Final Memories in Thailand

I am sitting in a Japanese coffee shop, in Bangkok, using their Wi Fi . We left Mae Sot Thurday and traveled back to Bangkok with a caravan of two cars, a truck and one van from the Church. We were all returning from a great Pastors Conference and many of the College students also taught at an English camp. The trip took seven hours and someone asked Mark how his legs felt. I responded with, Oh we just cut them off each trip and reattach them on arrival. Remember Thai's are short and they don't have much leg room in their cars, buses etc.

Have I mentioned that Thailand has hugh bugs. We have seen several ten inch millipedes, snails that would be a gourmet's feast, and large, ugly cockroaches. We even found one baby frog in our bathroom. The market in Mae Sot is full of buckets of eels, snakes, frogs and a lot of fried bugs to munch on. We always love to take people there and watch them experience Thai delicacies.

You know you are back in the big city when you have to head to Pizza Hut for a Cesear Salad. In Mae Sot when you got a salad it was two small pieces of lettuce, loaded with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and an occasional worm. Tonight we may even try to find the Sizzler in the Mall.

Neil, Diana, Noi 1, Noi 2

Oasis Coffee Shop

Final Days at the Oasis

Today was the final day I will be able to go and spend time at the Oasis Coffee Shop with my friend Diana. Tomorrow we begin a conference for two days and then return to Bangkok for our final few days. The girls in the picture are Noi 1 and Noi 2. They have such servant hearts. Noi 2 does not have a mother so she loves to give and get hugs from people. These girls work from 8 AM to 8 PM six days a week. They work 2 extra hours on Wed and Sat nights for functions at the Oasis. I gave them each a plant with flowers as a going away thank you and they told Diana that Christians have big hearts. They are Buddhists but have ask Diana to pray for them at various times. The mural in the background is being painted by a Burmese artist who is working to make some extra money to support herself. The Oasis is truly that for many who come to Mae Sot and don't have any friends. Diana makes them all feel welcome and offers much information to those who need help. I will miss your smiling faces and friendship.

water buffalo

waterfalls

MAE SOT WATERFALLS

Yesterday, Neil and Diane Gilbert, missionaries to Mae Sot took Mark and I touring for the afternoon. It was a perfect rain free day, one of the few since we arrived. We visited two waterfalls and traveled the back roads between Burma and Thailand. The country is so green and lush, we even ran into some water buffalo's, not literally. They were grazing on a hill. We only have one more week in Mae Sot, our conference begins next Tuesday and on Thursday we will travel to Bangkok.