Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Thailand! I hope you all had a really blessed day, whatever you were doing, whoever you were with and wherever you were. I know this is a day late, but what else is Boxing Day for than to reflect on the previous 24 hours and extend the fun for another day or two, right? I'm currently munching on a candy cane doing just that, prolonging. Do you know, I hadn't clicked that its only Brits who have Boxing Day? Everyone here had no clue what I was on about when I mentioned it (along with mince pies, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and crackers - I never knew quite how unique our Christmas is in England).

I was so blessed this Christmas! It was my first one away from home and so I wasn't always as positive about it as I should have been in the lead up because I'd be away from my wonderful family and friends, and it wouldn't be the same. But God gave us an extra Christmas miracle (besides the pretty important one of sending His son): understanding. Of course none of our Christmas's would be as we are used to, but that's ok because Christmas is all about Jesus and He is everywhere. Germany and Sweden celebrate Christmas on the 24th, so we had two Christmas days (because we have a German and a Swede in our team, if you didn't know). The five of us went out for brunch on the 24th and had an unusual breakfast - I had carrot cake, passion fruit sorbet, red berry sorbet and a frozen mint chocolate drink. I figured as it was a hot Christmas, so for the summery foods.

So we started well, with a lot of delicious food and a relaxed time of fellowship with these four wonderful sisters of mine. 

We'd prepared small care packages the da before, and so spent our afternoon walking the streets finding people the hand them out to as we felt led by God. It was a really humbling and encouraging time, and very hot! There's one lady I want to tell you about quickly, as she was the face of Christmas for me this year (for those of you who got an email from me, I apologise for the copy pasting). We had one package left and I felt that I should give it to an old lady selling street food. She looked very confused to start with and didn't take the gift, but when she began to understand it was free and an expression of God's love and our love for her, the biggest and brightest smile spread across her wrinkled face, bringing it to life. It's the same with God - He gave us Jesus as the greatest expression of His love for each one of us and when we accept Him, our life is brightened forever. This is why I love Christmas!

Before heading home to refresh before church, three of us were introduced to a wonderful delicacy of Thailand - the banana roti. Why to hasn't happened earlier in our trip I do not know, but that will not be the last before we leave. It was amazing! The mix egg and mushed up banana together, fry it in a thin dough circle and fold in into a square, then drizzle with condensed milk and chocolate sauce. Yum!

We went to the church we have been working with during our stay here in the evening and had pizza, popcorn, fruit  and s'mores for dinner, again in very large portions. We sang carols, and it vaguely reminded me of the Christmas Eve service at my church (but it wasn't near as good, but I am quite biased). 

Christmas morning number two started with a Skype call to the family at 7am my time which is 12am midnight, so just Christmas for them. It was a really special start to the day, and I even got to watch some of Love Actually with them! They started my christmas off in the best way possible, thank you so much for staying up guys.

When the others were up we began Christmas with our focus on the 'reason for the season' by reading the Bible story and praying together. It's so special to be with people who really share your faith and understand how important it is to you. The five of us have been through a lot together over the last three months, so it was lovely to spend such a significant day with them! We then did stocking and present opening. The giving of gifts brings such joy, doesn't it?! 

We'd decorated the small communal area we have upstairs and this was our Christmas tree, Thai style.

Breakfast consisted of banana muffins (thank you macro), croissants (thank you tesco - felt so funny doing a last minute Christmas shop in tesco! Please don't judge me, they were things you couldn't buy in one of the hundreds of markets here, and I was searching for mice pies which sadly weren't to be found), fruit, chocolate and other sweets. We all mooched for a while before I carried on the tradition (now two years old) which I am determined to continue of playing jungle speed.

A group of us went out for a late Christmas lunch to a restaurant near by. Oh my word! This was my Christmas dinner.

