Gayle in Thailand

Yes!  We are heeding God’s instructions just now to “Go Forward!”  The weather has changed at last.  We left BYT in July intending to return in September after Medical Missionary Training, but along with many obstacles, seemingly insurmountable, and most recently the late rainy season, we have been delayed this long.  It is thrilling to me just now to see the difficulties we have encountered, because they only help us clearly see God’s will in our presence in BYT.  He has a field ripe and ready to harvest.  He now opens the door to us and says, “Go Forward!”  How grateful I am to be a worker for Him in this part of His vineyard, and how utterly humbling to think that such a weak sinner such as I, least likely to hold up the blood stained banner of the cross and be His witness!  Yet He chose me!  May I not work my way out of His control, may I constantly receive fresh supplies of His love and grace, may I wear His full armor in this warfare.  May my children continue to answer His call in their own hearts to valiantly “Go Forward,” no matter what the cost, is my heartfelt prayer.

 As usual I have been very busy caring for the sick here at LKY,  teaching a few classes, and conducting a few worships.

 Bradley has enjoyed good results from teaching the kindergarten classes and supervising the students work program.

Micah greatly enjoys his full time job of teaching all 7 classes English.

Blet Jaw is taking advantage of the time by continuing Thai language classes from Malee.

We all met in a family counsel together last Friday to decide when to return to BYT, and how to resume the work there.  Bradley wishes to teach kindergarten one more week plus we need to go to Mae Sot and purchase some much needed medical supplies  (Praise the Lord we have been donated enough money to get the medical work started)!  We also must have warm blankets for the cold nights on the mountain this season.  It was decided to leave in one week.  The weather has now been dry for several days so we think the roads will be passable. 

Because of Micah’s love for teaching and his full time responsibilities, he will stay, but drive his motorbike to BYT on weekends.  The LKY school has  found out that because they are not a Thai government school they must teach for 3 months and then take the 4th month off, so we will have Micah for the full month of December. In the spring he will be with us full time.  Right now he plans to spend a few days in a local malaria clinic learning how to diagnose the different types of malaria using the microscope.  It is our dream to purchase a microscope, as the test kits for malaria are terribly expensive and hard to get.   Malaria is the number one illness here, I can cause death, but it is such a violet sickness that without medication you might wish you were dead.  Micah will be the malaria specialist and travel on his motorbike to the remote villages, diagnosing and treating malaria. thus  saving  lives.

Here are a few pictures in summary of our time here at LKY:

3 of Bradley's kindergarten class - hard at work

Classes in session

New school building

America is missing out on this amazing game of cain ball. It requires strength, aggility and lots of skill. The ball is 6 inches in diameter, made with woven cains. You use head, chest, knees and feet.

Could you do this?

...Or this?

White rice for 250 students, plus one more large pot

Lined up for prayer before dinner

Emily:  It is not that the work she does is the “least” on these school premises, not in the least – in fact it is never ending!  The word “least” implies here – the least noticed, the least commended, the least seen or heard.  She is as an orchid of rarest bloom, openening up to its fullest beauty in the midst of a deep jungle where nobody is present to observe and appreciate.  I heard her prayer once asking the Lord to help her to be faithful in the work she has there in the home.  Truly this prayer is answered with the health, strength, intelligence, cheerfulness and diligence that she needs  each day.  True, she does not know that I am writing this way about her and that is a really good thing.  Her humility would never allow it.  But write this I must, as I observe day after day her care of 5 little orphan children in a mission house which is difficult to keep clean and orderly, in a kitchen with is equiped with less food and implements than any we have seen anywhere in America, and with an endless round of clothes and dishes to  wash.  There are 2 babies in diapers of about 15 months old, another  girl age 3, a boy of 5 and the oldest girl 8.  There is always a pleasant smile on her face, and peace and serenity mark her features.  The house has a presence of the Lord in it.

22 year old Emily has returned to her families home at LKY during a couple of months off from her regular work of teaching. It is a rich blessing, as her parents are on furlow in America and the needs of this area are greater than the abilities of the workers to keep up with. 

