Living Life, Loving Life, Needing Life......

Baan Nam Jai

2012-01-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

Hey guys...
I am writing as a way of passing on needs that we have at Baan Nam Jai as of Dec 2011. We are in a time of need and waiting on the Lord right now and trust that all will come about in His timing but if we don't ask we can not receive right? So I'm asking that you guys pray with me and join with me in asking the Lord to bring the right people...staff....(preferably thai) to come be a part of our family and begin to serve and fill the needs that we have. I appreciate you taking the time to look at this and pray over the needs. I also challenge those who are wondering if God's calling them to come serve here and if you are wondering just stop yourself and get over here!! (wink) We don't want you if God's not calling you... so I just encourage you to be obedient to the call on your life. However if you have skills or tools for us to use and need to take a vacation....we also welcome you and would love to have you visit us and share with us. So here's the list of our needs as we see it....

We have the following staff needs: (in order of priority).....
(Thai language study is part every missionary's life in Thailand)

Most urgent need is for houseparents for our girls house. This is a long-term commitment, minimal is 5 years, preference is 10 years. The girls house has 8 girls. Ages range from 16 years - newborn twin girls. Most of the girls are 8 - 10 years.
Nanny to live in, with houseparents onsite, as helper to them. Two helpers needed, one for girls and one for boys house.
Someone to manage and live-in at our crisis pregnancy centre on our property, for young pregnant women giving them an option to abortion. Thailand has the second highest rate of teenage pregnancies in the world. (Thai language is imperative.) Role includes teachng life skills, managing and facilitating small groups, conflict resolution, discipleship.
Office manager. Including website design but if your skill is management only, then we can seek another person just for website. (or we can train you!). :) Job description can be supplied.
Youthful YWAMer who loves Jesus, who plays guitar and sings and is willing to share this gift and pass on their love of music/guitar to our kids.
Staff to serve in our community, visiting families affected by HIV, helping develop income- generation projects. (Thai language is imperative.)
Someone trained in tesol who wishes to serve in our community, at our children's school and the local hospital teaching English. This teacher can also teach (part-time) one of our little special needs boys 1 - 2 hours each day, as well as tutor several others with homework, as they are able.
Kindergarten/preschool teacher. For our on-site kindergarten. Training and experience essential.
Someone trained in horticulture who wishes to work on our property caring for our fruit trees and vegetable gardens. Can include training others in this area.

I would also like to add that if any of you are skilled or know someone with a gift or skills in counseling, our children are in deep need of someone to come and help them work through some heavy stuff they are dealing with. As they get older there's more stuff coming out and we would like to give them tools on how to deal with difficulties in life in a healthy way.

Thanks so much for all of your prayers and to all of you who have sent little messages or who I have talked to and have encouraged me....thank you! I am blessed by you and can't express how great the power of prayer is.

Bless you all and take care as we all embrace 2012!

Getting out of Chiang Rai

2011-11-28T21:25:00.000-08:00

Just this past week I got to get out of beautifully cold Chiang Rai and head down south to join some family for a time of worship and prayer over the city of Pattaya. I did not go alone.....So here's who joined me::

My Jo sister::

She wishes she can have this everyday: hee hee
She loved every minute of little treats

enjoying holiday treats

Some of my favorite ladies::

We got to experience God's healing power:

Blind being healed, broken people experiencing God's love, ladyboys worshipping with their hearts. It was beautiful and such a powerful experience. I know that God was as work. Pattaya is a dark and heavy city filled with sex and drugs and broken broken people. For a week we got to fill the city with praise and worship and prayers that I hope will fill every crack and bring healing and shine light in the darkness.

Beach drum Worship in the morning::

Dancing::

Prayer::

We got to visit a couple good friends: That was a blessing in itself.... My friend Nuch's husband is a Songtaow driver (kind of like a truck taxi) and he was able to get us around wherever we needed to go. We also got to connect with other friends and stay with some of our family who used to live in Chiang Rai! They are starting a ministry to reach out to women and children in Pattaya. If you would like more information on that please contact me:
Here's some photos of visiting with our friends and family while in Pattaya

Jules: a reminder that I love the Irish and I think the wee bit of Irish I have in my blood comes out when I'm with her

My lovely Nuch friend/sister

reconnecting with a good friend

One of our other BNJ family members we got to visit

Our friend came to join us on the last night

Rickett Girls:: keepin it cool

And the highlight of our time after (of course) our time of worship, fellowship, and time with the Lord, was an amazing meal on the sea with my friend Nuch and her husband! We had fresh sea food and it was like Christmas! Joanna and I tore through a crab and there was no remains ;)

I have happiness::

Powering through some amazing curry crab

My good friend Nuch whom I met the very first time to Thailand

Our view from our table while enjoying an amazing seafood lunch

We had to spend some time swimming since we were at the ocean so we took an afternoon and soaked up some sun rays and swallowed some salt water.... FYI if you ever want to go on holiday to Thailand don't come to the beaches in Pattaya.... ask me where to go and I will tell you good places to go. This is not the best place....at one point I came up from dodging a big wave and there was an empty milk carton next to my face.... so yeah, I wouldn't come to Pattaya for the beach for sure.

water lover

Jo and I enjoying some UV rays :)

All beach photos taken by our personal photographer Belle Wilcox

Well, I hope you enjoy reading..... Please know that I am missing you all as the holiday season comes and passes.... it's just not fun being away from home for the holidays. I will try to keep my spirits high and get in touch with you all over the holidays to reconnect with you. I love and miss you all and bless you::

Thunder.....

2011-11-14T07:52:00.000-08:00

Before a storm comes the sky becomes utterly filled with black, heavy, clouds infiltrated with a heaviness that becomes so unbearable that it must break open and let it all out.....but before this happens there is usually signs of thunder and lightning to warn us that the storm is coming. The sky is dark and heavy and the thunder is loud and unpredictable.....lightning comes when it pleases and we all take cover knowing that the storm is coming..........

You are probably wondering why I'm talking about this.....well, let me just unpack my life as of late.....

Life just keeps moving forward....and rainy season couldn’t last longer than it is. It’s been a hard season of changes but as beautiful and annoying as the rain can be it always brings life...

I said goodbye to my 2 year long lived housemate Crystal about 3 weeks ago. It was a lot harder than I ever thought it would be. Seems like I’m always saying goodbyes here. I guess that’s part of living overseas. Nevertheless, I know that God is going to use this time to process and adjust to all of the changes going on. I miss you Crystal.......thanks for a good season of life here in Tunapum!

It seems like I'm always saying goodbye....in just over a month I will say goodbye to yet another really lovely sister who will head back to the states and I'm dreading it to be honest. She's been such a good friend to have around and to work with. Joanna you will be missed more than you know.

News from BNJ::

This year we did something different for the calendar. My friend Nat helped me find some local photographers to help with taking photos for our calendar as well as the website this year. They did a fantastic job! We tried to have it be more themed and take photos all around Chiang Rai so that you all could get a taste of what it looks like here and around where we live. The guys that took the photos completely spoiled our kids. They took them out to all of these fun places and paid for everything! They were such a blessing to us. They took the photos for free even. I was able to share with them a lot of what we do at BNJ and they felt very honored to be a part of our ministry. After I got all of the beautiful photos they took, my friend Nat also came and helped me put together a design for the calendar and I finished it a couple weeks ago. I think it's going to be pretty stinkin great this year! Thanks to NAT, P'Jack and Benz. You guys blessed me so much by helping out with this project! Here's some fun shots we got.....

We now have calendars available for $10...please e.mail me and let me know if you would like me to send you one or 2 or 10~ you can e.mail me at sponsorships@baannamjai.org and I will get them off to you as soon as I can!

It's a season for having babies.....my friend, Kak, gave birth to a little boy at the end of September, our assistant director, Quan, is going to give birth to a little boy in February, one of the mothers who lives at Baan Nam Jai is also due a couple weeks before Quan and next month we will have twin baby girls coming to the girls home here. I'm surrounded and absolutely love it! Here's a photo of the infamous Nong Gun (my friend Kak's little boy)....

Penny enjoying cuddles with our new little family member~

That's pretty much it for now....I have some photos of some highlights from the past few months had here.... I hope you guys enjoy them and enjoy reading about what's been going on in the life of Kyndra lately..... Thanks for reading and bless you guys.... Enjoy the holiday seasons and please know that I am so grateful for you all......

a visit with a friend in Payao

Celebrating Ae's birthday! Yay for being 30!!

Hanging out with my little buddy Nong Non

My friend P'Quan and her little boy in her belly

Worship at a YWAM conference a couple weeks ago

waterfall fun!

we love that this place is close to our house and such a lovely place to cool off on a hot day...... we are blessed!

Loryn and Darlene Cunningham speaking... a real honor

This year I had the honor to help my friend P'Supan plant her rice field
It was so much fun and showed me how hard rice farmers really work!

The rice that I helped plant! I hope it's a good season of good rice!

taking a little sunday afternoon trip to the waterfall.....

Nui and Josiah enjoying their sunday afternoon at the waterfall-

BNJ kids enjoying an afternoon birthday party.....

Here's an article posted by a local newspaper here in Chiang Rai::

2011-11-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Tackling Teenage Pregnancy in Chiangrai Thailand

: Last year Thailand was estimated to have the world's second largest number of early pregnancies

Fond of reading and performing well at school, 16-year-old Manee should be a carefree high school girl in her hometown in Chiang Rai province.

But she isn’t. She has to take care of her two-month-old baby whose father is also at high school.

Another example of school girls troubled by unprotected sex, last year her 15-year-old schoolmate died after being raped by her stepfather who is HIV positive. Such cases are just a glimpse of an increasingly severe headache for Thai society.

According to a survey by the Thai branch of Plan International, a NGO for marginalised children, 70% of the 600 cases of unplanned pregnancies in northern Thailand are between the ages of 15 and 19.

Here’s another sobering fact: Last year Thailand was estimated to have the world’s second largest number of early pregnancies, closely following South Africa.

“They should stay in school and get educated instead of getting pregnant,” said Sunan Samriamrum, programme director (acting) of Plan International.

However, it is impossible for those girls to return to school even when they have finished nursing their babies since they have to find a job and support their new family.

To prevent unplanned teenage pregnancies, the Path Foundation, an organisation under the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (THPF), initiated a nine-million baht project in 2008 to raise awareness of this burgeoning problem.

Named “Up to Me”, the project focuses on initiating complete sex education in junior and high schools in the form of lectures and handouts, as well as promoting children and community participation and publicising the organisation’s work though various media.

Earlier this year, despite the “Up to Me” project’s success in Bangkok and nearby areas, the Path Foundation planned to scale back due to inadequate funding.

Fortunately, Plan International saw the educational film produced by “Up to Me” and showed interest in further promoting the project. It has now become the major sponsor of the project.

While excessively young mothers definitely deserve attention, a large number of school girls who have undergone abortions, especially illegal abortions, also need care. One major problem in this area is that many girls who have had an abortion it secret.

Plan has been working in Thailand since 1981, helping poor children to access their rights to education, health, livelihoods, protection and participation.

“Girls who have illegal abortions may suffer from physical and psychological problems. Some may even lose their ability to give birth and become disillusioned with relationships,” said Benjaporn Juntapoon, a nurse with the Health Promotion Department of Maechan Hospital in Chiang Rai province.

Based on her years of experience in this line of work, she said girls who fall in love at school are generally quiet and good girls, doing well in their studies. Such a description contradicts the image that girls who quit school because of underage sex are “bad girls”.

Benjaporn noted that since these girls were generally trusted by their parents, they were reluctant to go to their family for help once they became pregnant. Instead, “they will talk to their boyfriends or close friends.”

Unfortunately, in most cases, they will get only one suggestion from their peers: Have an abortion at a “small and secret” clinic.

Last November, 2,002 aborted foetuses were discovered in the morgues of two Bangkok temples. These had been accumulated over the past five years and were all from an illegal abortion clinic. Around 60% of the abortions were from women below the age of 25.

