Mini-Update

Just wanted to give a quick little update before I have to head out to Burma for a standard VISA run on Saturday. I'll be coming home on the 22nd of this month and leaving from Chiang Mai on the 21st so it's going to be a long flight home! The plan right now is for me to spend the first few weeks back getting everyone caught up on what all I've been up to and doing presentations and getting videos and pictures ready to present. If you're involved with a church who would like to have me do a presentation just let me know! I already plan to give presentations to all of the churches who have supported me so don't you worry about that guys, I won't leave anybody out.

Please keep these last few weeks I have left here in your prayers. I'm going to miss the kids and everybody so much and I know it's not going to be easy to leave but I am so excited to be coming home too! I also ask that you keep my health in your prayers as well. One of the other volunteers and I caught a bug, we're not sure exactly what we've got, and we've been pretty sick the past two days. Not something we need when we're training our new volunteers and I'm getting ready to come home! You've all been wonderful to me so far and I'm looking forward to reconnecting with all of you!

God Bless - Matthew 28:19-20

New Additions to the Agape Family

About two weeks ago, we received a little boy and girl from the Government orphanage in Chiang Mai. The little boy is 11 months old and has been in the orphanage for 10 months prior to being at Agape and needs lots of prayers as he's struggling to adjust to how things are at Agape. He is such an adorable little boy but is a little insecure and always wants to be held. It's so hard to try and not hold him every time he cries, but it's so much better for him to know that we love him in other ways and that we want to give him lots of attention without him being held 24/7 than for him to feel he has to cry to get attention.
The little girl also is having a bit of a difficult time in adjusting. She's about 3 years old and is right about the age that most people start having memories that they carry into adult-hood so it's been a rough road for her so far. She has a wonderful laugh but doesn't bless us with it too often yet. Please just pray that she will feel safe at Agape and will see how much we all want the best for her so she knows that everyone here is very willing to love her for everything that she is!

July Updates!

This month has been one of the busiest months that I've spent here at Agape. We had a volunteer go back home and gained two more within two weeks of each other! Camilla, from Denmark, and Carmen, originally from the Philippines but now living in the United States, were both new additions for us this month. Carmen was here for about two weeks while Camilla will be staying for a six month stint. Please keep them both in your prayers as Carmen will be traveling and Camilla will be the veteran volunteer after I come back home!

Apart from the new volunteers, we've had good news involving the houses that the older boys and girls will eventually be living in. Agape's founder, Avis, took a trip to the U.S. a little while back to raise money to finish the project and has finally raised enough to complete the houses! This is such a blessing because the kids will be able to live in a family like setting with a married couple to help take care of them. It's things like this that truly reinforce my belief that prayers truly are heard and answered! The kids will be moving in within the next month or so if everything goes according to plan; it's such an exciting time for everyone here!

Our newest addition to the Mother-Baby Unit also had her baby this month! A healthy little boy who is being taken care of by the Agape staff while his mother stays in the hospital. He is absolutely adorable! Most of you who know me well know that I am not a "baby person," but looking at this sweet little boy (who was only three days old when I got to see him) just made my heart swell with the knowledge of how incredibly precious life is.

Unfortunately for us, our twos and threes, along with a few of our infants have developed cases of pink-eye so we have to keep them isolated from the rest of the kids so it doesn't spread! Since we are a little short on help right now with only two volunteers (Carmen works with a different group since she's only here for two weeks), I've been helping with the sick kids and haven't gotten to interact with the others for about 5 or 6 days. Although, on my first day helping out one of our infants, Kattika (pronounced kah-tee-kah), needed changed and fed so taking care of her that day kind of fell to me. That's right, I was taking care of an infant. Shocking right? She was probably the best behaved infant I've ever seen so it was a cinch to take care of her.

Apart from a few of the kids being sick, it's been a pretty good month for the rest of us as far as health. The H1N1 (swine) flu has finally come to Thailand and just recently to Chiang Mai so when I go out, I have to wear a face mask as a precaution. We don't want any of the Agape kids to get sick! It's been blown a bit out of proportion, thanks to our wonderful friends in the media, but it's really not as bad as what some people make it out to be.

Lastly, I've gotten lots of questions as to when I'll be coming back state-side and it looks like I'll be coming home around the third full week in September. I don't have a fixed date just yet so if you have any comments or suggestions as to when you'd like me home, just let me know! It hardly feels like I've been here for this long already, but time has just gone by so fast. I'm finishing out my Thai lessons and actually have to rush to get the last few hours in before I head back home. Don't think I'll be fluent when I get back, I'll just know enough to get by. When I come back though, I'll definitely make sure I learn lots more!