These 5 children receive morning and evening worship in their own Karen tongue, a variety of songs in English and Karen, and each of the 3 older  children  sit quietly and participate reverently in the prayers.  They also recieve 3 meals a day, cooked with love and made  with as much variation as possible in a kitchen where only pumpkin, TVP and brown rice prevail. It never ceases to atonish me at how many delicious meals come forth each day with a few greens picked out  of the jungle, or a few green bananas cubed and cooked in the food in place of potatoes!  The older children also are taught to work outside and inside.  A balance is maintained in their play and work. 

Trully, when it comes time for parenting according to the Sprit of Prophecy and Bible, Emily is way ahead of any I have seen.  I constantly thank the Lord for her and the inspiration she is  to me each day!

Thank you Emily!

Even though this rainy season is not a bit as wet as last year, we still cannot make it back to BYT yet.  We must wait until about the first week in November.  As you know, God never wants us to be dormant, but supplies you with work to do.  Back at LKY, now called Sunshine Orchard Learning center, Lena and Paul Adams with Anna and Josiah left for America for 3-4 months.  In there place was their daughters Maria and Emily.  Jason Sharon is also working along with them.  I called Maria to ask if she would like our help temporarily until our way was clear to return to BYT.  She was delighted as she felt quite overwhelmed with her usual workload plus the added responsiblility to keep the school running and worse yet the funding!  She is a very capable, humble and delightful girl to work with – although she would never allow me to say this if she knew about it!

Once again, my blurry, not-so-good camera! Sorry.

Micah had already begun his full time English teaching job for all 7 grades from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m.

Bradley was asked to teach Math and English to Kindergarten 1 and 2.  These grades are a challenge, but Bradley has enjoyed it because he can see them learning and improving.  He lives close to the dorm and can hear them sounding out the words and letters that he taught them that day!  Sometimes discipline is a problem, but when you think there are over 50 students (Maybe more)! from ages 5 through 10!  They all come quickly to order, they listen, recite together, write, do their homework and enjoy the classes.

Bradley also was asked to head up the work program.  So for an hour early in the morning and an hour and a half at night, plus longer on Fridays. He organizes them into 4 work groups and assigns their jobs for the day.  Some projects that he has had them accomplish so far is trash cans and a better burning site, cleaning and sweeping the grounds around the school, garden work (They already had been doing this), moving piles of fire wood and bamboo from the cafeteria floor and building a simple thatched roof shelter to store it in, and scrubbing down the walls to the classroom in preparation for painting as soon as the rain slows down.  In the future he will do concrete work on the cafeteria walls and new stairs to the chapel, as the present ones are difficult for visitors to climb.

I am very happy helping the sick once again here on the front porch, and teaching medical classes to a special group of older students, who want to persue medical training in the future.  Maria has done a marvelous job aqainting them with the medicine and medical needs of the area.  She spoke about it on her web page and her church donated enough money for her to buy backpacks filled with the medical supplies needed for these young people to enter their villages and help the sick.  This is so encouraging to these students.  I was thrilled to be able to finish up their studies and teach the circulatory system, digestive system, respiratory system, brain and physical assesment.  Also I was able to teach them the one hour circulatory massage that helps to heal so many diseases.  Already one of the boys helped me by doing the massage daily on one of the male teachers who is very sick.  He is doing a fine job and has taught the wife to do it, thus mastering the procedure very well.  They will graduate this sunday and receive their back packs.  Congratulations to Maria and her persistent good work!

I am priviledged to work with 2 of the teachers here to help them get off strong medications and through natural remedies pray that God in His will restores them to health.  Please pray for them.  One is a young girl suffering from bone and joint pain intermittently for 3 years.  Each year it is worse affecting different bones of the hand, foot or hip and bringing excrutiating pain for 3 days.  The doctors did not know what is was and gave her strong medicine.  I do the massage every evening and give her brown rice instead of the infamous white rice.  We pray together each day.  We have black seseme seeds here that are most nutritious and good for the joints.  Twice since we started her treatment, she has begun to get the redness, swelling and pain.  Each time we put on clay poultices which completely stopped the problem overnight!  Praise the Lord.  She said, never has the pain stopped suddenly like that.  Please help me pray for her that she can experience complete healing if it is God’s will.