This scandal caused much soul-searching and finger-pointing in Thai society, caught the attention of the Path Foundation and led to the setting up of the “Up to Me” project.

The high incidence of unplanned pregnancies can be attributed to many factors. The basic one is that “physical puberty is occurring far earlier, sometimes at eight or nine and there is evidence a girl can get pregnant even before her first period,” according to CJ Hinke, a founder of Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT).

The second reason is that “Thai education doesn’t include sex education and birth control, though it is the duty of schools to provide such information to students,” said Sunan.

Parents also contribute to the situation with their reluctance to discuss sex with their children.

“While it is true this may be an uncomfortable conversation, you’re just plain stupid if you don’t talk to your child,” Hinke said.

Besides embarrassment, inadequate attention from parents also plays a part.

“Today’s parents are too focused on their work and personal life; they just ignore their children,” said Maechan Hospital’s Benjaporn. “Sometimes parents are even the last ones to know their daughters are pregnant.”

Hinke pointed out that regardless of the embarrassment it may cause, society as a whole needs to address the need for birth control and abortion.

“This is not killing. These are unwanted children who will be a burden for themselves and the rest of us,” he said.

Aside from the high number of unplanned teenage pregnancies, another alarming statistic is that 85% of young mothers surveyed by Plan International were not concerned about HIV or Aids, making this group even more vulnerable.

In response, Plan International intends to train 500 students in 10 schools in northern Thailand this year to help them promote safe sex among teenagers. They recently completed the training in three schools. Though such coverage is obviously too small to solve the problem, it is at least a step in the right direction.

Plan International’s survey also revealed that most schoolgirls who had unplanned pregnancies chose to leave school in order to keep their babies.

Data from Chiang Rai Hospital shows that, from January to July this year, more than 1,054 girls below the age of 20 had given birth at the hospital.

Although Thai law allows girls who have given birth to return to school, this is impractical for two reasons: First is poverty, which forces these girls to work in order to feed their children.

There was recently a case of a Chiang Rai student who became pregnant during her last year at school and who chose to finish her education before going home to give birth. However, she lost her chance to go to college because she had to work to support her new family.

The other reason is a critical social environment.

“After giving birth and becoming the focus of gossip among their classmates, they are too embarrassed to go back to class,” Plan International’s Sunan said.

“They also face discrimination in their communities, especially if they are from an ethnic minority.”

To reduce such discrimination, Plan International, in cooperation with local governments and communities, is working on educating parents, especially those from ethnic groups, to help them understand the fragile and tough situation teenage girls are facing.

Girls who aided by Path, Plan International, their schools or families after their unplanned pregnancy are lucky because at least they are not alone and are able to find a way out.

“The problem is that around one third of children in northern Thailand have no ID cards. If they get pregnant and choose to keep their babies, they can’t find a job to support themselves and feed their children,” said Apiradee Chappanapong, communication and PR manager of Plan International’s Thailand office.

Though taking various forms, the shared doctrine of all subsidiary projects of “Up to Me” is to tell girls who are tempted to have sex with their boyfriends that such an impulsive and irresponsible action is similar to lighting a candle in the rain.

You may never get warmed before it is wet and gets extinguished.

Enjoy this really great song by my distant brother Tim Moore

2011-10-11T10:21:00.001-07:00

http://soundcloud.com/tim-moore-music/a-ruin-burns

It's not me::

2011-07-19T03:40:00.000-07:00

So I'm still trying to figure out how to master the art of silence. The art of a life of prayer. The art of really delving into God's presence. I have been taking my Tuesdays to rest and focus and to put myself in a place of really surrendering to God and to really have a solid sabbath day. It's been a struggle. I have to yell at myself when I find myself on my way to get my bible and end up cutting my jean shorts and then lighting candles and then oh, I should turn on some music and then I start cleaning my room.....woo! I have to say "Kyndra, focus and remember what you came in here for". Haa haa....I drive myself crazy. But it's been so good to put myself in a situation to really practice these things. I haven't mastered any of them but the more I do it and the more I practice it the better I get at it. Although today has been a hard day. I'm praying that these times will be a blessing to the Lord and ultimately God will be honored and glorified in and through my life. It's not me. It's totally against my self and I have to really discipline myself to surrender this time... these Tuesdays to the Lord. They are His and nothing more.

My goals for these times of prayer, fasting and time devoted to the Lord is not only to grow but for direction and rest. This past year or so has been difficult for me. Having Penny gone from the ministry and having to step it up with all the other staff at Baan Nam Jai was really intense and found myself at burn out. I'm happy to say that these days of taking it easy and really basking in God's love and His presence has been like honey on my lips...it's been really sweet and more than sweet...it's been refreshing. I would ask you all to pray for me as I continue to seek God's direction in this year to come. I don't know what my future holds at Baan Nam Jai and things are changing quickly. It's an exciting time and also scary. Pray for discipline as I seek God's direction and pray that my ears and eyes will be opened.....

Enjoying some good food with a good friend

Lahu village on the top of Tatong: mountains behind are the Burmese mountain range

Rice harvesting season

I live here....still can't believe how beautiful it is

Nui loving life

Ae and her little cousin

I appreciate each and every one of you....

You.....

2011-06-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

I was reading my friend Dave's dad's poems today and I thought I would share this one with you all. I thought it was quite clever.... I hope you enjoy it as much as I did....and I hope it makes you think a little....

enjoy::

You:

Your desire for more has left us destitute

Your fixation on meaning has left us without direction

Your yearning for praise has left us heavy with shame

Your obsession with style has left us naked

Your longing for an ideal of love has left us terrifyingly alone

You- my hungry heart.

(by Dennis Wild)

spiritual receptivity::

2011-06-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

The last time I updated, I wasn't doing amazingly well....as I'm sure you picked up in the tone. These days are getting a lot better. I have a lot to rejoice in and am taking better care of myself. It was pretty heavy for a while and I didn't really see things getting any better...but before I knew it I was getting breaks and the rest that I needed. The kids are all back in school after a long and hot and really crazy weather summer break. We had a good time with them...we got to go swimming, go out to eat, visit some of their home villages, visit some of the staff in their villages, all of the kids got to go to the beach. The had a blast. I think one of the best things for them was that Penny and Paul (directors of Baan Nam Jai) met them there and were going to head back to Chiang Rai with them. WE are so glad to have Penny and Paul back. For those of you who don't know...Penny has cancer...or should I say had...she's in remission after 7-8 months of chemo treatment, lots of tests and lots of rest. It was a great loss for us when she was not here with us...but we are very grateful that she's healthy and back with us again.

I would love to share everything that's been going on in my heart:: I do not want to make you stay too long and get bored...so I'll spare you all of the details and just keep it short, sweet and honest. It's been a hard year for me. I've been struggling with where I'm at, what I'm doing, why I'm doing it.....how I'm doing it..... such is life eh? I know that it's completely normal and in all of the normality of figuring out what God's asking me to do in this season, I'm finding it hard to get clear answers. So I've been encouraged to rest. I'm taking one day a week to rest, pray, fast, pray some more, do things that are feeding my soul and trying to just be quiet and listen to what God's saying. I covet all of your prayers as I really seek the Lord.

As of late it seems that there's something in the water at Baan Nam Jai and a couple of our staff have gotten married and starting families. So it's been an exciting time of wedding planning and celebrating with them. Also the kids are back in school and getting back into their routines. Belle is now in Highschool! The rest of the kids still walk to the local school. A couple of the girls have just started taking a ballet class on the weekend. So far they are enjoying it as far as I know. Our new addition to the boys home is growing so fast. His name is Non and he came to us back in January. He is such a joy.

I think that's about it..... I hope that puts you up to date.... Please keep me in your prayers as I seek the Lord in this season. Pray for community, pray for direction in community, and pray for the work that God has in store while I'm at Baan Nam Jai. All I want is to be obedient and to fall more in love with the Lord. Enjoy the photos and please keep in touch....

I leave you with a sonnet by Michael Angelo::
"My unassisted heart is barren clay,
That of its native self can nothing feed:
Of good and pious works Thou art the seed,
That quickens only where Thou sayest it may:
Unless Thou show to us Thine own true way
No man can find it: Father! Thou must lead"

Love you all....and thanks for reading-

Nong Non- Precious little guy (5 months)

hope:: the little fish

Josiah excited about swimming

The girls teaching Alex how to ride a bike :)

Dinner with P'Lut and Plaow

doing some art work for our friend Wah's new cafe

Celebrating P'Supan's daughter's birthday

Meet my friend Psalm and Dylan Wright- I love them!

the Wright family came to visit us- it was lovely

The Baan Nam Jai crew at P'Quan's wedding

Kevin and Quan Butler-

Songkran Week 2011

2011-04-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

Songkran Week 2011

Click on the above to see a beautiful video of what we did for Songkran with the kids at Baan Nam Jai! We had a lovely week! We were all exhausted for sure but we had a good time playing hard and spending some good times together! I hope this puts a smile on your face.....enjoy!

I've been thinking.....

2011-04-02T01:34:00.000-07:00

I've been thiking....I've been thinking about life and love and what God's doing in my heart. I don't know how many of you have watched the video that I posted on here this past week but if you can, please take some time to watch it. And afterwards....pray and ask the Lord what He would want you to do about it all. It's a heavy video but it's real, it's life and it's raw and it's going on right now....
since most of you don't know what I'm talking about watch the video from the link below. Please!

I'm feeling really restless lately...I think it's because I sense lots of change coming and feel in my spirit that God's breaking me and tearing down things that I felt were my rights...my right as a woman, my rights as a missionary, my rights as a daughter, a friend, a sister. My life is not my own....and as most of you know I have a tattoo on my wrist with the verse of Isaiah 55. Read it if you don't know what it says.... everyday this past week I have looked down at my wrist and am reminded that God's ways are not my ways nor are His thoughts my thoughts. This life is not my own....your life is not your own.... so knowing this...what will we do? Am I doing what I was created to do? I am still looking into this...it's a lifelong journey....

Please pray for me as I enter into a season of God breaking me and tearing down my rights...Pray that I will stay strong and keep my eyes fixed on Him.....I'm tired and heavy laden but I know that His yoke is light....He lifts our burdens and does not ask us to do things on our own. That is why He sacrificed His life for us....you and me.

Thank you for reading this and for praying for me. Know that I pray for you all....and think of you all often....

lots of love...

please watch this video::

2011-03-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

THE ROAD from Road of Resistance on Vimeo.

settled.....getting settled.....

2011-01-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

I'm back in the land of Smiles....and the hot sun is shining just like it was when I left. It's nice to be back in the warmth of Chiang Rai. It's been lovely weather with cool mornings and evenings! I'm soaking it all up. I had such a lovely winter fix back home in Washington. I enjoyed every minute with my family and friends. I returned to Chiang Rai feeling very refreshed and rejuvenated....just as I had prayed for! I feel very honored to have been cared for so well by all of you when I was home. Thank you to all of you.... you know who you are! ;) It's never enough time but my time spent with you all was divine and such a blessing! Thank you to all of you for being real and for going deep with me in the short amount of time. Thank you to all of you for investing in me and for supporting me to be here! I am returning here fully refreshed and supported!

I want to fill you all in on what's been going on here at BNJ....things are going well and God's doing lots of work here.....this week we will receive a new baby boy. His mother is HIV and isn't able to care for him at the moment. So we are being a support to her during this time. She lives with her elderly grandparents and needs to support them right now so we are helping her take care of her little boy and will be a support to her. We are all excited about having a new little one around but also know what all comes along with a new born and know we will all be a little busier. Please pray for this girl as she gives up her little one to us and as her body heals from delivering a baby and adjusts to going back to life. Also pray for us as we will be the best support to her and will raise up this little guy. Pray for wisdom and discernment and guidance.

I am adjusting very well back here...no jet lag and am delving into the spicy food like I never left..... haa haa! I do miss some food from home but it'll pass..... It's been a busy couple weeks back trying to catch up with work and get back into the swing of things here. But it's been good to see everyone here and catch up with stuff that I missed while I was gone....one big thing was my good friend got married two days before I got back. Also I had to count how many of the kids lost teeth while I was gone as well. 3 teeth and counting....... hee hee! It's the season for teams to come so we will have a few teams passing through this weekend! It should be fun to do worship and games with the kids.

