We try to use the opportunity we have with Christmas to give the kids and teachers at the schools printed literature about Jesus and Christmas. Usually we have tracts to hand out, but this year we were blessed to have tracts and Thai cartoon Christmas story booklets. The kids really enjoyed these, and we usually had lines at the truck to pick one up if Rusty and Tim ran out of their supplies. We don't usually hand them out like in the video, but this class lined right up to get theirs. Many times we just leave a pile on the teacher's desk and tell everyone they're free to pick one up. We then leave and students can pick one up. We go back later to pick up any leftovers. Sometimes classes take very few, and then other classes gobble them up. All in all we gave away around 500 of the cartoon books and tracts, and I think that's a pretty good number since they voluntarily received them. The students at the new school really listened and asked questions. Rusty had the opportunity to interact with the students in the classroom as well as explaining why it was important Jesus came to earth, explaining that Jesus existed before his earthly birth, explaining the death, burial, and resurrection, and also explaining how someone can go to heaven. Please continue to pray for these seeds.
SSW school had a special ceremony for the monks on a very cold morning. I'm not sure of the whole meaning behind the ceremony, but I know it's "good luck" for the school to do this. The students line the street through the school, and the monks walk receiving the alms as they pass by the students. Lots of small bottles of water were handed to the monks as well as sticky rice.
I left during this part to go and teach at another school, but you can see the teachers giving gifts to the monks as well.
I believe in the early morning hours they fed breakfast to all of the guests as well. The schools take this ceremony seriously because they believe it will bring a blessing to their school and make the students study better.
That afternoon we had the New Year's celebration, and the foreign
teachers were presented with gift baskets for their service. Both Rusty
and Jessye received one this year. This basket was chosen especially for
us--look at all the good stuff in there! Of
course we received an abundance of gift baskets this year, and none of
them contained goodies good for my resolutions!
That evening the school had their holiday party. The teachers were divided up into teams, and they competed in different events to earn points for their team. This game is pretty serious. I'll have to invest some time into learning the rules and practicing. It looks like a good one.
At the eating area, they also played darts and had a hula hoop contest. I cannot hula hoop--at all--so I'm glad I wasn't on a team. I would have let everybody down for sure.
We had roasted meat and lots of other goodies. Unfortunately they gave Tim a plate of liver. None of us really likes liver, but many of us have ended up with a plate of it at one point or another. People really love you when they put food on your plate. I really love the person if I go ahead and eat it. :)
When I heard there was going to be a papaya salad making contest I had no idea what we were in for. They may be making a salad, but it's really a dance and show contest. Couple all of this excitement with hours of karaoke and you get a good picture of what a school party is like.
We went to visit Pawn's aunts on the last Sunday of the year. I love being with Pawn's aunts. We always have a good time. They were enjoying trying to teach me how to count in Karen. I'm sure it sounds funny! Or maybe it's cute. :)
Tim was sporting his new Karen shirt for worship that morning. Rusty and I both received presents in the village. I have a new Karen skirt, and Rusty has a green and white Karen shirt. They know how to fix us up right! Now I need a new Karen shirt as none of mind will match the new skirt. Matching is not really that important, but the two colors of blue I have are just too much for my farang fashion sense.
They talked me into playing this game with the other women. I cannot compete with Karen women! I could barely get the food packages open much less eat them. There were several snack cakes as well as a small bottle of orange juice. I was stuck on the first obstacle while the other women moved on to finding the candy in a bowl of flour and other obstacles. I definitely experienced the agony of defeat!
When we arrive we usually travel house to house trying the goodies that each family has prepared for their holidays. Some of my favorites are the sticky rice with banana cooked in a banana leaf. It would be very bad if we ate like that all of the time.
We finished out 2013 at home. By the time new year's eve came around I was tired. We fixed up some sandwich trays, cheese dip, chips and sweets. We played some Mexican train, watched the fireworks, and then called it a night. Goodbye 2013. It was a good year (when I keep my focus right), and I'm enjoying even greater things in 2014.
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