life in a northern town - issue 5
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Life in a Northern Town
(of Thailand)
December & Before Christmas
My name is Shayne Rochfort and I am a servant of God, volunteering in
Hangdong, Thailand! I am helping support an amazing team in their work in the
local schools and community. My main role involves everything and anything.
Highlights -
Being HOME is
awesome
New Friends
Received my first
support payments
Christmas Pro-
grams
Received my Work
Permit for my
Christmas Present
Completing CHE
TOT 1 Course
Making my stu-
dents “Happy”
And so this is Christmas…
Since my last newsletter, it just seems that I have
not stopped, or more truth to that The River
Team has not stopped. Everyday making a differ-
ence in people’s lives, working with them, doing
life with them and helping them find hope in their
lives.
Throughout December, the team preparations for
Christmas programs and parties just never
seemed to end. We were singing most mornings,
acting after that and then trying to fit our normal
workload of visitation/schools/maintenance in
after that, to say each day was full would be an
understatement.
Christmas started early with our first program
being held in Huei Hia on the 6th. We enjoyed an
overnight in the village, until about 4am, when
lunch started to be prepared. It is unusual to hear
your lunch being prepared quite like this, but com-
mon place in the villages. We were having one of
the village pigs for lunch that day and he squealed
and squealed for ages, then he squealed no more.
Many of our team were sleeping about 20 metres
from the prep area, so even with ear plugs, you
could hear it for miles. Over 200 people joined us
for the morning and lunch, which had fully paid for
by the families in the village, who are very poor.
Whilst I was assisting the distribution of lunch, all
the rest of the foreigners went away to take lunch
elsewhere. I, however, didn’t get the memo and
really enjoyed the meal everyone was eating.
Then I couldn’t see any foreign faces, so I decided
to get a bit more and go and find our guys. Well
they then told me not to eat the lunch
as it was not suitable for us. I felt fine
and though that in a few hours, I
would know if it wasn’t… more to
come shortly. After lunch we packed
up and headed home, a really great day
all round.
Saturday 11th was our next program
and it was our Kid’s Club Christmas Party. We
have over 100 join us for “kanom” (junk food),
games, gifts and “gin cow” (lunch, actually any
meal). After this we had a few weeks off Kid’s
Club until the new year.
Our school English lessons continued and during
this week and the next we were able to share
with all our students the real message of Christ-
mas.
In the week before Christmas we would be head-
ing out to four of the local communities we work
with, in the Hangdong area. I thought that it would
be a couple of hours each night but I was wrong,
most mornings we left after the normal meeting
to setup and then spent most of the day there.
Each of these nights was put together by the local
community, with our team supporting and assist-
ing. We had a few items during each program and
were also able to share the story of Jesus birth
and life, which was received by all who joined with
us. Our team emceed the night and sang a few
songs, but the show stopper was a drama, in
which the main character wins the lottery and
how it then affected his life and marriage. Unfortu-
nately, in the midst of this great drama, there was
some bad acting by yours truly, but the communi-
ties loved it.
We wrapped the nights up with sharing gifts and
presents for the community leaders.
Each day that week followed this pattern and by
the end we were all ready for a break.
Volume 1 Issue 5
Top Left - One of my Thai mothers, Ratthapii. Above - Lunch Anyone??? Right - Bird and myself (I am the bad actor)
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in an ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. - Mother Theresa
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PRAY:
Praise God for The River Team - our team is doing amazing things in the Hangdong community
and they are helping people make real changes in their lives.
Please pray for the whole River Team - We are heading into a bunch of new things. We have a
new coffee shop opening very soon, new people, a new work, a new attitude, a new plan and we
are all on a path to becoming new in Christ.
Please pray for our church here at The River and the many new people who are coming along.
Please pray that I am able to raise the necessary support that I need to continue my work in
Thailand.
Life in a Northern Town (of Thailand)
PO Box 11
HANGDONG
CHIANGMAI 50230
THAILAND
Phone +66801202074
Email -
schoolies2@yahoo.com
Skype - slr_legend
The River Training and Convention Centre
Any questions please do not hesitate to send me an email, schoolies2@yahoo.com or give me a call.
Christmas and New Years
Pictures of me!
(clockwise from top left)
With my “Lunch”, At English Camp, with my Baan Buak mate ►,
making my class “HAPPY”, teaching English at Kids Club &
helping with Christmas lunch.
I am committed to being in Thailand
and with The River Team in a full time
capacity. I would like to let you know
that if you are able to support me in
my work, then you can do so through
One Mission Society. While I was in
Australia, I joined One Mission Society
so that everyone can have a way of
partnering in my ministry here in
northern Thailand. There are many
ways you can support me, through
prayer as well as financially.
Please go to the One Mission Society
website for more details or email me,
schoolies2@yahoo.com . My prayer
card with all the details is available at
http://tinyurl.com/33ppyxc .
Supporting Shayne
My first Christmas Day in Thailand was differ-
ent from any I have experienced before. Our
team was off to Nan province to visit the
work up there. I spent most of the day wait-
ing for my ride up to Nan, Once that was
happening, the day turned around a little. We
got up to Nan and hit the town to find
Christmas dinner. Mine was Pad Siiew
wrapped up in banana leaves. It was quite
nice, but I missed the usual roast and Christ-
mas pudding.
Boxing day we completed our journey to the
village and joined in the celebrations with
around 250 others from the local area as well
as the Petchabun province over 5 hours away.
There was a real family atmosphere and it just
felt like home.
We had a long drive home so just after lunch
we all packed up and headed back to The
River.
The River team itself celebrated Christmas on
the 28th with dinner and exchange of Secret
Santa presents. I received and awesome
mountains style bag.
Next on the agenda, was western New Years
which is celebrated with parties and fire-
works, feasting and fellowship. There were
four simultaneous parties going on at The
River, so I tried to visit with each for a bit of
time. It was a good night!!!
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