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.

New York New York!!

Well, I can say and I know Ava will agree .. New York has been good to us ..!

It probably had a lot to do with Jehovah's watchful care but everywhere we traveled New Yorkers offered us assistance with our bags, directions to where we needed to go and every so often a smile.

The friends in New York were first class. They put us up without knowing us first and treated us like honor guest. We will never forget these dear friends .. So. let's see some pics !!

Thai Meeting in New York

This sister hosted us for lunch at Wallkill ..beautiful Sister.

Mechanic department

Th is truly became a friend.hosted feeding the Thai speaker. 

This the her husband. He loving repaired Ava's boot and even added some style that was lacking. ..!

Around the World.........

Sorry for not being able to update on our progress. We left Ga and took greyhound to New York to see the various Bethel homes. We were able to see Wallkill and Patterson but a blizzard swept through NY and sent us running to the airport so we would not get trapped when the city shut down the transportation. We met some many beautiful friends in NY and enjoyed lunch with the Bethel families and had special side tours..It was absolutely wonderful .. !!

At the airport we ended up spending over 24 hours..it was fun sleeping on the floor but we had good opportunities to give a witness to many of our trapped in the airport sleeping on the floor mates ...!

The flight to Thailand was over 20 hours and that was interesting trying to keep circulation in your legs with very little leg room. We took Norweign Airlines and that was very different than Singapore when we flew to Myanmar .. We were not able to afford the meals and they made sure you did not get a crumb or even water for the whole flight .... but. we arrived safely and that was the important thing.

Once we arrived in Bangkok we went straight from our 20 hour flight to Bethel with our luggage, yes we stopped in the restroom and freshen up first ...! (- =  

The brothers were so happy to see us at Thailand Bethel, they gave us a tour and invited us to eat with the family. A very wonderful couple living close to Bethel took us in and showed up the ropes and how they conduct their ministry ..... it was so encouraging. 

So as not to wear our our welcome we continued on to Chiang Mai..We bought a $ 9 train ticket and rode the train for about 15 hours in a extremely upright seat..Ava's body hurt so bad she felt abused but once again we survived. . 

I checked my messages once we got off the train to see if any of the friends I contacted responded with an offer for a place for a few days but their were no offers so we decided to stay at a hotel until we could find an affordable place. to live..The hotel was actually about $ 12 a day but we transferred over to one that is about $ 9 a day ..

We really worked to down size and simplify our lives down to two bags but those two bags were the heaviest things on earth the greyhound bus driver described them as dead bodies..and that how they felt..Those bags were drug through subways of NY. , up three flights of steps, airports, trains stations and buses ..not to forgot tuk tuk's of Thailand, taxis and down alleyways..the moral of this story is the Pack lightly ..!

The Kinky Curly Quandary !!!

How many times have I heard the question what will I do with my hair? Yes, many natural hair or permed haired sisters wonder what will they do with their hair if they expand their ministry by travel to a foreign country and they are not able to get their products that keep their wonderful kinky curliness under control. I always smile inside when I hear this question because I think..Jehovah is the creator of everything not Johnson & Johnson or Revlon... Jehovah has provided all the ingredients in the products we use so why not go straight to the creator and get rid of the middle man..

Here are a few videos from youtube that can help you to deal with the Kinky Curly Quandary!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSa_F2jyiyM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R_UMOBOZG0

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

Yes, you can make your own hair gel by boiling flax seed and adding just a drop of Olive oil. Research Youtube for ideas, it's an excellent resource for any hair issues. Also, suggestions on modest and simple to do natural hair styles. 

So, don't let fears of menial issues interfere with your thoughts of expanded service..Jehovah will be all things to us as we rely on him for our needs. 

2 duffle bags and a backpack.....................Everything we own.........!

Imagine having enough stuff to fill a house with children and reducing down to two large duffle bags yet we know that Jesus didn't carry any luggage what so ever! 

It really freeing to have not so much stuff. The more your own the more you have to slave for this system. When you think about it do we really need so much? or is it customary to our surroundings?  it feels like a weight lifted off our backs..then the ultimate to give up the car and the rent payment..! It may sound scary to you but as Jehovah proves to be your everything it's no longer scary and neither is it a sacrifice. ...It's all joy!! 

Perfect Flower Pen

Getting rid of Stuff..Hey we're out of here...well almost..!

We have a ton of stuff that we can't take with us..We'll keep an on going list of things and if you spot something you want to snag send me a comment below and it will be yours!!

Desk with 2 shelves, 1 drawer-Small for a child
File cabinet-2 drawer
Twin Mattress
Dry ease Board
Utility shelve with 4 levels
Large Desk-Needs TLC but will get the job done.
Coffee pot
Small TV-Great shape
Printer paper
2 computer chairs one leather
Buckhead Wet Dry Vac
Sturdy Blender



http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/hsh/4827805793.html