Khao Yai National Park

A few weekends ago we were invited to join in on a youth retreat to nearby Khao Yai National Park, just a few hours outside of Bangkok.  It was a simple overnight trip and we were happy to be asked to join them.

It really was a great few days.  We visited some nearby waterfalls, saw some of the local Thai wildlife, had one heckuva cookout, a time of worship, games, etc…  What we found to be the best part of the weekend was the ability to connect with some of the other young people in the church outside of the normal Sunday morning setting.  I mean, you can’t get to know someone much quicker than when you are all yelling at each other in a heated game of Dutch Blitz!

Nothing like starting your Sunday morning with a rowdy game of "Dutch Blitz". http://t.co/bHxd6Vp

March 19, 2011 9:37 pm via Twitter for iPhoneReplyRetweetFavorite

@two10eleven

Brook Sarver

One thing in particular that I enjoyed was being able to chat for a few hours as we drove to the park with a young Thai guy that I really didn’t know all that well.  I was a bit apprehensive at first.  The idea of speaking in Thai non-stop for a few hours while I drove down the highway was daunting and seemed more dangerous than a 16 year old texting her girlfriends while driving.  But in the end it was a great time.  We joked.  We talked about the Bible.  Talked about the church.  We even enjoyed those awkward silences from time to time…

The first night we were there we had a time of worship and prayer.  Being around these young people who love the Lord in deep ways was very encouraging to me.  After our time of sharing I busted out my guitar and began playing.  Throughout the next few hours I worked my way through a song book of Thai worship songs.  It was great to be able to play and learn these songs in Thai…

We’re so grateful for the opportunity to spend a few days away with this young group of people.  We were also encouraged by the fact that we both feel that we survived with our broken Thai and that we built deeper relationships with those who were there…

It’s nice to have some good news to share every now and then!  If you’d like to see more pictures from this weekend, check out Sara‘s Facebook Album here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2025593&id=153800143

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We started our journey in Thailand nearly 5 years ago when Sara and I came to Thailand as college students looking for a 6 month internship overseas.  It was that several month experience that broke our hearts for the people of Thailand.  We’ve never been the same since.  From that point on everything that we did was pushing us toward the goal of getting back to Thailand.  We were young in our marriage?  Fine, we spent three years in counseling and preparing ourselves for life together overseas.  We were inexperienced in ministry?  No problem, we invested nearly 3 years (which in reflection isn’t all that much as a 27 year old) as pastors at our home church back home.  We grew a ton and learned a lot about ourselves and working with people in ministry.  We had a mountain of debt to pay off for our collective 8 years of private, Christian higher education?  Fine.  We’ll wait and pray for that to come together also…

All of these things helped prepare us for our lives here in Thailand this past year and a half, yet all of the sudden we find ourselves running on empty.  The daily grind of life in a new culture, language and being so far removed from all of those whom we love and miss has gotten to us.  Now, we’ve studied the books, had classes specifically devoted to burnout as part of our 4 year degrees in Missions from Huntington University and are aware of the warning signs of burnout; yet it still found us.

The stress we experience here in Thailand isn’t anything so acute that we can’t stand it.  We still tackle each day as it comes.  It’s more of a dull stress that accumulates over time.  The feelings of inadequacy, frustrations in language learning, and general sense of being lonely eventually gets to you… …no matter how much you’ve read or prepared.

Which brings us to now.  Some time ago everything that I did came out of a deep passion for doing that thing, but lately I feel like I’m operating from a place of emptiness.  Where did that passion go?  Where’s that thing that when all else fails, pushes me to keep doing what I am doing?

These are questions that I’ve come to understand that nearly every missionary experiences at some point.  But I miss it…  I miss feeling like I’m accomplishing something.  I miss feeling like I’m good at something…  I miss that passion I had to do what I am doing…

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This video is worth watching…

From the Compasio website:

The Heart of Compasio

Seeing a need, feeling compassion and acting with practical love on behalf of those who are poor, needy and at risk, this is the heart of Compasio.   See.Feel.Act

This is good stuff that they are doing!  We need more ministries and ministers willing to come and get dirty as the step out in faith and serve the underprivileged here in SE Asia…

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It’s hard to believe that it has been over three months already that we’ve been in Thailand!  I apologize for not keeping connected with you all better since we’ve been here.  Let me bring you up to date on where we are, what’s been happening and what’s next!