That's pretty much all for now.....here are some photos of my highlights back at home and I'll post some wedding photos and new baby photos really soon.....I hope you enjoy and sorry that this is so long.....


T.shirts I had made that say "I love my family" in thai


Grace and I in the snow

the Burns...katie and markus with their matchy matchy shirts!


My mamma, my gram and me


Loryn and Jocelyn get Aunty Kyndra ready to go out!


Sisters- beautiful


concert by my neice


My sister Shawnee and sweet Abbey

I love these guys!


Deers in the front yard at mom and dad's house


Loryn's saddle shoes from gramma sheryl


my bakery buddies


my sister friend Jewel and I


My good friend Laura and her boys


relaxing.......

Bless you all and know that I love you all and covet your prayers.....

Kinderegg.....

2011-01-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

This is a day in the life of Kyndra as a nanny in the girls house......I hope you enjoy ;)

"Snow" by Sleeping at Last

2010-12-21T09:43:00.000-08:00

I like this.....

snow flakes are falling*****

2010-12-21T00:28:00.000-08:00

It certainly is winter here in Washington! The ground is heavily covered with white fluffy snow covering the brown dead ground and bare trees. I woke up to it snowing and will go to sleep with with it snowing. I am really loving it! Home has been lovely and restful so far. Here's some highlights of things since being back::
-got to be welcomed by a lovely welcoming crew at the airport and at the Rockwood bakery along with an amazing "welcome back" lunch and coffee.
-a lovely dinner party with some lovely friends in Spokane
-watched my nieces play basketball (Jocelyn) and Soccer (Loryn)
-got to have my hair cut and colored
-have gotten to spend time with some of my supporters and good friends
-shared with some lovely ladies about Home of the Open Heart at a knitting group
-was given a new computer by my church in spokane.....what a blessing!!!!
-got to drive in the snow in spokane :( not really really fun....
-had good good coffee from the Shop and Fusion Cafe
-frosted thousands of cookies...hee hee and made some other lovely christmas goodies with my mom!
-ate curry and spring rolls with some hansen kids
-watched some good t.v. shows
-had some good mexican food and heard some good jokes thanks to Seth ;)
-had lots of people over and drank hot cocoa, apple cider, christmas goodies, turkey, marshmallows, sledding and lots of laughing
-have gotten to see 3 of my brothers.....Rob, Shane and Shad....and I'm so enjoying seeing all of their kids too!
-have gotten to be loved on and it's been so refreshing and humbling.....

Thank you so much to everyone......you have all made me feel loved and welcomed back. I am one blessed little girl....

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.....

2010-11-22T20:06:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know I'm planning on going home on the 2nd of December! I will arrive in Spokane on the 2nd and will be around Spokane and Coulee Dam for the next 6 weeks visiting family, friends and reconnecting with my church families in both places. I'm really looking forward to this. I'll try to have a couple get togethers in both places as it's easier for me to not be running around all over during the holidays and I really need this time to be a restful time and a time of refreshing. I have really been feeling burnt out lately and I don't want what God's called me to do here to be out of burn out and necessity. I want God to really move through me and within me and I can't do that if I don't have the proper rest or care that I need. So I'm learning that. It's hard for me because I so love being with people and helping where there needs help but sometimes I forget to be in touch with the Lord and allowing Him to meet my needs as well. I don't want to give out of a dry well. You know what I mean? So all this to say I hope I get to see all of you and hope that you all are doing well as we enter this holiday season filled with good food, good company, lots of family and fun times! Bless you all and thank you for being a part of my life....


favorite place to eat in Chiang Mai

The lantern festival in Chiang Mai


Good friend Jeremy and his amazing wife Lauren and daughter Olivia

My buddy Ae and I under the lanterns

Really good coffee shop my friend Bryan found and here's a photo of he and his wife! I was proud!


YWAM Northern Thailand Conference 2010

That's it folks~ See you all soon! Bless you!

sweet Garin.....

2010-10-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

I think this is really cute....

Little Ambrose....

2010-10-30T09:51:00.000-07:00

Meet my new nephew...his name is Ambrose and I can't wait to hug him tight and welcome him into our family! Recently my brother Shad and siter-in-law Casey decided to make a life changing decision and adopt a little boy. Their family is now complete and I know that he is truly a gift to our family! So welcome sweet Ambrose...you are a precious gift.....

I love you already.....

what season is this....

2010-10-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I have updated you all on what's going on in my life here.....and the reason it's been a while is that I have been super busy. Since Penny is gone in Australia going through Chemo (you can ask me more about that if you would like to know more) and my friend Esther didn't return from Australia, we are all doing a little bit more to cover their shifts. Needless to say my business just got busier! But it's all good....I'm learning how to get some balance in my days...and am learning to say no. It's still difficult at times but at this point it's necessary. :)

A few weeks ago we had a pretty crazy week. One of our friends lost her husband and in the same week my housemate had to have her appendix removed. It was a busy week of funerals and hospital visits and doing some extra shifts. My housemate is almost back to normal other than a little war wound on her belly. So glad that's over with.

I ended up buying my ticket home a month ago and will be coming home on the 2nd of December. I'm excited to celebrate my birthday, christmas and new years at home this year. It'll be a sweet treat. I will let all of you know when I will be near you and will try my best to connect with you all at some point.

If you could all be praying for me as try to balance everything going on here. I don't want to come home completely burnt out.

Also please pray for Penny as she continues to do Chemo. She just started and her body is pretty weak and she's feeling a bit discouraged. And Pray for us at BNJ that we would be able to take care of the things that need to be taken care of.....and pray that we would all get the proper rest and restoration that we need. We are all running on empty right now. So just pray that we can all get little times of refreshing how ever that is.

Thank you all so much for your love and support and thanks so much for reading this. I hope this finds you all well. I'll put some photos up to show what's been going on as of late....

love,
kyndra

Please Pray for Penny......

2010-09-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

This is the Director of Baan Nam Jai and my friend, sister and second mom.....Please keep her in your prayers. She has been battling with the evil Cancer and has been having a rough time as of late. She's one of the strongest women I know..... please keep us at Baan Nam Jai in your thoughts and prayers as we walk through this with our mighty leader! We love her so much! Thanks so much!

walking street...

2010-09-02T03:38:00.000-07:00

Here's some amazing musicians that play at a handy craft market in Chiang Mai....

How am I?

2010-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

I feel like the past couple months have been really good and really hard. I have been reflecting on my past 3 years here in Thailand and thinking about everything I have learned while being here..... I have learned so much about myself, so much about living and working in community, building community, communication and lack there of. It's pretty neat to see how far I've come and yet how much farther I need to go.....learn and grow. I feel like the more I get to be in sweet communion with the Lord the less I realize I actually know Him. That can either be super frustrating or I could look at it as an adventure. You see it's all about how you look at life and choose to look at life. I could wake up each morning and be angry at the Lord because I haven't found my soul mate or because I am not learning the language perfectly or because I don't have enough time to perfect the things I'm a little bit good at or.....yeah, you get it right? I could be angry or I could choose to treat each day like a new adventure and be greatful for the air I have to breath, my health, a good cup of coffee and food in my fridge or in my case good food made for me just down the street. I could be angry because there are so many children dying of AIDS or I could choose to do what I can do to help as many of them as I can...... You see life is a choice... we can choose to be content or discontent, happy or sad, disatisfied or grateful...... we can choose to embrace or run away. Like in Ecclesiastes chapter 3:1-8

"¹For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
²a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶a time to seek, and a time tolose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; ⁷a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace."

There is a season for everything. That is what I have learned. Right now I may not be enjoying the season that I am in but it's necessary for my growth and I will look back and see everything I have learned and that is worth it.

I also want to share what I have been up to lately.... Right now I am still doing nanny shifts about 3 days a week. I love the kids! They are amazing and I am loving getting to know their little personalities and watching them grow up and mature. I also am doing child/staff Sponsorship. It's going well....I am glad that I have a bit more time to keep up on this but I still find that I could always improve on my office skills. ;) I'm so not an office girl but I do enjoy the switch up of scenery and jobs. I am going out doing community visits mostly on Thursdays to a small village in the mountains. We go and visit a boy who's 15 and lives with his grandmother. They are very poor. We are helping the boy make sure he takes his meds regularly and helping them out with getting their health under control. Also encouraging the boy to continue his education. That's been pretty fun. Also just today I went to the hospital with one of my co-workers and helped her teach English in the Children's ward as well as teaching the nurses and doctors English. It was very fun! I got to color with a little girl who has Down-syndrome. It made me miss teaching back at home. She was precious. I hope to go back and do this on a regular basis. I keep hearing stories of children who are homeless, HIV and have no families to take care of them. It overwhelms me but I'm just trusting that we will be able to help them. It's hard to hear these things and not be able to do anything about it except for hand out my number...... It can be quite overwhelming. I know that God has it all under control. All I need to do is be obedient. So here I am...just doing what I can each day.

Tinagon, P'Colleen, Grandma Dang, Me and P'Aub

Thank you all for your encouragement, your love and support! Please continue to pray for me as I am in this funk season..... I look forward to reconnecting with you all very soon! I hope that this blesses you knowing what's going on in my life and gives you more insight on what I'm doing here. Please let me know if you have any questions about anything. It helps knowing that I have such an amazing team backing me up in all of this! Love you all....

blessings,
kyndra

My little buddy Yannee on Mother's day! She's a little ham!

Jesus Loves me with the Morrow team......

2010-08-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

life as of late.....

2010-08-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

has been so hectic....but in a good way. In the past couple months I have been graced by some amazing visitors coming to visit here..... It's been so refreshing being able to catch up and see them and here what's going on in their lives. Over my 31 years I have had the chance to meet some pretty amazing people and build some really precious relationships. You all know who you are. ;) The first people who came to Thailand are some good friends from Spokane who I was in a small group with (Bryan and Kalya Bogue). They are an amazing couple who have a heart for the thai culture and people group. We have always shared this passion together and they have been some of the most amazing people in my life as far as being an advocate for me in my church in Spokane, Wa. Thank you guys! I got to go visit them while they were in Chiang Mai, a city that's about 3 hours south of Chiang Rai. I had a really nice visit with them and then a month later they came to see me in Chiang Rai. We had fun visiting all of the coffee shops around Chiang Rai and eating lots of yummy food! Here's some photos of my time with them.


Bryan, Josh, Me and Kalya


Bryan and Kalya.... amazing friends to me!

I was able to go visit Bryan and Kalya before they headed back home to Spokane. Bryan was teaching at a private university in Chiang Mai, for a few months, called Payup University. He taught some Jazz music classes. Over the weekend I visited his class put on a small jazz concert. It was amazing! I loved it! It was so fun to see what Bryan had been doing during their time here. I felt very honored to be there to share this with them. Thanks you guys! Here's another photo from the show....

Here is Bryan and Kalya on their motor bike.... living the Thai life!

Sweet Sufjan Wilcox

Next were some good friends of mine who came with a special little pressie for me..... This is Luke and Pen and their precious little girl Sufjan. When I went to visit them back in November/December Pennie was ready to pop with this little girl inside her. I got to meet her and she is a joy! I had so much fun playing with her and laughing with her that I was so sad to say good bye....

Here's her parents... They are amazing parents at that. I am so proud of them. They are thriving on being parents and I see so much growth! It inspires me! They inspire me! I'm so blessed by each one of them! Thank you guys for sharing life with me! I love you guys!

Morrow family at the waterfall!

The next group to come were the Morrows. They are good family friends of mine. I used to take care of their kids when I was going to school. They are an amazing family and have always fully supported me in doing what I'm doing here. I am so very grateful for them. I feel so honored that they came to visit me here. They came with their daughter Whitney (13), son Seth (10) and niece Hope (16). We did some community work in the hospital and they did so much work around Baan Nam Jai! They worked so hard every day! I was so proud of them and they represented me well and got so much accomplished every day! We went elephant riding, shopping, had lots of eating adventures. They had fun playing soccer with the kids at Baan Nam Jai. We also were able to take some of them swimming one of the days. Thank you guys so much for coming! I had a blast and was so blessed by you guys! Love you so much! I hope the memories of your time here will last forever!

