Philip lives in the south 'tail' of Thailand and is not affected by the floods in the metropolis of Bangkok.
However, Bangkok is the main frame and central point of the whole country and thus logistically it is starting to affect the whole country. In Ranong there is already a shortage on petrol becaue the main harbour in Bangkok is not receiving and/or distributing petrol due to the floods.
PLEASE PRAY for our co-missionary family, Deon & Corne Scholts, who had to flee their home in Bangkok 2 days ago and leave everything under water.... Please lift up the whole of the Thai nation in their time of need in Jesus name!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Nuusbrief Augustus 2554 Newsletter
Aaaa! Die maand is ek weer op tyd en dit is dan my voorreg om aan julle almal mee te deel, dat dit al die einde van die agtste maand van die jaar is! Ek hoop dit gaan baie goed met julle almal en dat julle waarlik in die liefde en vrede van ons Here lewe! So die maand was ons besig met 'n groot groep van Maleisie, garnale vang, drie Moken seuns het kom kuier in Ranong en die groot moegheid.
Soos julle weet kom daar so van tyd tot tyd groepe vir 'n sending besoek aan die Moken. So die keer was hier 'n groot groep van 25 wat ons kom besoek het en was dit vir jou 'n gedoente! Net die vervoer alleen was 'n ding, maar met die tyd het ons dit ook uitsorteer. Die groep het al drie eilande besoek en het 'n mediese span aan boord gehad. Op al die eilande is die Moken die geleentheid gebied om die dokter te kom besoek en soos julle kan raai, is ek dan ingespan om van die interpretasie werk te doen. Dit was lekker, maar ek moet sê dat dit nie altyd baie aangenaam is om te sien hoe vreemde mense met die Moken omgaan nie. Daar word nie baie kultureel korrek teenoor hulle opgetree nie en daar was 'n groot gaping om die groep bewus te maak wat die Here se hart is vir die Moken. Ek moes telkens die kinders gerusstel dat die mense eintlik hier is om te kom help. Dit het soms vir my gevoel of dit skade aan my verhouding met die kinders bring as die mense oorboord gaan met die verbreking van kruis kulturele reëls. Op die einde is die groep hier weg en is die kinders gelukkig met al die goed wat hulle gekry het.
Deur dit alles was ons weer 'n paar keer saam met die Moken uit om garnale te gaan vang! Dit is altyd groot pret en ek begin al hoe beter regkom om al die visse en goggas uit die net uit te haal. Jeremy, die ou wat hier by ons is vir 'n paar maande, was so see-siek dat ek gesê het hy moet eerder nie weer sy voete op een van die kanbangs (boot) sit nie. Maar ek en ou Jonathan kom al goed reg. Dit is ook natuurlik groot pret vir die Moken om ons so saam met hulle te vat op die see. Hulle is nog net so geduldig soos altyd om ons te leer. Deur dit kan ek sien hoe hulle ons meer en meer begin vertrou. Van die mans het self gesê hulle dink dit is nou tyd dat ons ons eie kabang moet kry. Hulle sal ons leer en wys hoe om alles soos hulle te doen. Na so 'n dag op die see saam met hulle is daar ook baie om oor te praat en dan is daar groot pret in hulle vertelling in wat hulle alles saam met ons ervaar het.
Dan het die groot moegheid my beet gekry. Ek het die laaste paar maande 'n groot moegheid oor my wat ek net nie gebreek kan kry nie. Dit bring jou dan tot selfondersoek en dit wat ek gevind het is so 'n bietjie kommerwekkend. Die druk is net te veel en sal verlig moet word as ek dit hier wil oorleef. In kort is die verwagtinge wat by die Moken geskep is oor ons doen en late daar op die eiland, net te groot vir my om te dra. Verwagtinge soos onderrig van die kinders, landbou ontwikkeling, mediese verligting en geestelike ontwikkeling is net te veel vir een om te dra. Die probleem is dat as daar so baie is om te doen, dat jy alles doen, maar nie werklik iets gedoen kry nie. Dan vind jy ook dat die verwagtinge nie waarlik bydra tot die grondlegging van jou roeping om deel te word van die kultuur nie. Dan probeer jy nog ander dinge ook doen, soos om by die harte van die Moken uit te kom (hul waarlike lewens- en wêreldbeskouing). Ek is mos die enigste een wat Thai kan praat wat beteken ek moet al die kommunikasie en vertaling doen. Daar is verder druk op my tyd om Moken taal te leer sodat ek kan verhoudings bou om waarlik deel te word van hul gemeenskap. En dan nog die buite druk van die besoekende groepe se logistieke - voor jy jou oe uitvee sit jy in die gemors van 'n moegheid waarvan jy nie ontslae kan raak nie en loop jy rond soos 'n leeu met 'n seer tand. Ek dink as dit nie vir die rusplekkie in Vader se arms waarvan ek vir julle geskryf het nie, het ek dit al lankal verloor. Alles gaan op die einde net oor Een. Dink asb. in julle gebede aan my.
Duisend dankies vir al julle liefde en getroue ondersteuning. Ek glo dat ons nog 'n wonderlike tyd saam hier onder die Moken gaan hê. Weet net sonder julle is alles wat hier gebeur nie moontlik nie!
As you know by now, there are groups that come on mission visits to the Moken from time to time. This time the Malaysian group was 25 strong and what a run around it was! Making travelling arrangements alone was a challenge – but with time that was also sorted out. The group paid a visit to the 3 islands, among them being a medical core. Therefore, when visiting each island, the Moken were given an opportunity to come and see the doctor and yes you have guessed right, I was then used to do some of the interpretation. At times we had fun, however it was not pleasant to witness how strangers treat the Moken with distain. Their cultural values are easily disregarded and there was a huge gap in the visitor’s understanding of God’s heart for the Moken. I found myself reassuring, especially the children repeatedly that the visitors were in fact there to help them. If felt that my relationship with the children were suffering because the visitors were breaking so many cross cultural rules. Luckily the group eventually left and the children were happy with the goodies they received.
During all of this, we had been out catching prawns with the Moken! It is always very enjoyable and I am managing to sort fish and other sea creature out from the nets successfully now. Jeremy, one of the guys visiting us for a couple of months, got so very sea sick that I told him to rather stay off the kabang (boat), whereas Jonathan and I are getting the hang of it quite nicely. It is also very enjoyable for the Moken to take us with them out to sea. They are still very patient teaching us, and through this process there is trust being built between us. Some of the men are even saying that they think it is time we get our own kabang and they are committed to show us how to do everything as they do. After a day at sea with them, they have a lot to talk about and there is normally excitement all round about what happened as they relate it to the others.
As things happened, we decided to invite three of the Moken boys to come and visit us in Ranong. After the parents gave their permission, we departed with the three of them to our home town. It became a bit of a commotion as they all of a sudden had to learn how to behave in town. They thought it was a big joke that they had to use the toilet every time they wanted to wee-wee. We took them to Tesco Lotus where they could each choose their own shirt and shorts. Afterwards we took them for a KFC meal, a real treat! Five o’ clock the next morning they woke me – they wanted to know why the sun takes so long to rise in Ranong! We went all over: to the waterfalls and hot water spring, the play park and the market. In the end the three of them had to go back to the island again. Every now and again they want to know from me when they will be visiting me again. One of the boys is called ‘Moogoo’ and he especially enjoyed the outing. We suspect he has a heart problem and needs to go for a consultation but his mother is from Myanmar so there is no financial help for them here in Thailand.
And then there is a great tiredness that got hold of me. In the last couple of months there is a big tiredness that has settled over me and that I am not able to shake off. I had to do some soul searching and what I discovered was quite distressing. The increased and sustained pressure on me is too much and if I am going to survive here, it has to release. Simply put, there is an expectation created in the Moken about my service on the island that is too big for me to carry. The expectation of educating the children, agricultural development, medical relief work as well as spiritual development is simply too much for one person to sustain. The problem is that there is so much to do that I land up doing it all but then I don’t seem to get anything done. The above expectations do not fit in with the ground work of my calling, to first learn the culture so that I can authentically access the hearts of the Moken people (or true worldview). I am the only one who can speak Thai and I am called on to translate in order to facilitate communication. This puts more pressure on my time to learn the Moken language and thus build relationships with them and become part of their community. Add to that the visiting groups and their logistical demands and before you know it, you are caught up in a mess of a big tiredness which I am not able to escape from. I think if it was not for that special revelation I had with Father of which I wrote about, I would have lost it long time ago. In the end it is all about the One. Please remember me in your prayers.
A thousand thank you’s for all your love and faithful support. I believe that we are still going to have a wonderful time here among the Moken. Just remember that without you nothing that is happening here is possible!
Soos julle weet kom daar so van tyd tot tyd groepe vir 'n sending besoek aan die Moken. So die keer was hier 'n groot groep van 25 wat ons kom besoek het en was dit vir jou 'n gedoente! Net die vervoer alleen was 'n ding, maar met die tyd het ons dit ook uitsorteer. Die groep het al drie eilande besoek en het 'n mediese span aan boord gehad. Op al die eilande is die Moken die geleentheid gebied om die dokter te kom besoek en soos julle kan raai, is ek dan ingespan om van die interpretasie werk te doen. Dit was lekker, maar ek moet sê dat dit nie altyd baie aangenaam is om te sien hoe vreemde mense met die Moken omgaan nie. Daar word nie baie kultureel korrek teenoor hulle opgetree nie en daar was 'n groot gaping om die groep bewus te maak wat die Here se hart is vir die Moken. Ek moes telkens die kinders gerusstel dat die mense eintlik hier is om te kom help. Dit het soms vir my gevoel of dit skade aan my verhouding met die kinders bring as die mense oorboord gaan met die verbreking van kruis kulturele reëls. Op die einde is die groep hier weg en is die kinders gelukkig met al die goed wat hulle gekry het.
Deur dit alles was ons weer 'n paar keer saam met die Moken uit om garnale te gaan vang! Dit is altyd groot pret en ek begin al hoe beter regkom om al die visse en goggas uit die net uit te haal. Jeremy, die ou wat hier by ons is vir 'n paar maande, was so see-siek dat ek gesê het hy moet eerder nie weer sy voete op een van die kanbangs (boot) sit nie. Maar ek en ou Jonathan kom al goed reg. Dit is ook natuurlik groot pret vir die Moken om ons so saam met hulle te vat op die see. Hulle is nog net so geduldig soos altyd om ons te leer. Deur dit kan ek sien hoe hulle ons meer en meer begin vertrou. Van die mans het self gesê hulle dink dit is nou tyd dat ons ons eie kabang moet kry. Hulle sal ons leer en wys hoe om alles soos hulle te doen. Na so 'n dag op die see saam met hulle is daar ook baie om oor te praat en dan is daar groot pret in hulle vertelling in wat hulle alles saam met ons ervaar het.
Met al die dinge het ons besluit om drie van die seuns uit te nooi om vir ons hier in Ranong te kom kuier. Na al die ouers toestemming gegee het is ons daar weg en het die drie kinders hier aangekom. Nou is dit nogal 'n gedoente, want hulle moet nou skielik leer om hulself hier in die dorp te gedra. Dit was vir hulle 'n groot grap dat hulle skielik nou toilet toe moet gaan om te piepie. Ons het hulle na Tesco Lotus toe gevat en daar kon hulle elk 'n hemp en broek vir hulself kies. Daarna het ons lekker by KFC gaan eet. Vyf uur die volgende oggend het hulle my wakker gemaak en gevra hoekom dit so lank vat vir die son om hier in Ranong op te kom. Ons was oral rond: by die waterval en warm-waterbron, by die parkie en by die mark. Einde ten laaste is die drie terug eiland toe. Hulle vra my kort-kort wanneer hulle weer kan kom kuier. Een van die drie seuns se naam is 'Moogoo' en het hy dit nou geniet. Die kind, dink ons, het 'n hart probleem en moet vir 'n ondersoek gaan, maar sy ma is van Myanmar so daar is geen finansiële hulp vir hulle hier in Thailand nie.