The next project I have is a male teacher approx. 27 years old.  Thara BlooNahSay.  He has become an SDA during this last year and is an excellent teacher and personality.  However he used to take some kind of drug (we do not kow what kind), and drink and smoke. The day we arrived, they took him to the hospital with a worse spell than he ever had before.  He was admitted and then taken to another larger hospital and placed on terribly strong drugs.  I truly do not know if it is the side affects from the previous drugs he once took, or the ones perscribed by the doctors here, or both that made him thin, shakey and hiccup for 3 days.  He stood around as in a trance and did not know where some of the other teacher’s houses were!  I asked him and his wife if they wanted him to continue these drugs or let me work with him naturally to get him off them and trust in God for healing.  He chose the latter and so treatment immediately ensued.  2 days of cleansing and fasting, followed by many detox. treatments such as Molasses, steam baths, hot and cold, charcoal and a daily full body massage etc.  His diet was changed to parched grains, brown rice and as much fruits and vegetables as I can find and afford.  He takes warm molasses and lime juice every morning which builds his blood.  He takes charcoal every day, and the 8 natural remedies used to the best of his abilities.  The most important thing – prayer earnest daily prayer.  The job is slow, he became discouraged yesterday and I saw him leave on a motorbike!  Someone told me he was going to his home for a while he wanted to get away.  I could have cried to think all this treatment going to waste if he resumes his usual lifestyle.  I prayed for him and by that evening he appeared at my door!  I believe the Lord will help him.  Please pray that his mind can return to normal and his strength will be renewed so he can teach and serve God.

I see each of the 3 missionary families that I am aquainted with here, going through really rough times.  (The Adams family, the Sharon family and us)!  I will put a link to their web site when I learn how that is done.  It is very challenging here.  We see the devil in active attacks each small step of the way.  There are so many challenges, but so many joys as we press on with dear Jesus at the helm.  How precious to have Him who’s heart is touched with our infirmities and who has a perfect remedy to every emergency.  We would love to know you pray for all of us.

I will attempt to catch you up with our news!  We are still alive and working here by God’s grace alone.

Medical Missionary Training ended September 17.  One week before that time we began taking Thai classes from Pastor Phamor’s wife’s sister.  (Is that how you say it)?  Her name is Malee.  I found her to be a delightful person.  Her story is gripping and I will attempt to relate it here:

MALEE:    At 15 years of age Malee had a passion for teaching.  She had an opportunity to teach at a school near the Burma border and taught there for one year.  Her parents however wanted her to continue schooling, which she did, but still persued teaching even while attending school.  Later she joined a school in a refugee camp here on the border and taught for over30 years.  This joy of teaching came to an abrupt end however, when just less than one year ago a brain tumor was discovered on the right side.  She underwent surgery at that time and recovered remarkably well.  She believes this tumor was benign.  She went back to her old job and resumed her duties there.  However those working with her did not feel she could take on the work load she previously had and they let her go.  She told me they thought she would die.  But though disheartened at loosing her long term job, she actively sought other teaching opportunities.  This incredible lady taught in 2 other schools short term and then came to the Medical Missionary Training with us, thinking that she could do the work of a medical misionary.  During this training however, her desire to teach grew within her and she decided she would go to training for an updated teachers certificate and find a job teaching.  She found a short term job immediately!  You guessed it – teaching us the Thai language!  She certainly is a professional teacher and did a wonderful job for one month with us.   Now her desires are more completely filled as she has taken up a teaching position in a school not far from LKY on the Burma border.  Please pray for her that she may remain in good health.  That God may fulfill the desires of her heart for many more years if it is His will. 

We so appreciate this lady and her efforts toward us.  She would not accept any pay for her work.  To take Thai language classes here is very expensive, so we believe God gave her to us as a special blessing.