Hope, Whit, me, Seth, Corrine, and Troy

water fight with the kids!

The last set of visitors were my old house mates Mike and Bec. They came during the busyness of all of these other visitors here however we managed to have some really good times together. We had a fun night of eating moogata all together! It was so good to see them! I was glad I was able to get to see them as well! I felt very blessed and so full of joy to have my worlds collide all into a month!

bec, mike, ae, susie, kak, esther and sarah


amazing dinner at P'Narongs

So that's pretty much it for the visitors part....it's 2 am and I think I should get to bed now....but I will be back shortly to finish telling what's going on with me over here....there's lots more to tell ;) I hope you enjoyed the photos and update so far. Sorry that it's been so long since I have updated this. I have been super busy as you see! I hope this finds all of you doing well. I am missing you all....I can't wait to come back to Wa to see some of you! I will be coming home in December for the Christmas holidays. I will keep you all posted on dates very very soon. Take care and enjoy.....

for a moment.....

2010-07-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say a wee bit of a thank you for something that some of us tend to view lightly or we may not know the depth of something until it is experienced or received. Not sure if this will come out clearly or smoothly but the other day I received a whole heap of letters of encouragement from some friends and their small group from church. They as a small group have been praying for me and all of them, I guess, took some time to write me small letters of encouragement. Although it may have been one liner or small pieces of encouragement, to a girl who lives clear across the world and home that she has known for over 26 years of her life, it meant the world to me. I was going to read one a day until I ran out but the other night I felt as if I had the world laying on my shoulders.....worn out, exhausted and emotional, I laid in bed and read each one and felt the Holy Spirit remind me that although I am a world away from friends, family and church...I have a whole army of people praying for me and thinking of me, at least for the time you were writing those letters of encouragement. So here's what I have to say to all of you..... thank you. Thank you from the very depths of my soul....I don't mean this lightly at all. It made the weight that I was feeling lift off of my shoulders and reminded me that I am not in this alone. Sometimes I wonder why I am here and what I am doing here and how long I will be here. But I always come back to the Lord reminding me that all I need to do is trust in HIM and keep my eyes fixed on Him. Easier said than done for sure. Knowing I have a family covering me in prayer helps carry me through times of doubt and darkness.

So thank you to you all......I am blessed and humbled.

I'm Out

2010-06-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

one more poem by yours truely::

Freak out....think I freaked out
Freaked myself out of letting go, giving and letting give
Give up
I'm a give up, freak out, I'm out....
out of reasons...out of time
I come out to see...
I see nothing....nothing that I thought I would be and yet everything of none of myself
I'm lost, lost in love, lost in the middle of disobedient obedience... I'm lost in my Father's arms
I am found...I am me

Let's Go Fishing.....

2010-06-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

a poem by me:

fishing my heart out of this big ocean of mess and beauty
out of an ocean of love and hatred
my heart...it must have gotten lost or hurt or broken.....did someone take it?
i think i found it.......
i think the only taint in it is where it got hooked
it can be fixed...mended
only a small scar is left to remember the pain
to remember the lessons learned
scars hold fear, pain, brokenness...that only scars from nails in hands can fix.....

powder

2010-05-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

this is just a little ditty about the advantages and disadvantages of the use of powder- baby powder or talcum powder.

Advantages: it makes you feel fresh, smells good, takes away any stickiness on your body, helps not to sweat as much, and just makes you feel nice

Disadvantages: Talcum powder contains a substance similar in composition to asbestos, and some studies have linked the use of talcum powder to increased incidence of ovarian cancer. Accidentally inhaling it can lead to serious respiratory problems or even death, also it can make a bit of a mess on the bathroom floor and even make the floor quite slippery.

However....when you live in a country where it's deathly hot and humid like no other powder can seem like a good friend. Sometimes when things get bad enough we can turn to things that we know aren't the best for us but because it will give us a little relief for the moment......to be completely honest I love using powder....but in the end it will or could bring results that could be unchangeable. It's hard to know what's really serious and what's just a myth.....that's where discernment comes in and making wise decisions come in. I don't say this to point fingers....I of all people make poor decisions everyday that could effect my future.....it's a daily battle of my flesh and what I know is truth. Just something for us to think about......

a boquet of sharpened pencils.....

2010-05-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

The time has come for our kids to head back to school....I will miss having them around.....this means a new season...hot season is not really leaving us...just means rainy season is coming and it will be hot and then will rain really hard! It's kind of a love/hate season. I love the rain but it's not really practical when you have a motor bike as your main mode of transportation. But it is a good relief to the heat. So as I (we) enter into this new season let me tell you what I feel heavy on my heart as of late.....

I feel a desire to pray harder than I ever have before....to pray for direction into the heart of the community. To pray for healing both physically and spiritually for the people of Chiang Rai. To pray for my heart to be tugged at and molded and formed and shaped into the piece of art that God has instore for it. I know that means pain but I am all for it if it's going to be better than it is now! I pray for children out there that need homes that need people to care for them...that the Lord would bring them to us in His perfect timing. I pray for freedom in the land of free. I pray for understanding of culture and breaking down cultural walls..... there's so much more to pray for...so much more. So I will pray I will pray and not stop praying. Will you join me? Please join me....

I don't know how any of you are doing....please e.mail me and keep in touch. I have some good news for everyone...I will be coming home in December for a month or so! I am looking forward to seeing everyone and catching up again. This time I will be more organized and will know what to expect as far as culture shock and dealing with coming home to so much change. So I hope to see you all and get to spend some quality time with you! Thank you again for reading my blog and for taking time to be a part of my life. For taking part in my life here....You are all so pinnacle to my time here and just living life here. You are my rocks......the rocks that keep my feet steady....you bless me, I hope you know that....

signing off and going to bed....thanks again for reading.... bless you all out there...

a summer of a time.....

2010-05-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

Summer break has definitely been fun and HOT!!! I don't know if I can speak for the kids but we have had some fun times and it's been relaxing just hanging out in Chiang Rai this break. Here's some of the fun things I have enjoyed doing with the kids: swimming, water fights, bike rides, cooking, picking fruit from the trees, bug hunting, reading, playing music, singing, dancing, sleepovers, camping, hiking, exploring, making pizzas, eating pizzas, ice cream, coffee shops, running, painting nails and playing hard. It's been a really fun time with the kids. I have really enjoyed spending quality time with them. I have loved them coming into the office to just sit with me while I am working! We have had some really special times. Here's some photos of the kids during the summer break....

Last night....

2010-04-18T10:51:00.000-07:00

(this I wrote on my last night in WA back in 2007....)

Last Night-

It's my last night at mom and dad's house. How do I say goodbye to my dad? To mom? Why do I try to act so calm and cool like this huge life change doesn't bother me...doesn't effect me? When really, deep inside it's hard to catch my breath knowing it's going to be a long time since I will see them again...since I know that so much will change. My steady rocks are being shifted and my feet feel unsteady. Steady me heavenly Father. I love them with all that is within me....with my every being. Is it protection that I do this to my self? Trying to protect so that I don't break down and show them my weakness. I don't want them to know how scared I am to go. It scares the shit out of me. I am broken down and I cry... lying in my bed I cry...break me down. Break me down on this last night with my mom and dad...cover them with your wings and tell them how much I love them and will miss them and will think of them every second of the day....for with out you Father- with out them I would not be able to step out into this great season...a great adventure into a great country.....be my comfort on this last night I am sleeping under the same room as Ed and Sheryl...the bearers of my very blood...for two became one and I became and was given wings to fly.....on this last night I commit my life, my plans my future, my family....on this last night may it never be the last but may it last forever in my heart......

Bitter Sweet.....

2010-04-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

(this was written back in 2007....just wanted to share with you)

Bitter Sweet

I'm thankful that you give me trials
Thankful for my weakness
Thankful for a broken heart
Thankful for nakedness
Thankful for pride, humility

I'm thankful for so much more....for with out these I would not need you like I do.
I'm thankful for being lost, confused, and scared
Thankful for these struggles that overwhelm me and rock me to the core for without these I would not be so absolutely dependent on you.
Thank you for loving me like you do.
Thank you.....I am so in love with your bittersweet love for which loving you would be too easy
Thank you my sweet saviour

This Old House......

2010-04-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

(I was going through a bunch of old journal entries and found some that I would like to share with you all.....this one is one that I wrote on the last night before leaving WA to head back to Thailand knowing I would never sleep in it again....I had lived in that house since I was just over a year old....it held many beautiful memories for me)

Raider color house
Swing under the old maple tree
We each had our very own trees
Had a perfect view of Laura's house
The dog house that Shad hid in
The maple tree we used to climb and swing down on a homemade zip line
Garage where deer would hang from and where dad would go work out in

I will miss fighting over the bathroom
Crowding in the living room to watch a movie
Holidays where every corner was filled with family and laughter
Playing bump in the front yard
Driving to the HighSchool
Walking to the store
Sitting on the grassy hill on warm summer nights
I will miss the smell, the sound, the feel of this old house

beautiful grace....

2010-04-06T10:26:00.000-07:00

I just watched the Passion of Christ for the first time since it being in the cinema years ago. I was overwhelmed by the intensiveness of it all. It's hard to watch and yet it's such a beautiful reminder of grace....grace given to me....completely don't deserve it....it's hard to grasp in my little mind. I don't get it and yet I do. Sometimes when I'm working with the kids and they are so annoying to me and I ask the Lord to help me to help train them up in a way that would be glorifying to the Lord, I begin to see them with God's eyes and I see their brokenness, their sin, their selfishness, their heart that wants to rebel but yet God has grace for them...He has grace for me. They are so precious in His eyes and it's my job to teach them love... love, the greatest commandment....Love...it's so hard and yet so simple. If I can just master the art of love and loving then I am done... I can go be with my Lord....it's an ongoing battle....struggle something that I may never master or understand the depth, hight, length, or any measure of my Father's love for me and others....

Lately I have been struggling with time...time spent with the Lord, time to myself, time to just sit and be in God's presence, time to pray and listen. I struggle to get out of bed. Sometimes I dream about sleeping all day because my body feels so tired and exhausted! I feel like a sluggard.....I am. That's it...I am a sluggard. I'm lazy and my spirit is lazy. I don't have discipline. I am in such need of God's grace for my weary soul and my lazy bones. I hate it. I hate that I can't get up and breath in God's word, His presence and walk in the passionate understanding of God, His grace and His gospel...so much that it falls of my lips like honey drips from the honey comb....I desire that and long for that and live for that.....it's like that verse from Romans (I think) that talks about I do what I don't want to do and don't do what I want... I am such a human and a woman who sins every day....Jesus, take these lazy bones and pick them up....shake them....shake me and wake up my sleeping body....I am in need of your grace and your love and your addictive presence....amazing grace~ my beautiful grace giver...I am forever indebted to you.....

a break.....

2010-04-06T10:05:00.000-07:00

We have been having heaps of fun with the kids over the school holidays! We have had picnics, camp outs, yummy cooking classes, swimming....and lots more. It's been a fun time with the kids. I enjoy having them around....even when I'm trying to get stuff done.... I love when they sneak into the office, sit on my lap and pretend to be typing on my computer. It's fun having the home with us! They are growing up so much! The other day I was working in the boys house and I asked them to clean the bathrooms and they cranked the music up, put cleaning boots on and cleaning gloves and were dancing with the toilet brushes! It was beautiful! Crystal and I will get to have Nui and Garin down to our house during Songkran (the water festival). All of the thai staff is off so each of us are taking a couple kids and will have them for a week. I'm looking forward to the many water fights and fun times hanging out with both of them. We will continue to have fun and laugh and run and play and scream and tease and ride our bikes and be kids together..... I miss that uninhibited childlike play time......I will try to be uninhibited this week.....why don't you try too....It's my challenge for you....

to the mountains~

2010-03-06T17:54:00.000-08:00

I got to take some of the girls from Baan Nam Jai camping at P'Moi's house in the mountains with P'Aphae (both ladies I work with at BNJ). We had a really good time of eating, playing in the tent, playing with the fire, hiking around, making food and just visiting with eachother. I think it was a really good time and all of us slept super well after returning home! (wink)So glad!

