This is the American family that is helping 3 Thai girls and their babies.  They are from abused and exploited background.  This family took girls and their babies into their home.  The family took my offer for free tutoring.  I have been helping them by teaching the girls to communicate in English.  I also do Bible lessons with them on Mondays and Tuesdays.  These girls  and their babies, a 9 months, a year and 6 montbs and a 4 year old are precious!!  Thank God that they have a chance for a better life with Jesus.

Meet Seangla- she does housekeeping and real estate and I teach her English. In exchange she brings me tasty food! She has been such a blessing to me.

Date: Wednesday, June 15, 2011, 7:02 PM

 Wow!!  How time flies!!  Alathia and I have been in Chiang Mai for two weeks now.  The first week, we stayed at the hotel while I look for a house and Alathia transition into the dormitory and new life at the university.  God helped us all the way and in every way!!!Since Alathia is very busy with the full start of her studies, adjusting to Thailand and culture shock and keeping up with many after school activities, I will give you an update on her behalf.Alathia's first week of school was great!  Every day was a new and exciting adventure for her.  Even through the humidity where one sweats constantly, Alathia is a trooper that she never complain much about the weather. She had made a few friends during the first week of school. There are quite a few students from America at Payap.  Three students are retired military men who is maximizing their government paid tuition in Thailand, where a dollar goes a long way. Two of these GI students have been very kind to Alathia.  Mark helped Alathia and I during orientation and the other is Steve, who is like a big brother, was very protective toward Alathia during her first group school outing, "Amazing Race" around Chiang Mai on Friday. I guess that it is like a scavenger hunt race. After the hunt, they had to put together a power point presentation in front of the Dean of the school!  You will find pictures of this event on Face Book. Her team won, by the way.  I think the group learned a lot abut collaboration and personal marketing. She was really tired, though by the time I cam to pick her up at the dorm.   Her dorm Thai roommate, "Ying" is speaking more and more English with Alathia and Alathia is learning to speak lots of Thai.  They both enjoys each other's company as roommates. Ying showed Alathia a piano room behind the dorm, where Alathia can practice after dinner each night.  When other students saw her practice, they want to learn to play what she knows.  Not only that, but Alathia also found classmates who are Thai, Singaporean, Chinese, African/American and Japanese, (half breeds as my father-in-law would say,) who shared her interests. She is good friends with students who loves to play the guitar, the piano, enjoy drawing and one who was an instructor to boxing!  These are the exact hobbies that Alathia is passionate about!  Each student is very talented and able to impart what they know to the other.  It is very neat, how God brings people of like minded together from around the world in one place. Alathia got to see the house for the first time last Friday, when she came home for the weekend. I live right next door to a teacher from my school. Carole was very kind to offer me to use her washer, so that I don't have to wash all my clothes by hand.  I really don't mind it, but with Alathia's clothes from school is added, it is nice to have a machine. I also have become great friends to Seangla, Carole's house cleaning lady.  She is the one who help me get this house and helped me move in.  She has been so kind to give me rides, bring me food and help in going to pick up Alathia on her motorbike.  I still am learning to ride the bike.  Since my accident last Saturday, nothing serious, but it made me more cautious on the motorbike. I have begun practicing every day, riding around the neighborhood for about 10-20 rounds.The neighborhood is very safe with security posts at every directions and security guards patrolling the neighborhood on their bike regularly.  This week is my second week in the house and I am really enjoying getting settled in.  It is fully furnished except for a missing cooking range for the kitchen.  By the end of the month, I should be able to purchase a second hand gas range to do all my cooking.  Meanwhile, I am working on networking with other missionaries to advertise about my teaching Thai and English.  There are lots of foreigners here and many of them are still struggling with the language.  I hope to be able to help some of them in learning their Thai.  I have a small groups of Thai students who will be coming to my house this Saturday for a conversational English lesson.  It is a start, slowly but surely, I will be able to do things to earn my keeps and help missionaries who are doing a great work for the Lord in Thailand and though out Southeast Asia.I am excited to be in the land of my birth and to make a difference in the lives of people here. Though Alathia and I may be far away from the US, our thoughts and prayers are with each one of you.  We love you all and wish that you could be close by.  Please keep in touch and keep us in your prayers.Love, Wilai and Alathia