I must admit, I was overwhelmed most of the time by this Thai language.  The first week if you were to ask me how the Thai classes were going, I might have burst out in tears!  But every now and then a little ray of light would go off and I would be joyous.  It is true that an older person has a much harder time learning languages.  So a hint to you is learn as many languages as you can while you are young.  It is fun (When you catch on)! 

The 44 letter Thai alphabet

I must tell you that the Thai language has 44 letters in the alphabet.  Also there is another chart of 36 vowels, or sounds you might call them, that change the way you pronounce the letters.  These 36 sounds can be written at times above the letters, underneath, behind or in front.  Each way brings a different sound, or just as importantly a higher or lower tone of voice.  Anyway, just be informed I found it difficult, and do not at all have it mastered.  The letters are fasinating and I love to draw them and try to sound them.  My vocabulary to this point is very small. 

36 vowel sounds chart.

But I can speak and understand prices in the Thai markets now!

Medical Missionary Training

“In returning and rest shall ye be saved.” “The Lord wants human beings to take time to rest, time to think of and appreciate heavenly things.  Those who do not value the things of heaven sufficiently to give time to them will at last lose all.”Letter 181, 1903

A class trip to the mountains and waterfalls!

Medical Missionary classes have been in session now for 3 weeks.  Our whole team is privileged to be here together.  The first week, Sebastian, a man from China, taught many wonderful natural remedies and ways that really work to detox people, and heal diseases. Of course all the things that we might use on someone else, is exactly what we do to ourselves, so we can help our patients understand more.  Though this class was quite rigorous, I must say that it works!  You end up feeling even better than when you thought you felt great!  You start out the whole program by drinking sea water at 4:30am.  The results of this “lovely” drink, is a fast and thorough way of scrubbing out your entire GI tract, if you know what that means! This episode is followed by 2 days of water fasting.   You guessed right, nothing taken by mouth except water.  For the faint and shaky soul there is lime juice or coconut milk to strengthen them up.  The next day there is a plain watermelon and water smoothie for breakfast and a variety of vegetables blended together for lunch.  During these 3 days we are doing a series of detox treatments.  A few of these are:  Clay baths,

Blet Jaw, not quite believing the condition he is in!

 (during this procedure we are relatives to the pigs!  But I must say after all the sticky goo is washed off and clean dry clothes put on, you feel on top of the world)!  There is also molasses rub, salt glow, honey massage, hot foot baths, foot massage, many kinds of poultices, infra red light and a special 1 hour body massage which can cure cancer and many other diseases.

Please note that fasting is not for everyone.  Only if God has placed a burden on your heart and you feel the need for His guidance and Holy Spirit etc.

After the first day of fasting we had a night of prayer.  Many prayer requests were listed and prayers were raised up to heaven along with songs, Bible readings and discussions.  We lasted until about 2 a.m. this particular night. This is a wonderful way to see the Saviour more clearly, love Him more completely and earnestly, pray for others and for your own personal battles and struggles, be braced for the duty ahead of you, plead for more Holy Spirit, claim His promises, beg for His guidance and find much spiritual food to nourish your soul.  I find that prayers done in this manner bring big results usually within 24 hours.  Oh in these last days let us live on the promise, “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me, and he shall make peace with Me.”  The peace He gives is real and very sweet!

We break our fast carefully, Sebastian now introduces us to parched grains!  We know very much about this food, because we made it and we ate it for one week!  Some thought they would die before taking another bite of it, but myself and most others were hooked on it and saw so many benefits.  We did have fruit with it and later vegetables.  I’ll tell you how to make this delicious treat.  It is simple.  First soak a variety of rice, red rice, brown rice and black rice for approximately 6 hours.  Next boil it until it is a little overcooked.  Drain well and place high over a fire, fan or in the sun until THOROUGHLY dried.  Using a heavy iron skillet, or large clay pot, heat up several cups of sea salt, then add small amounts of dried rice to it at a time.  Mix it well and keep it moving until you see the kernals parch, or turn white.  The trick is to know when to quickly remove it from the heat.  Scoope it all into a strainer and shake very well to remove all the salt.  Let it cool and then eat it, (but never in between meals)!  You can parch wheat berries, oats, rye or other grain, any kind of bean and corn also.  Eating parched grains will cause longer chewing time and perfect digestion.  The little bit of salt that lingers is tasty.  Eating parched grains is cheap, easy, stores well and is an excellent quick meal while traveling.  You avoid the stomach aches and other digestion problems.  For one of our examinations we had to list about 20 benefits of parched grains, massage and fasting. It is unbelievable how these 3 things can change peoples lives of sickness into vigor and good health.

