This morning we were picked up by one of the school employees and we thought that we will just be called to the director’s office where they will tell us “Thank You”, shake our hands and tell us of what great job we did and take us back home. But it wasn’t quite like that…it was much much BIGGER!

As soon as we got to school children started gathering very quickly and running up to Staya and hugging her (because she taught at this school first until I took her spot, so children missed her), but they were hugging ALL of us, and kissing Tanya and Staya.

And every morning before the classes start, all the children of the school gather on the main plaza for some announcements and where they get to greet each other (and on certain days they pray to Buddha). But we were in shock that they called us to go in front of the whole school of children, teachers, director and give a short speech (so we had to think on the spot), but praise the Lord we had the right words to say and invited teachers and all of the children to come to Avoda on Sundays where they be able to spend more time with us.

Then the director of the school came forward and awarded each of us a present, followed by all the teachers where they gave us pink rose one-by-one and took pictures with us. Then all the children by their classes started coming up and taking pictures, and other classes, and more children, first girls, then boys, and more pictures, and kindergarteners came up and we took pictures with them. After the pictures were done, director gave a short speech and dismissed the children.

But it wasn’t over. Many, many more students were coming up and taking pictures with us, one by one, with their friends, and by groups, and hugging us, and kissing us, and saying “we love you” and “we will miss you” and “have a nice day” and “see you in Avoda”(hearing that one, REALLY made us happy!)…and it was very sweet of them knowing that their English is very limited and most of them can’t speak or understand much.

After all the children were done, teachers wanted to take some pictures with us.

While taking pictures with teachers I saw in the distance a group of lunch ladies standing and watching the whole ceremony take place…

((The thing is, here in Thailand class distinction is tremendous between workers. In USA a teacher is just slightly higher than the rest of employees (and can get fired just as easily), but in Thailand director is VERY high up, and teachers are HIGH up, and everyone else is at the bottom low. So every other employee must respect teachers and bow their head lower than the teacher’s when passing by and had to stop and do a “sawa-dee” bow to a teacher and then move on.))

So pretty much those lunch ladies are a ‘nobody’ here in school (according to Thai culture), but not to us. So me and Tanya always tried to make those lunch ladies feel good about themselves and for the hard work that they do, (they cook very well by the way) so after each lunch we would walk up to the kitchen and greet them with a “sawa-dee” bow and thank them for the food and give them compliments on how good it was (something that Buddhist Thai teacher just would never do). They were thankful for it and every day they were bringing us a bowl sweet watermelon. (yumm!)

So all 3 of us went to the kitchen and once again thanked the lunch ladies for the food they always made for us and asked them if we could take a picture with them. They were speechless and their eyes were just glowing with happiness! :)  They were all very sweet and they too took a bunch of pictures of us with their cellphones. :P

Praise the Lord that we had a chance to teach in this school and be God’s letter that was read and studied on the outside by all who saw us and talked to us. Pray that God will work in those schools where we taught and that perhaps some small seed was planted in their heart, that is dominated by Buddhism, and that Holy Spirit will cause them to start asking many questions about Christians and why they are they way they are.

Also pray that God will bring many children from those public schools to Avoda for Sunday School where they can further learn about the One True God.