An outreach to the Karen Hilltribe in Chiangmai

In August our family had an incredible opportunity to go on an outreach with our new church TLC . The TLC decided to choose a group of people that they will regularly minister to. The community that they chose is the Karen hill tribe.

A couple of years ago I wrote an article in our newsletter about the Long-neck Karen. I believe this group is from the same tribe although they no longer wear the rings for the long-neck.

After Nathaniel and Naomi played some games with the kids, we sang worship songs, and helped serve the children lunch. After eating, we watched the children play with puppets, watch a presentation of the “The Prodigal Son” and our family taught 2 songs; Jesus Loves Me and Head & Shoulders Knees & Toes. The staff wanted us to teach a song that would help the kids learn English—Head & Shoulders fit the bill! :) Our team also brought food, clothes and bracelets for the children.

We had a wonderful day of ministry and look forward to many more in the future!

About the Karen; The Karen began to move into Thailand around the 17th century and occur in large numbers in the western part of Northern Thailand, in particular on the ranges west and south of Doi Inthanon. The main groups in Thailand are White Karen composed of the Skaw and the Pwo sub groups.

The Karen live in villages of around 25 houses raised on stilts. The villages tend to cluster. Each household consists of the parents and their unmarried children. Married daughters and their families may also live in the same house. The highest authority is the village priest who runs the village along with the elders.

The Karen have rituals to live harmoniously with the "Lord of the Land and Water", as well as with nature spirits in the rocks, trees, water and mountains that surround them. They also have guardian spirits and believe in the soul.

Their desire for harmony with nature may partly account for why the Karen have evolved the most ecologically sound system of swidden agriculture. They use a system of rotation over a large area of land and do not cut all the large trees down when they clear a plot.

They are also the only group to have built terraces to grow wet-rice.

Karen cloth is hand-woven on back-strap looms and is predominantly red with white, blue or brown vertical stripes. Stitching is clear and decorative. The men may wear simple forms of this material in a sleeveless tunic (or northern Thai clothing), while the women wear more elaborate styles on their sarongs.

The women's blouses are made of dark homespun cotton with horizontal embroidered patterns decorated with seeds woven onto the lower half. Unmarried girls of the Skaw group wear plain white shifts.

Those of the Pwo are more decorated. The Karen are famous for their use of beads for ornamentation.

information obtained online: http://www.chiangmai1.com/chiang_mai/karen

Summer pics

These are some fun pictures that we took of the kids this summer! Aren't they cute kids?! :)

































This summer, after a Conference in Cha-Am, Thailand, we were able to walk the beach before heading home. While on the beach we came across a whale that had washed on shore. Sorry if it is an image that is difficult for you to handle. We took a picture with Nathaniel so you could tell how small it was.














It is hard to believe that this is a whale, but it is.


Love to ALL
The Scotts "Team Possible"

New TLC church building

This is Troy and Pastor King giving a tour of the new TLC church building to our Boss and his wife Russ and Patsy Turney.







Here is a picture from the outside of the TLC
Church/Bible School. It is absolutely beautiful!











In this picture - back row:
Russ Turney and wife Patsy, Troy, Pastor King and wife Apple
Front row:Nathaniel, Cheryl holding Natalie, and Naomi




The TCL Church/Bible School was the first project that Troy was scheduled to Project Manage when we were asked to come to Thailand. Since we were unable to gather our support quick enough, the project went on without us, so we didn't arrive until the finishing touches were being done on the project. We are sad that we missed the construction of the facility, however there are more projects in the works that we will be a part of, so "may pen ray" - means "No worries". :)




Left to right:
Nathaniel, Cheryl holding Natalie, Troy, Naomi (in front) Pastor King, and wife Apple


Blessings,
Team Possible

Buddist Monks

One morning, Troy and I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. So we decided to go down and
watch the monks come down for their daily ritual of receiving gifts from the Buddhist people.












This is just down the street from a Buddhist Temple.

Every morning the monks rise at dawn and leave in large groups to go down to meet individuals to get their daily offerings. At this particular location we stopped so that I could take some pictures. As we are sitting there, two large groups of monks pass each other without a word or a glance. Soon a car stopped. (This is on a very busy street. I had to try to get pictures between cars passing.) The couple in the car got out carrying a large basket of goods (not sure what was in the basket - but probably food. As the monks saw the couple they ALL stopped, in the exact order they were walking and waited to be given their offerings.













Notice the man is giving the gifts to the monks and the lady is giving the gifts to the man. The monks do not dare take an offering from a woman for fear they may touch her. If a monk touches a woman, then they must go through a 24 hour cleansing.

After all of the monks have receive their offerings, the lady and man bow down before the monks and say what ever it is that they say.
Once they had finished bowing, the couple stayed on their knees while the monks began to do a chant which sounds similar to a huge hive of bees. This was all so that they would be blessed and have a "good day at work" and to "appease the spirits".

Please pray for these people as they ALL need Jesus. There is nothing they can give, other than their hearts to Jesus, that will bring them joy, happiness, or a future with the REAL King!

Pray that WE will make a difference here in Thailand.

Team Possible