We started the weekend trying a new fruit!
I don’t even know what to call it. We currently can’t find it online in any translatable form, so we know the Burmese word (which literally translates to “sugar fruit”) and nothing more! This is the first time we haven’t been able to find any other photos or descriptions or details in English. Kind of bizarre, and a surprisingly good fruit.
After Flour & Flowers on Friday (because our Fridays just aren’t crazy enough!), we went to the BMCC Christmas. Twelve local Burmese churches have come together to form the Burmese Migrant Churches Committee, where the pastors meet regularly for bible studies and worship and prayer; they partner for events and work together in a variety of ways. It is a pretty incredible group and a great example of unity in the church.
And every year, they do a Christmas party. This year we borrowed a friend’s car to make the many trips, since it’s on the other side of town.
Funnily enough, they have the same car as us, which led to much shock & awe. One of the kids asked, How did you make two of the same car?
Anyway, with the help of two big soccer mom SUVs, we managed to get 48 people there and back again, with a lot of singing and talking in between.
(Oh, and they also got to pass the big town Christmas tree at our local department store–the first year we’ve had one in Mae Sot, and the first time they’ve all been the kilometer away from our house to see it! Such a great response. The whole car, adults & kids alike, erupted in oohs and ahhs!)
And since it lasted til 10pm, this is how Ah Gar & I ended it in the back.
Saturday brought ZuZu’s 3rd birthday! Here she is with her aunt & uncle–all some of our favorites.
And then we had a girls only shindig on Saturday afternoon.
This started out of some Days for Girls kits we were given for the community. In short, Days for Girls provides re-usable pantyliner kits for girls around the world, in hopes of helping them to continue going to school when they are menstruating. In impoverished communities, its not uncommon for materials to be too expensive, so girls stay home from school or work. Since we were only given a small number of kits, we wanted to make sure the teenagers were given them.
And while I had intended to do this for a few months, I had been putting it off in the chaos & my poor health. But with some of the community possibly moving back to Burma in coming weeks, we wanted to be sure we got them to the girls before they left, as it could really help them in poorer seasons and for their chances at continuing school.
In giving them out, we also wanted to provide some education on their cycles, what to expect or when to go to the doctor, and when they can get pregnant. Because we live in a community where abuse is quite common and the girls face a higher risk, we wanted to talk about that, too.
Thus unfolded a lengthy conversation, made possible by my friend Nu helping with translation; I didn’t want to give a sex or abuse talk with my elementary language; it was bound to be accidentally crass. We talked to the girls about their right to choose for their body, and that no one else has the right to touch them. We talked about it in the general concept–in the market, or at school; their freedom to say no, to hit someone, to run; but also in the community–that their rights are still theirs, even in situations with their dad, brother, uncle, or friend. We talked about the choices they get to make now and in the future. We talked about our house as a safe place, to talk to us, to go to the doctor, and even to sleep if they are scared.
It was probably one of the harder conversations I ever had in the community. For one, it’s a sensitive subject across cultures and languages. But also, we have suspicions that some of the girls have already faced abuse in their young lives. It was hard to see tears in some eyes and watch their responses.
That said, it went better than I could have asked. I had been praying about it for weeks–feeling like it was the right thing to do, but unsure of how or what words to use. Not sure how to love them well and help them. I can honestly say I’m so glad we did it, and we even managed to make it fun, too.
We didn’t want to them to leave with a menstruation kit and have everyone asking what they got and what we did. So we also gifted them some earrings, nail polish, and lip glosses that they could show as “what they got.”
We played a game–which they loved! I had four jars with different items in them–some beads they like to use, two of candy, and one of small stars. They guessed the numbers inside, and whoever was closest one the jar and small prize. Wow, it went over amazing, with cheers and laughter. This is the easiest group to impress with entertainment.
We also decorated Christmas cookies! I always love to do this, but…it’s messy. This was just nine girls, all teenagers, and it was still a doozy of a mess. (So thankful I didn’t try it with the littles!)
I will say I also realized too late that I didn’t have much in the way of food coloring (apparently that’s only something my mom always has on hand; and as an adult you have to buy it in order for it to be “on hand”) and we ended up with blue, purple and white icing, plus a red strawberry filling. And then I put out sprinkles and waxy chocolate chips. They loved it ALL and put it ALL on every single cookie.