Dan het die groot moegheid my beet gekry. Ek het die laaste paar maande 'n groot moegheid oor my wat ek net nie gebreek kan kry nie. Dit bring jou dan tot selfondersoek en dit wat ek gevind het is so 'n bietjie kommerwekkend. Die druk is net te veel en sal verlig moet word as ek dit hier wil oorleef. In kort is die verwagtinge wat by die Moken geskep is oor ons doen en late daar op die eiland, net te groot vir my om te dra. Verwagtinge soos onderrig van die kinders, landbou ontwikkeling, mediese verligting en geestelike ontwikkeling is net te veel vir een om te dra. Die probleem is dat as daar so baie is om te doen, dat jy alles doen, maar nie werklik iets gedoen kry nie. Dan vind jy ook dat die verwagtinge nie waarlik bydra tot die grondlegging van jou roeping om deel te word van die kultuur nie. Dan probeer jy nog ander dinge ook doen, soos om by die harte van die Moken uit te kom (hul waarlike lewens- en wêreldbeskouing). Ek is mos die enigste een wat Thai kan praat wat beteken ek moet al die kommunikasie en vertaling doen. Daar is verder druk op my tyd om Moken taal te leer sodat ek kan verhoudings bou om waarlik deel te word van hul gemeenskap. En dan nog die buite druk van die besoekende groepe se logistieke - voor jy jou oe uitvee sit jy in die gemors van 'n moegheid waarvan jy nie ontslae kan raak nie en loop jy rond soos 'n leeu met 'n seer tand. Ek dink as dit nie vir die rusplekkie in Vader se arms waarvan ek vir julle geskryf het nie, het ek dit al lankal verloor. Alles gaan op die einde net oor Een. Dink asb. in julle gebede aan my.
Duisend dankies vir al julle liefde en getroue ondersteuning. Ek glo dat ons nog 'n wonderlike tyd saam hier onder die Moken gaan hê. Weet net sonder julle is alles wat hier gebeur nie moontlik nie!
In Pappa,
Philip อํานาจ
Philip อํานาจ
In die kabang
With the boys at the market in Ranong
Yep! This month I am on time again and it is my privilege to let you know that it is the end of the eighth month of the year! I hope you are very well and that you are truly living in the love and peace of our Lord. This last month we were kept busy with a large group from Malaysia, we were catching prawns, three Moken boys came to visit in Ranong and the great tiredness.
As you know by now, there are groups that come on mission visits to the Moken from time to time. This time the Malaysian group was 25 strong and what a run around it was! Making travelling arrangements alone was a challenge – but with time that was also sorted out. The group paid a visit to the 3 islands, among them being a medical core. Therefore, when visiting each island, the Moken were given an opportunity to come and see the doctor and yes you have guessed right, I was then used to do some of the interpretation. At times we had fun, however it was not pleasant to witness how strangers treat the Moken with distain. Their cultural values are easily disregarded and there was a huge gap in the visitor’s understanding of God’s heart for the Moken. I found myself reassuring, especially the children repeatedly that the visitors were in fact there to help them. If felt that my relationship with the children were suffering because the visitors were breaking so many cross cultural rules. Luckily the group eventually left and the children were happy with the goodies they received.
During all of this, we had been out catching prawns with the Moken! It is always very enjoyable and I am managing to sort fish and other sea creature out from the nets successfully now. Jeremy, one of the guys visiting us for a couple of months, got so very sea sick that I told him to rather stay off the kabang (boat), whereas Jonathan and I are getting the hang of it quite nicely. It is also very enjoyable for the Moken to take us with them out to sea. They are still very patient teaching us, and through this process there is trust being built between us. Some of the men are even saying that they think it is time we get our own kabang and they are committed to show us how to do everything as they do. After a day at sea with them, they have a lot to talk about and there is normally excitement all round about what happened as they relate it to the others.
As things happened, we decided to invite three of the Moken boys to come and visit us in Ranong. After the parents gave their permission, we departed with the three of them to our home town. It became a bit of a commotion as they all of a sudden had to learn how to behave in town. They thought it was a big joke that they had to use the toilet every time they wanted to wee-wee. We took them to Tesco Lotus where they could each choose their own shirt and shorts. Afterwards we took them for a KFC meal, a real treat! Five o’ clock the next morning they woke me – they wanted to know why the sun takes so long to rise in Ranong! We went all over: to the waterfalls and hot water spring, the play park and the market. In the end the three of them had to go back to the island again. Every now and again they want to know from me when they will be visiting me again. One of the boys is called ‘Moogoo’ and he especially enjoyed the outing. We suspect he has a heart problem and needs to go for a consultation but his mother is from Myanmar so there is no financial help for them here in Thailand.
And then there is a great tiredness that got hold of me. In the last couple of months there is a big tiredness that has settled over me and that I am not able to shake off. I had to do some soul searching and what I discovered was quite distressing. The increased and sustained pressure on me is too much and if I am going to survive here, it has to release. Simply put, there is an expectation created in the Moken about my service on the island that is too big for me to carry. The expectation of educating the children, agricultural development, medical relief work as well as spiritual development is simply too much for one person to sustain. The problem is that there is so much to do that I land up doing it all but then I don’t seem to get anything done. The above expectations do not fit in with the ground work of my calling, to first learn the culture so that I can authentically access the hearts of the Moken people (or true worldview). I am the only one who can speak Thai and I am called on to translate in order to facilitate communication. This puts more pressure on my time to learn the Moken language and thus build relationships with them and become part of their community. Add to that the visiting groups and their logistical demands and before you know it, you are caught up in a mess of a big tiredness which I am not able to escape from. I think if it was not for that special revelation I had with Father of which I wrote about, I would have lost it long time ago. In the end it is all about the One. Please remember me in your prayers.
A thousand thank you’s for all your love and faithful support. I believe that we are still going to have a wonderful time here among the Moken. Just remember that without you nothing that is happening here is possible!
In Pappa,
Philip อํานาจ
Philip อํานาจ
Monday, August 15, 2011
Nuusbrief Julie / July Newsletter
Ja glo dit of nie maar die maand is ek op tyd met my nuusbrief! Ek groet julle almal die maand in die Naam bo elke naam 'Jesus, Yeshua, Josua, Isai, Jesu'. Mag julle waarlik in Sy liefde en vrede lewe. Hierdie was weereens 'n wonderlike maand waarin ons die moeson (monsoon) belewe, wonderlike tyd wat ons op die eiland spandeer en meer uitgevind het hoe die Moken ons rêrig sien.
So ja, dit is 'monsoon' tyd hier in Ranong en is dit nogal 'n belewenis! Dit reën elke dag, al is dit soms net 'n paar druppels. Maar reën, reën dit! Die wind waai en die see lyk vir die eerste keer soos die see, met golwe en alles. Soms is die golwe so groot dat die ferry daarteen sukkel en daar 'n paar mense seesiek word. En ja, ek is in my element as die see so rof is! Maar dit is nie al nie, alles hier begin 'wolle' groei! Ek bedoel soos in alles! Daar is nie 'n ding wat nie sulke wollerig grys-wit goed groei nie. Kyk my boekrak, tasse, klere en wat nogal groei die goed. In die begin maak jy elke dag skoon, maar jy gee later moed op en doen dit dan net so een keer 'n week. Die voordeel is dat dit heerlik koel is die tyd van die jaar en ons reën soms meer as twee keer 'n dag sop nat. Daarom drae ons nou ook sulke prettige waterdigte sakkies saam met ons. Dit is nou net om die nodigste goed darm droog te hou! Net toe ek dink ek begin Thailand ken, verras dit my met die 'monsoon' tyd hier in Ranong.
Die reën hou ons egter nie weg van die eiland af nie en die tyd wat ons daar spandeer is wonderlik. Daar is nie 'n week wat verby gaan waarin ons nie meer van die Moken leer nie. Dit is waarlik 'n wonderlike unieke nasie! Hulle gaan met elke springgety uit om garnale te vang. Ons het die geleentheid gehad om saam met hulle te gaan en was dit lekker. Dit is nogal harde werk, die garnale vang, en die vergoeding van die dag kan soms maar skraal wees. Dan word die see goggas ook nog vir 'n skrale R50/kg verkoop. Dit is nou vir die koningin grote garnale.
Hulle lewe op hul kabang (bote) wat 'n klein koolstoofie aan boord het. Daarop word rys gekook asook vis en seekos gerooster. Dan word die kos sommer so met die hand geëet - dit is wonderlik lekker! Ons sien ook hoe die grootmense met hulle kinders interaksie het. En so nou en dan word ons ook by die gesprek ingesluit as hulle met ons Thai praat. Anders is ons maar net daar. Hulle is baie geduldig as hulle ons leer hoe om met die nette te werk en gee nie om, om 'n ding oor en oor te wys nie. Hulle is baie rustige klomp en hulle lewe baie naby aan mekaar. Uuum, fisies ook!
Dan as jy weer op land kom wys hulle jou waar hulle bly, want daar is nie genoeg plek op die bote vir almal nie. Dit was waarlik iets besonder! Dit is amper of hulle 'n plekkie het waar hulle van al die bedrywighede van die Moken dorpie kan ontsnap. Aan die begin was dit baie ongemaklik en ek het die gevoel gekry dat ons nie welkom daar is nie. Maar na die aand se slaap daar, kon 'n mens sien hoe hulle begin ontspan. Daar sal egter nog baie water in die see moet loop voor ons waarlik daar gaan deel wees!
Dit bring ons uit by dit wat ek hoor die Moken van ons sê en hoe hulle ons op die stadium sien. Gewoonlik as een van hulle so 'n bietjie diep in die bottel gekyk het, is hulle braaf genoeg om so 'n bietjie met ons te kom praat. Dan vis 'n mens ook so 'n bietjie, om uit te vind wat die Moken van ons dink. So op die stadium weet die Moken nie waarom ons daar is nie en is dit ook die vraag aan ons. Ons probeer die antwoord nog so 'n bietjie uitstel soos ons die dinge in die kerk-span en met Peter van STAM probeer uitsorteer.
Dan hoor ons ook dat die Moken baie bly is dat ons so mooi na die kinders kyk. Die een man se woorde was 'Julle het hulle lief met die liefde van God. Julle gee waarlik vir hulle om en dit is vir ons lekker om ons kinders so te sien verander!' Wat dit presies is wat die man bedoel, weet ek nie. Nog 'n ander een sê dat ons die kinders op die regte manier leer en hulle toelaat om waarlik kind te wees. Nog 'n ander een sê dat hulle voel veilig om hulle kinders by ons te los. So die terugvoer lyk goed, al weet hulle nog nie waarom ons daar is nie.
Die anderdag praat ek met een van die moeders van een van die seuns. Ek moes haar herhaaldelik reghelp, want sy noem my god. Sy het gesê dat haar seun enige tyd by my kan bly, want ek is mos god. Ek het later moed op gegee om haar reg te help, want sy hoor my nie! Dit is snaaks maar die siening skep baie probleme ook, want dit maak mense baie bang vir jou en plaas jou op 'n plek waar jy mense baie teleur gaan stel. Veral die tieners wil nie eers na my kyk nie en is te bang om met my te praat. Maar daar is niks wat 'n bietjie tyd en baie verhouding nie kan reg maak nie.
Soos julle kan sien gaan dit nog baie goed hier en dat Vader waarlik besig is om ons en die Moken meer van Hom te leer. Duisend dankies vir julle liefde en volgehoue ondersteuning. Dit is vir my 'n voorreg om die pad saam met julle te stap! Liefde en vrede vir julle.
In Pappa, Philip อํานาจ
Believe it or not, this month I am on time with my newsletter! I greet you all in the Name above every other name, that of Jesus, Yeshua, Josua, Isai, Jesu. May you truly live in His love and peace. This last month, was once again wonderful as we experience the monsoon, we again spent wonderful time on the island and found out how the Moken really see us.
So then, it is monsoon time here in Ranong and it is quite an experience! It rains everyday even though it could be just a few drops. But when it rains, it pours! The wind blows and the sea looks for the first time like the sea, I mean with waves and all. At times the waves are so big that the ferry struggles against it and some people actually get sea sick. I of course feel right at home when the sea is that rough! But that is not all, everything here starts to grow fur – and I really mean everything! There is nothing that is not growing a grey-white sort of wooliness. My bookshelf, suitcases, clothes and what ever, is growing this stuff. In the beginning I cleaned every day, but soon realised and then threw in the towel. Now I clean once a week. The benefit of the weather is that it is refreshigly cool this time of the year and sometimes we get drenched more than twice a day. That is why we carry these cute little water resistant bags everywhere with us just to keep the essentials dry. Just when I though I kind of know Thailand, it surprised me with the monsoon here in Ranong.
Thankfully the rain is not keeping us from going to the island and the time we spend there still is wonderful. There is not a week that goes by that we do not learn something else about the Moken. They are truly a wonderful and unique nation! With every spring tide they go out to catch prawns. We had the opportunity to go with them and it was so enjoyable. It is rather hard work catching shrimp and sometimes the reward for the day is very slim. Often these sea crawlies are sold for a mere R50 per kilo – that is for queen size.
They live on their kabang (boats) which have a small coal stove on board. They use it to cook rice on as well as roast fish and other seafood. They then eat this smorgasbord with their hands – simply delicious! We see how the grownups interact with their children and now and again we are included in the conversation when they choose to speak Thai to us. Otherwise we are just there. They are very patient when they are showing us how to work with the nets and don’t mind to show us the same thing over and over. They are a very peaceful group and live very close to each other, um physically too!