PASSED and PAST......

2010-02-26T06:43:00.000-08:00

I have good news for all of you who have been patiently waiting to hear how my thai language exam went......ready for this?? I PASSSED!! I totally and completely did so much better than I ever expected!!! I give God all the glory! I got the highest scores in writing and speaking and the lowest in reading..... but listening I did well. Thank you for all of your prayers and encouragement! Thank you to all of you who helped me practice and pushed me on! Woo! I'm done! JOPE!

two thousand and ten.....woo!

2010-02-26T03:22:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and yeah, it has been good good so far.....Crystal and I had Garin (one of the boys from Baan Nam Jai) over New Years and we had a really good time. We took him bowling and out on coffee dates and played guitar with him and watched movies and rode bikes and had so so so much fun! Here's some photos from New Years and Christmas.......

birday....

2010-02-19T00:36:00.000-08:00

I turned 31 this year. I still can't believe I'm in my 30's. Freaks me out! I am blessed that I am in a season where I have a good group of friends that are around my age and single. I feel so fortunate to have a community of women who love the Lord and encourage me to grow. I am blessed! Our favorite past time is eating together so that's what we did.....we ate until we all had food babies :D hee hee

here's my good friends Ae and Kak~

and my housemate and good friend Crystal~

long awaited......

2010-02-18T23:59:00.000-08:00

I made it back from Oz safely and jumped into Christmas mode as soon as I got back. I had an amazing time. I stayed with Luke and Pen in their house and they were so hospitable. I felt right at home! I also got to spend a night with Bec and Jess at Bec's house! We bought junk food and just visited into the late night. So lovely! Dave and Jess took me camping and we slept in swags! Never knew what one was before. So here is what they look like. It was so much fun. We woke up to rain sprinkling our faces. After camping Jess, Dave and I went to go make breaky but the rain and wind made that quite difficult. So we went to a nice little cafe instead and had coffee and breaky. So I can say that I went camping in the outback with wild roos all over the place. Seriously they were all over the place.

After the camping fun we went back to Jess's mom's house and Bec met up with us and we went to the wineries! That was so amazing! I couldn't help but think how jealous my brother Shad would have been. It was a beautiful drive to McLaren Vale. We went to about 4 or 5 different wineries.....it all became a blur by the 5th one.......here's some photos from there....
We had a lovely time and I felt so blessed to be able to go and do this with lovley friends! I tested lots of cabernets, sauvignons, shirazes, viogniers, syrahs, and some lovely sparkling wines as well. Thanks Dave for driving and taking us to all of the lovely places......

My birthday was sweet bliss....we ran away to spend 4 days at the beach in um, in a place outside of Adelaide called Victor Harbor and stayed in a friend's grandparent's beach house. It was straight from the 70's and amazing! We had great food, good laughs, some good local beer, beautiful walks on the beach and partook in some meat pies from the local bakery, ate some roo and at fish and chips on the beach at Shark Alley....here's some photos from there....

I spent a day with my friend Jacs and Nat....we had breaky together and went to this wildlife refuge and had a couple stops of coffee along the way....it was lovely! Here's some photos from that.....

my trip to Oz was fantastic! I could not have asked for a better 2 weeks of good food, good friends, good fellowship and good rest! I also lucked out with listening to some good music and going to some shows! So that was an added bonus! I am a blessed little girl! Thanks for reading this and for waiting for so long for this to come. There's more to come....it won't be long! I promise :) Love all of you guys... many blessings from kyndra to you all today....

I'm moving to Australia, not kidding...

2009-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

This post has been commissioned by me (Kyndra) and written by me (Luke). I feel the need to insert a short disclaimer here that if you find anything offensive, it's my fault. I'm Australian and some people find me offensive, partly because I am and I really enjoy being antagonistic.
Anyway, on to the exciting parts of this post. So far Australia has been totally awesome. It started off with me sneaking through Australian Customs with wood, food and seeds (which I have now sold on the black market for an absolute killing - just kidding K Rudd, I didn't really). At the arrivals gate at Melbourne, my slightly average friends Pennie and Luke (I've just switched to third person, it's easier) were waiting for me. Luke had driven the previous day from Adelaide and his armpits stunk a little, but I didn't tell him. Is that bad?
I stayed in Melbourne in the forest for a couple of days, which was nice, at a friend of Luke and Pennie's, called Noah. He's very nice. And if you like good music you could go to myspace.com/greatearthquake, that's his band.

My favourite thing about Melbourne was a café around the corner from where we stayed that wasn't open called 'earthly pleasures'. Unfortunately, I didn't actually get to go inside but Luke told me if was really really fantastic and his taste is impeccable so I think I believe him.
I got bored of waiting for 'earthly pleasures' to open, so we decided to all head to Adelaide, where the "real action" is, and where all my Australian friends live. The drive was beautiful, the giant koala's laser beam eyes were not.

Since arriving in Adelaide, I have not stopped doing the dishes. It's therapeutic.
It's been great to catch up with all my friends, well, most of them. We all spent the weekend at a little town south of Adelaide called Middleton at a friends friends grandpa's shack. It hadn't been renovated since it was built sometime in the 70s but that made it even better. The view was also amazing.

that photo is me with my friend Bec. I have recently bought those glasses off her for an easy bargain of $1000. Thanks for your support! You may also see a lovely view in the background, this is the beach we had to look at all day.
We also went to a place called Shark Alley, which was also really cool and there was fairly good sunset too I think.

If you think you like all these photos, you should really check out my facebook, there's heaps there. Isn't facebook great for connecting people? I love it.
After we got back from a great long weekend away, I set about relaxing a bit, which kind of brings us all up to date. I'm drinking lots of coffee, eating lots of yummy food, and making friends with all the kangaroos that seem to hop around all frisky-free on Luke and Pennie's front lawn .They are only sometimes aggressive (yes mum, I am looking after myself).
I'm getting pretty sick of writing about Australia now, so I'll probably stop. There will be more to come though, don't worry.
Love, Kyndra (sort of) (ie. sort of kyndra, not sort of love)

Seasons change....they change me.....

2009-11-24T03:43:00.000-08:00

Well, my season of studying thai is rapidly coming to an end folks! It freaks me out because I know that I am no where close to being fluent at this hectic/difficult/beautiful language we call thai. But I am ending my season of intense study and am really greatful for it! It's been a super intense and busy season and it's completely changed me! It's changed my relationships that I have now and future relationships to come. When you get the jist of the language it changes everything. It opens you up to a whole new world! It bridges the gap that was once there and that might still be there somedays when I am completely exhausted and thai just won't come out. It's in there somewhere! I could not have survived this season at all with out the help from the Lord! It's just not something that would come to me easily! I want to thank everyone for praying for me and encouraging me to keep it up!! I love you all and am blessed by you all! I will make sure to fill you in on my trip to Australia where I will rest and relax and visit some blessed friends! Until then....peace out!

Shop girl

2009-11-12T10:07:00.000-08:00

I have a new friend....she does hair. She opened a salon next to P'Rut's coffee shop (Companion). I don't think she had any idea what she was getting herself into by opening up this shop next to Companion. She has experienced doing farang hair (non-thai hair) and enjoys us coming in for makeovers! She didn't realize that she would be exposed to the community that flows out of this special coffee shop. My housemate and I have been praying for her and just building relationship with her. So tonight, on our regular bible study night we decided to just go and have dinner with her in her shop. We ended up just eating next door at the coffee shop and had a really good time visiting with eachother. I have this friend, her name is Ae and she's got the gift of teaching. She also has a huge heart and wants to see people come to experience God's grace and love for them. So as we were all sitting around visiting Ae went next door and just started visiting with P'Ploy (the girl from the salon). Slowly all of us ended up in her shop listening to Ae tell her God's story and explain to her how God sent His Son to die for her because His love is so vast and great. And that nothing she could do could seperate her from His love. My other friend Kak began to share her testimony (which is beautiful) and then P'Rut came in and shared his with her. She started to cry and was so greatful to hear all of this. I think she was overwhelmed with emotion at the fact that the Lord died for her, for her sins, because of HIS GREAT LOVE for HER! This is what it's all about! This is why I am here, this is why we listen to the Lord, this is why we have life, this is why we love......because God first loved us.

I am blown away at how the Lord works and His timing. I'm blown away at how much God still loves me even when I am not thriving from reading His word and spending time with Him. His grace is sufficient for me. I don't deserve it at all. I'm selfish and lazy and don't spend my time wisely- and yet the Lord is so jealous for my time and can use me as His tool to share His love. I am blown away at how God is moving so big in just this little area of my community that God has given me. What a mighty God we serve. I don't deserve His love and grace yet He gives it so freely! What a gift grace is! I sat in the coffee shop just thinking how this little coffee shop located on the outskirts of Chiang Rai in a little area called Baan Du in a little green coffee shop run by a regular guy has become a place of refuge, a place of healing and a place of community. Come-Unity! My life is rich!

Please be praying for Ploy and her business. Pray that she comes to understand God's love for her. Pray that we would continue to surround her and be her community! She's very lonely and very hungry for friendship and companionship. She parked her shop next to the right place eh? I believe the Lord wants to capture her heart! I believe He will use her salon as a place of refuge as well!

a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together.....

2009-11-09T02:32:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for me to get ready to put all of my thai study to action! In 3 weeks I head to BKK to take my big thai language exam. I am both nervous and anxious to get this over with! I can't believe this time has come so quickly! This exam will cover reading and comprehension, writing and speaking. I know that I still have so much more to learn and that I am not at all at a place to say I am fluent in thai at this point but I see how far I have come in just the 5-6 months of study since coming back from the states. I know it's nothing I could have done on my own. I feel very blessed and covered by the Lord in all of this. I also have had the support of my friends and family here and back home as I have taken on this intense time of study. It is the end of an intense and growing chapter of my life. Thank you all for your prayers during this time.

One more exciting thing is that on the evening of my big exam I will fly out to Australia to spend 2 weeks with some lovely friends of mine. They are sending me there and have paid for it all! I feel so blessed to have this opportunity! Thank you all of my amazing Aussie bogans! Until we meet again.....

Potato Head Eyes......

2009-10-14T09:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a little poem that I wrote a while ago...I just read it the other day and thought I would share it.....

today I put on my happy eyes
but she put on her sad eyes

i had on my lonely eyes yesterday
and he had on his married eyes

she was wearing her tired eyes
so they put on their working eyes

tomorrow i'm going to look for my blessed eyes
and he's going to find his forgiving eyes

angry eyes, thankful eyes, laughing eyes, tearful eyes
eyes smiling, eyes closing, blinking eyes, looking eyes, finding eyes
happy eyes

tomorrow i will wear my eye glasses
she will see his long eye lashes

hungry eyes, red eyes, yellow, black and blue eyes
hurting eyes, lying eyes......

eyes that can see tomorrow eyes
father's eyes, daughters eyes
baby eyes, beautiful eyes, eyes that say
i love you eyes
eyes that don't want to take them off you eyes

eyes that see, look and feel
eyes that tell secrets, eyes that tell the truth
eyes that love

i'm going to put on my happy eyes, my blessed, thankful
joyful, rested, loving and patient eyes
that will lead the way to my heart

eyes

let my eyes be his eyes.....
just like my father's eyes

A taste from home........

