Visiting the Branch

With the Zone visit sorted and done we called the branch to schedule a chat with the service department. They invited us for lunch so we headed out early for the 2 hour bus ride across the city. When we arrived a very kind brother from California came out to meet us and took us up to his office. He was obviously swamped with papers everywhere and signs for the public preaching campaign crammed into his office. But he took us around to meet everyone and sat us down and the first thing he asked was, how are you? do you need anything? We were both really touched by how kind and concerned he was about us. Then we went to lunch and had veggies (yay!), still coming off our bread and ramen rations this past weekend, and delicious salmon. They don't use chopsticks but a spoon/fork combo, where they push the food onto the spoon with the fork. All was fine until the cantaloupe, that I couldn't manage to stabilize and cut. First I stabbed a chunk and tried to cut it off with the spoon, the melon wedge flew off my plate onto the table, on my second attempt I stabbed the melon wedge and tried to carve off a piece, the piece I was trying to cut off launched into my lap and ended on the floor under the table. I started to laugh but the older couple at my end of the table just looked at me with horror and pushed a knife toward me. Later everyone else ate theirs like popsicles with the fork stuck in it. A couple newly arrived from Japan took care of us, they actually came to serve but were pulled into Bethel as he has video/photography training they needed. They let us go in the sound booth after lunch.

The other brother at our table has been in Bethel for a week. I think he might be in for translation... not so sure but he was serving in the North as a special pioneer. After lunch we went on a tour of the branch they have a really nice display of all the languages they translate literature into and the tribes locations,

some biblical artifacts

 

 

and the history of the truth in Thailand, including old missionary passports, dictionaries and preaching and survival tools and the first translators desk.

 

 

The first Thai magazine

Since most Thais are not familiar with the Bible, Jehovah's Witnesses, the concept of God or even sin, it is a really nice way to make things more tangible.

 

There are now about 3000 Thai publishers in 90 congregations in Thailand.

 

On our tour we met Crawfords (yb91 p.296) who served in Quebec before going to Gilead. We reminisced about Tortiere and Maple Syrup.

We also saw Brother Crockett (yb91 p291) again and saw this great old black and white picture of him.

This is one of the translation teams.

After our tour we met with the brother in the service department again, we discussed our options and they suggested we remain in Thomburi and take a Thai course. So this is where we`ll be for the next few months. We came home feeling refreshed and encouraged. As we waited for the bus we watched the fisherman in the stinky water.

Our bus never came so eventually I would call out to passing buses our destination and they would all shake their heads and look at me like I was odd. Haven`t quite toned down from DR to Thai culture, I guess.

Today we went out in the ministry and then had lunch as a group, spicy green papaya salad, yum! I continue to give my baby presentation...

After service I tried to figure out the internet issue and after haggling in Tinglish for the better part of three hours I hope I have found a solution so I can work in peace and load pictures. It was quite fun to see Buddhist monks at the mall buying books and magazines, they were also on my bus ride home.

Maybe after new years they head out to get new stuff for the year? Anyhow saw a lot today. The kid on the bus nearly fell he jumped up so quickly to give them seats... maybe it's extra good karma?! At the mall I found flip flops on sale so I told the girl I was a size 9, she looked, said something to some other girls, then said, 6 only no more big... ah Asia will I ever find shoes or clothes :) She asked me why I was here and as I explained with my elaborate sign language, the sales girls were staring and giggling. I am a source of great entertainment, everywhere I go. On the way home the bus I caught of course had to get gas, sigh! of all the buses, in all the world... I was greatly entertained by this sign though :)

We might head to IKEA tomorrow woot woot! I'm so easily pleased. Hope you are all well.