Rice Grains

Last night our team had a Christmas party American style at Tom and Candice's house. I think we all had a really nice time. Snacks included shrimp/cocktail sauce, chips/salsa, HOMEMADE chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies (made in Candice's new toaster oven), fresh fruit including STRAWBERRIES, cheeseball and crackers, punch, and some of Paul Kurtz's wonderful gourmet coffee! Yes, I ate too much!

After eating, we did a white elephant gift exchange. I ended up with a jar of peanut butter, a can of candy, a book, can't remember if there was anything else in my package. Oh yes, a bottle of Bath and Body Works lotion! What a nice gift!

Then we played one or two group games--also fun--followed by reading the Christmas story and singing some Christmas carols. I think our little party went on till almost midnight!

I stayed at Tom and Candice's overnight and came home this afternoon. I had my own little Christmas awaiting me in the form of mail and packages!! What FUN!! Kitti and Luk, the manager and his son, are having fun seeing how much mail I get in a day right now. I often come home to see them waiting for me with a big smile on their faces, ready to hand me my day's mail. One day Kitti counted out loud in English--"one, two, three, four, five!" He speaks very little English, so it was heartwarming to see his beaming face as he counted.

Also today, Luk carried my VERY heavy box of books that just arrived here from the US (I sent them before I left back in September) all the way up to my apartment on 5th floor. He was huffing and puffing, sat down on my floor and wanted to see what was in the box. So we opened it together, and then somehow we talked about being a Christian--not very well since I don't know enough Thai nor he enough English, but between my little Thai-English dictionary, my Bible with some notes, and an Thai-English Bible I have, we read some verses together and talked about sin and Jesus loving us enough to pay the price.

Talking about paying the price, on an entirely different level, I feel like I owe Luk and Kitti a lot. I have learned to appreciate all the ways they look after me. I do feel a bit pampered sometimes!

Following are some pictures of the Christmas party. I will probably not have any more entries till after I return from Malaysia next Friday. Wishing all a meaningful Christmas!