Pattaya Pioneering

Hello!!!
   I am So sorry I have not posted much of anything, I have been ever so busy! I know it seems a little ridiculous (after all, I am not working secularly, Yay!-Thailand is where young people go to retire haha ;) One can easily fill up one's time attempting to learn a new language, keeping a clean house, studying for meetings, and trying to stay on top of an english course in hopes of a job one day. not to mention SERVICE! Yeah that's why we are here, right?
   So I shall start off with a few service experiences. To start with there are many interested ones attending the meetings here. One american sister (carlee) who has been here 6 months has a study with a girl who actually moved from Iran to Thailand just so she could freely study the Bible! Jehovah was watching out for her because when she asked an English teacher where she could go to learn he pointed her to the witnesses! Another guy actually chased our sisters down and came to the Sunday meeting this week. His name is Eric and he is from Ghana where he studied the entire Bible teach book and was already in the God's Love book. It is so wonderful for him to see the love of Jehovah's people when he can travel across the world and discover his "family" here as well.
   As for Gina and I we have a few return visits already. We find that everyone listens especially in the Thai field. She is following up with a Thai woman whose husband is British I beleive. He reads his Bible daily but does not attend any church. She wants us to talk to him but we will make sure not to leave her out either! ;)
    We have both had parts our second week here which is quite nice. One brother asked me to demostrate how to start a Bible study on the initial call and I am sure glad because I would have not been prepared otherwise.We worked English territory that day and the first man I met has been living here the past 16 years, is from the UK, and has a 14 year old son who is searching religiously. He is letting him make his own decision and welcomed us to return and study the book with them!! The only problem here is making a RV. This man even told me they are always home as he is retired I have just had transportation issues! BUT not to worry! I think our transportation issues are soon to be Over!
Here is Gina trying out a scooter:

And then after the Thai meeting we rode to the English meeting together. I rode "sidesaddle" as most of the girls here do when in non stretchy skirts- its quite fun actually :)

So that means no more of this: (unless i want to lol)

OK so Another experience that was nice was while I was in the Thai field. I did my baby presentation and the young man showed a lot of interest. We ended up giving him the invitation to the meeting as well as getting his number and e-mail address! He wants to come to the meetings and bring his fiance :):)

While at Bethel when we first gor here we got to know more about Pick- the brother who "picked" us up at the airport. (I wonder if that is always his job due to his name?...J/K) He was a long haired punkish kinda Thai guy-perhaps even having multi colored hair- I forget- before he became a brother in the past few years. We loved him! So Gina gave him one of her favorite gifts which we were happy he enjoyed so much :)

Doesn't he have such a cute little face?? haha.

I love all the cute kids here! I have been carrying stickers to give to them. Here is en extra chubby one with an adorable personality. I like his pose here after he stuck my sticker on his head: And at least his shirt is of modest length, huh? heehee

We also have enjoyed preaching to the foriegners on the Bhat taxis and at the beaches. Some actually listen and show appreciation though it seems a bit less than the Thais. I have had a few Really enjoyable conversations with people using questions and scriptures. And a nice thing that happened when we were on a taxi (open air trucks with benches) after we shared the Good news book with an Italian lady she told us her sister in Italy has been a witness 30 years and that she really loves all the witnesses she has met including us, that we were such nice, friendly, and happy people. We told her how much we appreciated that, to send her sister our love, and that we hope she is our sister the next time we see her! (she was leaving soon to go home)

Out Thai lessons have been going well. We are working on not being overwhelmed but focusing on the progress we have made. We are learning the Thai alphabet which is now taking on greater meaning than just being "squigglies" as I call them. Gina especially loves them since she is artistically inclined. We have been using flash cards and are excited to be able to read a few very simple words. Now pronunciation is quite another thing entirely!

Of course Food has been incredible as you can see from Gina's pics. And we are SOO stinking happy with our place here. It is a 5 min walk from the Kingdom Hall- it would be 2 if we could jump a fence. it has 2 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, wifi for $20 per month, a fridge, washer, stove, Ac and is a mere $330 per month! We have already had friends for family worship and a game night. So I will end with pics of our house and street.