When we were on the island again, they took and showed us where they live because there is not always enough space for everyone on the kabang. That was truly special! It is as if they have a little private spot where they go to get away from the busyness of the Moken village. In the beginning it was uncomfortable because I felt as if we were not welcome. But after sleeping there for the night, we could see how they started to relax. However, a lot of water has to run into the ocean before we would truly fit in.
This brings us to what I heard the Moken say about us and how they see us at this stage. Normally when one of them had a few too many toots, they are brave enough to come and talk to us a little. This is a good opportunity for us to fish for their thoughts on us. At this stage the Moken don’t know why we are on their island but they are interested to know. We are trying to extend the true answer a little longer until we can try and sort out things with the church teams and Peter from STAMP.
They also tell us that they are very happy that we are looking so well after their children! The one man’s words were ‘you love them with the love of God’. You truly care for them and we like to see how the children are changing. What exactly the man meant I don’t actually know. Another said that we are teaching the children the right way and are allowing them to be children. Yet another said that they felt it safe to leave the children with us. All in all the feedback sounds positive, even though they still don’t know why we are there.
The other day I spoke to the mother of one of the boys. I had to repeatedly correct her as she was calling me god. She said her son can stay with me anytime because I am god. Later on I gave up on correcting her because she was not hearing me! Actually this viewpoint is creating more problems because the people fear the gods and therefore us. We are thus set up to disappointment them a lot. Especially the teenagers, some of them don’t even want to look at me and are too scared to talk to me! But there is very little that a bit of time and a lot of relationship can’t fix.
As you can hear it is going very well here and our Father is truly teaching the Moken and us more about Him. A thousand thank you’s for your love and persistent support. It is a privilege to walk this road with you!
So ja, dit is 'monsoon' tyd hier in Ranong en is dit nogal 'n belewenis! Dit reën elke dag, al is dit soms net 'n paar druppels. Maar reën, reën dit! Die wind waai en die see lyk vir die eerste keer soos die see, met golwe en alles. Soms is die golwe so groot dat die ferry daarteen sukkel en daar 'n paar mense seesiek word. En ja, ek is in my element as die see so rof is! Maar dit is nie al nie, alles hier begin 'wolle' groei! Ek bedoel soos in alles! Daar is nie 'n ding wat nie sulke wollerig grys-wit goed groei nie. Kyk my boekrak, tasse, klere en wat nogal groei die goed. In die begin maak jy elke dag skoon, maar jy gee later moed op en doen dit dan net so een keer 'n week. Die voordeel is dat dit heerlik koel is die tyd van die jaar en ons reën soms meer as twee keer 'n dag sop nat. Daarom drae ons nou ook sulke prettige waterdigte sakkies saam met ons. Dit is nou net om die nodigste goed darm droog te hou! Net toe ek dink ek begin Thailand ken, verras dit my met die 'monsoon' tyd hier in Ranong.
Die reën hou ons egter nie weg van die eiland af nie en die tyd wat ons daar spandeer is wonderlik. Daar is nie 'n week wat verby gaan waarin ons nie meer van die Moken leer nie. Dit is waarlik 'n wonderlike unieke nasie! Hulle gaan met elke springgety uit om garnale te vang. Ons het die geleentheid gehad om saam met hulle te gaan en was dit lekker. Dit is nogal harde werk, die garnale vang, en die vergoeding van die dag kan soms maar skraal wees. Dan word die see goggas ook nog vir 'n skrale R50/kg verkoop. Dit is nou vir die koningin grote garnale.
Hulle lewe op hul kabang (bote) wat 'n klein koolstoofie aan boord het. Daarop word rys gekook asook vis en seekos gerooster. Dan word die kos sommer so met die hand geëet - dit is wonderlik lekker! Ons sien ook hoe die grootmense met hulle kinders interaksie het. En so nou en dan word ons ook by die gesprek ingesluit as hulle met ons Thai praat. Anders is ons maar net daar. Hulle is baie geduldig as hulle ons leer hoe om met die nette te werk en gee nie om, om 'n ding oor en oor te wys nie. Hulle is baie rustige klomp en hulle lewe baie naby aan mekaar. Uuum, fisies ook!
Dan as jy weer op land kom wys hulle jou waar hulle bly, want daar is nie genoeg plek op die bote vir almal nie. Dit was waarlik iets besonder! Dit is amper of hulle 'n plekkie het waar hulle van al die bedrywighede van die Moken dorpie kan ontsnap. Aan die begin was dit baie ongemaklik en ek het die gevoel gekry dat ons nie welkom daar is nie. Maar na die aand se slaap daar, kon 'n mens sien hoe hulle begin ontspan. Daar sal egter nog baie water in die see moet loop voor ons waarlik daar gaan deel wees!
Dit bring ons uit by dit wat ek hoor die Moken van ons sê en hoe hulle ons op die stadium sien. Gewoonlik as een van hulle so 'n bietjie diep in die bottel gekyk het, is hulle braaf genoeg om so 'n bietjie met ons te kom praat. Dan vis 'n mens ook so 'n bietjie, om uit te vind wat die Moken van ons dink. So op die stadium weet die Moken nie waarom ons daar is nie en is dit ook die vraag aan ons. Ons probeer die antwoord nog so 'n bietjie uitstel soos ons die dinge in die kerk-span en met Peter van STAM probeer uitsorteer.
Dan hoor ons ook dat die Moken baie bly is dat ons so mooi na die kinders kyk. Die een man se woorde was 'Julle het hulle lief met die liefde van God. Julle gee waarlik vir hulle om en dit is vir ons lekker om ons kinders so te sien verander!' Wat dit presies is wat die man bedoel, weet ek nie. Nog 'n ander een sê dat ons die kinders op die regte manier leer en hulle toelaat om waarlik kind te wees. Nog 'n ander een sê dat hulle voel veilig om hulle kinders by ons te los. So die terugvoer lyk goed, al weet hulle nog nie waarom ons daar is nie.
Die anderdag praat ek met een van die moeders van een van die seuns. Ek moes haar herhaaldelik reghelp, want sy noem my god. Sy het gesê dat haar seun enige tyd by my kan bly, want ek is mos god. Ek het later moed op gegee om haar reg te help, want sy hoor my nie! Dit is snaaks maar die siening skep baie probleme ook, want dit maak mense baie bang vir jou en plaas jou op 'n plek waar jy mense baie teleur gaan stel. Veral die tieners wil nie eers na my kyk nie en is te bang om met my te praat. Maar daar is niks wat 'n bietjie tyd en baie verhouding nie kan reg maak nie.
Soos julle kan sien gaan dit nog baie goed hier en dat Vader waarlik besig is om ons en die Moken meer van Hom te leer. Duisend dankies vir julle liefde en volgehoue ondersteuning. Dit is vir my 'n voorreg om die pad saam met julle te stap! Liefde en vrede vir julle.
In Pappa, Philip อํานาจ
Die wollerige hare wat oral groei / the monsoon causes hair to grow everywhere
My prettige water digte handsakkie / my quite water proof handbag
So then, it is monsoon time here in Ranong and it is quite an experience! It rains everyday even though it could be just a few drops. But when it rains, it pours! The wind blows and the sea looks for the first time like the sea, I mean with waves and all. At times the waves are so big that the ferry struggles against it and some people actually get sea sick. I of course feel right at home when the sea is that rough! But that is not all, everything here starts to grow fur – and I really mean everything! There is nothing that is not growing a grey-white sort of wooliness. My bookshelf, suitcases, clothes and what ever, is growing this stuff. In the beginning I cleaned every day, but soon realised and then threw in the towel. Now I clean once a week. The benefit of the weather is that it is refreshigly cool this time of the year and sometimes we get drenched more than twice a day. That is why we carry these cute little water resistant bags everywhere with us just to keep the essentials dry. Just when I though I kind of know Thailand, it surprised me with the monsoon here in Ranong.
Thankfully the rain is not keeping us from going to the island and the time we spend there still is wonderful. There is not a week that goes by that we do not learn something else about the Moken. They are truly a wonderful and unique nation! With every spring tide they go out to catch prawns. We had the opportunity to go with them and it was so enjoyable. It is rather hard work catching shrimp and sometimes the reward for the day is very slim. Often these sea crawlies are sold for a mere R50 per kilo – that is for queen size.
They live on their kabang (boats) which have a small coal stove on board. They use it to cook rice on as well as roast fish and other seafood. They then eat this smorgasbord with their hands – simply delicious! We see how the grownups interact with their children and now and again we are included in the conversation when they choose to speak Thai to us. Otherwise we are just there. They are very patient when they are showing us how to work with the nets and don’t mind to show us the same thing over and over. They are a very peaceful group and live very close to each other, um physically too!
When we were on the island again, they took and showed us where they live because there is not always enough space for everyone on the kabang. That was truly special! It is as if they have a little private spot where they go to get away from the busyness of the Moken village. In the beginning it was uncomfortable because I felt as if we were not welcome. But after sleeping there for the night, we could see how they started to relax. However, a lot of water has to run into the ocean before we would truly fit in.
This brings us to what I heard the Moken say about us and how they see us at this stage. Normally when one of them had a few too many toots, they are brave enough to come and talk to us a little. This is a good opportunity for us to fish for their thoughts on us. At this stage the Moken don’t know why we are on their island but they are interested to know. We are trying to extend the true answer a little longer until we can try and sort out things with the church teams and Peter from STAMP.
They also tell us that they are very happy that we are looking so well after their children! The one man’s words were ‘you love them with the love of God’. You truly care for them and we like to see how the children are changing. What exactly the man meant I don’t actually know. Another said that we are teaching the children the right way and are allowing them to be children. Yet another said that they felt it safe to leave the children with us. All in all the feedback sounds positive, even though they still don’t know why we are there.
The other day I spoke to the mother of one of the boys. I had to repeatedly correct her as she was calling me god. She said her son can stay with me anytime because I am god. Later on I gave up on correcting her because she was not hearing me! Actually this viewpoint is creating more problems because the people fear the gods and therefore us. We are thus set up to disappointment them a lot. Especially the teenagers, some of them don’t even want to look at me and are too scared to talk to me! But there is very little that a bit of time and a lot of relationship can’t fix.
As you can hear it is going very well here and our Father is truly teaching the Moken and us more about Him. A thousand thank you’s for your love and persistent support. It is a privilege to walk this road with you!
Love and peace to you, In Pappa, Philip อํานาจ
Nuusbrief Junie/June Newsletter
Ja, ja ek is weer laat en vrae innig verskoning daarvoor! Ek het maar net so 'n bietjie verlore geraak in dit wat hier gebeur en toe ek weer sien, nou ja! Ek dink darem julle verstaan. Ek het goeie terugvoer van julle gekry oor die droom, dan het ek soos gewoonlik baie geleer, iets wonderliks het met my gebeur in Maleisie, en dan gaan dit baie goed op die eiland.
Ek wil dan net baie dankie sê aan almal van julle wat vir my terugvoer gegee het oor die droom. Ek wil in besonders vir Peter Tan bedank wat my baie gehelp het met die verstaan daarvan en ook riglyne gegee het hoe om nou vorentoe te gaan. Dit is duidelik dat ons Vader iets van die geestelike omstandighede daar op die eiland aan ons bekend gemaak het en ook Sy plan van hoe Hy dit graag wil oorkom. Nogmaals baie dankie aan julle almal.
Soos julle weet hou 'n mense nooit op met leer nie. Net as ek begin dink ek begin verstaan waaroor dit nou eintlik gaan, dan kom die Here en gooi Hy 'n stok in my wiele en elke keer slaat ek met 'n groot gejuig neer. Om dan maar net weer op te staan en 'n aanpassing te maak in die nuwe openbaring wat Hy aan my gegee het. Ek het in vorige briewe redelik sterk teen ons manier van lewe uit gevaar en ek was baie teleurgesteld in myself en in dit wat ek geglo het dit alles oor gaan. So bly die Here ons prentjie in ons kop vorm waaroor dit nou eintlik gaan en waarmee Hy besig is.
Met dit in gedagte wil ek graag aan julle mee deel hoe die Here weereens verlede maand, dit is nou Junie, weer so 'n stok in my wiele gegooi het. Kyk, my verstaan van God die Vader was, Hy is Almagtig, Skepper van hemel en aarde, Regverdig, Geregtig, Volmaak, Hy is Vader van alles, Groot, Onbeskryflik, ens. Ek dink julle kry die prentjie. Nou hoe dink julle nader so 'n Almagtige wese jou, om met jou te kom praat? Wel ek het gedink miskien soos deur 'n brandende bos, of uit 'n vuurkolom, of so iets. Om die waarheid te sê, ek het nie gedink Hy stel waarlik belang daarin om tot ons te nader nie. Hoe verkeerd kon ek nie gewees het nie!