Yes, it did indeed consist of fish and chips! Well, I wanted something British and this is the closest I could come, and it was so good. There was also an unlimited salad bar, so I had carrot sticks, celery sticks, lettuce, pepper, spinach, mange-tout and other veg for the first time in months. Now, I would have felt extremely blessed if we had had rice and dhal because that's yummy too and Christmas isn't about food, but boy God is so good and loves to give His children joy in many ways. I was very joyful! For the first time ever, I went to the cinema and saw a film (I keep saying movie, help, I'm being americanised) on Christmas Day. It was the new Disney one, Frozen, which was very funny and a great one to watch when you're used to Christmas in a cold country. 

The evening was full of more joy brought through the wonders of technology. I spoke to some of my family, which was so wonderful as they're all at my home for Christmas so it's ever more bizarre not being there. The rest of my new family from India were also online so we could talk to them for the first time since we left - I miss them a lot, going from shari everything to not having much contact is challenging, so it was great to briefly hear their voices again. Then the icing on the Christmas cake (or fruit cake in my case, thanks to Becka!) was being able to wish one of my best friends, Ruth, a Merry Christmas too. All in all, it was a truly great Christmas, full of God, friends and fun.

This will be my last blog before we leave for Cambodia on Saturday. We are going there for a month to work with a couple of projects we have made contact with in the capital, which sound really exciting! I thought I'd briefly fill you in on a couple more things about my time in Thailand before I wrap it up. We will have been here for a little over two weeks when we leave, and it's been very different from how I imagined and what I expected. There has been less 'doing' and more being 'done' on in a way as God has really stretched me and challenged me in many ways since leaving the routine of life in India. The English school and church we have been working with has been great, and I love this ministry and am really grateful for having been able to catch a glimpse of what they're about. We got to observe an English class for two days last week, and I loved it! We also got to go into the local 'slum' area and spend an hour with some of the kids there, seeing another tiny area of work being done. 

Of course, I couldn't finish before mentioning a food experience, this is Thailand after all. I have now eaten a whole fish! I had done it before, but with mum's help in Kenya, so I now feel very grown up because I conquered this all on my own. It was quite tasty - so good to have fish again - but sadly it wasn't very hot, and there were fish eggs and intestines which weren't very yummy.

Please pray for us on Saturday as we travel. We will leave very early, and will be on the road all day before reaching Phenom Penh pretty late that evening. If you could pray for extra grace for each other despite our tiredness, for an easy crossing into Cambodia and generally smooth travel, we would really appreciate it! Thank you. I'm really looking forward to Cambodia and all that God has in store for us there, and will endeavour to keep you updated whilst we're there, but who knows what the Internet access will be like, so please continue to be patient. Have a wonderful rest of Christmas, however long you extend it for, and a blessed last few days of 2013!

Hustle and bustle

After leaving what I have called home for the last three months on Sunday afternoon, an 11 hour bus ride commenced down from the Himalayas to Delhi. It wasn't super pleasant as many of us had various forms of mild sickness, but it could have been so much worse, and we were very blessed on safety and speed. Having a day to kill in Delhi before our evening flight, we went into the city as a team to wander which involved two classic modes of transport in Indian cities - the bicycle rickshaw and the metro. The metro was so much fun - it reminded me of the huge 'lobby' area of the Ministry of Magic in the Harry Potter movies crossed with the London Underground (a very little). The station was cavernous and so clean and breezy, very unlike the stuffy underground at home. We had a blast riding in and out on the trains which didn't have carriages, just one long open tube emphasising the crazy length and capacity of it. The bicycle rickshaw was also a laugh, but not for the poor driver who had to peddle four girls on a warm afternoon. We went and saw India gate (a must do apparently, according to the only Indian in our team) which was very impressive.

