in Phuket

Hi, friends and family!

You are missed! But 4 days, and we get back home. We're now on the Thai island of Phuket (pronounced as if there was no "h".... like Puket). Maybe I'll write about this place later, though. We have so much to share about Chonburi..... I can't even begin to tell you half of it now. Maybe you can join us when we get back home for some photo sharing and story telling :)

We miss Chonburi, the Life Center church, and the people SO much. (We don't think or talk about it too much, to avoid crying spurts). We met so many wonderful people that we quickly have come to love.... the Sanchez family and the other families of Team 2000, Ganiga, Apilak and all the other kids in the 2 orphanages (including the 3 girls: Noon, Oil, and Deon), Elaina and family, Damm and Si, Wow.... and many others. We have all grown pretty attached to many of these people. One of the week's highlights, for me (Jacqueline) was attending the church service and activities on the Sunday. Everyone was so open and welcoming and smiling. I had a great time upstairs with the kids during their Sunday School time. I absolutely loved the family feel of the church. Everyone was super friendly, and it truly felt like we were all connected. Everbody's kids were sitting on random other's laps, and everyone treated everyone else like brothers and sisters. I hope to feel the same way at my home church, Bakerview. I have felt it more and more over the years, and I hope to grow even closer to the congregation in the time ahead.

I have so many pictures to post and I can hardly wait to get home to edit and post them all. I'll update you later on that end.

Down side of current vacation: we are all horribly sun burned.... I stupidly thought yesterday (while out in the burning sun for hours) that since I hadn't gotten a tinge of any apparent sun-caused-color on the entire trip thus far without wearing ANY sunscreen, that I didn't need it then!!! Bad idea. I am in SO much pain! I look humorously white and red... with plenty obvious white markings of where my swimsuit and clothes were. But almost every movement hurts! Ouch!

Today we visited several islands around Phuket. They are GORGEOUS. One of the main beaches we stopped at was featured in the Leonardo diCaprio movie, "The Beach" (which I now really want to see because of that). I'll show you some pictures laters - the water and the jutting islands are INCREDIBLE. I'm really in awe and wonder of God's diverse and rich creations. He is amazing! Praise the Lord!

Signing off for now,

Jacqueline