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Bangkok is on lockdown. Our badminton court has closed. We've moved homes. One month ago, Ingrid's parents were here and we were walking around the mall. Now, we need our temperature checked before we enter certain roads.
It's amazing what can happen in one single month.
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Closed Courts
Opened Classroom
Just as we had doors opening in our badminton ministry, the recent events have forced the courts to close. The only way to connect with our friends has been through the Thai messaging app, LINE. It has been difficult for us since everything is in Thai.
This lockdown has been a bummer for us ministry-wise, but it has actually answered our prayers for time to study Thai. Terence has never been more motivated to study and he uses the badminton group chat as a practice to read and write. The teammates have been so patient and encouraging to him, and we are excited for Terence to return to the court--not to practice his badminton skills, but his language skills. Terence has vowed not to cut his hair until he can carry a normal conversation confidently in Thai.
One of the courts is preparing to open at the beginning of May. We pray for the Lord's guidance and protection during this time.
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There's No Place Like Home
Thank you for your prayers and support in finding a new home!
After finally visiting an Allergist and taking multiple tests, Terence's hives are most likely caused by the poor air quality of Bangkok (Bangkok is almost always in the Top 20 most air-polluted cities in the world). So we have decided to move right away. We now live a bit out of the city, but still close enough to work. Our new community is full of rice fields, markets, and no skyscrapers in sight. It truly feels more like home to us than the condo life did.
Our home is now a two-story, 3 bed, 2 bath house that we share with our Thai coworker, Pi Pai, who has been struggling to find a place to live for the past year. We split the cost of the home, and the cost is just about the same as the condo (around $200/month). Our pastor helped us find this house in his neighborhood, and he and his family live just a few houses down. The house is mostly furnished as well and newly renovated, so we all we had to do was buy a new mattress so we can sleep.
Thank you, Lord!!
Be sure to check the bottom of this newsletter for our NEW address! Thank you to everyone who has sent us care packages and cards so far! We'll continue to check our old mailbox in case there were things in transit, but please refer now to our new address!
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Reilee Report
Jubilee Rei is now four months old. She is no longer a newborn! We have been so spoiled by her. She sleeps through the night, can put herself to sleep, can roll over, and loves to play, laugh, and talk. Although her talking is mostly "oooo" and "eeeeh," she can communicate with "di" (short for indi meaning "no" in Terence's language) and "meh" (meaning "mom" in Thai). It could be just our minds making it up, but it's a new form of communication for her that doesn't involve crying so we are happy about it!
We have been doing nightly devotionals with her, and she gets so excited listening to Papa tell the story. When we pray with her, she just coos loudly the entire time. Pray that she will grow to love the Lord and listen to His teachings.
Continue to pray for her health during this COVID19 outbreak, moving homes, and continuing her vaccination schedule. We have been blessed that she hasn't gotten sick and we thank God every day.
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Be Safe, Be Smart, Be Kind
When we were in Montana last Summer, we were invited to someone's house for a BBQ by a beautiful lake. As we sat by the lake chatting with the church members of Kalispell, I (Ingrid) noticed that I got bitten by a mosquito.
Terence looked at the bite and then at me with a frightened look. It took me a second to realize why he was so worried.
"Don't worry, Terence," I said, "Dengue is not a thing here." Terence breathed a sigh of relief.
The church members looked at our little side conversation quizzingly. We informed them that in the Philippines (along with most of Southeast Asia), dengue and malaria were common diseases. Terence's brother has had dengue three times already. Our seminary even had a small outbreak a few years ago.
I remember their faces looking so... curious. Dengue is like a foreign disease. Barely anyone in the States knows anyone who has had it. A missionary from PNG arrived in the States and had malaria. All the doctors and medical residents in the hospital came to visit him because none had ever seen a patient with malaria before.
These diseases are not common. Many Westerners leave standing water without care because the danger of mosquito-borne diseases is so low it's not even a concern. Most Westerners are so blessed not to fear illnesses like yellow fever, tuberculosis, cholera, and polio. These diseases are like stories in a far off land.
With the current COVID19 pandemic, at first, I think the Western world saw the virus as the same as these far off diseases. It couldn't possibly hurt us. It's all the way in China. Oh, it's all the way in Thailand... the Philippines... South Korea...? Wait, Italy? Spain, too? The USA?? If you take a look at the top 6 countries that have been hit the hardest with the virus, they are all Western countries. Our water is drinkable, we wash hands with soap, we have laws on how to handle food, we can afford vaccines for our children...
I saw a sign at the hospital a few days ago:
"Diseases do not need a passport."
I encourage everyone to please take this virus seriously. I don't care about political theories. I care about you guys. Practice social distancing. Wash your hands. Stay home. But most importantly, be kind. The world for once is working together to stop the spread of this pandemic. This is not the time to point fingers at people groups, politicians, or each other. Let us pray for our essential workers and do our part to stop COVID19. We can do this!
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(We can't find any face masks that fit an infant's face. So we took a child-size mask and weaved her binky/pacifier in it)
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Prayer Requests
Grandparents Visiting!: Last month, Ingrid's parents got a chance to meet their newest granddaughter. After multiple flights canceled, the Lord blessed the trip. All the places they wanted to visit were not crowded due to the virus and they left the day before Bangkok went on lockdown. It was wonderful having them here, and Reilee loved seeing her family these past two months.
New Home: As we adjust to our new home, please pray that all paperwork goes through drama-free. Pray that this new move does not hinder the work the Lord started in the badminton courts or our workplace. We cannot buy any non-essential items for the new home until the COVID19 crisis is over. We also ask that you pray for our new roommate, Pi Pai.
COVID19/Essential Workers: Let us pray for our essential workers during this time. Ingrid's twin is an ER nurse, her older sister is a math teacher, and her brother is lab tech. Terence's cousins are nurses and his sister's in-laws are store clerks. They are all essential workers who are doing their part to provide for the community and protect you from getting sick. Please lift them and all other essential workers up in prayer during this time.
Teaching: We have been asked to teach for CIC. Please pray for these upcoming opportunities to help equip ministers in communications and theology.
Language Study: Thank you, Lord, for giving us more time to study Thai. We have been studying a few hours every day. Having a Thai roommate gives us more opportunities to ask for help and ask questions. Thank you for praying with us for this need.
Passports/Visas: We still haven't been granted a one-year visa. Every three months, we have had to go to the Immigration Office to extend. Pray for us as we continue this journey.
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