We miss Sebastian after his week was up.  He is someone you might think hates you at first but you end up loving him.  The hate part is because if you are late to class you have to get up front and sing a solo, then stand in the corner for 5 minutes.  Others, he might have clean all the toilets in the morning, or do several pushups in front of the class.  If your cell phone rings, he will confiscate it for a very long time.  The result?  Every one is always on time, and there is quiet attention during each class.  The love part is because he puts his entire soul into his classes.  He focuses on the Bible stories of Jesus healing, and delves into the little details making it come alive and inspire you to care for others needs,  as Jesus did, no matter who it is.  Sebastian wants to hear from us after we leave to inform him of our success in our Medical Missionary work, and also to answer any questions we may have.

Worship begins at 6a.m. every morning, followed by exercise and then breakfast.  Classes are about 2-2 ½ hours each.  They are at 9a.m., 3p.m., and 7p.m. 

 In spite of all we’ve gone through, we started our class with 31 students and right now we have 30.  One had to leave for an emergency at home.  The next week Dr. A from Bangkok taught us anatomy and physiology.  She was a rare find!  Here was a doctor who practiced natural medicine and wove Jesus into every phase of her life. She taught many wonderful lessons on Bible topics and had us organize ourselves to teach the 8 natural remedies. These classes really made me feel I was back in nursing school again.  Even though the classes were too deep for non medical people, we all gleaned a better understanding of our bodies and the wonderful way God made us. 

We are half way through this training session and look forward to the rest.  We keep asking ourselves if we are getting spoiled with a variety of good food, a little house to live in with a shower, refrigerator and real beds with mattresses, but we miss our little village in the mountains and pray God keeps them in His hands and enables us to return better equipped to meet their needs.

I OWE TO MY DEAR MOTHER

I owe to my dear Mother, the lessons taught me while young,

Of patient endurance, even when things go wrong.

I owe to my dear Mother, a cheerful happy heart,

To think of the blessings and from doubting depart.

I owe to my dear Mother, all my energy too,

For the eight natural remedies she taught through and through.

I owe to my dear Mother, when I was just three.

A missionary nurse, was my longing to be.

I owe to my dear Mother, stories read me while young.

Of brave missionaries, trusting God all along.

I owe to my dear Mother, all things listed above,

For she never could do it if not filled with God’s love.

And though I have fallen and learned these things slow,

God has called me to Thailand, His voice has said, “Go.”

It is hard for my Mother to face later years without me,

But she knows in God’s service she trained me to be.

And when Jesus comes in His glory and descends in His might.

She will reap the rewards and be filled with delight.

For Jesus will ask her, “Where’s the child I trusted to you?”

“Did you train her for heaven, is her heart tried and true?”

She gladly will answer, “Here she is Lord!” …and then,

He will smile and will tell her, “Well done, enter in!”

By His grace alone!

Mother,

I wish I could express here much much more depth of love.  But mere pen and page could not achieve it. -only heaven because from thence it came.  And Mother though all through life you’ve sacrificed to guide me through every phase, this last one is the greatest – giving your whole hearted blessing as I go to live halfway around the world.  And through all the tears of sadness our separation brings.  I know that in your heart of hearts your joy can hold no bounds, because it’s for the Master I live and work and love.  The One you taught me each day to know.  And Mother, the only way you could do that is because He first lived in you!

Thank you my precious Mother, I love you dearly!

Gayle

“When the judgment shall sit, and the books shall be opened, when the “well done” of the great Judge is pronounced, and the crown of immortal glory is placed upon the brow of the victor, many will raise their crowns in site of the assembled universe and, pointing to their mother, say, “She made me all I am through the grace of God.  Her instruction, her prayers, have been blessed to my eternal salvation.”

