Content.

I hate this word.

But it keeps popping up.

Who wants to be content? I want to be more than content. I want to be more than just merely satisfied.

In Hebrew 13, it says to be content with what you have.

And in Philippians 4, Paul learns to be content in whatever situation he is in.  While writing this, he was in jail.

Maybe contentment is more than just being happy with what you have but really trusting in God instead of yourself.

Which is not any easier.

And I know that trust is not a virtue of mine.

But like Paul, contentment will not just happen overnight.

Here are more pictures!

Food! Going away breakfast for the missionary family who came to visit the school.  They were the ones who also treated all the students to bowling!

Cute little bakery. Also very good.

 Went to the lake with the family I'm staying with.  It had a little market in the park surrounding it.

Also rode a bike around the park. Had not touched a bike since I was in middle school. Almost killed so many people. So many.

The family: the two girls on the right were adopted, I thought that was awesome! They all have the most unusual names, from left to right: Idea, Saxophone, Guitar, Cheetah, and Dew.

The church that I went to on Sunday offers a music program in which kids can learn how to play guitar, piano, violin, etc.

The church was also visited by a missionary team from Korea. They praised dance!

They also did a "movement piece". I was a little skeptic of it at first as seen by the Asian man dressed as Jesus in the back but it turned out to be really good.  Ask me about it in person.

Turns out the majority of these missionaries were also doctors and nurses. Win!

They set up a clinic at the church.

They also offered acupuncture. Look closely at the woman's back and head! Ah!

Dinner that night consisted of sticky rice, shish kabob , and papaya salad.  I tried the shish kabob made from chicken stomach without knowing! 

In the states we call papaya salad "tham som", but here in Thailand it is "som tham". I get made fun of every time I call it "tham som"! Apparently "tham som", means that it hasn't been made yet.

And all this only cost 1 dollar!

Stupid little prayer.

So I haven't found the time to sit down and write how or what I am doing. I'm not swamped with things to do, I'm just not very good at writing so it takes time to put my thoughts into coherent sentences. And that might not even happen. So apologizes beforehand.

From the time I left Los Angeles to the time I got to Thailand, I found myself continuously asking "What the hell was I doing?"  I wasn't excited. I wasn't scared.

I was just sad.

Sad because I was alone. 

Pathetic I know. 

But this was more than just me not wanting to be by myself. I love being by myself: at home, at school.  I wouldn't mind vacationing by myself.

But I was going to be in another country for the first time, not knowing the language, not knowing anyone, and living in housing conditions that I was not used to.  And then I'm expected to teach English, which I have never done, to students who are my age and older.

What the hell was I doing?

Don't call it fear. I wasn't afraid, again, I was just sad.  

I think I had already assumed that I was going to fail at teaching and that no one was going to interact with me.

And so I just really wanted someone there for when this happened. Or that if they were there, it wouldn't happen.

So even if Thailand was shitty, looking back at it would have made it a shared shitty experience.

And shared shitty experiences actually become funny experiences.

Make sense?

So I did the only thing I could do. Prayed.

Prayed that I would stop feeling like this because it was stupid. And then I prayed for other stupid and adolescent things like for people to like me.

But for God, I don't think there are such things as stupid prayers. Maybe stupid people. Just kidding.

God really appreciates our honesty for the little things that we want, even as simple as mines.

The minute that I landed in Thailand, the family that I am staying with treated me as if we already knew each other.

The students are amazing; when I can't communicate with them in Thai, Hmong, or they just tell me to laugh it off because they enjoying laughing with me.

And whenever I think to myself "God, crap I'm alone and have nothing to do", someone comes along and wants to hang out or talk!

And this has happened more than a couple of times.

I have not, for a second, felt "alone" since I have been in Thailand.

Anyways, I'll quickly explain the pictures below!

Los Angeles traffic vs. Bangkok traffic
Bangkok : 1
Los Angeles: 0



You see those clouds, peed like a pregnant woman, never ending!
Had to take cover to the right.

Worship in Thai. Some of them apologized to me for not being able to do worship in English. I told them that it was totally fine because in my fellowship at UCLA, we do praise and worship in different languages all the time. Thanks IV.

 

First day in Khon Kaen, jumped in the trunk of a truck that fitted 10 people.

Entrance to a village.



Went to villages to talk to people about Jesus. Did I mention this was my first day in Khon Kaen.

Worship first. I get nervous talking to people about J, these students weekly go to villages in Thailand to share about J. Amazing.

 

Also offered back and foot massages to the people of the village.

Dirty pond, but had beautiful pink flowers.

The pond belonged to this woman who went and picked it for me. She is an amazing and kind woman. Talked to her with a friend who I just met who was my translator of course.  She is raising a disabled son and a baby in a house the size of my apartment bedroom.

 Took students of the school to bowl.  For the majority of them, this was their first time!

Filipino family who I met at the school.  The family moved to Thailand.  The little boy reminded me of my brother, Daniel.  He is trying to do a peace sign. So Asian >_<

These students keep busy.  Chapel in the morning from 8-9 am. Class until 4 pm. They help clean the school until 5 pm. 1 hour break. And mandatory studying in the library until 9 pm.  That's why Asian people are so smart.

Volleyball during break.  The students are sorta adorable.  They call me "aa-jaan" Kim.  Which means Teacher Kim.  I always have to tell them that "Kim" is fine!

Sawa dee ka.

 sort of appropriate...

Hello Friends and Family!

If you have not already heard, this summer from July 21st to September 1st, I have the amazing opportunity to volunteer in Thailand. I will be teaching English with Susan Beth, from Australia, at Northeastern Bible Seminary located in Khon Kaen.

Of course, I have to fundraise for the trip expenses.  I would really appreciate your support with any amount because every dollar will make a big difference.

If you are able to give, please visit this site:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8E4VUL7LS8RUL

or if you would rather send a check or cash, you can email me at kxiong603@gmail.com so that I can send you my address.

Prayer support would also be greatly appreciated :)

kob khun ka (hopefully that is correct, I'll let you know once I'm there),

Kim Xiong