2009-09-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

As soon as I returned from the conference I was greeted by a good friend of mine from my home town in Coulee Dam. My friend Hope and her daughter had come to visit for a couple weeks to see where I live, what I do and experience a little thai culture. We had a blast! Also during their first week here, my new housemate came! Her name is Crystal, she's and Aussie as well....I can't seem to stay away from them! :D She's an amazing housemate so far! We get along great and she's very clean! It's nice to have someone in the house with me again! She will be working at BNJ doing nursing stuff, nanny shifts and some other stuff, hopefully community work when we get that up and running again! Anyways, back to Hope and Addison's visit....I had a great time showing them around my neighborhood, getting them to try all kinds of thai food and snacks, showing them the thai way of traveling, and well, allowing them to experience my busy busy life! They couldn't have come at a busier time! But it was good and we had a blast! The timing was actually perfect and the Lord knew that! I needed them here then and it all orchestrated itself just the way it needed to. God is so good~! We had fun riding elephants, going to the tea plantations, drinking lots of smoothies, coffee and getting massages, riding on my scooter and lauging a lot! It was refreshing and such a blessing! Here's some photos from that....enjoy

Krabi again...

2009-09-20T09:29:00.000-07:00

I had a conference that I went to down south in Krabi about a month ago. It was the all Thailand YWAM conference where all of the YWAM ministries gathered to share what's going on all over the country. A bunch of our staff went as well as myself (obviously)! WE had a great time! We went on this crazy-scary boat ride to check out some islands. Our prayers were desperate that day! It was the start of rainy season so the Sea was not calm at all. The long boat was not gentle and we left the boat wetter than the water itself! It was a fun day needless to say and I don't say that in a sarcastic tone at all! It really was a good/scary memory~ Glad I went! The conference was really good. I enjoyed seeing people from all over Thailand and hearing about what they are doing to help the people of Thailand. God is raising up some amazing leaders and the new ministries are such a blessing! I was refreshed and blessed.

A few of us ended up staying a little later after the conference had ended. We stayed in a hotel just a minute walk away from the beach and had a couple days to just enjoy the ocean! It was really nice. I stayed in room with my friend Susie and P'Quan and Kak stayed in a room together and our friends Casey and his wife and little girl also had a room next to ours. It was a really good time. I also was able to get my baby fix with their little girl! She's a sweet girl and we had some good times playing together! Here's some photos of us at the ocean!

friends

2009-09-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

Recently I had some friends come and visit me.....Dave and Jess. It was a lovely visit....we had good coffee dates, long late night chats, good food, weird photo shoots and made some more good memories! Dave and Jess were my first house mates while here in Thailand, so it was really fun seeing them again and getting to hear how their life is going back in Australia. I really miss them but had a really good visit with them while they were here! They have become some dear friends and have Thailand a richer place....

Goodbye girl.....

2009-06-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

This is my roomie Anna....she is leaving for Washington today......I wish her all the best! It was a beautiful season......soi 10 will never be the same....Fare the Well my sweet Anna girl......

home with my family.....

2009-05-26T13:04:00.000-07:00

There's no doubt that coming home to Coulee Dam hasn't been everything that I expected and more. It's been really busy, very refreshing and so much fun to have been able to catch up with some amazing family and friends of mine.

I am blown away by how much all of the kids here have grown! I have loved getting to see everyone's families grow and flourish..... I hope that all of you Coulee kids know what a blessing it is to have eachother! Young with young kids that will grow up together! Embrace it and allow God to use you guys to continue to reach out to the community here! It's a beautiful town....it's got a special feel about it and I know that the Lord has some big plans for you guys!

Mom and dad..... (sigh) I have loved every minute of my time here in this house for one last visit. Next time I will look out the window not to the H.S. kids walking to the store for lunch and out at Lacie's domain but I will look out to Lake Roosevelt and to the beauty out there. I am so excited for you guys! I look forward to that. Although I am a bit bummed out that I won't be able to spy on the Reese house and yell at Laura when I see her car drive up. But I am very excited for you guys and you deserve this!

All of you Coulee folk that will read this:: I felt very loved on! Thank you! I felt very blessed sharing about my life that the Lord is building for me over there. There is not a minute that I don't think about you guys and am not greatful for your love, support and prayers for me as I venture out everyday on my bike and am out in the community and most of all loving on those kids! Precious, precious kids! Thank you!

And so I sign off and am ready to connect with my family and friends over in Spokane....here I come! I can't wait!

I love you all and will miss you painfully when I go......but keep in touch as much as you can. It keeps my head up when I hear from home!

2009-05-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Here we are in Bangkok visiting our good friend Robin Jingjit (formally known as Breeze). This is their new addition to their family, Miles. He's a sweety boy....full of personality! Then we went to the floating market...that was really beautiful and lots of fun!

2009-05-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

And here's some more.....of my house, eating fish, shopping at the market and me in my famous position in the office where I remained all week! Glad that madness is over..... that was the storm before the calm....haa haa..I know I got it backwards but really that's what it was.

Out and About in Chiang Rai

2009-05-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Although I had to work while Julie was visiting we still made time for markets and dinner dates and nights out on the town! We had so much fun and it was a whirlwind tour of the big city of Chiang Rai! I'm really glad I had my lovely roomie to help Julie get around while I was crazy busy working! It was a full week but very memorable! Here's proof....

2009-05-19T09:11:00.001-07:00

I just couldn't pass some of these photos up....they are at Doi Mae Salong as well.

Doi Maesalong......

2009-05-19T09:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some more photos.....

Doi Maesalong......

2009-05-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

This is a tea plantation..... it's a beautiful, windy, mountain road covered with tea plants of all kinds. The majority is different kinds of green tea and oolong. There's really little communities all over the mountain. The people are beautiful and very friendly! We enjoyed some good coffee at a place called Sweet Maesalong! Best coffee I have had in Thailand or maybe ever..... I'll have to think about that a little longer....but I'm pretty sure ever. WE also got to do tea tasting. That was fun... we learned the right way to taste tea. They pour it into this tall and skinny ceramic mug and they place it upside down inside a larger mug so when you pull the smaller cup up you can roll the cup that had the tea in it in your hands and smell the tea and then you drink it. The skinny cup is really warm so it acts as a hand warmer as well. So smart! Here's some pictures of us there....enjoy.....

ju-lee comes....

2009-05-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

I just want to say that my friend Jewel’s husband, Jamie sent his wife to come and visit me as a gift to both of us. It has been such a gift! After seeing my mom when she came to visit me last september, I had an aching inside to see more of my family.....Jewel and Jamie are my family and I am so blessed to have her here to show her what I have been doing over the past year and a half. What a gift! Now if everyone else could come and see me that would just be the cherry on top!

2009-05-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

2009-05-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

Railay Beach.....

2009-05-02T20:36:00.001-07:00

These are just a few photos (wink) from our time at the beach.....we have hundreds more..but these are some of the besties...... I hope you enjoy looking at them and will use coming to this beach as an incentive to come see me up in Chiang Rai some day....

A visit from my buddy....

2009-05-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

t’s been Jewel’s dream to come to Thailand.....down south, to rock climb on the beach. We used to talk about it back in High School.....so her husband gave her the gift to do that.... gave us the gift to do that together. He stayed home with their 4 children so that his wife could fulfill her dream! What a blessing! So here we are at Railay in Krabi and we got to live the dream! We will have been here for 12 days...couple days short of 2 weeks! Crazy! It has been unreal! We have been able to go rock climbing, have massages on the beach, swim until my hands are wrinkled, lay out in the sun, go tour the islands, snorkel, watch the sunset and explore the island. Our theme for our time here is “Chillin the frick out”..... the reason? Well, both of us have had a pretty rough year and we both needed time and a place to just rest and relax and process all of the work that the Lord is doing in both of us. Let me tell you....it’s been completely necessary and makes me want to cry just thinking about the gift this time has been. We have always wanted to travel together and we are getting to do that. We have wanted to rock climb together over the ocean and we got to do that! And both of us needed to get away from everything and everyone and just rest and we have really been able to do that! It’s been amazing! We both have seen how the Lord has been working through us with people we have met since being here. God is so good.

I write this in the wee hours of the night in anticipation of seeing most of you very soon. I look forward to hearing about what’s been going on with all of you over the past year and half. Please pray for me as I make my whirlwind visit and try to see everyone of you. I feel very overwhelmed just thinking about my short amount of time and how badly I want to spend days catching up and I know that there is not enough time for that to happen. Pray that I would be organized with the time that I have. Pray also that I would take time for myself as well. As most of you know how I am....it’s easy for me to get distracted and caught up in people pleasing. I really don’t want to fall into that. I am planning on having a BBQ in Coulee Dam so that I am able to see everyone and spend some time with friends and family sharing photos and sharing what’s been going on with my life here in Thailand. I am also planning on having a gathering in Spokane as well. It’ll help catch up with more people at once which will help me feel like I’m not so spread thin. I hate that I have to do it this way but it’s the best way I can think of to see everyone. I hope this doesn’t sound like I am dreading coming home. I so am not. I am stoked and have been looking forward to.... even long to see all of you! REALLY! I just know myself and I don’t want to be stressed and feel spread thin. It’s against my nature to be so organized but I have to be because I love you all and want to have a chance to see your beautiful faces! Well, I might need to get some rest now.....got a big day tomorrow.....gonna go hike to a lagoon to swim in! I hope you enjoy the photos!

I hope you guys are all doing well!!!! I will see you all very soon!

Here’s a long awaited blog update with the latest photos...... enjoy! I hope this finds you all well.....see you soon!

Love,
Kyndra Mikelle Moore

NEW YEAR.....

2009-02-18T21:02:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year to all!!!!!

I am hopeful that you all had a good celebration into the new year! Woo Hoo! It’s 2009! I still can’t believe it! I had a really nice New Years Eve......I went with Mike and Bec to our friend P’Quan’s house (she is the assistant Director of BNJ) and had an amazing dinner! We sat around and ate and talked and ate and talked! Susie brought the girls so I of course was lured outside a few times to go see the birds and ended up playing with them. Then Susie prayed over our time and over our year and this new one to come and we all headed to our next destinations. Mike and Bec and I went to the coffee shop (called Companion....aka my 2nd home after BNJ) We had noise makers, karaoke and some really good and spicy food!!! It was delicious....Nok made moo manao, which is a limey spicy pork dish and after I drank the juice Oct had to take me outside and show me something that would turn my fire off. We then continued on with some good ol karaoke and singing our hearts out. It made me miss Luke, Pe, Jaci, Dave, and Jess and wish that they were here with is celebrating the new year. So here’s some pictures to tell them that we were thinking of them! I wish you all a rich 2009! I have a feeling this is going to be a challenging year ahead. But I am positive that it will be rich in God walking me through each challenging obsitical. As He always does! Thinking of you all and missing you very much!

a visit from Kwan......

2009-02-18T19:52:00.000-08:00

I got to hang out with my thai translator from 4 years ago this week! It was so fun! I met Kwan when I came to thailand in 2004. She was the translator for my DTS team. She was in Chiang Rai for a week doing a school with YWAM (youth with a mission) for working with children. She had a day off on Monday and we got to hang out all day. It was a really good time! We ate good northern thai food, went to Le Petite, had the tour of BNJ, and had dinner in the market. I am so glad I was able to finally catch up with her. Here's some photos from our time!

NUCH.....

2009-02-18T19:39:00.000-08:00

I was able to go to Chiang Mai back in January to go see Hillsong and Joyce Meyer. It was fun. My friend Nuch from Pattaya got to come and spend the weekend away. We had a good time. Here's a photo from that weekend! For all of those who remember her, she's doing very well and has a beautiful heart that is growing and maturing! It was so good to be able to spend the weekend with her!

Chinese New Year

2009-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

P'Mew invited a bunch of us up to her village to celebrate the Lahu/Chinese New year. She is Karen (which is a type of tribe/village here) but she is married to a guy who is Lahu (also a tribe, a little different to Karen). So It was the New Year in February and Mew invited us up to eat and join in the festivities. It was neat to see how they ring in the new year. In the photos you will see a group shot of all of us farangs and a few thais. All of the farangs work at BNJ, the thai girls are P'Mew, my friend Ae and our accountant at BNJ, Kak. The First photo is me and others dancing....later on a pig head came out as a sacrificial offering...kinda freaked me out. I prayed a lot! The second photo is of me and Bethany and Stephanie. Bethany lived in my house with me for a while and then when Esther left she moved into the girls house to help Susie out. She is moved back to Australia a week ago! It was a sad goodbye. The next goodbye I will have to say to is to Stephanie. However it won't be as hard as she is from a town really close to where I am from! So I will get to see her again! The third photo is of me and Anna my new housemate. She is from Washington and is teaching at FLC (the international school here in Chiang Rai). She will be here until June when school is out.