I guess it’s a good diet plan. I wasn’t tempted to eat even one!
So thankful for these girls, many of whom we’ve known since they were six or seven. And really thankful for the chance to love on them.
We had invited everyone who was leaving to have breakfast on their way and did a special birthday party for him over Breakfast Club, hoping that would encourage them to come say goodbye and not just slip away.
They are to wait to open them until the right day–just as they waited for Jesus in the Old Testament and we are waiting for him now–and keep one for themselves and give one to a friend.
She read a book about a snowman that they loved (rolling laughter, the second time through when they understood it more!) and we made cottonball snowmen. Adorable.
This was Stephen first day to wear his favorite red t-shirt, to which he put on and said, “Hi, I’m Stephen. And I’m back!”
This was right before a disappointing, four minute “meeting” in the hallway–a literal “meet her”–with our fifth caseworker. We’re still on the waiting list.
And nice parks & skylines.
So we just jumped, too, enjoying some Starbucks peppermint mochas (over a Skyped missions meeting in a hospital waiting room, because…well, our life is still our life!).
And I found a Real Simple in the hotel lobby, so I read through that in my shorts & tank top in the air conditioning.
My contribution was auctioned for $30! {From what I gather, one of the higher ones, & they were pretty surprised. To be fair, many people were painting pictures of abusive situations or fists in the air; things that might not be worn as commonly…} Either way, since this is something we deal with regularly in the community, it was refreshing to be able to fight from both angles of the issue.
I also ran a 5K to fundraise for another local organization that supports Burmese migrant schools around Mae Sot.
The Breakfast Club is still happening, and Stephen is still on the look out for budding romances! He’s convinced of this one.
She’s at least appearing to be motivated and we’ve caught her studying in between Breakfast Club & her workday. She’ll finish up the exams this week and hopefully head out for a day of shopping with us! Here’s to hoping she can do well and it can build her confidence a little.
And after over an hour of that, I just drove them home and told her I’d send Stephen back for her.
That resulted in me at home with four toddlers for the afternoon. Our lives don’t always go as planned, mostly since I don’t usually work children into my schedule since I don’t have any to call my own!
After a three-hour dance practice, we learned they hadn’t had lunch, so we took the kids out to lunch. It was a unique group–some of our favorites–and I’ll probably cherish that meal forever.
They got chicken fried rice with a fried egg on top, and they were so excited to have meat and an egg. Laytahoo also asked, “They’re paying for this, right?!” at one point, which had all the other kids shushing him and Stephen & I rolling on the floor. We got ice cream, too, and listened to Christmas songs on the way home, while Jorgee drummed on his legs and snapped his fingers just like his hero Stephen. It’s a memory I won’t quickly forget.
The kids think its pretty cold, too, and it’s adorable when they come for breakfast in the morning all bundled up.
Birthdays just keep coming, and this little guy turned 2 years old. He usually licks of the icing and toppings of things, so we went all out with the strawberry on top.
Our pastor, Ah Tee, and his wife, Pranee, are teaching on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They teach one hour of Burmese literacy, teaching five Burmese women how to read and write in their own language. And then they teach an hour of Thai class. And since the neighbors also requested English, Kelli teaches English for an hour on Wednesday evening.
We also love that they are teaching literacy. We had been working on this for sometime, shortly after we learned that San Aye, who sews with us, can’t read or write. Pyo Pyo, our bread manager, is also limited in her literacy. Both of them are taking the class, and it’s so beautiful to see! There is also a young teenage girl who attends Thai school–and so doesn’t get to learn Burmese–that has joined.
It’s incredible to see the space used so much and see so many opportunities for our friends! And we love seeing so many opportunities for new skills and languages.
And this week, their heavenly Father has fed them, again. Sometimes in our own home.
Walking with us, sitting next to me on Mother’s Day and mourning their friend, too, are our pastors. They walk this road with us and provide such sweet camaraderie.
Our home is still a place of peace for all ages.
And this guy still finds new places for us to explore. And just sit at and be.
And he takes me there for a few hours on Saturday, to just read and see the beautiful views and be best friends.