Soos ek het aan julle mee gedeel het, was ek na die Vaderhart seminaar toe, terwyl ek in Maleisie was. Dit was daar waar ek iets ervaar het wat ek nie geweet het moontlik is nie, en my hele lewe onderstebo gekeer het. Daar word aan jou al die wonderlike stories vertel van wat die Vader in hulle lewens gedoen het. Hulle nooi jou uit om ook jou hart vir Vader oop te maak sodat Hy met jou kan praat. Nou met my agtergrond is ek maar redelik versigtig as dit by sulke goete kom, jy wil jouself nou nie staan en bloot stel aan die verkeerde goed nie. Maar tog het ek besluit om my hart vir Vader oop te maak, ek het geen behoefte aan voorgee nie en as dit die waarheid is, wel, wie is ek om dit teen te staan?
En wel, dit wat ek daar ervaar het was iets wat woorde nie waarlik kan beskryf nie. God Almagtige, Skepper van hemel en aarde, het na my toe gekom en met my gespeel soos 'n pa met sy kind speel.Woorde is daar nie om dit eers te begin probeer beskryf nie. Al wat ek weet as iemand dit nie self ervaar nie, daar geen manier is dat jy dit sal kan begryp nie. Dit kan nie uit geredeneer word of verklaar word nie, dit pas nie in my teologiese verstaan van wie God is nie en ek is nooit geleer dat Hy so 'n verhouding met ons begeer nie. Al wat ek weet is dit, hierdie Groot Onbeskryflike God, het my Pappa geword. En as ek na Hom gaan, gaan ek na Hom as my Pappa. In my lewe het ek nog nooit soveel liefde en genade en teerheid ervaar nie.
Nou verstaan ek wat Jesus bedoel toe Hy gesê het, “Ek is die Weg die Waarheid en die Lewe, niemand kon na Vader toe nie, behalwe deur My nie.” Ons Here Jesus is waarlik die Weg terug na Vader toe, al wat ons moet doen is om dit te glo. Die ergste van alles is, daar is menslik niks wat ons kan doen om dit te kry nie, dit is reeds daar vir ons wat glo! Sjoe julle, dit was en is onbeskryflik! As jy eers daardie onbeskryflike liefde ervaar het, is daar niks anders waarna jy verlang nie. Jy voel skoon verlief en daar is nie 'n oomblik wat jy nie aan Vader dink nie. Nee kyk, wie sou dit nou kan dink!
Nou met die nuut gevonde liefde, wat brand soos 'n onblusbare vuur in jou, verander jou uitkyk na alles om jou. Toe ek terug gegaan het eiland toe, was my gemoed vol, toe ek die Moken sien. Hulle is so eenvoudig, so presies wat Vader wel hê hulle moet wees. Jy wil hulle net druk en ook laat deel in die liefde van Vader. Dit brand in jou en as jy nie daar aan uiting gee nie, voel dit of jy gaan ontplof. Ja die Moken kan die nuwe liefde sien en hulle reaksie is baie positief tot die liefde van Vader wat uit my vloei. Wat 'n voorreg om so deel van Vader se liefde te wees.
Baie dankie vir al julle liefde, eposse en gebede. Weet net dat ons 'n span vorm om die Here hier te dien. Mag julle ook verlore raak in die liefde van ons Vader!
In Hom, Philip อํานาจ
Yes, yes, I am still behind with my newsletters and make humble apologies! I got a bit lost in what is happening here, and the next thing, yes well, I’m sure you understand. I received great feedback regarding my dream, in the meantime I have learnt a lot again, something special happened to me in Malaysia, and it is going very well on the island
I just want to thank all of you who gave me feedback about the dream I had. I would like to thank Peter Tan in particular who helped me a lot to understand it and who also gave me guidelines on how to continue from here on. It is clear that our Father revealed some of the spiritual circumstances on the island as well as His plan to overcome it. I thank you all once again.
As you yourselves know, we never cease to learn. Just as I thought I started to understand what it is all about, the Lord put a spanner in the works that sent me flying and then flattened me! All this so that I could get up again, make the necessary adjustments according to the revelation He gave me. In one of my previous letters I took a strong stance against the way we live and was very disappointed in myself as well as in what I perceived it was all about. The Lord continues to shape the picture in our heads about what He is busy with and what it is really all about.
With this in mind, I would like to share with you how the Lord went about putting that spanner in my works during June. My understanding about Lord God the Father is that He is Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, Just and Righteous, Perfect, Father of all, Great and Indescribable. I think you get the picture. How do you think such an Almighty Being approaches and then talks to you? Well, I thought maybe as a burning bush or out of a cloud of fire, or something similar. To tell you the truth, I didn’t think that He was really interested to draw closer to us. How wrong I was!
As I previously told you, I attended the Father’s Heart seminar when I was in Malaysia. It was there that I experienced something I didn’t think was possible that also turned my life upside down. During the seminar different testimonies are told about what our Father has done in people’s lives. Those attending are then also invited to open their hearts for our Father to speak to them personally. With my background I was rather hesitant when it got to things like this as I didn’t want to expose myself to the wrong kind of thing. Yet I decided to open my heart to our Father as I don’t care much for pretence. If this was the truth, who was I to withstand it?
And so I experienced something that words truly can’t describe. God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, came to me and played with me as a father would play with his child. There are no words to even try and describe it. All I know is that if somebody doesn’t experience it themselves, there is no way to comprehend it. It cannot be argued or explained, it does not fit in with my theology of who God is as I was never taught that our Father desires such a relationship with us. All I know is that this Big Indescribable God became my Daddy. And when I go to Him, I go as to my Pappa. In my life I have never experienced such love, mercy and tenderness.
Now I understand what Jesus meant when He said: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, nobody comes to the Father except through me.” Our Lord Jesus is truly the Way back to our Father, we just have to believe it. The worst is that there is nothing we can do to get it - it is already there for those who believe! Wow guys, it was and is indescribable! Once you have experienced that unbelievable love, there is nothing else you yearn for. You feel in love and there is not a moment you don’t think about our Father. Who would have ever thought!
Now with this new found love that is burning like a raging fire in me, my whole outlook has changed. When I returned to the island, my being was filled with His joy when I saw the Moken. They are so simplistic, so precise in what our Father wants them to be. I wanted to let them feel and share in what I received so badly. Yes, the Moken can see this new found love and their reaction is very positive toward the love of our Father that is flowing out of me. What a privilege to be part our Father’s love.
Thank you very much for your love, emails and prayers. Just know that we are partners in serving the Lord here. May you also be lost in the love of our Father!
In Him, Philip อํานาจ
Ek wil dan net baie dankie sê aan almal van julle wat vir my terugvoer gegee het oor die droom. Ek wil in besonders vir Peter Tan bedank wat my baie gehelp het met die verstaan daarvan en ook riglyne gegee het hoe om nou vorentoe te gaan. Dit is duidelik dat ons Vader iets van die geestelike omstandighede daar op die eiland aan ons bekend gemaak het en ook Sy plan van hoe Hy dit graag wil oorkom. Nogmaals baie dankie aan julle almal.
Soos julle weet hou 'n mense nooit op met leer nie. Net as ek begin dink ek begin verstaan waaroor dit nou eintlik gaan, dan kom die Here en gooi Hy 'n stok in my wiele en elke keer slaat ek met 'n groot gejuig neer. Om dan maar net weer op te staan en 'n aanpassing te maak in die nuwe openbaring wat Hy aan my gegee het. Ek het in vorige briewe redelik sterk teen ons manier van lewe uit gevaar en ek was baie teleurgesteld in myself en in dit wat ek geglo het dit alles oor gaan. So bly die Here ons prentjie in ons kop vorm waaroor dit nou eintlik gaan en waarmee Hy besig is.
Met dit in gedagte wil ek graag aan julle mee deel hoe die Here weereens verlede maand, dit is nou Junie, weer so 'n stok in my wiele gegooi het. Kyk, my verstaan van God die Vader was, Hy is Almagtig, Skepper van hemel en aarde, Regverdig, Geregtig, Volmaak, Hy is Vader van alles, Groot, Onbeskryflik, ens. Ek dink julle kry die prentjie. Nou hoe dink julle nader so 'n Almagtige wese jou, om met jou te kom praat? Wel ek het gedink miskien soos deur 'n brandende bos, of uit 'n vuurkolom, of so iets. Om die waarheid te sê, ek het nie gedink Hy stel waarlik belang daarin om tot ons te nader nie. Hoe verkeerd kon ek nie gewees het nie!
Soos ek het aan julle mee gedeel het, was ek na die Vaderhart seminaar toe, terwyl ek in Maleisie was. Dit was daar waar ek iets ervaar het wat ek nie geweet het moontlik is nie, en my hele lewe onderstebo gekeer het. Daar word aan jou al die wonderlike stories vertel van wat die Vader in hulle lewens gedoen het. Hulle nooi jou uit om ook jou hart vir Vader oop te maak sodat Hy met jou kan praat. Nou met my agtergrond is ek maar redelik versigtig as dit by sulke goete kom, jy wil jouself nou nie staan en bloot stel aan die verkeerde goed nie. Maar tog het ek besluit om my hart vir Vader oop te maak, ek het geen behoefte aan voorgee nie en as dit die waarheid is, wel, wie is ek om dit teen te staan?
En wel, dit wat ek daar ervaar het was iets wat woorde nie waarlik kan beskryf nie. God Almagtige, Skepper van hemel en aarde, het na my toe gekom en met my gespeel soos 'n pa met sy kind speel.Woorde is daar nie om dit eers te begin probeer beskryf nie. Al wat ek weet as iemand dit nie self ervaar nie, daar geen manier is dat jy dit sal kan begryp nie. Dit kan nie uit geredeneer word of verklaar word nie, dit pas nie in my teologiese verstaan van wie God is nie en ek is nooit geleer dat Hy so 'n verhouding met ons begeer nie. Al wat ek weet is dit, hierdie Groot Onbeskryflike God, het my Pappa geword. En as ek na Hom gaan, gaan ek na Hom as my Pappa. In my lewe het ek nog nooit soveel liefde en genade en teerheid ervaar nie.
Nou verstaan ek wat Jesus bedoel toe Hy gesê het, “Ek is die Weg die Waarheid en die Lewe, niemand kon na Vader toe nie, behalwe deur My nie.” Ons Here Jesus is waarlik die Weg terug na Vader toe, al wat ons moet doen is om dit te glo. Die ergste van alles is, daar is menslik niks wat ons kan doen om dit te kry nie, dit is reeds daar vir ons wat glo! Sjoe julle, dit was en is onbeskryflik! As jy eers daardie onbeskryflike liefde ervaar het, is daar niks anders waarna jy verlang nie. Jy voel skoon verlief en daar is nie 'n oomblik wat jy nie aan Vader dink nie. Nee kyk, wie sou dit nou kan dink!
Nou met die nuut gevonde liefde, wat brand soos 'n onblusbare vuur in jou, verander jou uitkyk na alles om jou. Toe ek terug gegaan het eiland toe, was my gemoed vol, toe ek die Moken sien. Hulle is so eenvoudig, so presies wat Vader wel hê hulle moet wees. Jy wil hulle net druk en ook laat deel in die liefde van Vader. Dit brand in jou en as jy nie daar aan uiting gee nie, voel dit of jy gaan ontplof. Ja die Moken kan die nuwe liefde sien en hulle reaksie is baie positief tot die liefde van Vader wat uit my vloei. Wat 'n voorreg om so deel van Vader se liefde te wees.
Baie dankie vir al julle liefde, eposse en gebede. Weet net dat ons 'n span vorm om die Here hier te dien. Mag julle ook verlore raak in die liefde van ons Vader!
In Hom, Philip อํานาจ
Wat is anders aan die foto? / What is different here?
Yes, yes, I am still behind with my newsletters and make humble apologies! I got a bit lost in what is happening here, and the next thing, yes well, I’m sure you understand. I received great feedback regarding my dream, in the meantime I have learnt a lot again, something special happened to me in Malaysia, and it is going very well on the island
I just want to thank all of you who gave me feedback about the dream I had. I would like to thank Peter Tan in particular who helped me a lot to understand it and who also gave me guidelines on how to continue from here on. It is clear that our Father revealed some of the spiritual circumstances on the island as well as His plan to overcome it. I thank you all once again.
