I NEEEEEEEEEED Something...

When my sister and I were younger we use to storm the grocery cupboards for something exciting to eat. There were always dry biscuits or something but they were never what we actually wanted. Mum would point out that a Salada with Vegemite would be good, or a piece of fruit, but it wasn't going to cut it. We would always end up calling out "But I NEEEEEEEEEEEED something". Meaning something dirty and junky to put in our tummies.

 Right nowI want some chips and an Ice Break. I want the salty goodness and sweet yummyness. But these are things I don't need. I am surviving perfectly ok with not eating junk. Although I am finding it hard to draw the line at what is junk and what isn't.

I work for a major confectionery company, we make chocolate and part of my role is to perform sensory analysis on the products we make... So does that count as junk or not? In the last 16 days I have also been offered by someone to buy me a coffee or a hash brown, because technically I'm not spending the money on junk, they are, and can you knock back a gift?  I get stuck in the greys areas. As these people are offering I have been able to tell them what I a doing, and some sponsorship has also come out of these discussions.

For me it's about the foods I go to when I can't be bothered or I'm just looking at filling in some time till tea time. So its the KFC and the Ice Break and the Light and Tangy Chips that have gone. I have also held my self back on the chocolate, free or not free.

Right now I want some chips, but I am having an apple and a glass of water. If anything out of eating no junk, I have been eating better. I have even spent some time in the kitchen, much to the kitchens surprise. But more importantly it has saved me money, which in turn I will donate to building wells in Uganda.

Hungry or Bored?

I find it extremely hard to tell the difference. To me they are the same thing. Except when I'm really hungry then my stomach begins to growl. But honestly I have never been really hungry. I have never gone a day without food, or ever had to wonder where or when my next meal will come. There are millions of people in the world that go hungry every day, day after day. My biggest food struggle is not knowing what to have.


No Junk for a Month has really got me thinking about the food I eat and how much money I actually spend on junk. Tonight would normally be a KFC on the way home from Physio night, but instead I'm boiling up some rice and steaming some vegies. Pretty healthy hey?! Rice is such a staple in developing countries. When was in Thailand we ate rice for breakfast lunch and dinner. It came in so many different forms, from fried, to boiled to porridge (was never a fan of the rice porridge). One thing I remember every time I eat rice now, is how thankful the children were, that we spent time with, for their meals. To not only to have sufficient amount of food to eat, but also because they knew of the hard work that went into growing that rice and what it means for the rice farmers and their community. I heard someone say on day that they didn't like to waste a single grain.

A Step of Justice has been taken...

So today October 1st marks the first day of 'No Junk for a Month' and 'Justice Awareness'.

For Justice Awareness today was an action day. Shoes were the focus, as many children in developing countries don't have shoes. This not only can be a health concern as diseases can be easily transmitted through the feet, as well as infections from cuts and sore. But no shoes can also mean no school as many schools insist on shoes as part of the uniform.

The action today was to go barefoot for the day if possible, or spend part of the day barefoot. As I work in manufacturing I couldn't go barefoot, so I went to work without my Orthotics.  Now this may not sound like much a a big deal, but when you have worn Orthotics for the past 10 years, then your feet get used to them, without that support my feet are not happy, especially when I'm on them all day. By 9am this morning my feet were yelling at me... Each time I heard them yell, I would shift my thinking from my own feet, to those who not only don't have shoes, but also access to foot care like I do so that may feet can be made happy.



"No junk for a month" - my lack of snacking on yummy treats hit me at about 3pm this afternoon, normally I would smash down some chocolate at this time to get me to 4:30 and then get into my chips once I got home. Not today- instead I had a glass of water and a Mandarin. Fruit does no trump chips but I have been good so far.

It's time for action..

So I have been pretty quiet in Blog land since I left Canada. In fact no blogs at all. A lot of things have changed since I came home. Some friends have moved away, my sister and brother-in-law have moved away and I'm still trying to work out a little bit where I fit. And at the same time trying to stay excited about what I learned while I was away and how also that fits here back in the "normal".

I'm finding that I am doing a lot of talking about what I want to do with my life and where I feel God is taking me, but I am lacking a lot with the action part of it. So October is where it is all going to take off. October is going to be full of action, starting with two projects.

The first... no junk for a month.

This is a fundraiser I am taking part in that a girl from church is organising. We are raising funds for The Water Project to build wells in Uganda. The idea is to not eat junk food for a month and send the money that you would normally spend to the water project. For me giving up junk is pretty huge. I love my Light and Tangy Chips as well as my Ice Break, plus all the other rubbish I eat. Ice break and chips alone a week is about $10-$15 depending if I go the 2lt or just lots of 500mls.  If you would like to sponsor me of make a donation that would be fantastic. We take how easy it is for us to have clean water for granted and anything we can do to help those without is a massive.

The second.... Justice Awareness Month through Steps of Justice.

In June I had the privilege of going to Cambodia for two weeks with an organisation Steps of Justice. While we were there we not only saw what injustice the people of Cambodia are dealing with but we also got to play a part in starting to make things right. It's no easy task and it will be a forever type thing to undertake but there are people out that are making a difference.

Making people aware of the injustice in the world is important. For 30 days starting on the 1st of October I will be following Steps Of Justice through 30 days of action, prayer, education and encouragement to not only develop my own knowledge and awareness but also those who I interact with everyday. Want to know more?? Check out Steps of Justice, it's not to late to get involved.

Goodbye Canada, It's been great!!

So here I am at the other end of my journey. I started this blog a little over 6 months ago at the Sydney Airport to keep you informed of my adventures with YWAM Nexia. I am now at the Vancouver Airport awaiting for my flight home.

It has been an exciting 6 months, and a time that I do not want to forget. At the moment it all seems like a blur. It's hard to believe what I have seen and experienced in the past 6 months, and especially in the outreach part of that time. I feel like I have grown so much in my relationship with God, and also in my own confidence, and have so many amazing stories to share that I have not posted in this blog.

I'm not really sure what going home is going to be like. I am totally pumped for seeing Mum and Dad and Em and Tim and Gran and Mog and  the rest of my family and all my friends. I am also sad that I don't know when I will see my amazing YWAM friends again. What I do know is that I want to continue to grow in my relationship with God, and not go back to the 'shy-ish is different circumstances Meg' that I was before. I really want to know God and make Him known- and if I can do that once I get home-then the past 6 months has been more than worth it.

Almost...

Outreach is almost done and soon this time away from my home land will be done. And I maybe have started my count down to home too early. Only Sip Hok (16) days. Now I may not have totally enjoyed my time here in Pattaya., but today on our last day of ministry, I was reminded of how totally impacting the little things we have done here are.

At the mall today I was about to sit down with an iced coffee (sadly not as good as my ice break) and start my 1000 page evaluation, when a young Thai women came running towards me with the biggest smile on her face waving like a mad women. For a moment I wasn't sure if she was waving at me or someone else. Then I recognised her, and I was totally blown away.

Two weeks ago, the girls from our team went out with staff from the Tamar Centre* to talk to the women who worked at the bars. During this time I was able to pray for a young women and share God love with her. She also bet me at Connect Four so many times that I don't think I will ever play that game again. I spoke to her for maybe half an hour but that was enough. Enough for her to recognise me at the mall today, to run over to me and to hug me like a long  lost friend. It brought tears to my eyes. As she left and rode the escalator to the next floor she smiled and waved to me the whole way up. I thought that was probably the last I would see of her, but I was mistaken. About two hours later she came back down the escalator, saw me again, dug deep in her bag and pulled out her camera. She hugged me again as we had a photo together and then she was gone.

Sadly I cannot remember her name, but I do know that she has two children and a nephew at home in Northeast Thailand that she is supporting, and her story is one that you hear everyday here in Pattaya. We are lucky enough to be leaving this dark city tomorrow. But for so many women, such as my friend, they are not able to. But there is hope and I can see that. God is at work here in this city and every little bit we do helps shine God's light a little bit more.


*Tamar Center is a center for help, healing and hope, offering women who are wanting to change their lives opportunities to do so.
http://www.ywamthai.org/tamar/

From Innocence, Light and Hope to Darkness, Heaviness and Despair.

I feel icky, I feel sad, I feel mad and I don't really know how to explain any of it. All I really know is that I don't want to be here and I want to be home.

Where is here? Pattaya, in the heart of the red light district. It's a heavy dark place and it makes me feel sick. But for the last couple of days I haven't been able to put my finger on exactly where the sick feeling comes from. I have come to the conclusion that it's not the prostitution itself, but the demand for it. And this is where I become very judgemental because I don't know what they are here from and I am just assuming, but there are so many elderly, western, single men here. That's what makes me feel sick, that here in Pattaya, I feel like the view seems to be people from the west are only here for the one thing. I don't want to be connected to that in anyway, but I feel like I am because of the country I have grown up in. In this city I feel ashamed for being from the west.

What also makes me feel totally sick, is that kids, like our orphans, are here. Growing up in this place not knowing anything different. Being trapped. Being sold into prostitution because their parents need money. Or being left to fend for themselves while their parents go out and earn money. Because of this, it makes me more and more thankful everyday for the Elisha's Children's home in which we came from before we came here. There they are protected, they are able to to be children, they have their innocence and they have a bright and hopeful future

How Great Thou Art

‘Then sings my soul,

My saviour, God to thee,

How great thou art,

How great thou art.’

