A new year has started…2012…and I feel as though it’s a good time to start writing again!
I ended the year 2011 at Baan Santisuk celebrating Christmas and bringing in the New Year with the Lawa people!
I had so much fun, spending the night first in Baan Dong with my friend Rose, and then the rest of the time in Baan Santisuk. At Rose’s house I had fun hanging out with her family, teaching her mom some English, and roasting marshmellows over their ”fire place” as I call it. 
We made ourselves a nice comfy bed on the floor and…I slept so great! I don’t know why, but I really sleep well on the floor!
Roasting the marshmellow!
Yummos!!!
The next morning Rose began looking for trucks heading down to town that we could catch a ride with. Sure enough, one showed up. We jumped on the back and I got to stand in the bed of the truck the whole 45 min. drive down the mountain! UNBELIEVABLE! The beauty is unable to be described! Once we got to the town of Mae La Noi we hopped in the back of another truck and went to Baan Santisuk.
Cruising on the back of the truck!!
Baan Santisuk was so much fun. It honestly felt like a family reunion…even to me! Between my Lawa friends in Chiang Rai and Lawa friends in Chiang Mai I realized I’ve gotten to know a lot of Lawa people. Seeing that most of my friends are Lawa, there is a chance I follow Lawa culture more than I follow Thai culture. While this Christmas celebration was a new experience to me, I felt right at home. It was great coming together with friends from both of my churches and seeing people I’ve met in the past from village visits. Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate Jesus. It’s awesome to see so many believers in the Lawa tribe. My prayer is for the whole people group to be saved. Speaking of Lawa people being saved, I’d like to put out a special prayer request:
I have a good Lawa friend who is from a village called Naa Fawn. Before my friend, Phop, and his family got saved there were no believers in his village. Now it’s his family and one other who are believers. They’ve been praying and evagelizing…contending for the Lord to break in on the heart’s of the people in their village. Just the other night I talked with Phop, asking how his family was doing with their church. He proceeded to tell that it’s been tough because the head of the village is getting ready to set up a meeting with his family to ask them to leave the village. While being a christian is not against the law in their village, the leader has made it clear they do not want christianity there. Please pray for the Lord to break in on this leader’s heart, to reveal himself to this man…I believe his name is Thon. Phop and his family are very sad right now and I believe a bit discouraged. They’ve been praying for and believing for revival in their village. My prayer is what the enemy means to use for destruction the Lord would turn it around for his glory, the village leader would get saved, and instead of Phop’s family being asked to leave-the temples would be destroyed and buddhism would be taken out. Please stand in prayer with us for revival in Naa Fawn.
"Growing in Christ" was the theme for this year's Lawa celebration
Lots of fun moments!
A very treasured friend, Jiab!
My buddy, Phop--please pray for his village to experience revival!
After the New Year I headed back to Chiang Rai for about 4 days before going to Mae Sariang for a wedding. A friend from Sookkasem was getting married. Again, a Lawa wedding, but this one was a bit different. Jiab’s wedding was fully Lawa and followed Lawa customs. James’ wedding, however, was very much like a farang wedding. She was stunning, dressed in a beautifully modest white wedding dress and her (now husband) was looking oh so handsome in his white tux. The very Lawa part of the wedding, though, was that it was PACKED OUT! We actually watched the wedding from outside, on TV screens. Unfortunately I couldn’t see much of the wedding. However, Sookkasem let me join them when they sang a special song for them. As we stood on stage across from the Bride and Groom and sang, my heart melted as I watched P. Seph (the Groom) just sob. It was one of the sweetest moments. I was so grateful to be able to go to this wedding. I believe James and P. Seph have a very sweet and special relationship. There is a true purity and holiness in this relationship that was extremely evident that day. It felt like an honor to be invited to be a part of this day and celebrate with them. It was a blast to see all my Sookkasem friends again, too. I just love every moment that I get to be with them. They really do feel like family to me!
Sookkasem Church with James and P. Seph