As you yourselves know, we never cease to learn. Just as I thought I started to understand what it is all about, the Lord put a spanner in the works that sent me flying and then flattened me! All this so that I could get up again, make the necessary adjustments according to the revelation He gave me. In one of my previous letters I took a strong stance against the way we live and was very disappointed in myself as well as in what I perceived it was all about. The Lord continues to shape the picture in our heads about what He is busy with and what it is really all about.
With this in mind, I would like to share with you how the Lord went about putting that spanner in my works during June. My understanding about Lord God the Father is that He is Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, Just and Righteous, Perfect, Father of all, Great and Indescribable. I think you get the picture. How do you think such an Almighty Being approaches and then talks to you? Well, I thought maybe as a burning bush or out of a cloud of fire, or something similar. To tell you the truth, I didn’t think that He was really interested to draw closer to us. How wrong I was!
As I previously told you, I attended the Father’s Heart seminar when I was in Malaysia. It was there that I experienced something I didn’t think was possible that also turned my life upside down. During the seminar different testimonies are told about what our Father has done in people’s lives. Those attending are then also invited to open their hearts for our Father to speak to them personally. With my background I was rather hesitant when it got to things like this as I didn’t want to expose myself to the wrong kind of thing. Yet I decided to open my heart to our Father as I don’t care much for pretence. If this was the truth, who was I to withstand it?
And so I experienced something that words truly can’t describe. God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, came to me and played with me as a father would play with his child. There are no words to even try and describe it. All I know is that if somebody doesn’t experience it themselves, there is no way to comprehend it. It cannot be argued or explained, it does not fit in with my theology of who God is as I was never taught that our Father desires such a relationship with us. All I know is that this Big Indescribable God became my Daddy. And when I go to Him, I go as to my Pappa. In my life I have never experienced such love, mercy and tenderness.
Now I understand what Jesus meant when He said: “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life, nobody comes to the Father except through me.” Our Lord Jesus is truly the Way back to our Father, we just have to believe it. The worst is that there is nothing we can do to get it - it is already there for those who believe! Wow guys, it was and is indescribable! Once you have experienced that unbelievable love, there is nothing else you yearn for. You feel in love and there is not a moment you don’t think about our Father. Who would have ever thought!
Now with this new found love that is burning like a raging fire in me, my whole outlook has changed. When I returned to the island, my being was filled with His joy when I saw the Moken. They are so simplistic, so precise in what our Father wants them to be. I wanted to let them feel and share in what I received so badly. Yes, the Moken can see this new found love and their reaction is very positive toward the love of our Father that is flowing out of me. What a privilege to be part our Father’s love.
Thank you very much for your love, emails and prayers. Just know that we are partners in serving the Lord here. May you also be lost in the love of our Father!
In Him, Philip อํานาจ
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Nuusbrief Mei/May Newsletter
Nou kyk die maand is ek lekker laat met my brief en ek moet julle al amper herinner dat dit die volgende maand is. So jammer nè as julle staat gemaak het op my brief om julle te herinner dat die maand verby is! :-) So die maand van Mei was weer vol dinge en drome, dan moes ek ook weer uit die land om my visa te gaan hernu.
Seker een van die dinge wat ons as 'n span die ergste geraak het in die begin was die fisiese toestand waarin ons was. Eers was dit Cally wat geval het met die motorfiets en haar brand plekke wat ontsteek het. Toe haar geweldige reaksie teen die antibiotika. Toe is dit die kinders wat bulte uit geslaan het van die sand muggies wat hulle gebyt het en laaste was dit ek wat deur die muskiet 'raak geskiet is' en toe op my rug gelê het vir 'n ruk. So fisies was dit nogal 'n uitdaging vir ons.
Na dit begin beter gaan het met almal hier, het die volgende ding sy kop begin uitsteek. Nou ek weet nie hoeveel van julle het al met meer as een kultuur saam in 'n span gewerk nie. Kyk in die begin kom jy agter daar is manier en dinge wat anders gedoen word, maar jy kom dit nie waarlik agter nie. Onbewustelik begin jy weerstand binne jou opbou op die manier wat hulle dinge doen en na hulle uitkyk oor die lewe. En sodra jou aandag nie meer deur die fisiese dinge afgetrek word nie, dan koester jy die dinge binne jou hart.
So gebruik ons vriend 'met die lang stert' alles om jou, om jou te ontmoedig en van die spoor af te bring. As hy dit nie reg kry om jou fisies te breek nie, dan gaan hy en probeer om tweespalk in die span in te bring. Dit is presies wat hier gebeur het. Hy met sy leuens kom gekom en elke situasie gebruik om jou te laat twyfel oor die aksies en doen en late van die ander. Deur die genade ken ons mekaar al 'n paar jaar en het die leuens nie ooreengekom met dit wat ons van mekaar weet nie. Ons kon dit later nie meer hou nie en het amper soos een man besluit dat ons moet praat.
Die wonder is dat dit alles net leuens was, maar nou bloot gelê is. Ons het vinnig agtergekom dat ons presies dieselfde voel oor dinge en dat ons presies dieselfde dinge probeer doen. Dit het amper gevoel of die wêreld se las van ons skouer af gelig het en ons weer vir die eerste keer na 'n baie lang ruk kan asemhaal. Dit is wonderlik om te sien dat dinge 'n mens se lewe so kon omkeer en deurmekaar krap.
So nou werk ons as 'n span onbeskryflik lekker saam en drae ons mekaar se laste waar dit moontlik is. Ons is weer vuur en vlam oor dit wat die Here hier wil doen en besig is om te doen. Ook in ons is Hy besig om 'n groot werk te doen. Julle moet onthou dat hier nie 'n groep Afrikaners of Maleisiërs is wat ons laat tuis voel nie en dat ons, met ons kultuur verskille al, die enigste groep is wat darem Engels met mekaar kan praat. Ons maak staat op mekaar vir ondersteuning en bemoediging.
Die laaste naweek voor ek na Maleisië toe vertrek vir die visa, is ek en Jon weer eiland toe. Die keer met vrede en vreugde in ons harte. Die Vrydag aand slaap ons weer buite op die stoep soos gewoonlik, met twee van die Moken seun by ons. Wel die keer onder muskietnette. Daar het ek die mees interessante droom. Die droom was so eg gewees, dat na ek wakker geword het, ek nie geweet het of dit 'n droom was of nie.
So hier is die droom soos ek dit ervaar het. 'Ons was vas aan die slaap op die stoep onder die muskietnette. Ek word wakker deur die geluid van voetstappe wat die trappe opklim en ek lig my kop op om te sien wie of wat dit was. Met die wat ek my kom oplig sien ek die twee seuns wat tussen my en Jon slaap. Jon slaap die naaste aan die trappe en daar sien ek iets, maar nie duidelik nie. Die volgende oomblik spring die ding op my en ons is besig om te stoei. So stoei ons met mekaar, maar die snaaksste van alles is dat daar geen vrees in my was nie. Die 'man' is baie sterker as ek en oorrompel my geheel en al. Maar iets omtrent hom is nie reg nie en ek besef dat dit 'n gees of iets moet wees. Ek beveel dit toe om in die Naam Jesus weg te gaan die volgende oomblik is ek sterker as dit. Dit is asof die man gekrimp het en nou is ek die een wat die oorhand kry.
En toe is dit weg. Die seuns in nou wakker en klou so klein apies aan my vas. Ek hoor hoe Jon, nog van aan die slaap, steun en kreun. Die dig is nou besig met hom. Weer spreek ek dit aan in die Naam van Jesus en weg is dit. Jon is nou ook wakker en ek vrae hom of hy 'ok' is. Maar Jon wys met sy vinger agter my en roep uit 'What is that?' Nog met die twee seun soos apies aan my draai ek om en sien die man in die oop sand kol staan met 'n vrou in die agtergrond. Ek kyk na Jon en sê 'Lets get it'. So spring ons van die stoep af, reg op die groot swart figuur af wat soos 'n man lyk.
Saam spreek ons dit aan in die Naam van Jesus en die swart dig lyk of dit afblaas soos 'n ballon. Al wat oorbly is 'n pik swart jas wat soos slangvel lyk. Ek trek dit toe aan en Jon sê 'Be careful not to take the glory'. Ek kyk egter op na die hemel en roep met alles in my uit 'Al die eer en heerlikheid en lof behoort aan God en aan die Lam.' Die jas word toe witter as sneeu. Ons stap toe na die Moken huis die verste van ons af en kry die Moken besig, in kers lig, om die Here te loof en prys in hulle eie taal en op hulle eie manier.' Hier skrik ek toe wakker met koue rilling wat teen my rug op en af hardloop. Nou wat dit beteken, weet ek nie, maar dit was nogal iets gewees.
Die volgende week was ek op die vliegtuig op pad na Penang om my visa te hernu. Dit het alles glad verloop maar ek kan net 'n drie maande visa hier in Asië kry. Dit wil voorkom of ek net die jaar visa in Australië, UK of in Suid-Afrika kan kry. Die stuur-sel is reeds besig om te kyk of dit moontlik is in RSA. Dit kan dalk beteken dat ek voor die einde van die jaar na een van die lande moet gaan vir 'n visa. Met die wat ek in Penang was het ek 'n wonderlike tyd daar gehad, maar julle sal maar moet wag tot volgende maand, wat net om die draai is, om daarvan te hoor.
Duisend dankies vir al julle liefde en ondersteuning. Dit is waarlik 'n voorreg om saam met julle die pad te stap.
In Hom ,Philip อํานาจ
So my letter is quite late this month and it is already time to remind you that yet another month is due. I’m truly sorry if you relied on me to announce that another month has passed us by! J The month of May was packed with things and dreams and I had to leave the country to renew my visa.
One of the things that impacted our team the most since we started here in Ranong, was our physical health. First Cally fell off her motorbike, then her wounds got infected, followed by the major allergic reaction she had to the prescribed antibiotic. Then the children came out in hives all over from the insects in the sand that bit them. And as you can remember, I got Dengue fever from a mosquito bite that immobilized me and had me flat on my back. So physically it has been a real challenge for all of us.
Just as we were all getting better, the next thing reared its head. I don’t know how many of you have had the privilege to work closely together cross culturally in a team before? At the outset you realize that there are things and ways of doing things that are different to what you are accustomed to, but it is not serious. However, over a period of time you start to build up resistance about how the others are doing things and their outlook on life, simply because our worldviews differ so much. But as soon as we were not distracted by the physical anymore, the things that were harboring in our hearts came to the fore.
And so our “common acquaintance with the long tail”, used everything to get to us, to discourage or de-rail us. When he didn’t succeed in physically breaking us down, he tried to bring disunity in our group. He brought lies and tried to use every situation to start us mistrusting each other’s thoughts and actions. Through mercy and the fact that we have been in relationship over the years, the lies did not correlate with what we knew about each other. The situation got quite unbearable and we decided as one man to address it. We quickly realized that it was all lies and that we felt the same about things and we are trying to do the same thing. It felt as if the weight of the world lifted off our shoulders and we could breathe freely again. It was wonderful to see that it was only things that had turned our lives upside down.
Now we work together better than before and the unity is strong to help carry each other’s burdens. We are ablaze with zeal for God and what He is doing and wants us to do. He is busy with a big work inside of us. Remember that we are the only group here that can converse in English with each other, in spite of our cultural differences. Keep in mind that there are no other South Africans or Malaysians here to take hands with us and keep the home fires burning with us. We are completely reliant on each other for support and encouragement.
The weekend before I left for Malaysia to renew my visa, Jon and I went to the island again, full of joy and peace in our hearts. That Friday night we slept outside on the veranda as normal, accompanied by two Moken boys – under mosquito nets this time. I then had the most interesting of dreams. The dream was so real that after I awoke, I wasn’t sure if it was real or not. So here it is as I experienced it.
“We were fast asleep on the veranda under the mosquito nets. I was awakened by the sound of footsteps that came up the stairs and so I lifted my head to see who or what it was. As I lifted my head I saw the two boys that were sleeping between Jon and I. John was sleeping closest to the stairs and then I saw something, but not clearly. The next thing this thing jumps on me and we start to wrestle. As we fought, I was amazed that there was absolutely no fear inside of me even though the ‘man’ was much stronger than I and overpowered me. But something was strange about him and I realized it was a spirit or something. I commanded it in the Name of Jesus to depart and the next moment I was stronger than it, in fact it shrunk and it was I who had the upper hand now.
Then it was gone. The boys awoke and were hanging on to me for dear life. I heard Jon moaning as he slept and realized that this thing was busy with him. Again I rebuked it in the Name of Jesus and it was gone. Jon was awake and I asked him if he was ok, to which he pointed behind me and shouted ‘what is that?’ With the two boys clinging to me I turned around to see this man-thing standing in a sandy clearing and a woman in the background. I looked at Jon and said to him ‘let’s get it’. We jumped off the veranda and headed for this black figure that looked like a man.