Sent: Mon, June 6, 2011 2:37:58 PM
Subject: Our First 8 Days

Hello Dear Friends and Family in the US!!Wilai here, reporting on our trip thus far.  As you may know, we have reached our destination in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  a beautiful mountainous city in north Thailand.  We got here last Tuesday and things started rolling. I checked in at a hotel near the church that we would be attending and took care of Alathia's schooling and started house hunting. I got to meet many great people at Grace International School where I will be teaching.  They were so kind and friendly.  One teacher told me about a vacant house next door to her. Through her house keeper, I got to see the house and was able to meet the owner. We negotiated a good price, but I was still looking for something cheaper. But after a few houses, I realized that the first one was the best offer. Another lady came to the hotel to pick me up and drove across town, so that I can move in Sunday night, after church!  It is a beautiful home with great neighbors.  A lady across the street is a retiree who is a Christian.  She loves to play Christian songs on her keyboard.  I am planning to go play with her one of these days.  My teacher friend, next door to me is also a Christian from Europe.  She has many fruit trees, such as jackfruits, mangos and coconut trees, that she said that I could have all I wanted, for she did not care for them.  Alathia told me that those were the exact trees that she had prayed for.That we would have near by, but that the coconuts would not fall on our roof!  Well, here they were, right next door!!  The house has tiled back porch that is perfect for my outdoor cooking. Best yet, is that the landlords, a couple my age, are so nice and gave me a lower rate of 9,000 baht, that is about $300.00 US.  It is a very reasonable price for such a nice house fully furnished. (You can view the house pictures on face book.  Facebook is pretty safe, if you use it wisely.  I just use it for communicating with friends overseas and my family. You will see many pictures that Alathia took in Thailand as well.) Alathia and I attended church for the first time yesterday. (They only have one service a week and home group Bible Studies and Fellowships on weekdays.)  We were not quite sure how it was going to be, but I was hoping that the Christian Outreach Center, English service was going to be something close to our church back in the States. After service, both Alathia and I were thankful that God was there in that place of worship. We both went forward to God's continues guidance. It was a nice surprise that there were a lot of people from my school and Alathia's school that were part of the church.After church, we had a nice walk to a near by mall for lunch and to shop for a few more items for Alathia. When we got back to the hotel, we had kind people to take her back to the dorm. Alathia is adjusting well to college and dormitory life. It was rather rough the first few days, as expected, because I was not there to shelter her from the cultural shock that was bound to come. But she is doing incredibly well and learning so much. Today, Monday, June 6th is her first day of classes.  She is making friends with many students from all around the world as well as learning a lot of Thai with her roommate.  I admire her attitude and am thankful everyday that she is here with me in Thailand.  We are like Ruth and Naomi, in the Bible.  Alathia, like Ruth, had followed her mother to the land of her birth.  I know that God will bless her richly.  Alathia is a fighter and she knows that she always has options, that if it does not work out, she can return home to the States.While we are missing the many comforts of home and the people we love, God is here to help us in every step of the way.  I found a friend in the hotel owner where I was staying for almost a week.  Stefanie lowered our rate and even gave me a refund because I did not stay the full week, (which was not their normal policy.) She was always looking after us by buying us meals and helping us with so many insights on living in Chiang Mai from a foreigner's perspective.  Stefanie is also fluent in English and Chinese. Which was so nice that Alathia can communicate to some one other than me in English. While Alathia was at the university, I thought I would surprise her by renting a motorbike for us to practice.  Well, no sooner than a few minutes on that bike, on a narrow street that I had a minor accident. Nothing serious, just a few scrapes on my shin.  But it did give me a new respect for the motorbike. . . it is going to take a larger street and some getting use to.  I decided that Alathia will be the one riding the motorbike most of the time,while I will just have to ride a bike to my school.  This was a much better arrangement for I live very close to GIS while Alathia will have a longer ride to her campus. Through many wonderful church folk here, God helped me to connect with the right people to help me with transportation and moving into my new home . It was not very convenient to travel when you have not means of transportation.  I  know that I would not want to own or drive a car.  So the next best thing is to own a bike.  Through a wonderful lady who helped me find my house, she took me to buy a Honda motorbike.  One that is just like hers.  I rode around on her bike to know that it was a smooth riding bike.  The model was very safe with hand held automatic starter. I am sure that Alathia will love it, especially in royal blue color!  I can't wait to see it, for it will be delivered in the next few days!!So, today, my first day in settling into my new home, I have another friend from church, from Australia, who is going to take me to the local department store, Big C, like Walmart back home, to buy a standing fan and other household necessities.  My house is not fully air conditioned.  You might think that odd. But in Thailand, they believe in conserving energy and most homes do not have air conditioning for the entire house.  I was thankful to have ac in both bedrooms and having it in the living room was a big plus.The weather turned hot as soon as we arrived. It did not rain every day like a real rainy season.  However, the pass two nights, it rained long and hard.  I have never heard (or have forgotten) of so many frogs croaking after the rain.  I don't know if they were crying or rejoicing over the rain!  We missed Tom and Sam about one day as they headed back to Texas.  I did not get to go to the dentist yet.  But will have to make arrangement for one close to Hang Dong area.  My Thai cell phone number: 089-657-3729, Alathia's is 087-2266-908.  Calling from the States, you would have to dial 011+66 minus 0(in front of the 8's) then the number beginning with 8.  It may be easier to skype for some of you.  Please feel free to contact us.  Alathia and I will be in school from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Thailand time which is either 12 or 13 hours ahead of you guys in Texas and more from the Pacific coast time. We love and appreciate each of you.  You all are very near and dear to our heart.  May God bless you and keep you in His will and purpose.Love, Wilai and Alathia