Friends and stuff

2009-02-18T19:10:00.000-08:00

These are photos from New Years and after. 1. Oct and Nok, my friends from the coffee shop that moved to BKK now. 2. This is Susie with Belle at P'Mew's house. We went to have dinner there and celebrate the Chinese New year. 3.Me with Nui.....I was tickling her and she was trying her hardest not to smile. 4. This is my sweet Mae....it's too easy to make her smile! . I hope you guys enjoy!

a glance at 2008.....and heading into 2009 with a BOOM!!

2008-12-30T08:32:00.000-08:00

December update.......

Highlights.....looking back

1. I bought a motor bike
2. painted my house
3. swam with elephants
4. mom came
5. learned how to drive on the other side of the car on the other side of the road
6. learning how to read and write and speak thai
7. working on mastering the rubics cube
8. wrote a few songs
9. found my favorite coffee shop
10. found out the secret ingredient to fried rice

Goals:
1. play my guitar better
2. get better at finishing books
3. improve my saying goodbye skills
4. learn some thai songs
5. pass the bo-hok (the thai language test)
6. take julie rock climbing
7. be more disciplined in my life
8. learn how to ride a motor bike with gears
9. make yam moo sen (a spicy thai glass noodle salad)
10. not cut my hair

Prayer:
1. I NEED DISCIPLINE
2. some more discipline
3. pray for my relationships with my friends at the coffee shop
4. pray for relationships at BNJ (if I ever type it like this it means Baan Nam Jai)
5. Pray for my attitude with new people coming and old people leaving. This is really wearing on me.
6. Pray for my friendships oustide of BNJ, thai relationships.
7. prayer needed for my thai language study
8. my times of lonliness and homesickness
9. prayer that I will make time for intimate times with the Lord.
10. That I would continue to be obedient to follow the leading of the Lord.

2008-12-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

Woo Hoo!!!

2008-12-19T02:34:00.002-08:00

Sorry that it’s been a while for this to be updated. I have been busy and a bit lazy! There’s been a lot going on and I think I was feeling a bit overwhelmed! I had to say some more big goodbyes! Esther left and soon to leave next is Mike and Bec! I am not looking forward to that. Here’s a picture of Susie, Esther and the girls. Also Mike and Bec invited my friend Ae and I up for a little thai bbq. Ae and I took a trip to Chiang Mai and there’s a picture of me sitting on the tai pae gate and also a picture of Ae and I on her favorite bridge. There’s a picture of Susie trying to take a nap outside and all of the girls wanting to join her. And then the rest are just for your enjoyment! Oh, also we painted the volunteer house! I will take more pictures and show you the end product! It looks so much better! It’s becoming more of a home to me! Well, MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all! I love and miss you all and treasure your friendship though out the year! Many blessings on this new year to come!

2008-10-09T23:17:00.001-07:00

Here's just a few more pictures from mom's visit here. Here we are having dinner for Mom and Janie's birthdays, my housemates, my friend Stephanie and Ae. Here's a photo of mom and Janie at the gardens. Janie and I with a fire dancer and then us having one last good dinner at the beach....... And mom is being respectful and waiing the kids.....it's the thai way!

2008-10-09T23:13:00.000-07:00

the beach....Koh Chang....

2008-10-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

We flew to Bangkok and stayed the night. Then the next morning we headed down to Koh Chang. We had a very nice guy drive us down in his van. We got there in the early evening and had dinner and then played in the water for a little bit. We spent some more time shopping.....I know...we are at the beach....but mom couldn’t resist! It was shopping paradise! We had massages, laid by the pool, played in the ocean, read, ate amazing food, watched fire dancers, saw some beautiful sunsets, played some more and rested. Ah, it was very nice! Then we were picked up by our nice van driver on Saturday. He took us back to Bangkok and the next morning I had to say goodbye to mom and Janie. Mom I did cry after I walked away. Just thought you should know! I am so so blessed that both of them were able to come and visit me. I am so glad they got to share this adventure together. And I am honored that they will take those amazing 2 weeks back with them and share it with as many of you as they can. Enjoy listening to their stories! It was a time I will never forget!

2008-10-09T22:57:00.000-07:00

Mom and Janie got to finally hang out with the kids and take their gifts to them. Mom played with them and Janie did some hair ministry! (Thanks Jane!) We took the kids to go feed the fish and on sunday mom and Janie got to go to the River of Life with the kids, which is where we take the kids to church each week. It’s a children’s home down the street from BNJ. And that ends our time in Chiang Rai....we had to say our goodbyes and then we are off for the beach.......

2008-10-06T00:41:00.000-07:00

We got to Chiang Rai in the evening. Mom and Janie stayed up at Paul and Penny’s house in their guest bedroom. (AKA- Luke and Pen’s old room) I stayed in Jaci’s room and some nights in the girls house. I woke up several times to the girls staring at me saying “P’Kyndra is sleeping in our room!!” It was fun! While in Chiang Rai I took mom and Janie to the Night Bazare where a bunch of handicrafts are made and sold in a market. It’s pretty fun. It was hard to pull mom away even when people were closing down their little booths! That woman loves to shop!! She loves giving gifts!! I also took them to Companion coffee shop, which is where I spend a lot of time with my friends P’Lut, Nok and Oct. It was really fun! And since Mom and Janie had their birthdays right before and while here I took them out to a really nice resort called Naga Hill and they had a real thai massage and then had a very nice dinner. It was really fun.

We had a day at the Mae Fa Luang gardens (the kings mother’s gardens up on Doi Tung). Then we proceeded up to the Golden Triangle........mom continued to shop!! haa haa! We then headed to Mae Sai, which is the border town next to Burma. More shopping...... And then ended our venture at a beautiful pottery place called Doi Din Dang. I won’t tell you how much mom spent there!! Haa haa.....Love you mom! We ended our evening with a lovely dinner with Penny at the house!

My mom comes to visit.....

2008-10-06T00:37:00.000-07:00

Seeing my mom here in Thailand was probably the highlight of my year! It was such a blessing to show her my life here. I also got to show her and her friend Janie all around Chiang Rai, Chiang Saen, Mae Sai, Pattaya, Bangkok and Koh Chang. I got to show her where I have been living for the past year, where I work, what I do and who I spend my time with. It was really nice! We had a blast traveling with all of their luggage!! haa haa! They didn’t pack light that’s for sure! They brought gifts for all of the kids. The kids always love that! What kid doesn’t!?

When they arrived, Robin and Whim (I grew up with Robin in Coulee Dam, Wa, she now lives with her husband Whim in Bangkok) took us out to a fabulous place called Yellow Yellow really close to her school. It was delicious!!

Then we went to the bus station where we would take a 2 hour bus trip to Pattaya and stay the night. My friend Nuch met us there and took us to the hotel. I made her stay with us too! It was really great to see her. The next day we went to visit the Tamar Center so that Janie could meet the director of the ministry and see the hair salon there. (Janie is a hair dresser in Oregon). So she was very interested in seeing how the ministry worked there. That was really fun. I got to see some friends there as well. For those of you who did their DTS outreach with me and are reading this, I got to see Angel. She looks good and is doing really well. Then we headed back to Bangkok where we would then get on a plane to head to Chiang Rai.

Housemates.....

2008-10-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if you have met Mike and Bec and Bethany..... they are my house mates. Mike and Beck will head back to Adelaide in January and Bethany will head back home in February. I still have time with them and am enjoying getting to know them. Mike has been helping out with maintenance and doing electrical work around the property and also takes the kids to school in the morning. Bec has been helping out a lot in the office. She has been doing so much along with picking the kids up from school and teaching english at the school that our kids go to. Bethany has been keeping the BNJ garden up, doing landscaping around the property and also has been painting the volunteer house. I am excited about that part! So that’s them....They are all Australian. One thing I have learned from the Aussies that I have met here is that they all have been easy to love and love easy! I am blessed to have a new family in Adelaide that I can go and visit! So that’s them.........

just like grapefruit....bittersweet.....

2008-08-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

Well...I just went through another bout of really sad goodbyes......it was really bitter sweet. I said my goodbyes to the Wilcox gang....Luke, Pen (his wife) and Jaci and Caleb. Jaci, Caleb and Luke are Paul and Penny Wilcox's (the directors of BNJ) kids. It was really hard. But I am recovering and clinging to my computer and communication through my computer. I could go on and on about how amazing they all were and how much I am going to miss them...but I will spare you. I will put some pictures on here just to give you a bit of a visual. So enjoy.......they are beautiful people and will be missed more than I could put into words.......I am truely blessed by having amazing people come in and out of my life......

the man of my dreams......

2008-08-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Meet Milo....my bike. He's my boyfriend....we have been together since April of 2008. He's dark and handome.....just like I have been searching for for oh, so long! The other day I was with Milo and we were going to thai class and I just was in a state of aw that we spend so much time together....I never would have thought this is what life would have been like in Thailand. It was an "ah" moment..... so if you ever come to visit me in thailand then you will get to meet him. I will keep you posted on any news with him..... Thanks to all of my supporters for being a big part of my relationship with Milo....it's because of you that I have such a nice way to get around!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

Aussie memories.....

2008-07-16T02:59:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.....it's been a while since I last updated! I am very sorry.... and now I am going to post a few all at once.... I hope you are ok with that.... This is a farewell to my sweet house mates Dave and Jess! Dave and Jess came and worked at Baan Nam Jai for 6 months and really gave it their all. We were very blessed to have them be a part of out BNJ family for the past 6 months. I went with my friends Luke and Pe to take them to the port of Laos and we embraced bittersweet goodbyes! AH, change is happening all around me! It's becoming harder and harder to not become harder and harder. I pray that the Lord will keep me soft and quick to love and embrace friendships even if they are only for a short season. I have learned a lot from living with Dave and Jess..... here's some things that I learned:
1. Living with married people can be good...they only take up one spare room
2. I didn't come home to just one person....but 2.... 2 people excited to see me when I got home
3. Nothings private- we are all family (right)? what happens in the house stays in the house......
4. heart-to-heart talks are best after midnight......
5. It's better to share a beer with 2 people rather than drink it yourself.....it doesn't get warm
6. they are selfless and HARD workers......
7. I never had to put on an act when I had a crap day
8. Dave and Jess know how to love and love well
9. They have amazing friends
and last but not least.....
10. They will be missed for sure.......

With this I end a chapter of my life with good friends.....more good friends to come.......I am sure of that.....I bid you farewell Dave and Jess....you will have left a mark in my life forever....never to be replaced or changed.....I love you with all of my heart... and I am encouraged to love well as you have taught me......

Pharoh......

2008-05-27T02:20:00.001-07:00

last week my friend Ying (one of the thai nannies) had her baby. A baby boy who's thai name is Nitigon. I think that name means someone who is in high authority and respected. His nickname given by the people in her village is Pharoh. Not sure why. But here are some pictures of when we went to go visit her after returning from the hospital. He's beautiful as is she!

cave exploring.....

2008-05-27T02:13:00.000-07:00

More pictures of the caves.....

CAVES........

2008-05-27T01:05:00.001-07:00

My friend CeCe who is a fellow Washintonian is leaving in a couple weeks and wanted to do something really special with a selected few of us. So she took me and some others to this really great abandoned Wat (meaning temple) and next to it is a cave that the monks have preserved. It was amazing. There were stalagmites all around us. It was beautiful. The couple that drove us there stayed outside and had a little worship while we were all inside. It was a beautiful moment! One of those where you pause and take it all in. I couldn't believe I was there.....hearing beautiful music off in the distance and inside this cave with incredible formations. It just made me stop and take a deep breath and wonder how so many people can even question the fact that God even exists. It was a beautiful day! We ended our time by partaking in some really good food and pie at this infamous pie shop on the way back home! Beautiful day! Here are some photos of our time.......The girl with the darker hair is Cece and the one with the lighter hair is Jessica. The two thai girls are friends of Cece's that she became friends with while living here.

living as an ordinary radical.....