Together we rebuked it in the Name of Jesus and it looked as if the black figure deflated like a balloon. All that was left was a black coat resembling a snake skin. I put it on and Jon said to me ‘be careful not to take the glory’. At that point I lifted my eyes to the heavens and shouted out with all I have “All the honor and glory and praise belongs to God and the Lamb!” The jacket turned whiter than snow. We then headed for the Moken homes further away from us and found the Moken people worshipping the Lord, praising Him in their own way and language at candle light.” I awoke with cold shivers running down my spine. Now what this means I don’t know, but it was quite something.
The next week I was on a plane to Penang in Malaysia to renew my visa. Everything went smoothly but I could only obtain a 3 month visa here in Malaysia. It seems as if a year visa is only obtainable from Australia, the UK or in SA. My sending cell is currently investigating the SA option as I might have to travel to one of these countries to obtain a visa. While I was in Penang I had a wonderful time but before I continue, you are going to have to wait until next month, which is just around the corner, to hear all about it.
A thousand thank-you’s for all your love and support. It is truly a privilege to journey together with you.
In Him, Philip อํานาจ
Seker een van die dinge wat ons as 'n span die ergste geraak het in die begin was die fisiese toestand waarin ons was. Eers was dit Cally wat geval het met die motorfiets en haar brand plekke wat ontsteek het. Toe haar geweldige reaksie teen die antibiotika. Toe is dit die kinders wat bulte uit geslaan het van die sand muggies wat hulle gebyt het en laaste was dit ek wat deur die muskiet 'raak geskiet is' en toe op my rug gelê het vir 'n ruk. So fisies was dit nogal 'n uitdaging vir ons.
Na dit begin beter gaan het met almal hier, het die volgende ding sy kop begin uitsteek. Nou ek weet nie hoeveel van julle het al met meer as een kultuur saam in 'n span gewerk nie. Kyk in die begin kom jy agter daar is manier en dinge wat anders gedoen word, maar jy kom dit nie waarlik agter nie. Onbewustelik begin jy weerstand binne jou opbou op die manier wat hulle dinge doen en na hulle uitkyk oor die lewe. En sodra jou aandag nie meer deur die fisiese dinge afgetrek word nie, dan koester jy die dinge binne jou hart.
So gebruik ons vriend 'met die lang stert' alles om jou, om jou te ontmoedig en van die spoor af te bring. As hy dit nie reg kry om jou fisies te breek nie, dan gaan hy en probeer om tweespalk in die span in te bring. Dit is presies wat hier gebeur het. Hy met sy leuens kom gekom en elke situasie gebruik om jou te laat twyfel oor die aksies en doen en late van die ander. Deur die genade ken ons mekaar al 'n paar jaar en het die leuens nie ooreengekom met dit wat ons van mekaar weet nie. Ons kon dit later nie meer hou nie en het amper soos een man besluit dat ons moet praat.
Die wonder is dat dit alles net leuens was, maar nou bloot gelê is. Ons het vinnig agtergekom dat ons presies dieselfde voel oor dinge en dat ons presies dieselfde dinge probeer doen. Dit het amper gevoel of die wêreld se las van ons skouer af gelig het en ons weer vir die eerste keer na 'n baie lang ruk kan asemhaal. Dit is wonderlik om te sien dat dinge 'n mens se lewe so kon omkeer en deurmekaar krap.
So nou werk ons as 'n span onbeskryflik lekker saam en drae ons mekaar se laste waar dit moontlik is. Ons is weer vuur en vlam oor dit wat die Here hier wil doen en besig is om te doen. Ook in ons is Hy besig om 'n groot werk te doen. Julle moet onthou dat hier nie 'n groep Afrikaners of Maleisiërs is wat ons laat tuis voel nie en dat ons, met ons kultuur verskille al, die enigste groep is wat darem Engels met mekaar kan praat. Ons maak staat op mekaar vir ondersteuning en bemoediging.
Die laaste naweek voor ek na Maleisië toe vertrek vir die visa, is ek en Jon weer eiland toe. Die keer met vrede en vreugde in ons harte. Die Vrydag aand slaap ons weer buite op die stoep soos gewoonlik, met twee van die Moken seun by ons. Wel die keer onder muskietnette. Daar het ek die mees interessante droom. Die droom was so eg gewees, dat na ek wakker geword het, ek nie geweet het of dit 'n droom was of nie.
So hier is die droom soos ek dit ervaar het. 'Ons was vas aan die slaap op die stoep onder die muskietnette. Ek word wakker deur die geluid van voetstappe wat die trappe opklim en ek lig my kop op om te sien wie of wat dit was. Met die wat ek my kom oplig sien ek die twee seuns wat tussen my en Jon slaap. Jon slaap die naaste aan die trappe en daar sien ek iets, maar nie duidelik nie. Die volgende oomblik spring die ding op my en ons is besig om te stoei. So stoei ons met mekaar, maar die snaaksste van alles is dat daar geen vrees in my was nie. Die 'man' is baie sterker as ek en oorrompel my geheel en al. Maar iets omtrent hom is nie reg nie en ek besef dat dit 'n gees of iets moet wees. Ek beveel dit toe om in die Naam Jesus weg te gaan die volgende oomblik is ek sterker as dit. Dit is asof die man gekrimp het en nou is ek die een wat die oorhand kry.
En toe is dit weg. Die seuns in nou wakker en klou so klein apies aan my vas. Ek hoor hoe Jon, nog van aan die slaap, steun en kreun. Die dig is nou besig met hom. Weer spreek ek dit aan in die Naam van Jesus en weg is dit. Jon is nou ook wakker en ek vrae hom of hy 'ok' is. Maar Jon wys met sy vinger agter my en roep uit 'What is that?' Nog met die twee seun soos apies aan my draai ek om en sien die man in die oop sand kol staan met 'n vrou in die agtergrond. Ek kyk na Jon en sê 'Lets get it'. So spring ons van die stoep af, reg op die groot swart figuur af wat soos 'n man lyk.
Saam spreek ons dit aan in die Naam van Jesus en die swart dig lyk of dit afblaas soos 'n ballon. Al wat oorbly is 'n pik swart jas wat soos slangvel lyk. Ek trek dit toe aan en Jon sê 'Be careful not to take the glory'. Ek kyk egter op na die hemel en roep met alles in my uit 'Al die eer en heerlikheid en lof behoort aan God en aan die Lam.' Die jas word toe witter as sneeu. Ons stap toe na die Moken huis die verste van ons af en kry die Moken besig, in kers lig, om die Here te loof en prys in hulle eie taal en op hulle eie manier.' Hier skrik ek toe wakker met koue rilling wat teen my rug op en af hardloop. Nou wat dit beteken, weet ek nie, maar dit was nogal iets gewees.
Die volgende week was ek op die vliegtuig op pad na Penang om my visa te hernu. Dit het alles glad verloop maar ek kan net 'n drie maande visa hier in Asië kry. Dit wil voorkom of ek net die jaar visa in Australië, UK of in Suid-Afrika kan kry. Die stuur-sel is reeds besig om te kyk of dit moontlik is in RSA. Dit kan dalk beteken dat ek voor die einde van die jaar na een van die lande moet gaan vir 'n visa. Met die wat ek in Penang was het ek 'n wonderlike tyd daar gehad, maar julle sal maar moet wag tot volgende maand, wat net om die draai is, om daarvan te hoor.
Duisend dankies vir al julle liefde en ondersteuning. Dit is waarlik 'n voorreg om saam met julle die pad te stap.
In Hom ,Philip อํานาจ
die oop kol sand in my droom / the patch of sand in my dream
Moken huise op die eiland Ko Low / Moken homes on the Ko Low island
So my letter is quite late this month and it is already time to remind you that yet another month is due. I’m truly sorry if you relied on me to announce that another month has passed us by! J The month of May was packed with things and dreams and I had to leave the country to renew my visa.
One of the things that impacted our team the most since we started here in Ranong, was our physical health. First Cally fell off her motorbike, then her wounds got infected, followed by the major allergic reaction she had to the prescribed antibiotic. Then the children came out in hives all over from the insects in the sand that bit them. And as you can remember, I got Dengue fever from a mosquito bite that immobilized me and had me flat on my back. So physically it has been a real challenge for all of us.
Just as we were all getting better, the next thing reared its head. I don’t know how many of you have had the privilege to work closely together cross culturally in a team before? At the outset you realize that there are things and ways of doing things that are different to what you are accustomed to, but it is not serious. However, over a period of time you start to build up resistance about how the others are doing things and their outlook on life, simply because our worldviews differ so much. But as soon as we were not distracted by the physical anymore, the things that were harboring in our hearts came to the fore.
And so our “common acquaintance with the long tail”, used everything to get to us, to discourage or de-rail us. When he didn’t succeed in physically breaking us down, he tried to bring disunity in our group. He brought lies and tried to use every situation to start us mistrusting each other’s thoughts and actions. Through mercy and the fact that we have been in relationship over the years, the lies did not correlate with what we knew about each other. The situation got quite unbearable and we decided as one man to address it. We quickly realized that it was all lies and that we felt the same about things and we are trying to do the same thing. It felt as if the weight of the world lifted off our shoulders and we could breathe freely again. It was wonderful to see that it was only things that had turned our lives upside down.
Now we work together better than before and the unity is strong to help carry each other’s burdens. We are ablaze with zeal for God and what He is doing and wants us to do. He is busy with a big work inside of us. Remember that we are the only group here that can converse in English with each other, in spite of our cultural differences. Keep in mind that there are no other South Africans or Malaysians here to take hands with us and keep the home fires burning with us. We are completely reliant on each other for support and encouragement.
The weekend before I left for Malaysia to renew my visa, Jon and I went to the island again, full of joy and peace in our hearts. That Friday night we slept outside on the veranda as normal, accompanied by two Moken boys – under mosquito nets this time. I then had the most interesting of dreams. The dream was so real that after I awoke, I wasn’t sure if it was real or not. So here it is as I experienced it.
“We were fast asleep on the veranda under the mosquito nets. I was awakened by the sound of footsteps that came up the stairs and so I lifted my head to see who or what it was. As I lifted my head I saw the two boys that were sleeping between Jon and I. John was sleeping closest to the stairs and then I saw something, but not clearly. The next thing this thing jumps on me and we start to wrestle. As we fought, I was amazed that there was absolutely no fear inside of me even though the ‘man’ was much stronger than I and overpowered me. But something was strange about him and I realized it was a spirit or something. I commanded it in the Name of Jesus to depart and the next moment I was stronger than it, in fact it shrunk and it was I who had the upper hand now.
Then it was gone. The boys awoke and were hanging on to me for dear life. I heard Jon moaning as he slept and realized that this thing was busy with him. Again I rebuked it in the Name of Jesus and it was gone. Jon was awake and I asked him if he was ok, to which he pointed behind me and shouted ‘what is that?’ With the two boys clinging to me I turned around to see this man-thing standing in a sandy clearing and a woman in the background. I looked at Jon and said to him ‘let’s get it’. We jumped off the veranda and headed for this black figure that looked like a man.
Together we rebuked it in the Name of Jesus and it looked as if the black figure deflated like a balloon. All that was left was a black coat resembling a snake skin. I put it on and Jon said to me ‘be careful not to take the glory’. At that point I lifted my eyes to the heavens and shouted out with all I have “All the honor and glory and praise belongs to God and the Lamb!” The jacket turned whiter than snow. We then headed for the Moken homes further away from us and found the Moken people worshipping the Lord, praising Him in their own way and language at candle light.” I awoke with cold shivers running down my spine. Now what this means I don’t know, but it was quite something.
The next week I was on a plane to Penang in Malaysia to renew my visa. Everything went smoothly but I could only obtain a 3 month visa here in Malaysia. It seems as if a year visa is only obtainable from Australia, the UK or in SA. My sending cell is currently investigating the SA option as I might have to travel to one of these countries to obtain a visa. While I was in Penang I had a wonderful time but before I continue, you are going to have to wait until next month, which is just around the corner, to hear all about it.
A thousand thank-you’s for all your love and support. It is truly a privilege to journey together with you.
In Him, Philip อํานาจ
Monday, May 30, 2011
Nuusbrief/ Newsletter April 2011
Ja dit was al lankal die einde van die maand en ek weet my brief is so 'n bietjie laat die maand, maar dit gee julle darem 'n blaaskans. So alles wat in April gebeur het is amper te veel om op te noem. Deel 1 en 2 van my terugvoer brief (van die ontmoeting tussen my, die Moken en die Here) het alreeds uitgegaan, so daaroor gaan ek nie skryf nie. Miskien oor dit wat daarna gebeur het en o ja, my tyd in die hospitaal.
