How is the flooding affecting the base plant?

Well I’m glad you asked! The floods have disrupted all aspects of normalcy; ministry at TCCC is now focused on flood relief efforts and all staff are occupied with that. 

Squished into a taxi with our leaders!

We were planning on starting the DRIME Thailand team this month, this past weekend in fact, but that is just not possible anymore. So, Samantha and I have divided our time between meeting with and training our leaders [as much as they are available], doing what we can to prepare the base and helping our leaders and the other TCCC staff with flood relief efforts. 

 

Once the waters recede and all the flood damage is repaired our leaders will start up the DRIME Thailand team. It’s hard to know when that will be – maybe February or March? For now we are just taking it day by day!

We were able to treat our leaders to Subway during our leaders meeting last Sunday! This was the first time we were all together in almost a month!  It was a joyous occasion :)

Please keep praying for our leaders and the ministry and the opportunity we have right now to reach out to our community and show God’s love.

QUICK FLOOD UPDATE:

The area where we live, Horkankar is not in as much danger of being flooded as before! Praise the Lord! This could still change, but things are looking good so far. Also, the water has begun to go down in Muang Ake, where our church is,  I believe it’s at 1.5m now. 

Thank you SO SO much for all your prayers – we are so grateful!!

A Little Vacation

Breakfast at Kong's!

Samantha and I took a little trip to the south to explore other parts of Thailand. It began in Prachuab Khiri-Khan to visit our friend Kong. We spent 2 days staying on his family’s farm, seeing the countryside of Thailand and experiencing a different side of Thai culture. We helped his parents milk cows; well we watched more then we helped! And we helped [this time we actually helped] pick up pineapple tops from their pineapple fields; they feed the tops to the cows!

The view behind Kong's house

Milking cows

Picking up pineapple tops

My new pineapple-top-picking look

After our time there we took a bus to Ranong so we could make a quick trip to Myanmar, for visa purposes. Standing in a few lines, getting our passports stamped, a quick boat ride across the river to Myanmar and back again to Thailand!

From there, we hopped on another bus to Chumphon and then took a boat to the island of Koh Tao, otherwise known at Turtle Island. I spent our time on Koh Tao getting certified as a scuba diver!!! I had a blast! I knew after my first dive that I was hooked! Seriously, I could go on forever about how amazing diving is...but I won’t because I don’t want to bore you! 

Under the sea!!! Did an underwater photography dive and got to keep all the pics I took!

Long-fin banner fish, one of my favorites I think!

White-eyed Moray Eel

Coral Life

Hong Kong Butterfly fish

Nudibranch

Pink Skunk Anemone Fish

A school of fish...I forget what kind they are

A seastar

These are the girls I learned to dive with...my new Swedish friends, Ida, Jonna & Stina!

 

 

Two courses and nine dives later Samantha and I left Koh Tao and took a short boat ride to Nang Yuan Island where we spent 2 days enjoying a beautiful beach and lots of snorkeling! From there we took a boat back to Chumphon and then a bus to Bangkok where we were thankfully greeted with dry ground [no flood yet]! 

Looking down from our room on Nang Yuan Island, this is what we saw!

Nang Yuan Island is actually three islands, all connected by a double beach! The tide was abnormally high when we were there, so for most of the day, the beach was covered with water! We had to swim to get our meals on the main island!

Here is the double beach in the evening at low-tide

Samantha & I enjoying the sun!

This was a wonderfully refreshing time for me! I feel so blessed to have had to opportunity to see more of Thailand and have a little break!

FLOODING NOT ENDING ANYTIME SOON….



Helping prepare food for the volunteers

The second last weekend in October the area where my church is [Muang Ake] flooded. Weeks before this, the community of Muang Ake had been working around the clock building a 4km long sandbag wall, taller than me and 4-5 sandbags thick, in order to keep their community dry as well as to keep the flood waters from entering Bangkok [the canal in Muang Ake flows into Bangkok]. Samantha and I spent some time helping our church & friends with the sand bags as well as making food for the volunteers making sand bags.




Making sandbags all day...

