"Normal?" (December 2021 Update) - Jonathan and Lyndsey

Hello from Bangkok! We are closing out our 1-2 weeks of Thai “winter,” where highs peak around 85°F and lows almost get to 70°F! I know it seems crazy, but we’ve been freezing! Amazing news, things have reopened! We are in-person for school, mentoring, life groups, church, dining, and even swim practice! Wow, we went 0-100…we feel like we’re juggling a bit with all these engagements, but couldn’t be happier!

Student Engagement

Last year J+L got to share a love for pancakes with the high school students at their Christmas party. They asked Jonathan if we could come again this year, so we are excited to whip some up this week. J has been tutoring middle schoolers in animation and L has loved diving back into substitute teaching and swim coaching. She really enjoys encouraging students to do their best and learn something new!

It has also been special for LifeGroup and mentoring to be in-person again. L’s 10th graders are trying to figure out work-life balance. She enjoys processing with them, studying God’s word together, and encouraging them in their physical, relational, spiritual, and educational journeys. Her mentee is now a senior and just submitted college applications! L enjoys meeting with her on our patio before school on Wednesdays while aweing at the sunrise and chatting about life.

Weekend Getaways

Since returning to life in-person, we have had a few long weekends. Some were crazy…Lyndsey visited bustling Chinatown and Chatuchak Markets with friends and Jonathan went island hopping on a sailboat with the guys. One weekend we found serenity in the height of the rainy season at a hotel in Khao Yai National Park.

Over Semester 1 Break, we went to the Ancient City, the world’s largest outdoor museum, which aims to preserve history and culture. You get to see the countries’ top sites all in one place and each photo spot is educational!

Thanksgiving

We missed our biological family very much, but spent a sweet holiday time with our Thailand family, eating, walking it out, playing board games, sharing stories, eating again…

L’s Work

My nutrition instagram account is doing really well. I am almost done sharing about each micronutrient and it’s importance for women of reproductive age. Women are having fun learning how to meet their nutrient requirements affordably and conveniently and I have a lot of fun ideas for what comes next.

There is hope that I could get to Mae Sot in-person soon…maybe Jan or Feb? I’ve been making 15 second videos on healthy picks from the local corner shop. They’re being used in FiTT’s fitness and nutrition program and may also be useful in Imagine Thailand’s student ministry for University students in Bangkok. Another fun thing coming up is the potential to investigate and make content for labor workers about nutritious street food finds from the stalls outside the worker camps.

I am so thankful for the many unique opportunities God has given me to share nutrition knowledge with women and children and for all those who are a part of this work through prayer and financial support! If you are not already, pleases consider joining in on the donate page, as all these roles are volunteer.

J’s Work

Teaching in-person again has been a huge answer to prayer. The three week hybrid transition period is now over (thankfully) and all the students are back in the classroom. It has been so fun to see the excitement in students’ faces and the energy in the room. It is a rush to squeeze the last few projects into a shortened time frame, but students have loved getting their hands on materials.

The 3D design class created mugs and tea-candle holders on the ceramics wheel, the Graphic Design class has enjoyed learning the Adobe Creative suite on our updated M1 iMac Lab, Drawing students have been getting messy with ink and acrylic portraits, and the AP Art students are doing a little bit of everything!