A New Day

Thanks to everyone who prayed for me over the last couple of days! I got seriously knocked down by a stomach bug...first time that's happened for me over here. Let me tell you how much fun it was to be sick here at the orphanage without AC or western bathroom facilities. Taking new steps of faith all the time:) Thankfully, I am on the mend and today (Thursday) have finally eaten more than toast.

Things are about to change for me. Tonight is my last night to sleep at the orphanage. A new gal from Canada is coming tomorrow, and so I will be moving to the guest house. A short-term team then arrives, and I will be helping out with them as well as continuing to hang out at the orphanage. I then leave for Cambodia on October 3rd, which is in about a week. Hard to believe how fast time flies!! It will be hard to leave these kids, but I am also looking forward to being "home" in Cambodia and seeing the Vista orphanage again.

A few shots from today...

Ashley and Debbie did some individual assessments with the staff to see how much English they know. They will have English classes twice a week with the staff - who are very eager to learn. As they have gotten to know us, they have started to open up and try their English a little more.

Below is a picture of Birdy and I. She came here as an orphan and is now attending a Bible college. She is on a school break now, so is staying here at the orphanage. She is desperate to learn English so I spent some time pronouncing some words for her. For the orphans who are from Hill Tribes and so already have two strikes against them in this society, speaking English is an important skill that will open up doors for their futures.

Below is a picture of Sai. She is one of the orphans in the baby nursery. This is the first picture that I have seen of her smiling. Sai has not been here even a year...and when she arrived, she was very sick. She had to have her head shaved because of so much lice and take medicine because her stomach was full of worms. (All that is gone now:) Right now, she has pneumonia, so she is going to the hospital each day to get an IV treatment. I'm thankful to get a picture of her with a smile!

Tonight, I am going to one of my favorite restaurants here in Thailand. Unfortunately it's authentic Mexican (yep, Mexican - the best I have ever had!) and I am still not 100 % from the stomach bug. Oh well. I'll find something light! Thanks again for your prayers:)