Child Guidance 564

Our Telephone Booth

Some may call it a terrible inconvenience, others may complain of exhaustion and fatigue, while still others may long for a more civilized way of life.   I call it a blessing, a mountaintop experience, a gift from God!

You see, it is our telephone booth.  To connect with someone in the outside world you must first count the cost.  Is it worth it?  We leave our house, cross two small rivers, climb a mountain or two, then climb a tree!  The hike up the mountain may take quite a while on a good day.  Round trip, if an hour is spent on the telephone, you may have to calculate taking 3 hours. It is a very steep ascent.

  On the way the scenery is breathtaking if the weather is clear. You see many cleared mountainsides where rice is growing, distant mountains, valleys and one small village way off to the left.  It is best to go in the early morning because it is slightly cooler, but any time of day you must expect the sweat to pour!  We usually want to get our daily exercise anyway, and what better way than to climb a mountain?  This does your calves wonders, and your cardiovascular system is strengthened. At the summit we view the telephone booth.  The walls are white patches over brown.  The climb to the first limb is not too hard.  The climb to the next level is very tricky.  My short legs have to stretch past the limit and you hope the feet don’t slip on the smooth bark.  Once balanced in position the phone works very well.  You are defenseless from the ants, however, which are also always interested in climbing this same tree.  The bees are pesky also and easily sting you before you notice where they are lurking. 

The white patches on the tree bark is perfect to quickly jot telephone numbers on.  This type telephone book does not ruin in the rain.  Week after week the names and numbers are still clear. Think of the joy to actually be able to speak to the ones you love and miss, or connect with those you must do business with. 

One day on the way back down the mountain, a sudden tropical storm hit!  Instantly my pathway down became a rushing torment, the ugly brown water pulled hard at my feet and each step was uncertain and threatened to bring me down.  As I slipped and splashed all the way home I thought about the joy of actually talking to those I loved and missed.  Because of the effort in the journey, the joy of the conversation is all the sweeter, the connection is so much more appreciated, the words spoken and heard in the ear leave a greater impact, and the memory of these conversations stay so clear for so much longer!

Oh friends, isn’t this similar to our connection with the precious Saviour!  First you must count the cost.  Is it worth it to you to give up the favorite, darling ”little” sins that keep you away from Him,   to take up your cross and follow no matter what the cost.  It requires a struggle, an affliction of your soul before Him.  Sin tries to have dominion over you and fill you with doubt about this Christian journey.  It is hard.  Your feet slip sometimes, filling you with dread and fear.  But Jesus says He has enlarged your steps under you that your feet do not slip.  (See 2Samuel 22:37)The devil throws darts (the ants and bees) at you threatening to make you let go of the connection you have so longed  to receive.  You tend to still disbelieve, but Jesus is there, you hear His sweet voice saying, I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand…fear not I will help thee.”  Isaiah 41: 3.  The tiresome journey instantly looses its pain.  You have heard the voice of Jesus, you realize He has held you and walked with you all this time through the trouble, the pain, the discouragement, and even through your sins and terrible mistakes!  Your elation knows no bounds!!  In great joy and adoration the exclamation of Nicodemus comes, “How can these things be?”  It is far too wonderful to understand. No, you cannot understand it, you must just believe it is true and as you descend into the days and weeks that follow, some of them an overwhelming flood of sorrow, hardship and pain, the memory of your experience with Jesus on the mountaintop is ever sweeter and holds you tighter as the days go by. His love shines brighter and if you keep choosing Him, He will never leave you or forsake you.  The sweetness of His presence just grows better each day until that journey ends and we see Him face to face.

Take courage there is hope!  Mrs. White says:

“The Spirit furnishes the strength that sustains striving, wrestling souls in every emergency, amidst the hatred of the world, and the realization of their own failures and mistakes.  In sorrow and affliction, when the outlook seems dark and the future perplexing, and we feel helpless and alone, -these are the times when, in answer to the prayer of faith, the Holy Spirit brings comfort to  the heart.”  Acts of the Apostles 51