okay, so thank-you so much for all of your prayers everything went fantastic.
there were so many divine appointments. we got tones of good rates on things and were able to stay in Nong Khai (which could be my future home b/c i love it so much) and see the place whitch we will be staying in the New Year as a group. it was nice and cool and the people were nice and it was right along the river (border) between thailand and laos. after our first night we went to Vivetine (capital in Laos) to the thai embassy. originally it seemed like we were going to have to stay an extra day as they only process visas in one day during emergency situations (and we would have to pay an extra 5000 Baht (around 166 CAD) for this). so, i was getting a little bit annoyed at this. but, kept my cool. then as we were waiting for the reciept for my visa ann talked to this official (after praying for quite some time) and said that she was told that i could recieve my needed visa within the a day and that we did not have our luggage, which we left in Nong Khai in total faith, and could not just spend a night in Laos as she had to get back to work. so, they made her send a fax from the NGO that she is working with to verify that iw oudl be living w/ her for these next months and that she had to get back to work asap. we were told to come back @ 2 pm and talk more about the situation.
we went back @ 1:15, as we knew it opened @ 1 and would wait if needed. there was no line, so we went up to the desk and the lady asked for Anns passport to verify that the document faxed over was for her, and then she passed both passports back over the counter and said, okay you're good to go and you just have to renew your new visa in thailand. we didn't realaie that what she said was true @ the time.
we got onto the bus to go back to Nong Khai and i opened up my visa, and inside was a "Non-Immigrant 2 month education visa"! basically, i can stay in thailand and just renew my visa, and the actual date that i will have to renew it by is Feb. 2nd as they give you 30days grace after the visa is expired. it's amazing! originally i expected to have only a 30day tourist visa which i would have to renew in laos and pay all the extra traveling cost and everything to go out there. but, now it totally worked out! thank-you so much!
went to the school the next day, and another huge blessing. they said that i would only ahve to pay for 3 months of schooling. i signed up for 6 months, planning only to take 3 months of the course, but needed the visa, so i sacrificed and was going to pay the extra $ to stay in thailand. so, that cost was cut in half! it's just amaing how it all worked out and i thank all of you for your prayers.
my parents are coming out on the 27th of this month and i am fervently planning for their arrival, so sorry that this came out later then it should. you're awesome!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
going to laos
so, i will be going to the Thai Embassy in Laos on Monday. I recieved information regarding the Thai school i will be going to, and so the immigration office here in Bangkok informed me that when I bring this information to the Thai embassy in Laos they can issue me another "tourist visa" because of official doc. for the schooling in Bangkok. Ann insisted that she would join me, which will be such an asset as she speaks fluent Thai and English and would allow things to go much smoother.
your prayers have been amazing! we were in and out of the immigration office in 15 minutes. this one lady just helped us right away. and then also with the school. they were able to recieve documentation that i would be attending the day after I applied (which was yesturday!). thank-you so much.
the prayers were also felt today when Ann and I did outreach to the bars. if we go into the bars we have to pay for drinks, but what we mainly wanted to do was talk to the ladies which we already know and invite them to the Christmas Party. Everyone we wanted to talk to was having a break outside. you have no idea how uncommon that is. one lady actually was just walking out as we were going to ask for her. God has been opening up amazing doors. I am learning a lot not only in different cultural aspects but in spiritual aspects as well. my eyes are being opened to a greater world. it's truly amazing.
prayers for the upcoming Laos trip would be awesome, as well as they Christmas party and just for me as I am feeling like a square pig in a round hole out here. i mean, i knew it when i came but, everything is different. and i don't mean just on the outside. their way of thinking is totally different. the women here don't take much initative and the whole outlook on life is different. they live for more of a here and now mentality then a future mentality. i just want to focus on what God has called me to. to love on these people here. and i don't want to get weighed down because i am different. 'cause things are different, but i want to focus intensly while i am here and get to the heart of the matter and not insecurities that pop up. you guys are awesome. if you want any prayer or anything please let me know, i still want to keep in touch even though we're miles away!
p.s. i'm still looking into uni as well... focusing more on specific universities... can't believe it
your prayers have been amazing! we were in and out of the immigration office in 15 minutes. this one lady just helped us right away. and then also with the school. they were able to recieve documentation that i would be attending the day after I applied (which was yesturday!). thank-you so much.
the prayers were also felt today when Ann and I did outreach to the bars. if we go into the bars we have to pay for drinks, but what we mainly wanted to do was talk to the ladies which we already know and invite them to the Christmas Party. Everyone we wanted to talk to was having a break outside. you have no idea how uncommon that is. one lady actually was just walking out as we were going to ask for her. God has been opening up amazing doors. I am learning a lot not only in different cultural aspects but in spiritual aspects as well. my eyes are being opened to a greater world. it's truly amazing.
prayers for the upcoming Laos trip would be awesome, as well as they Christmas party and just for me as I am feeling like a square pig in a round hole out here. i mean, i knew it when i came but, everything is different. and i don't mean just on the outside. their way of thinking is totally different. the women here don't take much initative and the whole outlook on life is different. they live for more of a here and now mentality then a future mentality. i just want to focus on what God has called me to. to love on these people here. and i don't want to get weighed down because i am different. 'cause things are different, but i want to focus intensly while i am here and get to the heart of the matter and not insecurities that pop up. you guys are awesome. if you want any prayer or anything please let me know, i still want to keep in touch even though we're miles away!
p.s. i'm still looking into uni as well... focusing more on specific universities... can't believe it
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
update #1 (in case you didn't recieve it by e-mail, and if you didn't please e-mail me @ danaekrahn@gmail.com so i can add you)
thailand 101. sawadee ka is how you say hi for ladies, sawadee kup if for guys.
anyways... bangkok is amazing. i could go on and on talking about it and how great it is but i'll just get right to it!
95% of tourism in thailand is based on prostitution. you see it everywhere on the streets of bangkok. every kind of guy w/ a thai lady (or transvestite). honestly, old, every race, crippled, businessmen... you name it, you got it.
unfortunately this is not alarming in thailand. supposedly around 85% of people in thailand are dealing with some sort of depression. they have to "save face" (which is really hiding all the problems to look like everything's okay because you have to keep your status (or rank) in the culture). so, for example, someone older, or males (especially first borns), or someone higher in society (occupational wise), or foreigners would all be in higher rank when comparing themselves to another person.
unfortunately this "saving face" concept does not allow many people to express how they are actually doing or feel about a subject. this can go as far as not telling someone that you have been abused so that you will not bring shame on that person. it cuts deep into every area of society. (there are good sides to it though, like respecting others and valuing what they say, which can be thrown out the window in some of our societies).
prostitutes "save face" for the family by allowing them to have an income. usually a prostitute will be supplying money for her family, which do not have jobs. if she would have a brother, he would not have to work as he has so much honour in the family for being a male (some also become monks, which also doesn't supply any $). one lady that i know about has 11 family members that she has to support with work... so it's really intense.
all of this adds for the ladies to not want to get off the street. they think that they have an obligation for their family and most have been told that they are worthless from birth, so to get some attention from men that came overseas because they are beautiful is a nice thought for them.
what we do here in "beginnings" meet those ladies @ work. so, i've been to the bars/go-go bars on outreach with 2 co-workers here. we meet them and talk with them (one lady, Ann speaks thai, so she translates/does PR with the ladies). and we tell them about the english class which we have going at the center. if they are interested they can come down (and it's down-town, so it's handy for them to come to) and learn english in the beginners or the intermediate stages. it's a good time for them to meet with the other ladies and also to build amazing relationships with them. in the bars they are usually quite busy as they have 15 minute "sets" where they dance on stage for 15 minutes and then switch, so most of the conversations are not that long. but, in the english class we have time afterwards to talk with them and to meet their needs (oh, and teach english... haha!).
i've been teaching english for a while now. i am loving the ladies. it's so amazing just be here. i just moved into the center today! and so far so good! i'm getting along with the 3 other ladies whom joined (Kwan, Sai and Pu) as well as the co-worker (Ann) and her daughter (Bebe) and bebe's nanny (Nis). Bonita and Roy, the founders of the place live in their own appartment (which i was looking after while they were gone for the last 2 weeks). Bonita has her masters and Roy has his Ph. D. in cross-cultural affairs (if i'm not mistaken), so it's been amazing to hear some of their knowledge and dig deep into a lot of good literature.
what else has happened? there was a "understanding our children" seminar for one week here in bangkok. i was privileged to go along with everyone else who lives @ the center. it was very insightful and God-lead as it seems like a call on my future. (i will hopefully be taking anthropology classes this coming september... i'll tell you more when i get more details). it was great because it was in thai and english, and it opened my eyes to how childhood development affects people, and how abusive situations have affected the ladies whom i work with tremendously. there was also a session on HIV and AIDS. and we were able to visit a center which works with children who "are victims of commercial sexual exploitation". their work was so great and it was encouraging to see another center with a positive outlook.
that week-end we also went on a missions trip. the ladies currently at the center have been here for 1 year and have a personal relationship with Christ. we all went to a village 1 and 1/2 hours away. we played with the children, taught a little english, played some songs, handed out balloons, played multiple games and gave some food to them. we actually made ice-cream with them. you put flavoured milk (which is all the rage in thailand... kinda funny) in a smaller ziplock bag which you put into a larger ziplock bag that is filled with ice and salt. then you shake until your hearts desire... and voila ice-cream (which quickly turns to liquid in the heat, but it was fun!).
so, those are the main things that have been happening. i have been loving it here and am excited for the life at the center (although i loved spending time with Roy and Bonita...).
some prayer requests. Ann has gull stones right now and is going to have surgery within the next month. they are really bothering her at night and she has to try to sleep sitting up because otherwise she feels as if she is choking (not every night, but most). she is really busy at the center and needs rest to recover from this. so, prayer for a fast recovery and taking enough time off and also just peace. we are also planning a Christmas party for the ladies here in bangkok. prayer that their eyes would be open to the love of Christ through this as well as a successful event. we still need funding for this (i'll give info when i figure all the kinks out... hopefully within a week) but are just really hoping that the ladies will feel Christ's love throughout this whole time. and also for myself. i am going through some visa issues right now (as updated on the blog, danaek.blogspot.com) and would love your prayer. your prayers are felt tremendously here. i thank-you for all the support that you have shown throughout this time and truly appreciate all of the love that i have felt since being here. it is truly amazing.
oh, and i would love to hear from all of you as well! updates are more then amazing. thanks for keeping me posted thus far!
p.s. as of now i am planning on staying here until April 1st and then making my way up to Canada hopefully in mid-April range. (with a couple of stops in between).
anyways... bangkok is amazing. i could go on and on talking about it and how great it is but i'll just get right to it!
95% of tourism in thailand is based on prostitution. you see it everywhere on the streets of bangkok. every kind of guy w/ a thai lady (or transvestite). honestly, old, every race, crippled, businessmen... you name it, you got it.
unfortunately this is not alarming in thailand. supposedly around 85% of people in thailand are dealing with some sort of depression. they have to "save face" (which is really hiding all the problems to look like everything's okay because you have to keep your status (or rank) in the culture). so, for example, someone older, or males (especially first borns), or someone higher in society (occupational wise), or foreigners would all be in higher rank when comparing themselves to another person.
unfortunately this "saving face" concept does not allow many people to express how they are actually doing or feel about a subject. this can go as far as not telling someone that you have been abused so that you will not bring shame on that person. it cuts deep into every area of society. (there are good sides to it though, like respecting others and valuing what they say, which can be thrown out the window in some of our societies).
prostitutes "save face" for the family by allowing them to have an income. usually a prostitute will be supplying money for her family, which do not have jobs. if she would have a brother, he would not have to work as he has so much honour in the family for being a male (some also become monks, which also doesn't supply any $). one lady that i know about has 11 family members that she has to support with work... so it's really intense.
all of this adds for the ladies to not want to get off the street. they think that they have an obligation for their family and most have been told that they are worthless from birth, so to get some attention from men that came overseas because they are beautiful is a nice thought for them.
what we do here in "beginnings" meet those ladies @ work. so, i've been to the bars/go-go bars on outreach with 2 co-workers here. we meet them and talk with them (one lady, Ann speaks thai, so she translates/does PR with the ladies). and we tell them about the english class which we have going at the center. if they are interested they can come down (and it's down-town, so it's handy for them to come to) and learn english in the beginners or the intermediate stages. it's a good time for them to meet with the other ladies and also to build amazing relationships with them. in the bars they are usually quite busy as they have 15 minute "sets" where they dance on stage for 15 minutes and then switch, so most of the conversations are not that long. but, in the english class we have time afterwards to talk with them and to meet their needs (oh, and teach english... haha!).
i've been teaching english for a while now. i am loving the ladies. it's so amazing just be here. i just moved into the center today! and so far so good! i'm getting along with the 3 other ladies whom joined (Kwan, Sai and Pu) as well as the co-worker (Ann) and her daughter (Bebe) and bebe's nanny (Nis). Bonita and Roy, the founders of the place live in their own appartment (which i was looking after while they were gone for the last 2 weeks). Bonita has her masters and Roy has his Ph. D. in cross-cultural affairs (if i'm not mistaken), so it's been amazing to hear some of their knowledge and dig deep into a lot of good literature.
what else has happened? there was a "understanding our children" seminar for one week here in bangkok. i was privileged to go along with everyone else who lives @ the center. it was very insightful and God-lead as it seems like a call on my future. (i will hopefully be taking anthropology classes this coming september... i'll tell you more when i get more details). it was great because it was in thai and english, and it opened my eyes to how childhood development affects people, and how abusive situations have affected the ladies whom i work with tremendously. there was also a session on HIV and AIDS. and we were able to visit a center which works with children who "are victims of commercial sexual exploitation". their work was so great and it was encouraging to see another center with a positive outlook.
that week-end we also went on a missions trip. the ladies currently at the center have been here for 1 year and have a personal relationship with Christ. we all went to a village 1 and 1/2 hours away. we played with the children, taught a little english, played some songs, handed out balloons, played multiple games and gave some food to them. we actually made ice-cream with them. you put flavoured milk (which is all the rage in thailand... kinda funny) in a smaller ziplock bag which you put into a larger ziplock bag that is filled with ice and salt. then you shake until your hearts desire... and voila ice-cream (which quickly turns to liquid in the heat, but it was fun!).
so, those are the main things that have been happening. i have been loving it here and am excited for the life at the center (although i loved spending time with Roy and Bonita...).
some prayer requests. Ann has gull stones right now and is going to have surgery within the next month. they are really bothering her at night and she has to try to sleep sitting up because otherwise she feels as if she is choking (not every night, but most). she is really busy at the center and needs rest to recover from this. so, prayer for a fast recovery and taking enough time off and also just peace. we are also planning a Christmas party for the ladies here in bangkok. prayer that their eyes would be open to the love of Christ through this as well as a successful event. we still need funding for this (i'll give info when i figure all the kinks out... hopefully within a week) but are just really hoping that the ladies will feel Christ's love throughout this whole time. and also for myself. i am going through some visa issues right now (as updated on the blog, danaek.blogspot.com) and would love your prayer. your prayers are felt tremendously here. i thank-you for all the support that you have shown throughout this time and truly appreciate all of the love that i have felt since being here. it is truly amazing.
oh, and i would love to hear from all of you as well! updates are more then amazing. thanks for keeping me posted thus far!
p.s. as of now i am planning on staying here until April 1st and then making my way up to Canada hopefully in mid-April range. (with a couple of stops in between).
visa!
k, so this is kinda rediculous. visas for thailand. can only get 3 tourist visas a year. thinking that i was fine to renew it 2 more times, i non-chalountly told my co-workers when i'll have to renew it by (Nov. 6th). then it dawned on me that we came in and out of thailand twice when i came here w/ ywam. so, basically i won't be allowed into thailand again unless i get a different visa. i will be taking thai, so i can get a student visa no problem, but it takes 3 weeks to process. and i'll be applying tomorrow. it all kinda caught up 'cause roy and bonita were gone and i didn't want to talk about it until they were back (thinking it would be no big deal to go to the border and back). anyways, we're going to see the immigration office tomorrow about it. hopefully i can stay in thailand those 2 weeks under the condition of the "processing paperwork" time to get the student visa, 'cause i will be a student. if that doesn't work, i'll probably have to stay outside the country for those 2 weeks (ann knows a place in cambodia that i could volunteer @) or i could pay the fine that they have if you overstay your visa. it's somewhere inbetween 500-1000 baht/day... which is around 20-40 USD a day. so, anyways, prayers that i could stay in the country would be amazing! with love and prayers.
p.s. things are going very well though. and don't worry, i'm not too stressed i know that it can and will all work out, it's just a matter of how really.
p.s. things are going very well though. and don't worry, i'm not too stressed i know that it can and will all work out, it's just a matter of how really.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
holy spirit
hey everyone. things are going good out here, except the fact that the internet isn't working @ home, so i think that i have become addicted as i am now paying for it... anyways, i've been able to catch up on some reading that i was "assigned". 4 books down, 2 to go! they've all been really good, "trading my sorrows", "the wounded healer", "the Jesus style" and "becoming who God intended". i still have one on trafficing and another on... i forget. anyways, been doing a lot of praying and just being filled w/ the spirit.
i was actually on the train station the otherday and i could barely contain the laughter that was surging out of me. it was so interesting. i would smile, which would turn into a laugh, be suppressed and so on and so forth. many tourists (let alone locals) were looking @ me and thinking that i was weird, but everytime my eyes met with someone else's i would just smile all the broader and start giggling. it was so interesting. i pretended it was my music. but, the whole atmosphere just lifted. ahh, it was fun. but, yeah i'll be surged up for monday... and i am excited to get into the thick of it. i love to hear from you guys. keep me posted!
i was actually on the train station the otherday and i could barely contain the laughter that was surging out of me. it was so interesting. i would smile, which would turn into a laugh, be suppressed and so on and so forth. many tourists (let alone locals) were looking @ me and thinking that i was weird, but everytime my eyes met with someone else's i would just smile all the broader and start giggling. it was so interesting. i pretended it was my music. but, the whole atmosphere just lifted. ahh, it was fun. but, yeah i'll be surged up for monday... and i am excited to get into the thick of it. i love to hear from you guys. keep me posted!
Monday, October 22, 2007
missions trip
thank-you all for your prayers. they have been guiding and directing me. i've been challenged througout this time here, although enjoying it thouroughly. there always seems to be an element of unknown which not only keeps me on my toes but on my knees as well. this past week-end we had a missions trip. there were 10 of us in total. the ladies (Kwan, Sai and Pu) along with michelle (a lady that has been helping at the center) and ann (the thai leader) with her 2 assistants (a nanny called, Nit and her adopted daughter named Bebe) and her friends fawn and wern all went out to a neighboring town and helped the locals there by playing with the children. we taught them games and showed them how to make icecream by shaking flavoured milk in a bag with ice and salt. i was mainly just having fun with the kids, playing volleyball with them when i could and blowing ballons while just crouching down and talking with the little ones. it was really fun and exciting to see everyone outside of the normal elements of life. while we were traveling along we stoped to see a marigold farm. there were flowers everywhere. it was so beautiful. i couldn't believe it.
this week that roy and bonita are still gone will be rather relaxing. lots of prayer as well as indepth reading (which i was assigned to when they left). i am also looking into universities for when i come back home. prayer for this would be much appreciated. i believe that i will focus on social/cultural anthropology and am starting the application process for the universities already. prayer for guidence would be much appreciated.
still prayer for perseverance even when things become tough. increased wisdom amoung the ladies is something i am praying for now as well. thank-you so much.
there's not a day that goes by when i do not think about you. thank-you for your support and your love through this time. i am praying for you and thank-you for your prayers as well.
this week that roy and bonita are still gone will be rather relaxing. lots of prayer as well as indepth reading (which i was assigned to when they left). i am also looking into universities for when i come back home. prayer for this would be much appreciated. i believe that i will focus on social/cultural anthropology and am starting the application process for the universities already. prayer for guidence would be much appreciated.
still prayer for perseverance even when things become tough. increased wisdom amoung the ladies is something i am praying for now as well. thank-you so much.
there's not a day that goes by when i do not think about you. thank-you for your support and your love through this time. i am praying for you and thank-you for your prayers as well.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
living and learning
where to start? okay, things have been good. learning lots of culture and still about myself (does that ever end?!) and absolutely falling in love with everything!
roy and bonita left this sat. for the states as they are doing some fundraising and such. so, i'm holding down fort. their house is a 25 min walk away from the center, a lovely walk in the morning (of course there's all the markets and pollution and hustle and bustle... the busyness kinda reminds me of christmas shopping back at home, but i love it!)
this week we are taking a confrence that's called "understanding our children". we were sponsored by one of our contacts to go. the information is very helpful, even though it is not directly related to our field of work right now. there are some issues that deal with abused children and children trafficing as well. so, it's very interesting.
i am learning some thai as well. it's quite fun actually. and, they already assigned a thai name for me. you say it deun (raising your voice at the end). it means "moon" (which is kinda cool 'cause i found out danae means "morning star"... kinda related). also cool 'cause i'm a morning and night person, not the middle of the day.
anyways, thailand is amazing. if you ever wanted to travel, come here. honestly! the pollution is bad, it's crowded, there are prostitutes everywhere, but it's real life! the people are amazing. the food is great. the weather is hot (so nice!). cheep clothes, skytrains which are fast and efficient. massage parlors every corner. and almost everything is inexpensive. these are just some things that i have fallen to love with.
God is so good. and i thank-you all for your prayers. you've been such an encouragement.
DK
roy and bonita left this sat. for the states as they are doing some fundraising and such. so, i'm holding down fort. their house is a 25 min walk away from the center, a lovely walk in the morning (of course there's all the markets and pollution and hustle and bustle... the busyness kinda reminds me of christmas shopping back at home, but i love it!)
this week we are taking a confrence that's called "understanding our children". we were sponsored by one of our contacts to go. the information is very helpful, even though it is not directly related to our field of work right now. there are some issues that deal with abused children and children trafficing as well. so, it's very interesting.
i am learning some thai as well. it's quite fun actually. and, they already assigned a thai name for me. you say it deun (raising your voice at the end). it means "moon" (which is kinda cool 'cause i found out danae means "morning star"... kinda related). also cool 'cause i'm a morning and night person, not the middle of the day.
anyways, thailand is amazing. if you ever wanted to travel, come here. honestly! the pollution is bad, it's crowded, there are prostitutes everywhere, but it's real life! the people are amazing. the food is great. the weather is hot (so nice!). cheep clothes, skytrains which are fast and efficient. massage parlors every corner. and almost everything is inexpensive. these are just some things that i have fallen to love with.
God is so good. and i thank-you all for your prayers. you've been such an encouragement.
DK
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