Our flight to Thailand was pleasant enough, but made even better by the fact that the airport had a Starbucks. For those of you who know me well, you will know my love of chai latte and Starbucks do the best one in my opinion, so I have had the occasional longing for one since I left home. God was good and myself, Julia and Becka enjoyed a Starbucks treat before we flew. Indian Starbucks', it turns out, have such jazzy food! We had a paneer chapati wrap, paneer toasted bun thing and a quiche of some sort. If you get the chance, try the Indian style Starbucks food because it was delicious! (N.B. I am not encouraging anyone to choose Starbucks food over traditional, Indian-made, Indian food! But if your choice is between McDonald's, other fast food chains and Starbucks as ours was, I advise the latter everything).

So I'm finally settling into life in Thailand although its taken longer than I expected due to culture shock. Coming from our beautiful home in quiet, rural and spacious north India to the busy, noisy and overwhelming city of Bangkok was quite a shock to the system! We're staying in a delightful guest house in the suburbs of the city but the main road we are on has constant traffic which is the opposite from the tranquility my time in India. Our room here is also at complete odds with the one I've had for the last three months: I have my own bed which is a 'normal' (depending on your definition I suppose; westerners, you would say normal) height and squishiness with a plump pillow and no one else sharing it. And I have hangers! And a wardrobe! My clothes are actually hung up. Also, we have a shower! It is a different world we're living in now; not necessarily better as I loved my time in India and really prefer the country to these cities, but it is very different. 

There's seven of us here and we are currently working with a local church who also run an English school as part of their ministry. It's such a great way of reaching out to the Thai people! Their culture is very alien to me - they are very western in their fashion and appearance, Asian in their food, their trade with the world is just increasing and yet they barely know any English, and many seem like they don't want to. For such an industrialising country which has a huge in one form tourism, it seems bizarre that so few know the international business language of English. There clearly are people who want to learn English because the school this church runs is so successful. We have been able to glimpse a little so far and it is really exciting work! Unfortunately, we can't help in teaching but are doing things in the services and for the students outside of their allotted classes. So far we have sung several Christmas songs several times, done a nativity skit and performed a song, as well as building lots of relationships. Tomorrow we get to go to cell groups and the English worship service which should be great!

On every street corner here, a market seems to be just starting or ending. There are so many! And they are huge! I can't decide how I feel about them, sometimes I love them, but on other occasions I feel too overwhelmed and like an ant. We went to a food market on Thursday which I loved! There was every type of fruit, veg and meat in every colour and so much of it! The fruit here is heavenly - you can buy it everywhere for about 40p freshly sliced. The common choices are mango, papaya, cantaloupe, pineapple, guava and watermelon. YUM! There is no way you can capture the size of the markets, but the food one went on and on, so just imagine these photos being like a blade of grass in a field.

Today was a day off and there is so much to fill you in on! Firstly, we went to a market on one of these...

... a boat taxi! It is apparently a common, cheap and quick mode of transportation in Bangkok; people were there in their suits, reading a book, listening to their music, on the phone etc. just as we do on a train or in a bus at home. I loved it! Please can this be the way I go to university each day when I'm back? It's also a great way to see some more of the city in a relaxed fashion. We did the rest of out transport the boring road way for the other journeys and it is much less entertaining (with an exception of be bus ride we had as you will see) and the traffic is awful! River transport is the way forward! Getting on and off the boat was slightly daunting as our host said 'you have to be very fast because they sometimes pull away mid embark/ disembark if you're too slow'. Panic! It's safe to say I was very speedy in my jumping on and off.

This was the Thailand I was expecting - green plants, rivers, wooden buildings with pointy roofs and food everywhere. Thanks to the water taxi, I experienced most of this today.

The focus of the day was shopping. We went to two markets, one by water taxi and the other by bus. I finally had fish for lunch which was the first fish I've eaten since I left England. It tasted so good! The first market was very big and compact and busy. It was fun, but it was it high compared tot h second market we went to - JJ's. We had to get a bus to it and I experience my first traffic accident (that I remember at least). Please don't worry, it was nothing serious and no one was hurt. A car bumped into our bus in the middle of a big crossroad so we were sat there got five minutes causing chaos all around. We left the bus to get another with the police involved and people taking photos. It added a little excitement to the hot, stuffy cramped ride I guess.

