Hello My friends!

 It has been many years since I have posted on this forum. I hope you are healthy and happy! 

However, I would like to start posting here again. Please let know if you are no longer interested in hearing news about my life abroad. 

I would like to keep many of my friends that don't check the emails I send them but seem to receive this post more readily.  Also, I would like to keep you updates on the publication I release I have a bookstore on Amazon and many of the books may interest you.

Much Love, your sister Selena Edwards

What is a Visa Run?

What is a Visa Run?

So many of us know people that have gone to serve where the need is great but we may not be aware of some of the obligations that go along with that responsibility. Visa Runs can be a big part of a need greater’s life. What is a Visa Run you may ask..well..when you travel abroad you need a passport and a visa. The Visa will be for the individual country you plan to travel to…Even though you may have gotten a year long Visa every two or three months you are expected to leave the country to get your Visa stamped. This Run incurs fees and cost that a person may not have figured into their budget.

First of all, the leaving the country is only symbolic really you merely need to walk out and turn around and come back in. Some people use this as a time to visit another country all that depends on your personal budget. You will have to plan travel expenses to a border that will accept your countries Visa. Then the fees of the entering and leaving another country however, the fees are not massive but when you are counting your pennies so that you can remain in your assignment it may seem massive.

Jehovah helps us all when we step out there to serve him with the proper motive however if you know a need greater you will be a little more informed of their situation and this information may provide you with a way to be of assistance if you are able.

It may sound like a lot of fun and yes it can be but it’s also a little nerve wrecking because laws change and regulation change and a person never knows what they may have to face. It really deepens your love for Jehovah and draws you closer because you may feel vulnerable in a way that you’ve never experienced before.

If you want to see some photos of the ministry out here you can connect on IG selenae1000  or you can click on this link at the bottom of the page.

http://www.pikore.com/selenae1000

Thank you again for your loving interest in the ministry in Thailand…

Your sis Selena

Pictures from Thailand

This looks like a sweet little kitty but he's very demanding. He knows what he likes and right now it's our house!!

This is a view out the window while traveling in service.

A woman actually makes fabric the old fashioned way.

We take pictures with every household that we get to preach to..this is one photo opt!!

This is the sister that has helped up so much to get settled in service.

One of the beautiful reasons we love it here

You can't turn down food easily, so when your offered cookies flavored with durian you learn to love it..!

A get together b.c a group of friends are vising for the weekend.

This is a shot of the Congregation plus visitor from Chiang Mai

Kids get to ride in the back of the truck to our lunchtime hangout after service.

We traveded 2 hours to a Laotian market to go a mass handout....with joy of course.

A visit to the Waterfall

A beautiful reason we love living here.

Going for a morning walk with our Sombrero's

This is old betsy..She gets us around town..! the cats like her too.

The Best Life Ever-Tha Wang Pha!

Hi my friends,
Just wanted to update you on the latest. We started out in a group of 11 Brothers and Sisters to have a long preaching weekend in a town with only 10 witnesses and no pioneers. However, Ava and I ended up with more than we bargained for. First, the friends were so generous and feed all of us all three meals each day. They wore themselves. We fell in love with the little town actually it's pretty spacious but has a small town feel. The people were beautiful, you never met people so open and kind.

Well, instead of blabbing on and on let me give you the video to watch!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSO048fz3Q4

Take A look at My Place in Thailand..!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgDP6FdtD0g

What is it like to live in a Foreign Country?

Yes, that is one of the most asked questions ..! So how is it ..! Well to put it simply it's foreign but in a wonderful way. 
The people and ministry: 


ooh  well the people are lovely, kind and helpful. They are willing to listen to our message and readily accept the literature and actually do read it...so preaching is wonderful everyday and each time.

The housing:

We live very simply but a little better then in the U.S. because the cost of living. Here you can live as nice as you want for very little money in comparsion. There are a lot of new construction so you can live in a very clean and comfortable place.

The Food:

The restaurant is very different and not even to be compared to Thai food in the U.S. The U.S. is the wealthy country and people have access to a lot of things that are just not here. For example, butter is not as easy to find..well real butter not mixed with other stuff when you do find it it cost quite a bit more than I want to pay. You can buy from a store everything here that you like to eat but you would need to travel to a store that caters to Americans. The food will cost what it does in the U.S. pretty much but not Thai prices so it depends on what you are willing to spend on food.