2008-05-26T02:09:00.000-07:00

I am struggling trying to balance my time lately. I love being surrounded by people and yet I know that when I am spending time with the Lord I am filled up, refreshed and so much better to be around. But I still can't seem to find a balance in this area. I lack in discipline. Last night I had this inward struggle with this very thing. When I got home I wanted so badly to open my bible and read or sing some songs on my guitar to the Lord but I found myself feeling extremely tired and only wanted to lay on the couch and watch a movie.....that way I wouldn't have to think about anything. I could tune everything out. Kind of a self medication type thing. And then of course I fell asleep and felt horribly guilty in the morning for not spending my time wisely with the Love of my life. And this is the inward struggle between our flesh and the spirit. So I can make a choice when I wake up to change and do things better or I could wallow in this state of guilt and beat myself up. I find that I struggle with these things no matter where I am at. Our weaknesses always follow us where ever we go.....where ever we try to run away from them. I am redeemed and don't need to live my life in a state of self pity. Thank God for that. I mean really I thank my God that I can move on and step forward in this. God knows us better than we know our selves.

I am still finding joy in walking the markets picking out fruit for the day. People are very friendly and I am making some good friends as they see me everyday and are seeing an improvement in my thai. That is very encouraging and on days when I wonder what the heck I am doing here I am reassured that God's got it all planned out and has me here for relationships. Greeting people in the markets, making small talk with street venders, and loving the kids with all that I have. Struggles are good. Struggles are healthy and as much as we hate to struggle, it means we are letting go more of ourSELVES and allowing God to strip us of our selfishness. I want to be stripped. I want to be open and broken and sluffed of the things that hold me back. I don't want to be bound up. I want to be nam jai.....the name where I work is baan meaning home, nam meaning water, and jai meaning heart. Nam Jai means water pouring out of the heart. Living water spilling out of the heart. I want love, grace, mercy, joy, and PEACE to be pouring out of my life......So that is my prayer. There is some rich soil here in Thailand and the people are hungry and living. I am greatful to be here in this place.....

May madness.....

2008-05-26T02:06:00.000-07:00

It has been a long awaited update......I am very sorry to all of you who have been waiting to hear what’s going on in my life. I am still alive and kicken. Life here has been changing all around me. I am entering a season of people leaving me. Friends that I have grown to really enjoy, appreciate even glean from are heading back to thier friends and families at home. It’s going to be a hard transition but I trust that the Lord is already and will take good care of me as He always does.

Now for the nitty gritty......
KIDS- the kids have started their new school. It is an all thai school that is on the Rajapat University grounds. It’s a very good school and the kids are getting quite settled in. They have different uniforms for each day and different books for each day so I think it’s harder on us to figure out who wears what and puts what in their backpacks. They are really enjoying being emmersed into thai. It’s really good for them too. So when the kids are in school we have just two kids at home, Mai and Josiah. They are loving all of the attention on these days! This is really good for these guys too. We will start a kindy for them as soon as we find someone who really wants to teach and also wants to serve at Baan Nam Jai. Susie is in the process of getting in the school to start teaching english which will be really good for her thai and also get her more involved in the community. The kids are thriving so much lately now that we have a steady staff that has been here for 6+ months. They know that we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. That’s been really good to see.
STAFF- we are about to enter into a change of admin. staff here pretty soon. Luke and Penny Wilcox (Paul and Penny Wilcox, the directors of BNJ, their son and daughter in law) will be heading back to Australia in August. My house mates, Dave and Jess, will also be heading back to Australia a couple weeks before Luke and Penny. So we are in need of staff in the office. We are praying that we will get more thai staff as well as foreign staff for all of the thai and english e.mails, files, etc. can be taken care of well. I am sad to see these guys go. But am excited to see who God is going to bring to serve here. I am praying for some long-termers so that I don’t have to keep saying goodbye.
ME- I know you guys are waiting to hear about what’s going on in my life.....well, the above topics involve me very much. But I am also entering into a different phase of my time here. I am starting what is called C-and-L. This stands for Culture and Language staff. YWAM, the organization that I am with, likes to shorten everything into letters. So I will pretty much be studying thai 4 days a week. I will be doing morning shifts at BNJ with the kids 4 days a week and will be starting training to take over the child and staff sponsership program. That basically means that I will be in charge of all of the people who sponser the kids here and the staff. I am guessing that it means I keep track of what money comes for who and keep them updated on how each child and staff is doing. So I will have a lot on my plate. I am excited about this change but am also a bit hesitant about all of the change that is coming. As much as I love to be doing new things and live clear across the world I don’t absolutely love change. I am a very routine girl and love taking the same way to work and to the market and to town. I’m not a big explorer because I hate getting lost and hate not knowing where I am going. So this is going to be good but also a little stressful. Also I am entering a weird time in my little thai life here. I think I am getting more settled in here and am feeling a bit apathetic at times. All of the newness is wearing off and I have found days where I wake up and am not excited to go to work.....WORK.....yeah, it feels like work somedays. I know all of this is normal but I don’t want it to feel like work. I really want to be excited to wake up in the morning and go see the kids. I know it’s the enemy but I really am not liking this phase. So when you get a chance really pray for me. Pray that I won’t feel like I am just going to a job. Pray that I will be disciplined with my days and really take time to really be greatful for this place that I am in and what God has me doing here. I can not live this life here on my own. I need the Lord to walk me through each day. That takes being intentional and disciplined and those I lack very much so. Also for those of you who don’t know I am now driving the roads of Chiang Rai on a beautiful chocolate brown Fino made by yamaha. I love having the freedom to get around whenever I want. Her name is Milo. Milo is a chocolate drink here.......kind of like Ovaltine. Thai people love Milo!! So I felt that was an appropriate name for her. That pretty much wraps that up......I will give a list of prayer requesties......and then I will sign this one off and hopefully, if time permits, get an update off again very soon.......
PRAYER- Kids- you could pray for them in general for health, and their new school, for good friends and protection.
Staff- pray that the Lord will bring us good quality staff that will stay long term and maybe for us to get more male staff for those of us who are not married yet.....I’m not speaking for myself necessarily :-) Also pray for the staff that is here already....pray for joy, endurance, strength, renewed vision, and patience for those of us who work with the kids. Also for Penny Wilcox and her health.
Me- you can pray for discipline, good friends and that I would learn thai really quickly and easily. Also that I would keep the excitement of being here alive. I don’t want the enemy to steal my joy and purpose for which God called me here.

I hope this gives you a picture of what’s going on in my life here and now.......I am counting down the days till I get to see my mom and her good friend Janie. They will come in September for a couple weeks. Also I have some friends coming in July to visit me and another friend of theirs here in Chiang Rai for a couple days. Those sweet visits will carry me through until it’s time for me to come home next May to renew my visa and reestablish my support network. Thanks for reading this and sharing with me this adventure here. I love hearing from you all. So keep up the e.mails even if I am not able to get back to each one of them. Know that they are a blessing to me and keep my spirits up! I love you all and cherish you all......

Love,
Kyndra Mikelle Moore

and so goes this little life of mine....

2008-04-09T01:09:00.000-07:00

I am currently in Perth working on applying for a 1 year visa so that they don't arrest me and put me in the Thai prison. Sorry mom....I was feeling a bit dramatic. I leave on sunday but I wanted to just share with some of you what I've been doing and what God's been doing in my life. FIRST off I have decided to stay in Thailand for 3 years so far. I know it's a bummer for those of you who anticipated me to come back after just a year. Being in Thailand and working with these amazing kids I just can't see any reason for me come back to Washington and carry on while my heart is in Thailand and I'm doing what God has created me for. So here I am. I will be planning on coming back in March of 2009 to reestablish my support and to visit all of my beloved family and friends. SECONDLY- I have been blessed to be here in Perth to renew my visa to make this longer stay possible and have been hooked up with a girl named Amy who is a good friend of mine from when I was in Ireland. So that's been a real blessing getting to be here with her. She's been a huge blessing! THIRDLY- My mom comes to visit in September in which I am very stoked about! I am bursting with excitement..... september feels like forever away. I know that I can wait....I think....
FOURTHLY- I was able to attend a Celine Dion concert here in Perth.... absolutely amazing. I guess Jack Johnson was here last week....I think I came on the wrong week... uh, I mean, I came on the perfect week since I'm one of her biggest fans! It was an incredible show and free at that!
FIFLY- I am constantly amazed at how my Father takes care of this little girl of His. Humbled and completely blessed to be a part of this big family and part of this beautiful place we call earth. There is so much life and beauty out here.....and along with that there is also a lot of pain, hurt and death. So lets not forget that along with life there is a flip side that we often times close our eyes to. Let's open our eyes and let our hearts be ripped open to share the love we have to others...... it's a challenge for me as well as you.... I love you all very much and treasure your friendship and communication while I am away from you all. I covet all of your prayers for me and the people I come in contact with. Know that I think of you all often enough to make me a bit homesick! Blessings to all of you who read this!!
Kyndra......

New Aussies on the block....Dave and Jess

2008-03-13T03:31:00.000-07:00

Mates.....

2008-03-13T02:38:00.000-07:00

New Roommates~
Dave and Jess are my new roommates imported straight from the beautiful country of Australia. They are a young married couple that are very good friends with Luke and Pennie Wilcox. They are helping out with administration stuff in the office and helping get some medical stuff organized. Jess is a nurse and so she’s going to help organize, go do hospital runs, help out with meds, and also helping out with getting things planned for our respite building. Dave is doing school runs, shopping runs, computer stuff, and helping out with teams when they come. Its a blessing to have them here to serve and also to keep me company in my house with me. I am very happy to have them here.......

Staff infection....

2008-03-13T01:21:00.000-07:00

Staff~
Here are some pictures that my personal photographer Belle has taken of the staff here at Baan Nam Jai.....the first one is of Susie and Penny. Susie is the house manager in the house where all of the kids live. They call her Ba-Susie which means Auntie Susie. Penny is the founder of Baan Nam Jai and the kids call her P-Mommy and her husband Paul P-Daddy. They are an amazing couple with a great family! Next we have P-Quan and she is the head of the office. She’s the “do it all” girl. Next we have P-Supan and she is one of our may-baans, which is the thai name for house keepers. She and P-Dow are amazing may-baans. They are some of the hardest workers and are so welcoming to us farangs (which is what they call us foreigners. And the next two photos are P-Mew, P-Melanie and P-Onn in one and Belle and P-Ying in the other. They are the nannies I work with minus P-Grayce. I am very blessed to work with such a great team of people....I hope this helps give you more a picture of what working here looks like.

2008-03-13T01:15:00.000-07:00

kids will be kids....

2008-03-13T00:51:00.000-07:00

Here are some random pictures that Belle went around and took at Baan Nam Jai. I hope you enjoy them....the kids are all growing and staying healthy. They are all so full of spirit and they leave me going home after my shifts very tired. I am really enjoying builiding strong relationships with them. They are incredible kids and I strive to shower them with love and allow them enough space to figure out who they are. I don’t ever want to quench who God created them to be......and this is my job.....I am at the mercy of the Lord.......

Baby shower....

2008-03-13T00:47:00.001-07:00

Baby shower~
This is one of our moms that came to us in December from the Tamar Center in Pattaya. For those of you who don’t know what the Tamar center is you can ask me sometime and I tell you more. She came when she was in her last month of pregnancy. She had a beautiful baby girl that is healthy and growing like a weed!!! We had a day of celebrating her birth with all of the thai staff and some of the kids. It was a really good time. She got a ton of nice clothes and other stuff for the baby. We ended our time of praying over her and the baby. It was really precious. She was very overwhelmed with being given all of the nice things and being swarmed with people that really loved her. I am really glad that I get to be a small part of these big things called creating comunity here at Baan Nam Jai. It’s a true blessing to be here.....