Saraphee....so much has happened at this school.... Yes we have played just about every English game with the kids. They love elbow tag. They are fast. I find that running in black heels is not as easy as it looks. Then you make a silly face or mimic their silly faces and they laugh hysterically at you like little Ming is doing here. We are seeing these kids grow in their ability to speak English. We found these amazing children's books in English and Thai. They are children's stories 
about Dad. We do one book each week we teach and turn it into an entire lesson. The kids love them. Emily or I would first read one page in English and then pull out vocab words and explain it in our basic Thai. Finally we would have the kids read the page in Thai. All the kids would scramble to be able to see and then they would start reading in "broken unison". it was precious. This past week when we were at Saraphee we read the story of Jarius's daughter first to the 5th and 6th graders. As Emily read, one girl's eyes gradually started filling with tears. I watched her through the entire story. By the time I started reading the discussion questions, Ben (the little girl) put her head in her lap and just started crying. After a minute she ran from the room. Something in the story had really touched something in her. I left to check on her and she was talking with the 
teacher's aide. She came back a few minutes later and was no longer crying. I just couldn't stop asking Dad about what He was doing.
about Dad. We do one book each week we teach and turn it into an entire lesson. The kids love them. Emily or I would first read one page in English and then pull out vocab words and explain it in our basic Thai. Finally we would have the kids read the page in Thai. All the kids would scramble to be able to see and then they would start reading in "broken unison". it was precious. This past week when we were at Saraphee we read the story of Jarius's daughter first to the 5th and 6th graders. As Emily read, one girl's eyes gradually started filling with tears. I watched her through the entire story. By the time I started reading the discussion questions, Ben (the little girl) put her head in her lap and just started crying. After a minute she ran from the room. Something in the story had really touched something in her. I left to check on her and she was talking with the 
teacher's aide. She came back a few minutes later and was no longer crying. I just couldn't stop asking Dad about what He was doing. After the story we taught about emotions. How Jairus was afraid, and worried, and then after his daughter was healed he was happy, even surprised. The kids loved the emotions game where they had to pretend they were sad saying "I am sad" and then afraid "I am 
afraid" then they had to "pass the emotion" to someone else and then they would say "I am afraid" and then choose another emotion. Watching them act it out was hilarious (as demonstrated by Ekk our little ham of a 2nd grader).
afraid" then they had to "pass the emotion" to someone else and then they would say "I am afraid" and then choose another emotion. Watching them act it out was hilarious (as demonstrated by Ekk our little ham of a 2nd grader).The 3rd and 4th grade (all 6 students - 5 4th graders and 1 3rd grader) came in next. The lone 3rd grader, our favorite little tough guy, Bas (the little boy smiling in the picture below), came in crying. We didn't know 
why. I handed him a tissue and just sat with my hand on his back. He started to calm down as we started the story. Emily read again so I watched the faces of the students as they listened and read along (photo of Ngai, Bas, Fook, and Phom). Once again a few of their eyes started filling with tears, the others sat and sniffled. Something was really touching them in the story. As Emily read one girl's eyes (Boe's) filled completely with tears. I took more time for the questions at the end, explaining in Thai (sort of) that when I am afraid I talk to Dad and He helps me. There seemed to be such interest in their eyes. Little Bas, who came in crying, sat back from the rest of the group and I saw him briefly put his hands together and close his eyes. Seeing him do that just touched my heart. It was a very sweet moment, one we didn't feel we could rush with a game, 
so Emily suggested the kids act out the story. We gave each student a part and we had fake wailing, begging, sickness, death, life, the whole gamut of emotions being played out on the "stage." This was the best English lesson ever. Our supervisor and friends were so excited to hear about it.
why. I handed him a tissue and just sat with my hand on his back. He started to calm down as we started the story. Emily read again so I watched the faces of the students as they listened and read along (photo of Ngai, Bas, Fook, and Phom). Once again a few of their eyes started filling with tears, the others sat and sniffled. Something was really touching them in the story. As Emily read one girl's eyes (Boe's) filled completely with tears. I took more time for the questions at the end, explaining in Thai (sort of) that when I am afraid I talk to Dad and He helps me. There seemed to be such interest in their eyes. Little Bas, who came in crying, sat back from the rest of the group and I saw him briefly put his hands together and close his eyes. Seeing him do that just touched my heart. It was a very sweet moment, one we didn't feel we could rush with a game, 
so Emily suggested the kids act out the story. We gave each student a part and we had fake wailing, begging, sickness, death, life, the whole gamut of emotions being played out on the "stage." This was the best English lesson ever. Our supervisor and friends were so excited to hear about it.
Whenever Emily and I leave Saraphee all the girls gather around us to tell us secrets about boys, to ask for our phone number, or to write notes and phone numbers on our hands. How can you not fall in love with these kids. 
We were sad not to go to the village this week. We are actually in a seminar right now that goes for several days. It's quite a bit of fun. We had to take all these personality profiles. Wow, I'm learning a lot about myself ;). I realize how blessed I am to be with such a great group of people. We work very well together and I am learning so much from each person.
Besides excitement teaching in the village, we have made some great friends. "Len" is a friend from North of Thailand. She came to Thailand to 
study and met Dad here. We have only known her and her friend Bill for about a week and a half and we already feel like we've known them for a year. Bill leaves for a year in Connecticut tomorrow so we met to talk to Dad together before he leaves. I will share more about them later. (this is a picture of "Len" and me singing songs in English and Thai)
study and met Dad here. We have only known her and her friend Bill for about a week and a half and we already feel like we've known them for a year. Bill leaves for a year in Connecticut tomorrow so we met to talk to Dad together before he leaves. I will share more about them later. (this is a picture of "Len" and me singing songs in English and Thai)We are very excited for our friend Saa. The last picture is of Emily and me standing with her at the waterfall. I think I mentioned before that she just met Dad a few months ago. We went to the waterfall with her and she got wet. It was so neat 
to be there.
to be there. Well, I think those are our best stories for now. I feel like I have grown a lot in the last few weeks. Dad has been doing so much in me. There have been some hard times and some great times. And there has been such encouragement in both. A lot of that encouragement has come from you back home. Thank you so much. I love seeing what happens here when you talk to Dad.
