and kids...and good food!...it was great!...i really do love them...they are such great people!!....=D...i got a photo album...with a picture they took...at the airport when they to pick me up...haha..good stuff!!...

Tonight..we're going ice skating!!..yeh!..ice skating in bangkok!?!..can you believe that?..haha...good stuff huh??..yup yup!!..i'm excited about that...=D....but yes i really need to get back to work..just wanted to update you guys on what has been going on here..and even tho i am not at home...people here are like family already!...=D..Praise God for brothers and sisters in Christ!..no matter where you go...or what race you are...we are always part of the family!..amen!

Good Friday..

So we are getting ready for Good Friday and Easter Sunday. There's a lot to do and so little time. But we have been talking here in the office and we were saying that Easter and Christmas is the most chaotic times for pastors. There's so much planning going on and so little time. Things just seem to be up in the air. But i pray that duirng this time we may all take some time to just be still and know and remember what Jesus did this week. What his death really means. It's not one of sadness or mourning, but one of joy and life. May we remember that when he died on the cross we were all saved. I pray that even thought many pastors will be busy getting ready for Easter Sunday and Good Friday, that they may find rest and time to acknowledge what Jesus did.

I am really excited to see how good Friday will look like and how Easter Sunday will look like. It's going to be fun! As i wrap up my day here i think about the next few weeks and how it's going to be crazy! So if you're reading this. Please pray for the next couple of week! I'll need it! Thanks!

My testimony!!

Well today for service..well...for both service...i gave my testimony...it went well..but i was soo nervous....talking to a coward of 5oo each time!..wow!...so nerve recking!..but it's good...it was good getting exposed to things like that...i think it went well...=D...the best part was afterwords...meeting everyone...since everyone new that i was the new intern they all started talking to me...before that no one knew who i was..so they just walked past..and thought that i was new or something...but now they know..they all were apporaching me saying hi...but it was really interesting talking to some...they have a lot of different and unique people here at ECB!..it's crazy!...i must say!...some very very cool people!!...actors to sports players to business people...it's crazy!..but good stuff..

After words we had a youth meeting...it went well..at the end of March they want me to speak in youth...so that should be fun!...=D..i'm looking foward to that..it's been fun tho, getting to know the youth more and more..i like them..they are a great group of kids....I might lead a small, short term mission trip to cambodia....in June..if it works out..so that'll be kinda cool...no sure how that will look like or what will happen..so pray for me!...=D...

I also taught Chris and Becky (The young couple that has been showing me around) how to make egg rolls last nite..haha..it was pretty sweet...we didn't get the right noodles..but i means..it still turned out okay...it was for a b-day party that we were going to...it was fun..and i think..next week...for my b-day...we are going ice skating!?!...yeah...that's right ice skating in Bangkok!..ahha..funny...but cool...i didn't get a chance to ice skate much last winter..so it should be a lot of fun!!...=D...

Well i gotta get ready for dinner...and then a foot message...because tomorrow morning i'm going to play tennis with Pastor John Teschan and Chris!...at 7:30am..so that should be a lot of fun!...i'm excited!...hahaha...=D...

Later Today..

Went and got a Thai foot message!..it was pretty good...=D..now i'm ready for bed!..and i finally got a hold of my mom!....when she picked up she said she just got done praying for me when she heard the phone rang!!...how sweet huh??..i love my mom!...=D

My day off...

Well today is my day off!!...i'm not really sure what the plan is yet...but i'll write more later in the day...i just got up like an hour ago or so..yeah..haha..=D

Later today...

Well today i went to the market with Pastor John Teschan and his daughter Anna...we went to go buy some fish...Pastor John has a salt water tank...but going to the market i realized that i can pretty much get any kind of pet or animal i want there..hahaha..it's cool..but sad at the same time...i saw so many things...the cutest thing was the puppies..they all looked so cute...but i felt bad for them..because they all looked so tire...i aslo saw many exotic birds...most of them were babies...barely hatched from their egg...without any feathers or anything....we also saw some chickens or cocks..they were having cock fights! That reminded me of my dad..haha...he has some cocks at home..made me miss going to see them..i hope none died yet...

But when we reached the fish area..it was like heaven!..hahaa..lol..the fish were way cheap!!!...a fish going for 20 or 30 us dollar goes for like 5 here....angel fish...are only 50 cents...bettas are like a dollar for half moons..for the fighting kind they are like 2 or 3 dollars...arrowanas are like 3 dollars....it's amazing...Gold fishes are huge here...they are super fat!!!!...the salt water fish are pretty cheap as well..some could get up there tho..we saw a salt water fish for 5,000 baht which is roughly about $150 US dollars..which isn't too bad..but if it were in the states that fish would be like 300 or 400 dollars....so anyways..that was my little journey to the market place!!....interesting...and it was super hot out today!!...and everyone says it only going to get hotter!..can't wait!..hahaha

But i was having dinner with Pastor John (E) and Chris and we were just talking about how bad the prositute was here...and how sad it is...because most of those girls don't want to be there..but that's their only way of making money...and sending money back to their families!...it's so sad!!!....we were just talking about how that looks like here in bangkok and how big of a problem it is...it was a really good talk...

