Don't read emails before you sleep...they might blow up your sleep!

26^th Feb, 2008

Here I am…sitting in a little French Lao café working on some Lao and wanting to journal in English. I haven’t written my thoughts all month.

I should go into the spare room each night and do half an hour several days each week. A little each day can build a great deal over the week. It helps me when I write down what I’m thinking, working through and praying for.

I should do that before I go and teach at ARDA. I’ll work out my teaching week and plan it in before I go to teach.

Reading Emails before Sleeping...not a good 'thingy'

I had an argument with Cc last night just before we went to bed. We looked at an email and climbed into bed thinking about the mail…I could hear some apprehension in her voice. I was tired and wanted to sleep. I had my 6am Tue prayer meeting the next morning...

I / we got a bit frustrated with each other. Cc was adamant it was the way ahead…I was tired and rolled over and said, 'ok…I’ll talk to somebody else about it' .

Cc went off…I realised that our mistake was ‘reading an email before we sleep and then trying to ‘talk’ about it…It wasn’t good. That’s a rule that I don’t’ want to break again! No emails before we sleep.

My 'little girl' is turning a corner...

I was put in my place by Sarah a couple of weeks ago. I was in the car park of the school and I asked her to come and kiss me before she goes into school. She said very firmly, ‘dad, I’m not your little girl anymore. I don’t want to kiss and hug you in front of people.’ Ouch!!! I thought to myself, 'Like i've been giving you a bear hug and forehead kiss for the last 5 years of school life and 2 years of kindy...wat's changed today!'.

I crawled back into the car and drove slowly down the road. I never wanted to overstep my ‘father privilege' to hug my kids. I supposed I just did that...Sarah felt ‘kiddish’. In some ways I feel sad that i've lost ‘little girl’. Now I need to find my ‘teenager’ and support her in her new image of herself. Discover 'when' we can hug and how do I treat her under the watch of her friends.

Sarah went to bed the other night and said ‘night’ dad…no hug. She knew I wanted to hug her. I resisted the temptation to run in and hug her. I’ll give her the space she’s asking for. Talk about tough love!

I really enjoy sending Shanae off to kindergarten. We hold hands and walk down to her classroom. We talk rubbish and chit chat along the way...I check that she’s got everything. We put her bag in the bag basket labeled 'Shanae'. She's got one for her shoes too. Then I kneel down and tell her I love her and to have a good day. She tells me that she loves me. We do a special ‘hand wave’ and stare longingly into each other’s eyes.

When I pick her up I ‘coowee’….her ears prick up and when she finds me she runs into my arms. She’s usually riding her pushie (bike) or playing in the cubbie house with Hydie.

Going home

I’m enjoying the thought of ‘going home to Sing and Oz in June. We would have been away for 18months away. I called mum the other day. It was good to hear her voice. I love her and miss her care and concern.

I miss my immediate family and their spouses. In Singapore I miss Cc’s family and all our church friends.

Jan 08 prayer updates

sticky…>>>>Jan 08" shapes="_x0000_i1025">prayer update ________________________________________________

Bits and pieces to keep in mind and prayer about for our coming year…thanks muchly! There are some directions and projects that Cecilia and I are sensing God leading us towards. They seem to be a mixture of our plans and God’s plans. Our year may look nothing or ‘something’ like this at the end. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that our character looks more like Jesus’ character and ‘our’ works more like His work. Please pray that we live the abundant life of Jesus- John10:10

If you sense God speaking to you about our plans or future, please feedback the feedback!

With GREAT HOPE
Ian, Cecilia and Tribe xxxxxxxxxx

Teaching at ARDA
Cecilia will be teaching Beginner B class in the first semester and I will be teaching Pre-intermediate A. For this year, ESL teaching is still the focus for our hands. Honestly, I personally struggle to keep ESL teaching the focus. But I will do that again this year. We are excited about the possibilities that always exist in these classes to build relationships. In the 2nd semester, Cecilia will not teach. We have decided that Cecilia will get ready to ‘homeschool’. In the 2nd Semester I will teach 1 Class of Pre-intermediate B.