Sadly, the sandbag wall gave way [some say people   

deliberately broke part of it] and Muang Ake is under 2-ish meters of dirty flood water, which has made its way down from the north of Thailand. All our friends and CCC staff who live in that area have either gone back to their hometowns or are living in the TCCC guesthouse in Horkankar [the area where Samantha & I live].    



....And all night

It’s been two weeks since then and the water continues to sit in Muang Ake and work its way south through Bangkok towards the Gulf of Thailand. The flood waters are 4km away from where we live [Horkankar]; they come a little bit closer each day. There is hope that Horkankar won’t flood because this area is higher than surrounding areas, but no one knows for sure. We’re just waiting and taking it one day at a time and watching the news intently.




Helping make sandbags

TCCC staff continue to reach out and serve those in need, even though they are also the ones in need. Many staff have up to 2m of water sitting in their homes, their cars, etc.; if it’s not their own home that is affected, it is a family members or friends home. They are putting others needs before their own and are spending their time cooking and bringing meals, clean water, medicine, clothes etc. [via boat] to people who are living on the second floor of their homes in the Muang Ake community [they had to stay in their homes because they had nowhere else to go]. 

Please keep praying for us because if Horkankar stays dry then we can continue to be a flood relief center for the Muang Ake community and surrounding areas. 



Sandbag wall in Muang Ake

A video you must see. This is my church, my community, my friends:

http://help.ministrynetconference.com/


Video: Images from the flood: [most current stats]

http://vimeo.com/31831137



The front of my church before....

....and now after all the flood waters came

THE LATEST FACTS & FIGURES:


• 2.8 million people have been affected by the floods
• Over 500 people have been killed from the floods
• 64 out of 77 provinces have experienced flooding in the last 4 months. 
• 24 provinces are still flooded, while the other 40 provinces have begun the process of cleaning & rebuilding
• Over 500 000 people have been forced to leave their homes because of the floods
• Some people have chosen to live on the main roads in their community so they can be near their homes [people are very reluctant to leave, despite the danger]  
• Other people have left their homes to live in overcrowded evacuation centers in universities, stadiums & schools
• 2.8 million homes damaged by the flood
• The current estimated damage from all the flooding is at 6.5 billion USD
• The floods started in July in the north of Thailand and will be around for at least another month as the water works its way through Bangkok to the ocean                                                                             

  

  Two TCCC staff houses, flooded

• Some areas in the north have begun the cleaning and rebuilding process as the water levels have gone down [Take a look at this map to see the affected areas and where the flood waters currently are doing the most damage - http://www.thaiflood.com/en/]

FLOOD EFFECTS:

• People’s homes & possession have been destroyed        
• Drinking water & clean water for washing is getting scarce because the ground water has been contaminated with flood water  

  

  Welcome to my church!

• Store shelves all over the country are emptying because there is no way to get more supplies
• There are limits on how much food and drink items you can buy at one time; so people don’t hoard food and water.
• Countless amounts of people are out of                          work as industrial plants, shops, malls, etc have flooded
•  930 factories in 28 provinces have been affected 

  

  My church, filled with 2m
  of brown, stagnant water.

   by the floods. Not all factories are expected to reopen after flood cleanup, resulting in permanent job loss.  
• Farmers in central Thailand have lost their rice crop [which means their income] for this year
• “Of the major hit rice growing areas, Thailand – the world’s largest rice exporter – has lost 1.6 million hectares, or 12.5 percent of its crop. Exports could fall by a third in 2012, from 10 million tons this year.” [for more see, http://the-diplomat.com/asean-beat/2011/11/02/asia-counts-flood-costs/]  

  

  iServe team busy at work in the church

• With so many houses sitting empty of residents  [for weeks on end] people are worried others will steal their belongings         
• Many roads, both rural and main are inaccessible – making it a challenge to bring relief to people
• Bridges and overpasses are lined with parked cars as people prepare for the flood waters to reach their homes

I hope you feel more informed about what we are expeiriencing here in Thailand. Please keep praying for this nation - pray for the people in need, for those helping people in need, and pray that many will come to know Jesus Christ through this time.



People leaving their homes in northern Bangkok because the flood waters have come.





TCCC iServe Team ready to help!