First off, we are finally in our own house.  If you remember, we were living in a youth hostel for the first month and a half or so.  Our new place is small and has it’s own quirks…  but Sara is loving having a kitchen and we’re both loving having internet access… FINALLY!  Language studies have been going well.  In fact, praise God with us that we were able to retain much of what we studied 4 years ago!  Next week we both have exams on Module 4.  It usually takes new students 5 or more months to get to this point.  This last module has been quite difficult actually.  We’ve been learning to read and write in Thai!  It’s been great to finally be able to make sense of signs all around you, but our shopping trips have tripled in length because we often find ourselves staring at packaging in Thai for 5 minutes at a time trying to make sense of it all!

6 days a week we have been studying Thai and it hasn’t always been fun, exciting, etc.  The past month has seen it’s ups and downs.  Our new house has some late-night bars that blare their music until 3 or 4 in the AM.  Sara hasn’t been sleeping the best.  At times she is willing to give up her kitchen and oven for a good night’s sleep in another home.  Seeing as it’s now November, we’ve pretty well missed all of Fall back home… Sara and I’s favorite season.  My brother bought a house and the entire family has been working on getting it remodeled and livable… Something we wish we were part of.  Levi and Michelle (my oldest brother) will be having their child tomorrow and we will be 8,000 miles away.  Being a good student isn’t as easy as it used to be.  Spicy food isn’t always fun.  Neither is 90-100 degree temps everyday.  Sara’s grandparents have been having some serious medical issues…

We’ve really been missing home, the comfort of knowing what to expect, KidStuf, the OBCOG staff, family, friends, reconnecting with you guys who believe in us in person.

At the same time, God’s blessings wash over it all.  We’re excelling in the language learning.  We DID get a home of our own rather than a youth hostel room.  We sang a worship song in Thai (video here:  http://www.vimeo.com/7364518 ) !!!  We’re settling into a new church family in a city about an hour away from the city we are studying Thai in.  The services are all in Thai but there is a great community of young people to connect with!  We’re making some good relationships with people we play badminton with several times a week.  We have a motorbike that we have been able to use for the time being!  With less distractions and new stresses, Sara and I have found much more time to spend just together.  No “work” to get in our way…

God continues to amaze us.  We saw him move some HUGE mountains in getting us here.  And daily we see him move mountains before our eyes.  We know this is what and where He has built us to serve…

A few things I’ll ask you to specifically prayer for:

1. Around Christmas we’ll be taking a few “field trips” to Bangkok to try to find a good fit for us at a church ministry there which we will join once completing our year of language school in this city.  Prayer for wisdom, guidance, and patience.  Aside from the church we will also be looking at housing options.  Pray for this also as we hope to begin having children within the next year.  We’d love to find the perfect place to begin our family!
2. Pray for our remaining time at the language school.  We get the feeling we’ll be here until May or June of next year based on our current pace.  Pray that we are able to continue putting language learning first and that God would provide us some good relationships with Thai people to work through the language together.
3. Pray for our new home.  Some nights Sara sleeps just fine.  Other nights the loud music keeps her up.  Not sleeping really adds to the stress levels around here!  We’re trying to be patient and figure out the most culturally appropriate way to go about tackling the issue and at the same time trying to be patient and wait on God to move yet another mountain for us!
4. The Holiday season is quickly approaching.  Pray for us as we find ourselves so far away from friends and family.  Even little things like thinking about the Christmas Eve services at OBCOG and how we will be missing them can bring tears to our eyes…  Pray also for our families back in the States and they will surely be missing us (I hope?) during the Holidays….

If you’d like to stay more in touch with us, check out our websites:  http://www.two10eleven.com and http://www.unglamorouslove.com

Every Tuesday Sara blogs about something new in Thai food or ways she has found to replicate food from home here in Thailand!  I tend to be a bit more sporadic, but either way, it’s worth checking into!

I want to thank everyone for your prayers for and thoughts about us.  It hasn’t always been easy but God continues to reign after the first 3 months and we look forward to what’s in store in the next 3 years!

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