A long Letter, on Sabbath Afternoon

So it is Sabbath evening, and I have just finished my first two weeks of school. I really have started to enjoy the students more as I have gotten to know them and meet them. Still it is hard pronouncing names like: Apisith Sukhochaiyakij, Yuthaphan Wiraponsawan, Teetawat Inengrungrod, or Peeranon Vorakulsathien, and many other ones that sound wrong to say but are common in Thailand, one is Pisidporn or something like that.

The kids here have had no discipline when it comes to Physical Education classes. For some reason I keep coming into environments like this for PE. I had the same thing when I went to Oregon but at least they spoke English and did not stare at me like I just spoke Greek to them, when speaking English. =) I was going to say, as if I spoke a foreign language. Hahaha

Ok, classes are going good, in-spite all the formalities. I have four other people working under me, and the way things are, sometimes is hard to deal with. Let me explain. In previous years the school had an Athletic Director and he was over the Physical Education, Athletics and anything dealing with sports. But he started stealing things and not reporting money properly, signed that he was coaching when he was not so he could get extra hours of pay, etc... Then, two years ago, they had an Athletic Coordinator, responsible for coordinating sports games and scheduling court for practice times and times for teachers in the evenings. Anyways, the Athletic Coordinator and the Athletic Director/Physical Education Head, did not get along or work well with each other. So the school split the two programs.

Now I am having to repeat the benefits of a messed up system. They actually have made me Athletic Director, so I am in-charge of all Physical Education, Sports, Athletics, and the such, so our Athletic Coordinator, and three other PE Teachers have to report to me or go through me for decision making. That is all fine and I can handle it but we have our equipment for Physical Education and they have their equipment for Athletics. And there is this sharp line in-between. Which is good, to some degree, but frustrating when your not use to it. I am working on making that line a little less sharp. =)

Anyways, I like the people I work with, I am the only trained Physical Education teacher, with a degree. Out of the three teachers I have teaching classes there is really only one that teaches like I would like them too. One teacher does an ok job, and the other teacher struggles a lot with classroom management and teaching, but he will not be coming back next year, he is supposed to be retiring.

I am coaching the Middle School Basketball team in the evenings, and have had three practices so far. We have 15 boys on that team. Any they don't understand me. =) There is a real since of confusion and chaos but they have started doing better. We have our first game on Monday or Tuesday, Sept. 1 or 2. So when your getting up on that Monday morning, I will have already started my game or finished. Hehe..

I am learning a lot about Thai culture, and people, too. In Thai culture, it is really bad if you do not have control of your emotions. So for people who express emotions it is a hard place to work, sometimes. It is common for someone to be upset with another person, and act very nice to their face, Wai them with a respectful, "Sa wat dee, Krap." Which means, "Hello." or can mean, "Good Day." And then speak dirty about them later or be storming mad in their head. Not really happen to me yet, but it is ok I am an American, and if they get upset, I can come home, right? =)

But amongst all this their is a fine line and teaching that must go on. Pray that the Lord be with each Teacher and student. We have 90% or more Buddhist, Sikhs, Muslims, compared to maybe 3% Adventist/Christians. I think there is one Catholic amongst all 1200 or so students. I know that the school has 2 or 3 Buddhist working on staff. One is working as my Athletic Coordinator.

Oh, a praise and something for you to glory in. The Pastor and one of the Chaplains, Renee Goff from Walla Walla, they went to this ladies hospital room on Friday. Well, here is a little background. They found out that this lady was sick and was in the hospital, and then later that day found that she had a virus and she was not going to last much longer. The Pastor, the Chaplain, and Assistant Chaplain, were earlier Friday talking about how wonderful it would be if we (people in general, the world, humanity) would live their faith, no matter what faith, just actually live what they believe. Then this situation came up with this lady. Without hesitation Renee, the Assistant Chaplain, said "Ok, lets start living what we believe."

So the Pastor set up an anointing at the hospital. They, the Pastor and Renee, headed down to the hospital to anoint this lady who has a virus and can not breath and basically after the anointing they were going to pull her plug. Now for the best part, after church today at potluck, come to find out this lady was still alive, has no signs of an infection, can breath fine and is getting better!

So miracles do work all around the world! God total rewarded Renee's and the Pastors faith. I pray that we all can have that faith and we can start living our faith right now! Whether you are Christian, Muslim, etc... and we can encourage others to be truthful and honest in following their believes. Our world is so full of people who claim to be these things but are not even close. How can you call yourself a Muslim if you are eating pork and drinking wine. And how can you call yourself a Buddhist, if you are treating other hatefully, and not showing others respect. And for us Christians how can we call our self's Christian and not even know Jesus as a friend and then not even act like Him, when we carry His name as CHRISTian.

Something to think about, something to pray about, and something to share. Love and God bless you ALL!

TALKING ABOUT THE RAINBOW

SOME PICTURE FROM TODAY

Tour of My Apartment

Check out this video of my apartment:

Bangkok

Well, I have been here in Bangkok almost a week now, actually Today is one week. Great fun. We have done sooo much in this limited amount of time. I feel like I have been here for a long period of time.

The school will be starting on Monday for our 7-12 grades, and then on Wednesday for the 1-6 grades, after a short one day Holiday. Anyways, I am trying to get things together for the PE department. It is not as easy as it may sound. I have three other teacher and I to get on the same page. I am not real good at communicating my thoughts out on paper, but I think we are taking steps forward.

I am going to be teaching 14 classes from grades 4th - 8th. And will probably be coaching jv girls volleyball, and hs mens basketball teams. I have left myself free for a lot of class, so I can monitor the other teachers and the program better. I hope things work out.

We have the schedule all down, now we have to put it into practice.

Ryan