Life:

Life is unhurried and restful. There are many friends close by. You will experience the same issue you have anywhere in the congregation so you get the chance to put into practice patience, love and especially long suffering. But, if you focus on the good and the blessing then you will have joy everyday. If you keep your life simple and are willing to do humble work then you can support yourself in your minstry so many ways. 

How you help?:

well..for us we do various things to earn a living. Just by watching my video channel on 'Youtube' I earn an income ..and if you subscribe 'which is free' would be even better.  I try to make simple videos that help in various ways maybe you know someone else that could benefit from the information.

Here is a link if you want to see all 20 something then click on my channel name, 'S Edwards' and then 'videos'.  You can choose!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Z3UR80M6k

Please if you have any questions about living here and are thinking about moving here..please comment below and Ava and I would be happy to answer or find the answer for you.

Love much,
Ava and Selena!

A lot of things are very cutsie here ..even the food..LOL!

Got right up close to this bird and he didn't move..

Very unusual dessert she's eating involved multi-colored bubbles and bread..I passed..!

Mangos growning on many trees ..where ever you go

I'e been these lil-garden ornaments not sure of the origin ..but they are interesting..

Exotic plants

Impromtu Zoo off the side of the road..Peacock

Really big Pig..

Hugh fruits growing off the tree..I wonder how the tree can hold on to it..

Monkey..poor thing..small cage and lots of junk food wrappers on the ground..!

Ava and Selena..No longer Pedestrians...!

Yes, watch out Thailand we got bicycles and we mean business ..! We spent the first month walking extremely long distances to places..Out here in Chiang Mai the Tuk Tuks and Sorng Taew's (forms of taxis) thought we looked rich and wanted to charge us a lot more than they charge the locals for a ride even. short distances. So, we saved our pennies and put them together and bought bikes..It makes such a difference..we can get to far places in a short amount of time and work on our long gone girlish figures ..! (- =

 Why the mask? Well in Chiang Mai for 2 months they burn the fields and the whole city is under smog, so you'll see many people riding with the masks. Even at the Kingdom hall they have a box of them for many of the friends that ride their motor bike to the hall!

It took us a while but we finally got out Dishwasher, Washer and Dryer Machines!!

Yes, you probably thought that since we live in a one room apartment that we couldn't fit all that stuff in there well you were wrong!!

Isn't it pretty, it's pink and doubles as a washing machine. It was so cheap that Ava was able to afford her own set of machines..! It does take a little elbow grease thought especially for washing the clothes. We do have a neighbor lady that washes, folds and dries clothes for cheap but we are trying to cut cost where we can and since we don't have much in the way of clothes it's not a burden. 

Our new address

I should have included this in the previous post but it took a few days to be able to sit down with the landlord and get our new address on paper.

Here is it is:

Ava Saunders

299/59 Juthamas apt # B7 Moo. 5 Banuakchokpattana

Chiangmai-Lampang Rd. 

T. Thasala, A. Mueng Chiang Mai 50000.

Selena Edwards

299/59 Juthamas APT # C7 Moo. 5 Banuakchokpattana.

Chiangmai-Lampang Rd. 

T. Thasala, A. Mueng Chiang Mai 50000.

PS. it only cost $ 1.10 to send a letter Internationally to Thailand !!

Now you see why it took some time to get it down it's really big ..

This is a house down the road from our complex. 

This is a little tour of the road from our complex. It's the same street as the Kingdom Hall.

fifty ninths

Homeless no more..!

Jehovah is all I Can Say ... we Can See His Loving Care Daily..trying to Find Housing in a Foreign Country with no One to Help is Almost Impossible. Thailand is a very Busy Little Place. Every city block has numerous businesses and many alleys are filled with restaurants, hotels and other businesses. So finding a permanent place can be daunting. After two days to constant walking, we stumble upon a complex directly in back of the Kingdom Hall. It was just perfect but the owner was gone. So we had sit down, which we were both appreciative of. We found out that he prefers witnesses to rent his rooms from a brother sitting outside on a bench. He helped us contact the owner and he promised to return home in a few hours. 

Well, to make a long story short we were able to get the apartment. It was in our budget which is almost zero and it's right in back of the KH, we can see the meetings and hear the Kingdom songs ..

It was only Jehovah that lead us here because there is so many cities, roads and streets we could have found something there.

So, Naturally we are over Joyed and Can Settle down now and Focus on The Ministry. We were Able to attend a Meeting and Karen Give a comment or Two .. The Congregation is sponsoring Thai So we are Learning Both Languages..it May sound. . challenging but it's a lot of fun1.