Learning Thai

Thailand's parliamentary elections will take place in less than 2 weeks and if anything the campaigning here is even more relentless than in the States. Pickup trucks armed with huge loudspeakers slowly drive up and down the streets promoting the various candidates and there are campaign signs everywhere. Almost all of these signs prominently feature the faces of the candidates and most of them are standard, boring portraits. However, there is one group that has some eye-catching signs. They are not happy with any of the options and are encouraging the Thai people to "vote no." Apparently if enough people do that, the election would be invalid, the democratic process suspended, and the next government would have to be appointed - under the supervision of the monarchy, I assume. Their slogan is "Don't let the animals into parliament!" and Claire and Eliza love their signs.

-Tom

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reasons the girls say he's the best dad in the world::

Makes smoothies
Reads to me
Tells hero stories
Lets me read in the library
Spins me
Is kind and funny
Cares when something is wrong
Plays dog
Pinches my neck
Swings me

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

We had a little picnic celebration at Lumpini Park in downtown BKK...

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 12:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are a few phone pictures of Silas. He's doing very well going to school 3 days a week. He had a couple of sad mornings (but even then he tried hard to be brave). Now he marches into his room, turns around to wave goodbye to me, and doesn't look back.

Silas also enjoys his weekly shopping trips with Candice - especially since they usually involve ice cream and a tuk-tuk ride. This is definitely his favorite mode of local transportation.

-Tom

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That's "35"- as in how old I turned this week. My family gave me a great day, so I wanted to share some highlights...

Pancakes

Bangkok Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art

Red velvet cake made by Tom and the girls.

Honorable mention: my beautiful yellow leather bag from Morocco, a relaxing massage in the neighborhood, a new mattress delivery, the mail, and yummy hamburgers.

My birthday prayer this year..."So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

-Candice

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 04:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This morning, for the first time, we met at our newly-opened foundation office for Bible study. We had a small group - some of the REACH team, Gaet and her two kids, and Lan. We read (and acted out) the story of Blind Bartimaeus for the kids and then we also studied the story of the unmerciful servant. In both stories the power of God's love was evident and all of us were able to make some very practical applications to our lives. Gaet and Lan both shared openly and seemed to have a very good grasp of the relevance of these stories. Since we are doing all of this in Thai - and since none of us showed up prepared to preach or teach - they are able to take an active role in re-explaining the story to us, making sure that we are understanding the Thai scriptures. This morning's experience reaffirmed my faith in this simple approach we are taking. We don't have to be the experts (which is good, because we aren't!) We don't have to stage a big, professional show. We can gather in small groups, sit on the floor, and help each other seek God through His word.

Gaet has not been baptized and hasn't made any official declaration of faith, but she has gradually made an important transition and now talks clearly about her relationship with God and her certainty that He loves her. She shared that last night a young man was beaten up outside their apartment building. She prayed for him as he lay unconscious on the ground. When he came to he told the crowd that he had seen a man with long hair dressed in white. Gaet is sure that he saw Jesus and she plans to call him and talk to him about that later today.

Lan's enthusiasm is very encouraging. He's praying for people around him who are suffering and is quick to share about how God has changed his life. His commitment to meeting with us is also challenging to me. This morning he ended a 24-hour shift as a security guard and then rode for a couple of hours on the bus to be here. After the meeting he was traveling back, resting for a few hours and then returning to work for another 24 hour shift.

We still feel like we're very much in the beginning stages of what God will eventually do here - but it is great to belong to this little body and to have these kinds of opportunities to worship and grow together.

-Tom

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 02:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's a rainy, rainy Friday morning. This kind of downpour after days of extreme heat and humidity is always so refreshing! Tom is in the city teaching several students and Claire is at school. She has had such a positive attitude about going lately. Eliza has been studying in homeschool this morning and is taking a break to watch the rain on the porch. I see Silas taking short runs out into the rain in his underwear and red hat. I'm sure he'll end up soaked.

Completely randomly and in no particular order is a list of some things we are up to....

1) Experiencing extreme heat, followed by extreme rains! We wind up feeling pretty exhausted and drained by the heat, especially in the afternoons and by evening.
2) Buttercup, Claire's baby bunny was snatched by a cat- while she was sitting right beside her! We all felt so sorry for poor Claire losing a second pet so quickly. Claire drew a crossed- out black cat and wrote "I HATE CATS" and taped it to the bedroom wall. :)
3) Silas has learned to give a thumbs up and also to say, "You heard me!" (from the Reachers :)). He is doing really well at school a couple days a week. He gets just a bit teary in the morning, but wants to go and always comes home so proud.
4) Tom started teaching his first class at the foundation last night. He has seven new students. I will start teaching a group of high school girls starting next week.
5) There is a bird inside the house. How will I get him out? Eliza and Silas are stomping in mud muddles now.
6) We have a Bible Study planned for Sunday- just a small one. It's so good to see the interest that is developing in a few.
7) Tom and I had good time of working on our marriage and focusing on our marriage at a marriage encounter this past weekend. We learned that our marriage is good but we can make it better. I want to be a more supportive wife and one the does not take her wonderful husband for granted!
8) I am experimenting in studying the Bible with two Jehovah's Witness friends. God is really challenging me with this!

The homeschool break is over so it's time to get back to work!
-C

Posted by Tom & Candice Mast at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)