Soos die meeste van julle gelees het was dit nogal 'n groot ervaring wat ek daar op die eiland saam met die Here gehad het. Dat die wind nou so uit my seile gehaal kan word op die oomblik wat alles net begin sin maak het. Ek wil graag net vir julle vertel wat alles daarna gebeur het. Ons Here het my waarlik tot op 'n punt gebring wat ek net nie meer geweet het wat nou verder nie. Radeloos het ek alles in Sy hande oor gelaat en gesien hoe Hy besig is om Sy Kerk daar te begin oprig.
Die naweek na dit alles het die Here die sinneloosheid van waarmee ons besig is, net baie dieper in gevryf en my nog meer oortuig van die hopeloosheid waarmee ons besig is. As dit nie Hy is nie, en as ons nie Hom na mense bring nie en hulle Hom nie kan sien nie, is ons waarlik met wind besig. 'Hoe Here!' is al wat ek kon uitroep. Nou gebeur die wonder. Sien Hý doen dit self. Ons is maar net die instrument wat Hý gebruik. Verlore in myself, oorgegee in alles met die diep oortuiging dat ons nie kan nie, kom Hý en bring Hý die lewe.
So sit ek weer saam met ons Moken vriende op 'n boot besig om te wag dat die son moet ondergaan. Die gesig is weer een van daardie wat 'n mens net in flieks sien. Die keer begin ons gesels. Oor alles waarmee die Moken sukkel en wat hulle sien en ervaar. Dit was nogal 'n belewenis om dinge deur hulle oë te begin sien. Hulle is waarlik wonderlike mense en ek begin nou verstaan hoekom hulle sulke besonderse mense in ons Here se oë is. Die eenvoud van wie hulle is, die kinderlike opregtheid. Mense, so na God se hart!
Die aand met die duik voel ek iets is nie lekker met my nie. Ek het 'n baie kort asem en my liggaam wil nie so lekker saam werk nie. Maar wat, ek steur my nie te veel daaraan nie. Toe ons klaar geduik het kry ek so koud, dat ek sit en bewe daar op die boot. Ons het toe klaar besluit ons gaan die volgende dag met die Moken as gemeenskap praat. Min het ek geweet wat die volgende dag vir my voorlê.
Met 'n hoofpyn wat skrik vir niks en 'n lyf wat flenters getrap is deur 'n trein, word ek die volgende oggend wakker. Kyk daar was nou net mooi niks in my my wat nie gepyn het nie. Maar die ergste van alles is die swaar lomp liggaam. Ek het skaars genoeg krag gehad om dit op te lig. Met dié liggaam, vergader ons toe die oggend en word die metode van kerk onder die Moken bespreek. Hulle is baie opgewonde omdat hulle nog nooit gehoor het dat God ook van hulle musiek hou nie en dat Hy ook graag wil aanbid word in hulle taal. En dat dit nie God se doel is om hulle almal Thai of Engels te maak nie, maar dat Hy hulle lief het net soos hulle is. Dadelik word die bal in hulle hande gegooi om te besluit hoe hulle die Here wil dien en hoe hulle na Hom wil soek.
Daar sou die volgende naweek terugvoer gegee word oor dit alles, maar die gebeure deur die week het alles gekniehalter. So met 'n koors wat aan die 40 raak word ek toe na die hospitaal toe geneem. Daar word bloed toetse gedoen om maar net te bevestig wat ons al klaar vermoed het, Dengue. So word ek toe opgeneem in die hospitaal, want hulle is bekommer oor die vinnige val die bloedplaatjies in my bloed. 'n Mens kan glo aan die bloei gaan en dan is daar glo groot moeilikheid. So moet ek toe 'n blou rokkie met hempie aantrek en daar in 'n saal van omtrent 60 mense gaan lê.
Nou kyk, dit was waarlik vir jou 'n belewenis hier in die Thai-hospitaal. Die mense kyk baie goed na jou. Daar is nie waarlik 'n geneesmiddel vir Dengue nie, maar jy word net gemonitor om seker te maak dat jy nie begin bloei nie en as jy wel begin, het hulle die vermoë om aan jou bloed te gee. Maar in my geval sou dit die einde beteken het, want hier is al die bloed positief en ja ek is negatief. Die Here is waarlik onbeskryflik want net na twee dae, het my bloedplaatjie telling gestabiliseer en kon ek huistoe gaan. Dat 'n muskiet jou so sleg kan laat voel!
Duisend dankies vir al julle liefde en gebede. Sonder julle sal dit nie vir ons moontlik wees om hier te oorleef nie. Ons kan maar net saam met julle lof aan ons Here bring.
Liefde groete, In Hom, Philip อํานาจ
As most of you have read, it was a major experience that I had with the Lord on the island - just as everything started to make sense, the wind was taken out of my sails. I would like to share with you what happened after that though. Our Lord truly brought me to a point that I didn’t know which way to turn. At my wit’s end, I had to leave everything in His hands and witness how He started to raise up His Church here.
The weekend after, the Lord went on to emphasise the senselessness of our busyness, convincing me even more of the hopelessness of our situation. If it is not Him we give to people and if it is not Him they see, then we are chasing wind. “How Lord!” was all I could cry out. Then the miracle happened. See, it is He who does it. We are just the instruments He uses. Lost in myself, totally surrendered to the fact that we can’t do it, He comes through and brings His Life.
And so I’m sitting again with my Moken friends on the boat waiting for the sun to set. The view is again one we only see on the big screen in theatres. This time we started talking about everything the Moken are struggling with, and what they see and think. It was an awakening to start to see through their eyes. They are truly wonderful people and I am beginning to understand why they are so special in Our Lord’s eyes. The simplicity of who they are and their childlike sincerity. People so close to God’s heart!
Diving this same evening, I felt something was amiss with me. I was short of breath and my body didn’t want to cooperate properly. But because I was enjoying myself, I wasn’t paying much attention. After the dive I got so cold and sat shivering on the boat. We already decided that we were going to talk to the Moken community the very next day, however I did not realise what was laying ahead for me that day.
I woke up the next morning with a deafening headache and a body that felt as if it was hit by a train. There wasn’t a single thing in my body that wasn’t in pain. The worst was this lump of non-cooperating flesh that was my body. I barley had strength to lift myself up. In this state I met with the Moken community in the morning, as they were discussing the method of church among themselves. They were extremely excited as they have never heard that the Creator God also likes their own music and that He also wants them to talk and worship Him in their own mother tongue.
They were so amazed that God didn’t intend to make them Thai or English but that He loves them just as they are. Immediately the ball was placed in their hands, they would have to choose how to serve Him and how they wanted to seek Him.
The next weekend we would have received feedback about the turn of events but that was all cut short in the week. With nearly a 40 degree fever I was taken to hospital where blood tests only confirmed what we already figured out, Dengue. I was immediately hospitalised because of the alarming rate at which my blood cell count was falling. A person can apparently start bleeding and then there’s big trouble. So I found myself with a blue frock and shirt, lying in a ward with about 60 other people.
The Thai hospital was truly an amazing experience. The people look after you very well. There is no real cure for Dengue, but I was monitored to ensure that I didn’t start to bleed as they would then have had to give me blood. Which would have been my end as the blood is mostly positive and I am negative. The Lord is truly indescribable because just after 2 days, my blood cell count stabilised and I was able to go home. To think that it is a mere mosquito that can put you back like this!
A thousand thank yous’ for all your love and prayers. Without you it would not be possible for us to survive here. We can only give glory to Him, together with you.
Loving greetings
Soos die meeste van julle gelees het was dit nogal 'n groot ervaring wat ek daar op die eiland saam met die Here gehad het. Dat die wind nou so uit my seile gehaal kan word op die oomblik wat alles net begin sin maak het. Ek wil graag net vir julle vertel wat alles daarna gebeur het. Ons Here het my waarlik tot op 'n punt gebring wat ek net nie meer geweet het wat nou verder nie. Radeloos het ek alles in Sy hande oor gelaat en gesien hoe Hy besig is om Sy Kerk daar te begin oprig.
Die naweek na dit alles het die Here die sinneloosheid van waarmee ons besig is, net baie dieper in gevryf en my nog meer oortuig van die hopeloosheid waarmee ons besig is. As dit nie Hy is nie, en as ons nie Hom na mense bring nie en hulle Hom nie kan sien nie, is ons waarlik met wind besig. 'Hoe Here!' is al wat ek kon uitroep. Nou gebeur die wonder. Sien Hý doen dit self. Ons is maar net die instrument wat Hý gebruik. Verlore in myself, oorgegee in alles met die diep oortuiging dat ons nie kan nie, kom Hý en bring Hý die lewe.
So sit ek weer saam met ons Moken vriende op 'n boot besig om te wag dat die son moet ondergaan. Die gesig is weer een van daardie wat 'n mens net in flieks sien. Die keer begin ons gesels. Oor alles waarmee die Moken sukkel en wat hulle sien en ervaar. Dit was nogal 'n belewenis om dinge deur hulle oë te begin sien. Hulle is waarlik wonderlike mense en ek begin nou verstaan hoekom hulle sulke besonderse mense in ons Here se oë is. Die eenvoud van wie hulle is, die kinderlike opregtheid. Mense, so na God se hart!
Die aand met die duik voel ek iets is nie lekker met my nie. Ek het 'n baie kort asem en my liggaam wil nie so lekker saam werk nie. Maar wat, ek steur my nie te veel daaraan nie. Toe ons klaar geduik het kry ek so koud, dat ek sit en bewe daar op die boot. Ons het toe klaar besluit ons gaan die volgende dag met die Moken as gemeenskap praat. Min het ek geweet wat die volgende dag vir my voorlê.
Met 'n hoofpyn wat skrik vir niks en 'n lyf wat flenters getrap is deur 'n trein, word ek die volgende oggend wakker. Kyk daar was nou net mooi niks in my my wat nie gepyn het nie. Maar die ergste van alles is die swaar lomp liggaam. Ek het skaars genoeg krag gehad om dit op te lig. Met dié liggaam, vergader ons toe die oggend en word die metode van kerk onder die Moken bespreek. Hulle is baie opgewonde omdat hulle nog nooit gehoor het dat God ook van hulle musiek hou nie en dat Hy ook graag wil aanbid word in hulle taal. En dat dit nie God se doel is om hulle almal Thai of Engels te maak nie, maar dat Hy hulle lief het net soos hulle is. Dadelik word die bal in hulle hande gegooi om te besluit hoe hulle die Here wil dien en hoe hulle na Hom wil soek.
Daar sou die volgende naweek terugvoer gegee word oor dit alles, maar die gebeure deur die week het alles gekniehalter. So met 'n koors wat aan die 40 raak word ek toe na die hospitaal toe geneem. Daar word bloed toetse gedoen om maar net te bevestig wat ons al klaar vermoed het, Dengue. So word ek toe opgeneem in die hospitaal, want hulle is bekommer oor die vinnige val die bloedplaatjies in my bloed. 'n Mens kan glo aan die bloei gaan en dan is daar glo groot moeilikheid. So moet ek toe 'n blou rokkie met hempie aantrek en daar in 'n saal van omtrent 60 mense gaan lê.
Nou kyk, dit was waarlik vir jou 'n belewenis hier in die Thai-hospitaal. Die mense kyk baie goed na jou. Daar is nie waarlik 'n geneesmiddel vir Dengue nie, maar jy word net gemonitor om seker te maak dat jy nie begin bloei nie en as jy wel begin, het hulle die vermoë om aan jou bloed te gee. Maar in my geval sou dit die einde beteken het, want hier is al die bloed positief en ja ek is negatief. Die Here is waarlik onbeskryflik want net na twee dae, het my bloedplaatjie telling gestabiliseer en kon ek huistoe gaan. Dat 'n muskiet jou so sleg kan laat voel!
Duisend dankies vir al julle liefde en gebede. Sonder julle sal dit nie vir ons moontlik wees om hier te oorleef nie. Ons kan maar net saam met julle lof aan ons Here bring.
Liefde groete, In Hom, Philip อํานาจ
Yes, the end of the month is long past and I know my newsletter is a bit late this month, but at least it gave you a breather. Everything that happened in April is nearly too much to mention. Feedback on my special prayer request (the meeting between, myself, the Moken & God) has seen 2 of the 3 instalments already being sent to you, so I’m not going to write about that. I am rather going to write about what happened after that and oh yes, my stay in hospital.
As most of you have read, it was a major experience that I had with the Lord on the island - just as everything started to make sense, the wind was taken out of my sails. I would like to share with you what happened after that though. Our Lord truly brought me to a point that I didn’t know which way to turn. At my wit’s end, I had to leave everything in His hands and witness how He started to raise up His Church here.