Lao Language learning ​(ຫ​ເດສັນ​ກຍຳ​ຮກສັ)
Cecilia and I have stopped attending formal Lao language classes in Candlelight language School. We have some basic language and are pursing our learning through We currently have a tutor coming to our home 6 hours a week. We are working through language experiences and materials from Candlelight. We continue to enjoy learning the language and look for daily opportunities to use it. Language will be an important part of our learning in 2008.

Home Schooling/Co-op Education
Homeschooling in a *Co-op setting will be a focus for this year. There are currently 4 families who have decided to join together and start an ‘Educational Co-op. As a Homeschooling Co-op, we will share resources, skills, and vision to educate our kids with a Biblical world view. We are looking for a small premise to ‘house’ this endeavor. Seth and Sarah will start this year (commencing Sept), Shanae will remain in Pattana school for another year.

After much consideration and some indications from the Lord, Cecilia and I have decided to give some of our attention to lead this project. The larger vision of the Co-op is a potential ‘International Secondary’ school. Maybe the Singapore Diocese wants to get involved? We don’t know. We’ve raised this possibility but we’re not hearing much from them. There’s much to discuss and pray about this project. The vision for the Secondary school is at least 2 years away. The Co-op is an immediate plan.

Community Development Studies

‘Development’ in a ‘Developing country is the BUZZ word. To raise the living standards of people they need toilets, roads, schools, hospitals, clean water… There is a Community Development school that brings in teachers to teach on such topics. They are Christian development practitioners

A better understanding of Community Development seems very relevant for my future work. Whether I work with ARDA or in another Developmental Agency, the courses offered have directly relevance to my next steps.

The course runs for 3 years. Trainers from around the region come into Lao every 3 months for 5 days and teach a selection of modules. The training is 4 weeks yearly, over 3 years. Assignments are expected to written up and handed in the absence of the trainers.

I teach English classes this semester from 7-9pm. So I won’t have a conflict during the 1 week modules. Cecilia teaching is 5-7pm. The church has agreed to support the costs. I just need approval form Andrew Stevens, the Director of ARDA.

Housing
We have taken a second year lease on our current home. And we were able to remain at the same rent- praise the Lord! I did promise to do a few home renovations, and I said that we would pay for the reno. We have good relationships with our Land-lord and the community we live in. I’m building a small playground for the kids. It is fun and we see this home as the Lord’s provision.

Assembly
We are currently attending the Sunday Evening fellowship. This is a gathering for English Believers. Cc is involved in children’s teaching and I’m involved in preaching- once every 2 months. We enjoy the fellowship and the community. We have made many good friends. It has been a vital place for us.

This year, we have started to attend the Lao Church- there are 3 in town. here is some translation in this church. We know several Lao friends there already. Last week was our first week and it was good. The kids were a little ‘board’, but they will grow and learn. But they are doing much better now with some basic language. We understood some of the songs- not much of the preaching.

Hospital Work

I’m part of a small group that makes sure people in hospitals here get extra food. We do a food run weekly. There’s 4 of us and we rotate each week. Once a month I can visit a person in hospital. I’ve got to get two letters to do this. There’s been some fruitfulness that has come out of this work. But we are in need of more helpers to get involved so it’s not too taxing on the few. If you don’t know what I mean be hospitals, read Acts 16. Paul and Silas spent some time in a similar place. This man just came out of hospital.

Being Disciples

What I’ve just outlined is a vision mainly for our hands. Any lasting, eternal work can only come from a vital relationship with the ONE who gives vision and vitality. Our personal, couple and family time with the Lord is fundamental to our Year’s Vision. If we’re not growing and being transformed by this relationship, then there will be little fruit from our hands. John 15 says ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that y bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples