The Mays’ Weblog

As I sit here listening to “What a Faithful God”(Robin Critchley) great song by the way if you don’t know it ,I find that these words have been so true over the last few weeks.

We have had an amazing time with our wonderful friends the Oliver family, who came to visit us for nearly 3 weeks (but it went so fast ). If you want a blow by blow account of every thing we did see The Oliver’s Blog (click HERE) and you will find they haven’t left any details out. I will be brief, however as they have already woven together the whole picture for you, not only in words but fantastic photos and video footage, Adrian is a star!

It was a strange privilege to visit Khao Lak and stand in the place where so many people died. We went to the worst hit village in Thailand, 3000 Thai casualties and 7000 Burmese, many not yet found and and probably never will be, refuges from their own country in turmoil, some still in the temple fridge. But God know all their names and as we stood their with some Thai friends and asked for God’s healing and power to sweep across the devastated land before us, there was a sense of hope and change as many experience the love of God for the first time as Christian agencies and churches in great quantity reach out to help and locals’ hearts are softened to hear the good news.

Andy and Adrian got their hands dirty (what a surprise ) in the house rebuilding that was going on all around, slowly but surely. Khao Lak does not have the press coverage or abundant funds that have been poured into Phuket, where you have to look hard now to find any sign of the past disaster, the party spirit is back in full swing there.

Home briefly, just enough time to turn around the washing and visit the elephant camp, again (its a hard life) and then off to Doi Inthanon for 2 days of waterfall walking and the blessing of cool air. In fact the coolest and highest spot in Thailand, and at the top very similar to Littlehampton on a dull Autumn day, with an appreciated chill in the air. Have not felt that for a while! Waterfalls were beautiful and so was the scenery. Little hill children ran about scruffy and bare foot trying to make a bit of money selling wild flowers. They can get up and down those waterfalls like a mountain goat, no worries!

Back home again for only one night, trying to turn the washing around again, then off up north to the border, also this time with our good and inspirational friends the Norwegians from next door.

Cannot go into details about where, just in case some unstable minded person gets to read this somehow. But there is an orphanage in the jungle where children who have nothing shine out God’s love more than us who have everything and with such joy in their hearts. God’s presence was in that place, just ask Jenny. We were struggling with the tears that kept threatening to flow, especially when we opened our eyes and saw their beautiful, intense faces lifted up to heaven as they sang with all their hearts. They are living in dangerous circumstances. Pray for their safety and if you want to sponsor one of them we can arrange it. It’s about $20 a month, only 7 out of about 40 have sponsors at the moment.

In the afternoon we visited another orphanage, this time at the top of a mountain with180 children who eat nothing but rice, 3 meals a day. We bought 21kg of meat in a market on the way and filled up the car with watermelons. They had not had meat for 3 months but we couldn’t take any more as there is no fridge to keep it in.

We did some singing and dancing with them, Jenny was fantastic. God provided for us so well in every thing we did. The aircon in our car was broken, besides the fact that getting 11 people into a BMW saloon is rather on the uncomfortable side and without aircon like a death trap. However we were able to borrow a rather nice Hilux sportrider people carrier for a few weeks, and don’t worry all you Smiths, Jupps and Dunscombs, we can borrow it again when you come, plus another one the same but an upgraded model belonging to our neighbours, the wonderful Norwegians again who will be at home for the summer.

I’m not going to say any more…look at the photos and see for yourselves.

Loads of love to everyone, we love all our friends at home so much.

Andrew and Esther May J,L,M,Ixxxxxxxxxx