The weekend after, the Lord went on to emphasise the senselessness of our busyness, convincing me even more of the hopelessness of our situation. If it is not Him we give to people and if it is not Him they see, then we are chasing wind. “How Lord!” was all I could cry out. Then the miracle happened. See, it is He who does it. We are just the instruments He uses. Lost in myself, totally surrendered to the fact that we can’t do it, He comes through and brings His Life.
And so I’m sitting again with my Moken friends on the boat waiting for the sun to set. The view is again one we only see on the big screen in theatres. This time we started talking about everything the Moken are struggling with, and what they see and think. It was an awakening to start to see through their eyes. They are truly wonderful people and I am beginning to understand why they are so special in Our Lord’s eyes. The simplicity of who they are and their childlike sincerity. People so close to God’s heart!
Diving this same evening, I felt something was amiss with me. I was short of breath and my body didn’t want to cooperate properly. But because I was enjoying myself, I wasn’t paying much attention. After the dive I got so cold and sat shivering on the boat. We already decided that we were going to talk to the Moken community the very next day, however I did not realise what was laying ahead for me that day.
I woke up the next morning with a deafening headache and a body that felt as if it was hit by a train. There wasn’t a single thing in my body that wasn’t in pain. The worst was this lump of non-cooperating flesh that was my body. I barley had strength to lift myself up. In this state I met with the Moken community in the morning, as they were discussing the method of church among themselves. They were extremely excited as they have never heard that the Creator God also likes their own music and that He also wants them to talk and worship Him in their own mother tongue.
They were so amazed that God didn’t intend to make them Thai or English but that He loves them just as they are. Immediately the ball was placed in their hands, they would have to choose how to serve Him and how they wanted to seek Him.
The next weekend we would have received feedback about the turn of events but that was all cut short in the week. With nearly a 40 degree fever I was taken to hospital where blood tests only confirmed what we already figured out, Dengue. I was immediately hospitalised because of the alarming rate at which my blood cell count was falling. A person can apparently start bleeding and then there’s big trouble. So I found myself with a blue frock and shirt, lying in a ward with about 60 other people.
The Thai hospital was truly an amazing experience. The people look after you very well. There is no real cure for Dengue, but I was monitored to ensure that I didn’t start to bleed as they would then have had to give me blood. Which would have been my end as the blood is mostly positive and I am negative. The Lord is truly indescribable because just after 2 days, my blood cell count stabilised and I was able to go home. To think that it is a mere mosquito that can put you back like this!
A thousand thank yous’ for all your love and prayers. Without you it would not be possible for us to survive here. We can only give glory to Him, together with you.
Loving greetings
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Nuusbrief Maart 2554 March Newsletter
Dag sê aan al my vriende en vriendinne oor die wêreld. As julle dink ek gaan julle weer vertel dat dit die einde van nog 'n maand is, is julle reg! Die ergste van alles is dat 'n kwart van die 'nuwe jaar' reeds verby is. Waar gaan die tyd met ons heen? Die maand het ek lekker gesels met die Moken kinders, 'n onverwagte besoek van 'n dokter en arme Cally.
Dit is nou maar eenmaal nie maklik om in 'n ander kultuur te lewe nie. Alles is anders en hoe hulle dinge ervaar en sien is anders. Jou verstaan van die dinge wat hulle ervaar is natuurlik ook nie soos ons dit verstaan nie. Om die waarheid te sê, dit is op die stadium nog onmoontlik vir my om te probeer verstaan hoe die Moken dink en dinge ervaar. Net tyd... en tyd... en tyd... en nogmaals tyd saam met hulle, sal 'n mens dinge meer begin sien en verstaan soos hulle dit sien en verstaan. Tog gebeur daar al hierdie klein dingetjies wat die tyd saam met hulle interessant en lekker maak.
As ek op die eiland slaap is daar gewoonlik 'n klomp seuns wat by my op die stoep kom slaap. Hulle sê dat ek darem nie alleen kan slaap nie want die geeste mag dalk kom. Nou ja, een aand gaan ek weer saam met die Moken see-komkommers vang en die aand kom ons baie laat by die huis. Die seuns waag dit dan nie meer buite nie en dit gebeur dat ek toe alleen op die stoep slaap. Vroeg die volgende oggend kom hulle toe daar aan, heeltemal te vroeg vir my wat toe nog net 3 of 4 ure slaap in het. Hulle speel dan rond tot hulle dit net nie meer kan hou nie en spring dan op my om my wakker te maak.
Toe kom daar 'n baie interessante vraag van hulle, “Is jy dan nie bang vir die geeste nie?” Sonder om eers te dink en half deur die slaap antwoord ek, “Nee wat, die geeste is bang vir my, hulle sal my nie pla nie.” Hulle hou dadelik op met speel en die drie gesiggies kom sit naby my en vra, “Hoekom is hulle bang vir jou?” Nou moet ek vinnig dink en sê toe maar, “O, want ek is nooit alleen nie. Jesus woon in my.” Onwetend dat die half-deur-die-slaap antwoord 'n baie groot indruk op die seuns gemaak het.
So word ek toe een aand deur die skipper van die boot uitgenooi om by hulle te gaan eet. Die een seun Kiew, stap toe saam in die donker na die huis toe. Laat ek eers vir julle die toneel skep. Dit is pik donker, 'n nuwe maan en kristal-sterre vul die lug en daar is vêr af musiek wat speel. Die paadjie is 'n 100m wit streep in die donker met gras aan weerskante van omtrent 'n meter hoog. Dan hoor jy gedurig 'n geritsel in die gras en die nag geluide van vreemde goed. Nou vir my is dit geen probleem nie, maar vir die 7 jarige hier langs my, wel 'n mens kan sy spanning aanvoel, want hy klou soos 'n klein katjie aan my vas.
Ek sê naderhand vir hom; “Jy hoef rêrig nie bang te wees nie, ek is hier by jou.” Ek voel dat hy so 'n bietjie ontspan. Hy vra toe, “Is die geeste rêrig bang vir jou?” Ek antwoord toe, “Ja, hulle is. Hulle is baie bang vir my omdat ek nie alleen is nie, maar omdat Jesus by my is.” “Is Jesus nou ook by jou?” hoor ek sy benoude vraag. “Ja, Kiew, Jesus is altyd by ons en Hy sal ons nooit alleen laat nie.” “O” sê hy toe en ek voel hoe hy ontspan. So stap ons twee toe in die donker en praat oor die Here wat in mens woon. Die volgende dag is hy die een wat vir al sy vriende vertel dat die geeste baie bang vir Jesus is. Soos Deon altyd sê, “Dit wys jou, ek weet nie wat nie, maar dit wys jou.”
Dan het ons 'n baie onverwagte besoek van 'n Brasiliaanse dokter van 'East Timor' gehad. Een Maandag op pad terug van die eiland sien ek dat daar 'n oproep van Jonathan was. Ek bel toe terug om net uit te vind dat Peter van STAMP hom die vorige dag laat weet het daar is 'n dokter op pad. Sy kom glo opvolg werk doen. Ek kon nie glo wat my ore hoor nie. Die omstandighede op die eiland is nou nie van so 'n aard dat ons 'n dokter daar kan onthaal nie en ek is vrot van die verkoue. Ek kom eers 16h30 in Ranong aan en so spook ons toe om alles reg te kry voor sy 21h30 dieselfde aand ook daar aankom.
Ons moes verblyf reël, kos kook en al die vertaalwerk doen. Daar is nou nie waarlik geriewe by die Moken nie. Elke dag het uit 3 sessies van 2 ure elk bestaan. Ek moet darem sê dit was baie interessant en die dokter het haar baie goed van haar taak gekwyt. Die Moken het baie praktiese dinge geleer en hulle kon met so te sê alles identifiseer waaroor sy gepraat het. As ek nie so siek was nie en meer tyd gehad het om voor te berei, sou dit 'n wonderlike ervaring gewees het. My verkoue het toe ook die kans gebruik om my behoorlik te verniel. So is ons na die week, dood moeg met ontsteekte sinusse, terug Ranong toe.
Die sports was toe nog nie verby nie. Cally het toe 'n geweldige allergiese reaksie teen die antibiotika wat sy gedrink het. Haar gesig en arms, sommer alles het opgeswel soveel so dat die sig naderhand uit die swelsel geloop het. Haar dokter in Maleisie het toe darem die regte medikasie voorgeskryf en sy het vinnig herstel.
So soos julle sien 'n woelige maand is agter die rug. Baie dankie vir al julle liefde en gebede. Julle is gedurig in ons gedagtes.
Philip อํานาจ
Alissa voor die huis op die eiland / Alissa in front of the house on the island
Kinders pak my terwyl ons swem / children tackle me while we swim
Good day all my friends across the globe. If you think I’m going to tell you that it’s the end of another month, you’re right! The worst is that a quarter of the ‘new year’ has already passed. Where is the time going with us? This last month I had time to chat to the Moken children, an unexpected visit from a doctor and poor Cally.
It is just not that easy to live within another culture. Everything is different and the way they experience and see things are different. Our understanding of the things they experience is of course also not the way we understand it. To tell you the truth, it is still not possible for me to try and understand how the Moken think and experience things. Just more time... and more time... and even more time with them, would allow a person to understand and see things the way they see and understand it. Yet, all these small things happen so that my time with them is interesting and pleasant.
Normally when I sleep on the island, there is a group of boys that comes to sleep with me on the stoep. They say that I can’t sleep alone because the spirits might come. And so it happened that I went the one night again to catch sea cucumbers with the Moken and came home very late. The boys wont’ dare to go out at that time of the night and so I landed up sleeping alone on the stoep. Very early the next morning they came to look for me, way too early for me to be awake after only about 3 or 4 hours sleep. They play around for a while until they can’t bear it anymore and then jump on top of me to wake me up.
And then they asked me a very interesting question: “Aren’t you scared of the spirits?” Without even thinking and still half asleep I answered “Not at all, the spirits are scared of me, they don’t worry me.” They stopped in their playing tracks and three little faces came very close to me and asked, “Why are they scared of you?” I then realised I had to give a quick answer and said, “O, because I am never alone. Jesus lives inside of me.” Unknowingly and still half asleep I made a big impression on the boys with my answer.
And so, one night I was invited for supper by the skipper of the boat. As it happened, one of the boys named Kiew, walked with me to the house in the dark. Allow me to set the scene: it is but pitch black night, a new moon and crystal stars fill the night sky and somewhere far off music is playing. The path is a white line of about 100m long in the dark, flanked on either side by a meter high wall of grass. You are able to hear rustles in the grass and other noises of strange things moving in the night. For me this is not a problem but for the 7 year old here next to me, well, I could feel his fear as he gripped me like a small little kitten.
After a while I said to him, “You don’t have be scared of anything, I am here with you.” I could feel how he relaxed a little. He then asked me, “Are the spirits really scared of you?” And I answered him, “Yes they are. They are very scared of me because I am not alone, Jesus is always with me.” “Is Jesus here with you now?” the small voice next to me asked. “Yes Kiew, Jesus is always with us and He never leaves us.” “O” he said, and I felt immediately how he relaxed. And so we walked, still in the dark, talking about how God lives within us. The next day he was the one telling all his friends that the spirits are scared of Jesus. Like Deon always says, “It shows you, I don’t know what, but it shows you.”
Then we had quite an unexpected visit from a Brazilian doctor from ‘East Timor’. On a Monday coming back from the island I saw a missed call from Jonathan. When I called him he told me that Peter from STAMP left a message the previous day that there is a doctor on the way. She came to make some follow ups on the island - I was very surprised, as the circumstances on the island are not really suitable to cater for a doctor. At 4:30 that afternoon as I reached Ranong, pretty tired and still suffering with sinus, I now had to scuttle to get things ready for the doctor’s arrival the same evening at 9:30.
Jonathan and I had to organise accommodation, prepare a meal and translate material before her arrival in Ranong. As I said, there are no real amenities on the island among the Moken. However, she managed 3 sessions of 2 hours each every day. I must say, it was very interesting and the doctor did an excellent job. The Moken learned many practical things and could identify with most of the thing she spoke about. If I wasn’t so sick and had more time to prepare, it could have been an amazing experience for me. The flu really got the better of me. And so after a week, dead tired and with majorly infected sinuses, we headed home to Ranong.
And that was still not the end of the story. Cally had a horrendous allergic reaction to the antibiotic she was taking at the time. Her face and arms, in fact everything, ballooned so much so that it started to ooze. Her doctor in Malaysia saved the day by prescribing the right kind of medication which helped her to recuperate quickly.
As you can see I had a very busy month. Thank you very much for all your love and prayers. You are constantly in our thoughts.
In Hom,
Philip อํานาจ
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