~ April 2012 ~
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Get ready, get set, get wet! We recently celebrated the Thai New Year, called Songkran, here from April 13th to 15th. Besides being the New Year, it typically marks the beginning of the hottest season in Thailand, and therefore Thais line the streets to throw water on passers-by. Motorcyclists and bicyclists are not exempt from being splashed either, which we found out on one of our outings by bicycle during Songkran. It can become quite wild with water fights emerging between residents or shopkeepers with their water hoses and passing pick-up trucks filled with several gallons of water ready to be thrown by youths and adults alike sitting on the flatbeds. If you are one of the lucky ones, you might even get soaked with ice-cold water! A clay paste is also smeared on one another, typically on the face, as a form of blessing one another. As you can imagine, it was quite the sight (and quite the experience) for us!
Yet the water throwing has not always just been for relief from the hot sun in April. Traditionally, water mixed with fragrant herbs or flowers is poured over the hands or shoulders of elders (called rot naam) to bless and pay respect to them. The fragrant water is also poured over Buddha images to bring about good luck and prosperity for the coming New Year. In essence, the water symbolizes a form of cleansing and renewal for the Thais. This pouring of fragrant water is still practiced today, and adapted in the Thai Christian church to show respect to the elderly in the congregation during Songkran.

Along with the pouring of water, Songkran is also a time to make merit (called tham bun), which involves the visiting of Buddhist temples and seeking blessing from monks. In essence, it is a way to make up for all the bad things you may have done in the past year. The irony is that some Thais party quite hard with the use of alcohol during Songkran (there are death toll statistics reported every year), and perhaps they make up for it afterwards through making merit. Making merit usually continues a week or two past Songkran, and it sometimes takes place in the neighborhood villages as well. We heard it is quite rare for foreigners to be invited, but we received an invitation to join them in making merit in our neighborhood village. We did not participate, but it did remind us again for the need of the gospel here in Thailand and how it is impossible to be “cleansed” on our own efforts apart from God. As we still continue to struggle with transition here in Thailand, we are also reminded that it is impossible for us to persevere in our “calling” on our own efforts apart from God as well. We continue to covet your prayers for us and for the people of Thailand.

Gazing heavenward,
Dave, Lila, Caleb, & Caden

Praise Reports:
1. Visa – Praise God that Dave was able to pick-up his Religious Affairs Visa from Penang. Pray for dependency visas for the rest of the family.
2. Home-School Teacher – Praise God for Naomi Pettigrew, who will be coming in June to home-school our boys for the rest of the year.

Prayer Requests:
1. Language & Cultural Learning – We have completed 5 months of language learning, and began learning to read and write in Thai! Continue to pray for 3 of our Thai teachers, who are not believers (Wan, Wii, & Tum).
2. Relationships in the Community – Pray that we may build relationships with our Thai neighbors & share the love of Christ with them.
3. Thai Churches – Pray for Phrasiri Church (the Thai church we attend here). Pray especially for 4 believers to be baptized soon & for small group fellowship to take place regularly.
4. Vehicle in Thailand – Pray as we start the process of raising additional funds to buy a car.
5. Upcoming Travels:
 May 12th - Visa run to Cambodia for Lila & the boys
 June 21st-24th - OMF Field Conference
 July – Field visit to southern Thailand