The boats TCCC uses for helping people









People stayed in their homes because they had nowhere to go...now they are living on a makeshift platform at the top of the second story of their home. Underneath them and all around is 2m of dirty water.

This is one of the main roads in Bangkok - usually flooded with cars, not water. I used to travel it a few times a week to get to my church.

FOR MORE INFO:

SOME LINKS TO CHECK OUT

*NASA satellite images of the flooded areas in Thailand [2011] & what the area looked like in 2008:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=76291&src=share

*A satellite image of flood water movement from Oct.3-Nov.2 2011  


http://www.gistda.or.th/gistda_n/Gallery/img/Flood2011/20111102-flood_animation.gif

*Many great pictures and comments from the floods in Bangkok. It gives you a better idea of what’s going on right here in my city:

http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/thailand-floods-pass-their-peak/100181/

*A great article on the larger flooding situation in Southeast Asia – A MUST READ!

http://the-diplomat.com/asean-beat/2011/11/02/asia-counts-flood-costs/

*The economic & industrial effects, [specifically focusing on computers] this flood will have on Thailand and the world:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/07/business/global/07iht-floods07.html?_r=1

Flood Update

Just wanted to keep you in the loop of the flood here in Thailand, as I'm sure it's out of international news by now.

Central Thailand is still in crisis mode as it continues to rain and the waters continue to rise. They are trying their hardest to keep the flood waters from covering Bangkok, but another flood gate in Pathum Thani has broken [the province north of Bangkok] so things are not looking too good. But don't be worrying about me and Samantha, we'll be okay where we are. [Plus we are heading to the south for a week to enjoy a little time off.]

The picture below shows the areas that have been affected by the floods so far. The red outlined area is Bangkok and Samantha and I live right in the middle of that area. Pathum Thani is the area where our church and a lot of our friends are located. 



Last Friday I went to Sing Buri province [near the top of the map] to bring food to people who have been affected by the flood. People are living under tents on roads that are elevated high enough to stay above the waters. They've been living like this for 2 months already, and it could be another 2 until they are able to even get to what is left of their homes without a boat.

The floods in Singburi

Handing out food to people in Singburi

Sunday, Monday & Tuesday I was at my church [in Pathum Thani] helping with the work they are doing there. The church is making food for all the volunteers who are bagging sand in the community. They are also helping bag sand themselves! My back, shoulders, arms, legs and hands are very stiff and sore from filling, holding and tying sand bags! I only did it for 3 days, I can't imagine what the people who have been doing it for a week must be feeling!

These sand bags are building a 4km long wall of sand bags, 4 to 5 thick and at least 2 meters high.  Here is a link to a video taken by my friend Por of one portion of the sandbag wall. As you can see, the houses along the canal are already flooded as they are inside the sandbag walls.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150414461476869

Also, check out Samantha's blog for more on the flood - she's posted two video's as well:

http://www.samanthainthailand.blogspot.com/

There is a lot more I want to say about the flood, about what I've seen, it's awful. I'll tell you more later and get you some more pictures so you can see what is going on.

More on the flooding situation.....

I just found a great site with lots of helpful info and links and maps. So, if you want to stay up-to-date on what's happening with the flood, especially here in Bangkok, check this out:

http://newley.com/2011/10/12/thailand-flooding-update-oct-12-2011/

Another great site:

http://www.mcot.net/cfcustom/cache_page/englishnews.html

Here's another video for you...if you are interested. This is our church, MRC & they are preparing for the expected flood waters. It's all in Thai, but to summarize, Por is explaining how they have made some sandbag walls in some areas around the church but are still trying to figure out the best way to protect the church building.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150406160101869

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Major Flooding in Thailand

I'm not sure if you have been hearing about this in the news, but there is major flooding in Thailand.  Samantha & I are safe as we live in central Bangkok, and on the 4th floor of the building. The flood waters are getting closer, but we aren't in any danger. Our church and a lot of our friends live in an area that is expected to flood in the next few days though - so pray for them, and for all of Thailand. 

