A note written from one of the very few dry spot's in Thailand

Nic: I loved the weekend...so fun to celebrate with Steph in another country and have a bit of luxury without breaking the bank! After 6 hours of market shopping and some lovely things later, I worked out I spent a grand total of £12! Thailand is a bargain hunters dream. Fung Fah Nursery has been a little different this week. Due to the floods the whole nursery has been taken off the floor and put on shelves, and because we are still unsure as to whether it's going to hit they are reluctant to take all the stuff down. So that means the kids haven't had chairs or tables, or very many toy's. This hasn't seemed to stop them having fun though, they are literally the most easily entertained children I've ever met! Sadly it means that the staff have asked me to sing a lot more this weekend, which I really don't enjoy as it's previously been a one man show, but some of the kid's have now learnt my actions and join along which makes it more enjoyable! Sadly though the annual rainbow camp which was happening next week has also been cancelled due to the floods. However me, and the other volunteers plan on loading the pushchair's and going on a few after nursery trips with the children to make up for it!

This week has just been a continuation of building relationships with the children and the staff. The children know me now, and the staff include me in all they do as a team which is so wonderful. I feel at home at work, I'm so grateful for that. The physical side of the job has felt easier this week, as there has been less equipment to lug around and we have skipped shower time a few times as the towels were too high up! But the emotional toughness continues, and it always will. Everyday I see things that are absolutely wrong. Children mistreated. Tied up. Not fed properly. Not changed. Not loved or respected. It's hard to deal with at the time, and also hard to process when you leave. It can be frustrating when the Thai's show no emotion ( they believe showing emotion encourages evil spirits), and you feel like an emotional wreck ready to explode at what you are witnessing. I now know these children personally, and I know what gorgeous kid's and incredible potential they have, to see them stifled is awful. However I just have to give them my best when I get to look after them, and I'm thankful that they are looked after by such beautiful staff at the Nursery. I've also had amazing news today. Tomorrow I go to work as a Nurse in the sick wards. The Thai goverment have let me in. So excited and so terrified all at the same time! Have no idea what to expect. Will keep you posted!

Me and Steph are generally doing well, but we both had to have the day off on teusday, along with our room mate Karen! We all had different sickness, but think it was a result of being close to burning out. Thank the Lord for rest though, we haven't burnt out and as always God gives our bodies and souls rest when we ask for it. We also just popped to our local market for dinner, and things were put in perspective. They have moved many truck loads of people in to the cinema complex down the road as they have lost their homes and have nowhere else to stay. Please pray for the flood situation, we never know what's going on really, but prayer that it will not get any worse here and that aid reaches those who need it would be great. I really hope you are all well, and that the U.K isn't too chilly! I would complain about it being too hot here, but know that wont get us much sympathy! Love to all, Thank you so much for your lovin' and support xxx

Steph: Hey guys! I'm going to be honest and say last week was a tough one. Physically and emotionally i was a bit drained. Rachawadee girls is still all off the floor due to potential floods so it's been in the wards everyday for us, which has been beautiful as we've got to see so many girls but so hard as well, it's so intense and just hard to get your head around! The things i've seen are just not right, don't think i can explain it all really, but there have been absolute times of joy in amongst all the sadness and i daily hold on to them! There are 3 new girls in Pink ward who really need prayer, they are in shock basically and are petrified of anyone and we just don't understand why they're in that ward, they should be in school, but it's been amazing to show them love and them just sit and cuddle for an hour, they're not scared of us which is good. God has just reminded me in the last few days that all the girls in the wards have Him as their Father, what a truth and comfort!! I see every day God leading me through this and teaching me all kinds of stuff, I was so apprehensive about being at Rachawadee to begin with but now I know that's where God wants me!! So work is going well, feel out of my depth a lot of the time but i'm learning a lot and picking up more Thai which helps! I'm getting on really well with the staff and Julia is a big blessing. Quite looking forward to daycare being back to normal again as it really is lush bringing the girls out of the wards instead of being there.

It was my birthday on Sunday so we had a fun packed weekend! On friday night we went to a christian guesthoue for the night in Bangkok, it was so cheap and such a lovely place! Fried eggs and toast in the morn...yes! Then literally spent 6hours in this market,chatachak, and we think we covered about 2/3 of it! So big! Got some goodies with birthday money, stuff is so ridiculously cheap! So feet were killing at the end of the day so chilled and watched a film. Then in the morn got woken up to a birthday breakfast the girlies had made, pancakes, crumpets, eggs, ORANGE JUICE, wow! They really went all out bless them! Got some b'day parcels as well so was lovely opening stuff from home :) Then had church, a big baptism service so was a bit of a celebration, and then we all lazied by the pool in the afternoon getting a pretty good tan!! Not often i'll be able to say i got a tan on my birthday. After that we went for ice cream in Central Plaza (a huuggee shopping mall) then skyped in the evening! Was busy but lovely busy! As Nic's said we had the day off on tuesday, I didn't want to burn out and woke up really early with a cold so we rested up. Good decision!!

Tomorrow after work we are off to Koh Samet as we have monday off so will be on a beach for the weekend, the Thai's think we're crazy for doing this because of the floods but if they come they come, we know God will protect us and keep us safe! Do keep praying for the situation though, gets a bit more real when evacuation stuff comes close by!

Really missing just getting in joggers and a hoodie, me and Nic have to have like one second cuddles, what's that about?!! I know you guys will be like, whatever we want heat, but honestly when you have a shower then step out and need another like an hour later, not so great. And there is a silly “no showing your shoulders” rule in Pakkred, we think CCD made it up as nearly all the Thai's show theirs, which is a bit frustrating when it's so hot! But this weekend the shoulders will be out, we don't want to be getting a farmer tan :)

Miss you all so much, I think of home quite a lot!!(but in a good way as I know being here is right!) Chat very soon, we're up for skype dates if any of you are free sometime! Loads of lovin, Steph x x x

How Thai time flies...

Hello reader, so sorry for delay in update. Here goes. So we are now in the swing of work, and the early mornings are becoming more normal! I will take you through a few things that have been going on here. So last weekend was a pure relax, and boy do you need it here. Me and steph splashed out (£2) on using Nichada's (the mini American village that a lot of wealthy expats live in, which holds our church) Olympic sized pool!...Nice very very nice. Topped up the tan too which was fortunate because doesn't look like we will be seeing a lot of sun for awhile. The floods are really bad here. A lot of Thai people are scared as they are a lot worse than usual. We are in a 'state of emergency' here, which is quite dramatic but  basically means we have to move our sofa's upstairs if it gets a bit damp! But prayer that wouldn't happen would be great, and more importantly that the staff of CCD who live in the rural parts don't get stranded, a lot of them are wading to work....

So last week at work was a toughy! It was bound to hit us at some point, and for me last week was it. The reality of what goes on here, and the overwhelming scale of it can hit you very hard sometimes. Also we were all feeling absolutely shattered. Thought I'd be used to it after my nursing training, but no, it's very different! The days are very demanding, and the children require a lot of attention. You have to do things that sadly you don't wanna do, that are dirty and often turn your stomach! Therefore, I have had to pray myself through this week...and God has reminded me of a lot in these tricky times. My life is not my own. I have given it to my Father, and my creator in order to best glorify him. I am to like Jesus to these children, the most sacrificial human being that ever lived. So sometimes that means you don't always have an easy ride...BUT you always have his help, and he promises to do more than you could ask or imagine! (Ephesians 3. How amazing is that!). And hallelujah when we prayed for strength God absolutely miraculously gave it and empowers us to keep going. He hears our prayers, fact. So despite the hard bits we had a lot of fun this week too! Began teaching a little boy (Deo) to swim (i pretty much chucked him in as i thought he had swam before, but when i got back to the nursery it turned out he hadn't. Ha, He's a natural!). Spent two days in rainbow house too (a residential house for orphans) where we had the Thai equivalent of cadbury's come and give out free food and play games(amazing advertising for the company, amazing way for CCD to get there name out there. win- win) . It was literally the most mental two day's ever. Thai's don't do organisation, and try to contain 150 disabled children in a small space, while they are being fed fizzy! It's hard. But we had such a laugh with the kid's, I do love them so much. I live for the beautiful moments I get with them every day. Whether it's getting a cheeky laugh, rocking a baby to sleep (love this one!) , playing a new game, seeing children with autism engage and have fun at nursery not just running away (we found one child (Somsak) in a near by field! ha. The nursery would be closed down in England) or speaking to them in Thai and actually getting somewhere! Sadly though, still no nursing. Although a letter has been sent to the government asking permission for me to work. This would be the most amazing and most terrifying opportunity, Will keep you posted!.....We have just finished the most beautiful weekend of rest and fun. Got spoilt with masses of food and luxury in an American's posh pad! (helps to know people who live in mini America), including taking  dip in her pool before church on sunday and then we celebrated Canadian thanksgiving (another posh pad in mini America), with more food. Incredible. And then we went into Bangkok for wedding of one of the CCD staff! Amazing night. And so lovely to see the staff outside of work, they are the lovliest ladies (and man) i have ever met. All in all one of my favourite weekends...

It's now monday here, just finished work, back to the real world! Had a great day hanging out in the wards with the little ones today. Although i always dread feeding time, as these children should not be fed orally as there swallow is totally unsafe. My worst fear happened today as a boy chocked on chicken. I was so scared, poor boy was wacked so much but it wasn't moving. In the end, my fingers had to go in and praise the Lord I got it out before he went even more blue. Next time, he has having mushed chicken!! This week's activities will all depend on the weather, but we will bring English optimism to Thailand, Less sun; more fun! Thank you once again for your love, messages, skypes and prayers. So appreciated :) Love to the UK! Xxx
I'll add a wee bit to that maahussivvee speech from nic mann bout Rachawadee girls :D I just need to start by saying...what a weekend!!! It's so lovely having lots to look forward to on a friday at work when energy levels are flagging big time! The weekdays are totally brill, still loving life with the girls and seeing their smiley faces everyday! It's great now because they recognise me and are used to me so the laughs are rolling and the cuddles are a coming! As Nic said, last week was a tad mental, lots of not knowing what was really going on but learnt to just go with the flow and kind of  be spontaneous and just look after kids that needed it! Such a blessing all the volunteers were together at Rainbow house Thursday and Friday, would have been lost otherwise! Earlier in the week we did music therapy (brilliant) with the girls, teaching them some classic moves and them teaching me a few (don't think i'll be bringing them back to the UK though ha) !! And have done the usual daycare with different wards, it's tiring but so great to get them out of the wards. Think that's why i struggle in the mornings to believe that i can face the day, the wards are just so close together, really claustrophobic, but then actually i'm like..these girls live in these wards, day in day out, not much going on, not much positive stuff anyway! And God daily (and hourly) needs to transform my attitude to be less selfish and commit all my energy and my love to these girls!!! It's pretty cool actually that God wants to show his love for these girls through us, his children, and i hope that encourages everyone reading that God has chosen you to be placed with the people you've met today and the people you'll meet tomorrow! So yeah, these girls are worth it, love them to bits! We took two on a little trip today for icecream, below is a piccy of them both, Aratai and Kik, in our macs because the weather was pretty gross...cuties! It's my birthday this weekend and we were hoping to go to the waterfalls but can't now because the weather's meant to get alot worse :S so might splash out on a meal and maybe go to a hotel which will be lush! A little bit of luxury aka AIR CON! Bring it! We will update again very soon, apologising again for the lack of update, the evenings just go and before we know it it's the weekend and they get filled too! But thankyou for your prayers and lovin, you guys are great!!! Loves, Steph X x X

 Aratai And Kik! In mine and julia's mac's, what legends!

 At the wedding!

 Lotus, the coolest kid in Thailand