Update from Joanna!!!

It’s about 5:00 PM on Sunday as I make my way across the property to my cottage.  The weather has cooled to the perfect temperature and soon will get rather cold but now it’s calm and comfortable.  I’m followed by one of the dogs but whether it’s Turner or Hootch, I haven’t got a clue.  Actually I wonder if any of us residing here at Baan Nam Jai (Home of the Open Heart) really know which is which.  I was just at the girls’ house celebrating a short term volunteer’s birthday.  It’s hard to believe that I have already been here for over one month.  I love sitting outside at this time but it comes with quite a risk as the mosquitoes start swarming at this time.    One of the moms is raking leaves and soon will start burning them.  I’ve come to love that scent.  It’s a good time to reflect as the sun starts it’s decent and I sit here in my kitchen, which is outdoors and doubles as a back porch, and look at the garden I think about my move to Thailand.

Thailand… Chiang Rai… Baan Nam Jai… It’s a place of tremendous beauty.  Located outside of the city I’m surrounded by gardens, rice paddies, smells and feels of the country in Asia.  The property itself is rather large hosting three large houses, and then an adjoining property with 5 small cottages and the hospice which is still under construction.  One of these cottages is what I now call home.  Thailand has riches for all of the senses and while it can delight the sense it can weigh you down with challenges.  It’s almost hard to explain how you can be totally in love with a place and totally frustrated at once.

The adjustment to Thailand is nothing and everything that I expected.  There have been some things that had I really thought about them they probably wouldn’t have taken me by surprise.  For instance, Google has gone from being a verb to a noun.  I used to use Google maps for helping me get around any new place.  I can’t read the street signs so Google is useless.  Getting used to riding on a motorbike has also proved to be a challenge.  Traffic here is really crazy, I don’t know where I’m going and I’m SOOOO not an experienced rider to be smart and able to react to my situations around me.  All this adds up to, quite literally, a deadly equation.  The language has also proved challenging but that was one challenge that I was prepared for.  I haven’t started learning the language because I’m not ready to get on the death trap highway.  However, all that to say that God’s grace is amazing and have found some things easier then expected.  The kids speak English and there are several “farang” (foreign) staff.  There have been several lovely short term volunteers come that have eased the transition.  However, I have left everything that I do know and many times I feel totally helpless and dependant, which is probably good for me.

Although I still feel like a fish out of water I have hit the ground running when it comes to work!  I have used my past Executive Assistant skills to assist Paul, the Northern Regional Director.  He is new to the position and I’m helping him get organized in his role and help support him as he provides direction to the 11 ministries here in Chiang Rai.  He is also over the whole northern region which includes Chiang Mai and Mai Sai which is much bigger then Chiang Rai.  I haven’t even gotten into that portion.  I am also managing the office here at Baan Nam Jai and working a little bit in the boys’ home.

The kids are incredibly precious and melt your heart the moment you meet them.  One of the youngest boys was very timid about me coming into the house to work with them and was very distressed about my first shift.  I came over the night before to get introduced and just get to know them just a bit before I spent the night in the boy’s house the next day.  The youngest of the boys cried and cried.  He didn’t want me to come and work with them!  When I got back to my cottage I prayed that God would give us both grace.  As I was praying my heart broke for these kids.  It struck me that these kids shouldn’t need to have caretakers in their life.  If everything were as God intended it to be they would be with a Mom and Dad in a loving home.  But we find ourselves in a fallen world and here I am to help care for these kids who have suffered so much.  As I’ve started to work with them more they are very unsettled as several of the caretakers they have had for the past couple years have left and I’ve come in.  I try to put myself in their shoes as they get used to me.  Please pray for God’s grace and that they will start feeling settled, safe and secure with me.  Many of the volunteers have told me that they will keep me at arms length because they worry about how long I’ll be here.  It breaks my heart.

Financially, I am still in need of support.  I need about $600 USD per month to cover my expenses.  Please prayerfully consider supporting me.  If you’d like to support me please send a check made out to “YWAM,” with a separate piece of paper indicating it is for me, to YWAM Montana, 501 Blacktail Road,
Lakeside, Montana,59922 U.S.A.

Thank you so much for all of your support of my ministry.  I truly could not do this without your prayers, encouragement and financial support.  I will send pictures soon!

I pray that you are all blessed richly!

Joanna

If you’d like to pray for me please let me know and I’ll put you on my prayer needs list!

New Mailing Address:

Joanna Geiger

P.O. Box 121

Bandu,

A.Muang,

Chiang Rai, 57100

Thialand

My new mobile phone number is +66.0899.513.044