Sent: Wed, June 1, 2011 11:36:16 PM
Subject: Day 5 in thailand

Wow!!  It has been a rush of events since we got to Thailand.  Things have worked out very nicely for Alathia, from the plane trip to China and shopping in Chiang Mai.Alathia is adjusting nicely and is having a great adventure.  On the plane leaving LA, we did not get to sit together.  At first, I really panicked, but then I realized that Alathia was fine and had a great company in a young chemist doctor student, (27 yrs old) sitting next to her who conversed with her the whole time.  She learned a lot of Chinese and chemistry and gained a friend.In Bangkok, we hung out at the mall a lot the first 3 days.  There was plenty of young people to see and great foods. There is a new sushi buffet that has been opened for 2 months, all you can eat sea food for under $10.00!!  ( I bet Mary is drooling! LOL)  Alathia had a hair dresser who could speak some English and got a great haircut for $6.00.  My guy did not do so hot.  But oh well, I can get another one in a few months.I wanted Alathia to adjust to Thailand slowly by being in Bangkok first in a plance that I knew pretty much at the Pastor's condo.  Pastor Krisada took great care of us. He took us to church, to breakfast and lunch and took us to the airport to fly out to Chiang Mai.The trip to Chiang Mai was great.  The airplane was big and clean.  We got to CM in 55 mins.Our little guest house is a cute little place near the church that we are considering being a part of.  The owner was so nice, she gave us a discount for beign recommended by the church.  She even went and bought us some delicious smoothies the first night, just because it was hot, she said.  She seemed to really liked us.  I was glad, because Alathia could communicate with her very well, for she is fluent in English being a Taiwanese woman married to a Thai man.  Her rate is very reasonable-15.00 per night.  I will be here until I found a house.  We did a lot on the first day in Chiang Mai. We found a near by mall within walking distance, opened a band account, paid for Alathia's tuition and dormitory.  We crashed when we got back to the hotel.Today, I went to the school that I will be teaching, while Alathia rested and get caught up in up loading her pictures.  Every one at my school was so nice and friendly.  They were so happy to see me, especially the Principal who showed me my classroom.  I loved it because, when you step out the class room, you could see beautiful green mountains all around! I will show pictures as soon as I can. I took a local minivan back to the hotel and learned my way around. Alathia and I walked to the mall after lunch and had a great time buying beautifull shoes and purses.  She will have to model those shoes for you in Facebook.  We also bought clothes and stuff for her to take to the dorm tomorrow.  We can't wait to see it!! Well, better close.  We love you all and miss you all.  More tomorrow.Love, Wilai