Prayer Requests

-Please keep the volunteers currently at Agape and the ones we will be receiving soon in your prayers! Living in a whole new country isn't easy and we need to help each other out as best as we can.

-We will be having one of our long-term volunteers going back home for a vacation in early September. Prayers for both her travels and our work at Agape without her would be greatly appreciated!

-As always, finances are a big concern! God always provides when we ask for it, so please keep up those prayers for me. I have faith that God will give me exactly what I need.

-Getting closer and closer to the end of my stay at Agape has made me a little more homesick than usual. Probably because I'm excited about seeing all my friends and family again! Please just keep me in your prayers that I'll be able to keep my focus set on the kids and not let my heart wander home before the rest of me does.

-The newest mother in the Mother Baby Unit at Agape needs a lot of prayer right now as well. She has a lot of things going on in her life that could really use the Lord's hands.

Getting to Know the Kids

Last month I talked about one of our nannies at Agape, so this month I'll get back to focusing on the kids I help take care of!

Siwanon (pronounced sea-wah-non) is one of the three year olds that I work with and has one of the largest personalities that I have ever encountered! He knows what he wants and is ok with telling you all about it. Most of the visitors we get will be greeted by this adorable little boy with a big hug around the knees and a beaming smile. It's always fun to watch him interact with new people as he has no problem introducing himself and then asking you to come play.
When coming into work at 6 a.m. I can pretty much count on him greeting me with a "Sawadee Khap" and so much energy that I'm instantly awake and ready for what the day will bring! He has recently begun the adoption process and will soon be making his way towards his new home. We're all so happy for him and excited about this new part of his life that is about to begin!

Another of our little boys, Narong (pronounced Nah-rhong), is in the fours and fives group that I work with. To be honest, he was the one that it was hardest for me to connect with in the beginning. He didn't stand out in the way that some of the others did and just seemed very quiet unless he was determined about doing something his own way. Fortunately, as I've learned more Thai and have been able to talk with him a lot better, I've grown to love him for all the ways that he isn't like the other kids.
When we get done with the showers at night and can just relax for a few minutes before sending the kids off to bed, he'll come over and snuggle in my lap. I can always tell when he's done something that he's really proud of because he'll come over to me and say, "Mae Alissa! Look at what I just did!" and he'll wear the biggest smile you've ever seen while you tell him how wonderful what he made/did was. I feel so blessed for knowing him and the way he always seems to have a joyful spirit.

June Updates

Hey everyone! Sorry this update has been so long in coming, these past two months have been a very busy time for all of us at Agape.

My visa expired on the 8th of June so I had to make a trip up to Mae Sai on the Thailand/Burmese border to get it renewed. The bus ride was pretty standard, and safe, for all of you who were wondering! They even have the option of A/C if you'd like to be cool for the 5 hour bus ride. The only eventful part of the trip was when we got closer to the Burmese border and the border patrols had to get on the bus and check our visas and passports for nationality; to prevent Burmese nationals from illegally crossing into Thailand. Not a big deal for someone as white as me. In fact, I barely even got a glance even though only one person asked to see my passport!

There was some good news on the new volunteer front. An American named Heidi came to volunteer for just a month on summer break from college and was a welcomed addition to our volunteer team at Agape. I admit, it was nice to have someone else living in the volunteer house with me. It gets a little lonely living by yourself when you don't spend a lot of time going out into town! Her time here went by quickly, but I have no doubt that she had a large impact on the children. It's easy to tell the people who love what they do and their actions always show their heart's intent.

June was a fairly laid back month as a whole. There were the usual happenings with lots of small blessings mixed in. Trips and outings with the kids help to remind all of us why we do the work that we do. Little girls smiling up at you and asking the kinds of questions that only children can will always brighten my day and make my heart swell. And let's not forget about goodnight kisses from little boys! In this respect, June was a very blessed month and a quiet one as well. Nothing wrong with that!

There was a small amount of excitement at Agape when a new mother-to-be came to stay at the Agape Mother-Baby Unit. The Mother-Baby Unit is a part of Agape where HIV positive expecting mothers and mothers with small children can stay until they get back on their feet. Agape's newest addition was well into her third trimester when she came to stay and we're looking forward to seeing her baby's entrance into the world! Please keep her in your prayers, she has had a rough past and needs the Lord's touch as much as anyone!

Prayer Requests

-Please keep one of the nannies at Agape in your prayers. