Dear Friends,
It is hard to believe that I leave for Thailand tomorrow to
begin my teaching there. Life really
does come full circle. Gavin left April
30th and has been teaching already for several weeks. It has been a very busy couple of weeks as I
finished all the requirements for a Minnesota teaching license. After two years of classes, 16 weeks of
student teaching and 6 Minnesota state exams, I am finally finished and my
license is currently being processed. I
don’t think I have worked so hard for anything in my life. I have 15 more credits to take that revolve
around writing a thesis paper to complete my master’s degree. I plan to continue with this in the
fall. I am so thankful for the education
I was able to receive and I think of my teaching license now as a powerful key
that will open many doors into the lives of young people. I get postings for job opportunities that I
am very qualified for in countries like Saudi Arabia and China, there is really
no place God calls us now that we cannot easily go. God gave me this wonderful gift of an
education and now I give it back to Him to use as He sees fit.
In Thailand, our job is to teach in the public high
school. I am teaching English to 7th
and 8th graders and Gavin is teaching 10th and 11th. I remember when I worked there before that I
envied the time the students spent in school because they were always busy with
school and would come home with homework and there was no time to work with
them. Now I have the opportunity to
impact so many more students than ever before.
We also have the unique opportunity to minister to the Thai children and
teachers. The church that has grown out
of our children’s home is doing a great job evangelizing the Karen people but
it is very difficult for them to evangelize the Thai people because our pastor
and staff are Karen which is a minority group that is not respected by the Thai
people. This week we also were invited
to teach the hospital staff at the local hospital 2-3 hours per week. I told Gavin that it seems like God is
sending us the most influential people in Mae Chaem to be either our students
or colleagues. Pray for us that we can
be a bright light in this place to people who have never heard the gospel. Gavin has had the idea of starting an
English Bible study to conduct during the church service for those who are
interested. I think many Thai people
would come to that service before they would go to the regular church service
where the sermon is either in poorly spoken Thai or translated from Karen to
Thai.
Gavin seems to be enjoying teaching and think everyone is
amazed at how the students are responding to his teaching. He had gotten a report that the students were
lazy and disrespectful. He has not found
that to be the case at all. I think
having love and respect for the students along with engaging lessons and
consistent discipline has done the trick with them. He wants me to get there and do the same
with the students so the other teachers can see that it is possible even if you
are not 6’2.
Attached is the newsletter that Gavin did this last
weekend. It is amazing how technology
has changed just in the 4 years we have been gone. Getting a newsletter sent and printed from
Thailand was a major production before.
I am interested in seeing how all the advances in technology will have
changed how we will live now. I hope you
enjoy it.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. Like I said, life has gone full circle for
me. If you would have told me even two
years ago that I would been going back to Thailand I would have told you no
way, not ever again. I remember telling God that I had served Him overseas for
9 years and now it was someone else’s turn.
Funny how this sort of logic does not work with God. He knows what He made us to be and there is
no getting away from it. My friend who
has seen my journey told me that my story was to her one of great hope. I think
it is. Great hope and great
restoration. I marvel at the peace I
have in my heart as I prepare to leave again.
I would not have thought it possible.
I used to think that I was exempt from disaster because of my special
status as God’s missionary and yet deep in my heart I was afraid of it all the
same. I was arrogant and
presumptuous. When disaster came I was
not ready for it and my faith was almost destroyed. Now I know I am not exempt from disaster but
I am also not afraid of it anymore.
Mostly because I have came to value more the things I AM exempt from. I
am exempt from going to hell (which is not a small thing), I am exempt from
living a life without Divine purpose and most especially I am exempt from living
a moment without God and His Word. Our time here on earth is such a tiny thing
compared with the limitless ages of eternity. I am glad I get to do something
the impacts that eternity. I am glad He did not listen to me before and send
someone else instead. I hope do these
monthly email updates so I will let you know how it goes!
Enjoy our newsletter!
Love,
Candace
