Here's a recent event as described by my team member Andy May:


“Going Green”.


One of our closest students, Bank, is very serious about the environment. So serious that he single handedly organized a tree planting event on the campus of Thammasat University. Bank eagerly invited The Grapevine to get involved, so we eagerly did. Bank informed us that he had successfully acquired 888 trees to be planted. We were a bit alarmed at that number, but being the go getting, “do it yourself” Americans that we are, we prepared to spend the whole day digging in the dirt. Of course, most Thai people are not as silly as us Americans and would never burden their good friends with the task of planting 888 trees in one day. When we showed up, the grounds crew had already planted all of the trees, our role was to just scrape mulch over the newly planted roots and pose for pictures. Bank had gotten some help in organizing the event and, in spite of the rain that day, it turned into quite a party complete with refreshments, prizes, and about 100 working class Thais. We were the only ones who came prepared to dig holes and plant trees and, as a result, got some interesting “smiles” from everyone else who were dressed for work that day.

This was one of the most exciting things to happen this semester, thanks to our friend Bank. It was also a great culture learning experience for us Americans who usually go into situations thinking, well, just like Americans. We are often taken back, even those of us who have been here for a while, at just how different things really are here. Hanging out with modern, westernized young people sometimes tempts us to forget that we are in a different world. Thank God for Bank, who gave us an opportunity to be reminded that we are guests here and that most people think, and act, very differently than us.

When it comes to our purpose here, it is a challenge to continually work to get our own culture out of the way of the Gospel so that Thais can see more of Jesus and less of our culture. We pray that the Holy Sprit is constantly “translating” our lives into ones that clearly reflect God’s character, even if we look as silly as we did that day. God bless Bank.

-Andy

Here are some pics of our 4th of July Party at Grapevine. We had lots of fun singing patriotic songs, eating funnel cake, spitting watermelon seeds and, of course, shooting off fireworks. Milk bought these fireworks in Chinatown. And it's totally legal to set these off in residential areas.

Do you have Facebook?

All of my Thai students have Facebook. They add applications nearly every second, and I can't remember who's a pirate and who's a ninja, who's started a cause to provide food for the hungry or to stop global warming. I've poked them, punched them, thrown sheep at them all summer long. By checking a status I can find out if they've passed their finals, or if they like their summer internship. I know who's dating, single, looking for friendship or "whatever they can get." Each night I can check my Facebook wall to find pictures of events that happened only two hours earlier.

Facebook claims to create community in an online environment, and it does. It helps people to know facts - the facts that people want to make known. Throughout my furlough I "stayed in community" with my friends in Thailand, by knowing lots of stuff about them. And when I got back to Bangkok, and school started, I sent them a message through Facebook, inviting them to join in "Living Facebook" at grapevine.

The theme was trendy, for sure, but still valid. In the midst of "poking" each other, and writing notes on "The Wall," we explored why we need community, online or otherwise. We discovered what the Bible has to say about true community, and how we, as a group of friends, want to model that in our lives. We also looked at God's profile, and learned that He longs for more than a casual relationship with us, He wants to love us, and save us, and drive out our fears.

Yes, as cheesy as it sounds, God wants us to click "Add as Friend."

Here's Milk the issuer of my "Thai Passport."
Beau's givin' some cheesy smiles in the background.
I love those guys.

Pictures for Khao Yai Retreat 2006



Please pray that this year we'd have a great and safe weekend on November 17-18.

Back in August Grapevine took a group on a service trip to teach in the village schools in Roi Et. It was an awesome opportunity for Bangkok people to experience life in rural Thailand. We taught the students English, but we learned so much about ourselves and each other. Partnering with the Muang Thai Church in their ministry in Roi Et has been incredibly beneficial for us and our students as we learn to share our time and energy with those in need.






We got to join in a local festival while in Roi Et, which included games, food, music and a parade. Here's Patzy showing the boys how to shoot a toy gun. Final score: Patzy 4, both boys 2.


After a difficult morning helping local farmers planting rice, we all gained a greater appreciation for the rice we eat every day!

Halloween fun at Grapevine! Even though most of the students had exams during the last week of October, the staff couldn't miss the annual Halloween party. Here we are all dressed up. (I'm a CEREAL killer, just in case you couldn't tell.)

Students makin' creepy luminaries to decorate Grapevine.



Yes, even when bobbing for apples I'm a bit dramatic.

At Grapevine, I'm always putting on wild theatricals. And I'm always looking for someone to perform with me. In the above picture Moses and I put on our meanest faces as we celebrate the success of our pirate skit.

We designed Fun On Campus to meet new students and hang out with our friends after their classes. We play games and hand out homemade snacks. The students get a chance to practice English and learn about all the fun that happens at our Grapevine events.

Graduation Day! A very special occassion for some of my favorite people: Jack, Greg, Jaa, Goi, Allison, Zula and Moses