Pastor John (T), Pastor John (E) and Christ are great guys! I'm really glad that i am able to just serve with them...great men of God!..awesome...awesome!!...how bless i am to serve next to these three guys..and the passion they have!...wow!!...you know they love the lord and what they are doing!!..praise God!! but i must go to bed now!..so my first day off...has been a good one!..but back to work tomorrow!..eeks!

First full week!

I got through my first week of internship! And it has been crazy!! wow! In one week I've been to three different meetings...I also taught the junior high boys....i also helped to fix the new welcome center...i also found Bible on line and got that take care of...wow!...all in all i would say that it was a good week! So far so good! But i must say that at the end of everyday i am super pooped and dead! When i get back to my room i just crashed!! it's so weird! it must be the heat i tell ya!..the Internet work in my room....i dunno who that works..but cool!!..haha..well today during prayer...the pastoral staff has prayer every Tuesday and Thursday...and after prayer one of the pastors pointed out something to me...during my prayer i said "Father God" 81 times!..wow!...i didn't even know that i was doing that! it was good for him to point that out to me....i really need to work on that..on prayer on Tuesday they asked me to name the books of the new testament....and i couldn't even do that...how sad..but now i have them done!..ask me and I'll give them to you in order! promise!!...that's how they are challenging me...it's good stuff though!...and then i was asked to go to Bali, Indonesia during June to go teach a youth for a week while the parents are at a conference for the week! What a great opportunity!...God has been great! and has been opening a lot of doors!..i never thought that during my internship i would do such things or meet the people that i have met! It's been a wild ride and its only been the first week!!!!..can't wait to see what else the Lord has in store for me!!...=D...sorry for the late update..i've been so busy with everything..and the internet hasnt been working in my room..now that it works i'll be putting more stuff up....well that's all folks! til next time, smile!

I'm finally in Bangkok!!

well..i'm finally in Bangkok!! Sorry i haven't been able to get internet working...but today i started my internship..i'm sitting in my office and doing some things that the pastor has already asked me to do...already getting into it!...hahaha...but yes...the flight was good and shorter than what i remember! haha...but it was good to be alone and just reflect on life and what has done and is going to show me...my first day in bangkok was crazy! i was up at 8am...because i couldn't sleep anymore..then at 10am i went to my first meeting! a two hour meeting!! how great huh? haha...but it was good...the meeting went well..and i'm glad they asked me to be part of that team...then i had a meeting with the senior pastor..he's pretty cool...i like him...then i went to home group with the young couple that was helping me to get settled in...it was a lot of fun!!! the next day was my first sunday...it was crazy because they were dedicating the church building....so they had a huge service for that..and i missed it!!..eeks!...not a good way to start...and i also missed morning prayer!...ahHh...two strikes in one day!!...ahHHh..not good huh?.hahha...but we had a talk this morning about it...and things were made clear to me..so that is good!! but yes that's all for now..i need to get back to my work...i'll write more later since my internet works now! I hope everyone is doing well!!

Last day at home

Well today is my last day at home! I've been running around getting some last minute things before i leave to madison tonite. Tomorrow morning at 10am i fly out from there! As i sit here and try to finish packing i can't help but wonder and think about how God has led me here. Just a summer ago i never dreamed that i would do my internship overseas! Six months later and now i'm almost ready to go to Thailand! God has really been faithful! It's amazing how he opens doors and close others! I also wonder about the weddings that i will be missing. I will be missing my older bro's wedding and my good friend, Kong's wedding. I will also be missing graduation for most of my friends too. It's sad that i won't be there but knowing that i am in God will, makes me feel safer and more at ease that i can't be there for those events. One missionary couple said this and it has stuck with me. "It is safer to be in God's will then to cross the street." Amen!

So there's about 2 days left before i leave for Thailand! I'm not sure how i should feel. I feel excited but yet i feel nervous and sacred! I'll be there for 6 months! That's a good amount of time! Right now i'm just really praying and trusting the Lord. I had never travel alone before overseas. Everytime i've been overseas i've always been in a team and with a leader. So that i never had to watch for the gates or the time for the flight. Now i have to pay attention and i'm alone. Well i won't be alone, God will be with me. I'll spend that time talking to God and just really enjoying his presence with me! If you are reading this i will try to keep up as much as possible so that you all can know what is going on in my life in thailand! Like i said before! Keep on praying for me! =D