Here are a few links for you - videos and articles about the flood situation from other locals & reporters:

This is a short video by my friends Matt and Por. When Matt talks about their church, well that's my church too! A lot of TCCC staff and friends live in this area, Muang Ake:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150321769487190

The area this reporter is in and talking about is the same province, Pathum Thani, in the above video:

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2011/10/20111010162023881205.html

Flood Devastation in Central Thailand: Video

http://www.thematthewscott.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=57&Itemid=153

Thailand's Hundred Year Flood

-Karl Dahlfred

Still on furlough in the U.S., I've been tracking from a distance the news about flooding in Thailand.  Flooding is not uncommon there but this year it is uncommonly bad.  It is reported that this is the "worst ever seen" and some people are calling it the hundred year flood.

The latest figures report that over 820,000 families (2.6 million people) are affected, 244 have been killed, huge areas of farmland damaged, and over 180 key roads cut off.  The main highway going north out of Bangkok is cut off in Ayuthaya, just 1.5 hours north of the capital.  Trains fair no better.

 

For more, see: http://dahlfred.com/en/blogs/gleanings-from-the-field/

A BBC News Article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15178872

I will do my best to keep you updated on the situation here. Please keep praying! Pray that God would use this situation to bring many people to know him. Pray that God would keep his children safe. Thank you.

“It Doesn’t Make Sense…”

A conversation from the streets:

While the team from Canada was here in August I had the chance to have many conversations with a variety of people. Each conversation was an opportunity to learn more about the people in Thailand; who they are, what they believe, what their worldview is. It was also a chance to share with them about the God who can transform their life. There are a few conversations that stand out the most in my mind & heart; here is a glimpse into one of them: 

[names have been changed]

Hot, sweaty & tired, I had just finished a drama set at a University canteen and was walking over to start a conversation with two students who had been sitting & watching the entire performance. 

“Sawadee-ka, chan cheuh Janna ka,” I said as I introduced myself to the students. They responded by telling me their names, Toei & Miew. 

“Khaow jai mai se dang?” In my very poorly phrased Thai I asked them if they understood the performance they had just watched.

In perfectly clear English they responded by telling me they understood it was about Christianity. [I was relieved that I would be able to converse with them in English because all our translators were already engaged in conversations!] 

The next question they asked, which spurred us into a long conversation was, “Why did you come all the way to Thailand to do these dramas?”

“I’ve come to Thailand to share with you about the God who has saved & transformed my life because of His love for me. The dramas are just one of the ways I can share that.” I went on to tell them that the same God who loves me also loves them and wants to transform their lives as well. 

Toei looked at me confused, “how can the Christian God love us when we are Buddhist?”

Praying very hard for the guidance of the Holy Spirit & for the Lord’s words, I shared the Gospel with them to explain the kind of love God feels towards them, towards all people. They were shocked, amazed and in disbelief by the kind of love the “Christian God” [in their words] shows for people, for them. 

“It doesn’t make sense that God would keep loving people even when they do bad things,” Miew said. Toei agreed with her and admitted how they live each day in constant fear & guilt. According to the Buddhist belief in Karma, one receives good [in this life & the next] when they do good and one receives bad [in this life & the next] when they do bad. Toei & Miew were mature & honest enough to admit that no matter how hard they try to be good & to do good they constantly fail &do bad. 

They told me how scary it is for them knowing they’ll have to ‘pay’ for all the bad things they have done. “We do our best not to think about this so we can try and enjoy our days,” they told me. 

My heart was [& still is] breaking for them. I brought the conversation back to the cross, explaining that they didn’t have to live in fear & guilt because someone else, Jesus Christ God’s Son, had already paid for the wrong things they have done & will continue to do in their life. “That’s how much God loves you!” I exclaimed, “He is waiting for you to have faith & believe this!” Toei & Miew could not comprehend this – this did not make sense to them because it is the complete opposite of all they know.

This conversation reminded me of how upside down and backwards the Gospel message is! The Gospel doesn’t make logical sense and it is only God who can bring understanding to us. It is only God who can change our hearts so that we believe in this upside-down Truth. This is what I am praying for Toei & Miew; they did not accept Christ that day but they were hungry to know more. Pray that as they connect with the Campus Ministry Staff and me [via facebook] that God will change their hearts.