How can I even begin to describe JJ's market to you? Firstly, it's gigantic. The biggest market I've ever seen by far, with several 'layers' all surrounding a clock tower in the very centre (a useful meeting point and landmark to avoid getting lost). Some areas are inside and some are out, all are in little booths or stalls. Everything under the sun is being sold, from clothes to candles, from bunnies in tutus to plastic fruit, from underwear to silverware. You could probably find anything you needed, and spend way too much money in the process, if you had the time and energy to walk round the whole market and get lost several times. We were told is is a touristy destination and man were they right. That was the most westerners I have seen in these three months - so many of them I didn't know what to do! It was great fun weaving around and finding the best bargains. Sadly bartering is not as welcomed or as easy here as in India or Africa because of the language barrier, but Lindsay and I did a reasonable job despite this I think. A tip for Thailand - they love you buying more than one thing, so if you want the price to be lowered then buy three or four and they do you a 'special price'.

So far, Thailand has been wonderful and tough, but I am enjoying our time here so far, and I'm expectant of all it will hold. Sorry this is such a long update, but theres' so much to share; I did try to be selective in what I wrote. Thank you for your love and prayers - you are all wonderful!

Thailand time

This is a very quick update just to let you all know I am now in a different country, yay! We arrived in Thailand extremely early on Tuesday morning and as you can see we were very excited to be here after over 30 hours of travelling (we were all slightly delirious when this was taken, so don't be shocked by any of the expressions.

I will do a proper update of the fun we had in Delhi, the culture shock, the food and other things of interest, but I thought (and mum prompted) this so you all know and can change the location of your prayers if you so wish.

The last few days

We are now in the midst of our last few days as an entire family before we head our separate ways on Sunday. Myself, and six others, will be going to Thailand for two weeks followed by a month in Cambodia and then another two weeks in Thailand again. It will be a very interesting two months, and I will endeavour to keep you updated on all it holds.

Christmas has come early in India this week. Some of the guys did a wonderful job decorating our green room (living room really) with fairy lights, paper snowflakes, chains of paper people and a mini Christmas tree - it looked like a grotto, I'm very sad I didn't manage to get a picture for you all.

We have been singing Christmas songs and carols for a good few days now, and Lia and I managed to bring a taste of England to the festivities. We are pretty chuffed with these mince pies if we're honest - they taste almost as good as the ones at home, even though we used some bizarre dried fruit in the mincemeat and lacked the brandy. But we managed to make mincemeat! And get hold of cinnamon! If you knew how many times many of us dreamed of cinnamon, you would begin to understand the excitement of finding it, and the sadness because we found it with less than a week to use it. 

Our room is currently a sea of bags, clothes and who knows what else! About half of us leave tomorrow night so the packing is almost completed (or so we keep telling ourselves) and tonight is our final night altogether - such a sad thought. I keep thinking about all the stories we will be to share in two months time when we reunite which is making the impending separation slightly less painful. Tomorrow will be full of manic cleaning, final packing and lots of praying for each other hence the final blog of India coming now. Tomorrow night holds the joy of the overnight bus down to Delhi, then a few hours in Delhi before flying onto Thailand Monday night. We've just been adjusting to the culture differences here, apart from a couple of bizarre experiences, so it will be very odd to move onto another new culture which is much more impacted form tourism (at least where we are headed).

I'm sure there's much more I should fill you in on, but its dinner time and I need to finish some packing bits. Please keep us in your thoughts as we travel from tomorrow evening - and the rest of my beautiful family who will be travelling for up to the next couple of weeks due to some visa things - as well as the uncertainty of the next two months (it is all under control, but our schedule isn't full yet and so we haven't got much to do in Cambodia yet). Enjoy all the build up to Christmas, whatever that holds for you. Lots of love :)