What an awesome spine tingling hymn that is, especially when it is sung in at least 5 different languages. Today it was so powerful that you could nearly see the roof lifting off the support beams.

What a way to start our day. Today we went to the sister church of the Nonsomboon church, which is about 30 mins away from where we are staying. We have spent most of the week there doing treasure hunts in the village and running a children’s program. The church is pretty small with only about four families that attend, but boy do they have a heart for God and a passion to make Him known in their community.

It was my absolute privilege to be able to bring a word of encouragement from God to them. To encourage them in their own walks and in reaching out to the broken hearted and the lost in their communities. It was a pretty humbling experience. What right really do I have to bring them this word, when I don’t really do it myself. I guess God really used this to teach me something too.

He has shown all you people what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly, and to love mercy, 

and to walk humbly with your God.

Micah 6:8

Half over, or only half begun?

Can't believe we are half way through outreach. The time is going by so quickly.

As I mentioned in a previous post we are in Non Som Boon in Northern Thailand, at The Elishia Childrens Home, which we have made our home for the past 2 weeks, and still have 2 weeks to go here. A week here can be pretty crazy, but we have a fairly set schedule and most of the time it works.. lol.

A quick run through of a week:

Monday- Day off

Tuesday and Wednesday -up at 7, team time, some kind of manual labour- (we have been painting the buildings), sometime off in the afternoons, teaching English when the kids get home from school, dinner, activity and homework after dinner, bed by 9.

Thursday and Friday - up at 7, team time, morning off till lunch, school visits to teach English and do activities,   sometimes prayer for people in the community or a treasure hunt, activity after dinner, bed

Saturday- up at 7, team time, help run a kids program for the kids who are sponsored by compassion in the area.

Sunday - up at 7, church, lunch with the church members, youth group in the afternoon, dinner, bed.

I totally love being in bed by 9. And yeas you can tell me I am a Nanna for going to bed that early but it's better for everyone in the long run if I do. hehe.

So what else can I tell you?

Well I love our transport here. Last week a few of us on our day off went on a road trip. The pastor took us in his ute and six of us piled into the tray and headed off down the freeway at 120km/hour, with a blaket over our knees to keep us warm. It was awesome!!

 We also do a lot of travelling in a song taew. 

And something I have gotten used to? Using a squatty potty! In fact sometimes I prefer to use them. There are some important things to remember though- if you are wearing long pants-always remember to roll them up so they don't touch the ground and soak up unidentifiable yuk. Always carry a roll of toilet paper in your bag, unless you like to use the hose and come out wetter than what you went in. Do not flush the toilet paper in the potty as they will block up. Therefore before you go into the toilet, check to see where the closest rubbish bin is in the vicinity of the bathroom, because you do not want to carry around used toilet paper for longer than you have to. Especially if the whole chilli's you had for lunch earlier that day has totally stripped your insides. (not speaking from experience)

What’s it like to be a rockstar?

It’s a pretty tough gig. Fans screaming and wanting to hold your hand or your arm. Signing autographs and hi-fiving everyone. That’s what it is like when we walk into a school here in Thailand. It is pretty overwhelming. We are ordinary people just wanting to visit the school and have fun with the kids.

Yesterday was our first school visit and we were totally underprepared for what was ahead of us. We had a English lesson prepared for what we thought was going to be a class of 20. It ended up being close to 400 students of all ages! It was epic! We went with part of what we had planned and threw in a whole lot of songs for good measure. Na Na Narni and Father Abraham are at the top of my setlist.

I think it went pretty well- I don’t think you can really go wrong if you can sing a little, dance a little and are able to laugh at yourself and have a good time. If all else fails Hi-fiving every kids in sight, they never get tired of that.

How to break the language barrier….

Have fun and lots of it. The past few days has been great, yet tiring, We  are now in Non Som Boon in Northern Thailand, at The Elishia Childrens Home. The kids are great and will run around and want to be played with all day. It doesn’t matter that we can’t speak Thai, having fun is the same in any language.

 At night after dinner, before homework time we play games. Drop the blue plastic block (aka drop the tray) has already become a popular game to play here.  So simply, yet so much fun. We have all the kids playing, even the youngest boy who is only two. It’s great to see how much the other kids love him and ensure that he is included in whatever they are doing.  At the moment it’s hard to introduce a new game. Tomorrow night I am going to try for Jacob;s ladder. Hopefully that will become a favourite as well. Either way, it’s just great to hang out with the kids and see their little smiling faces.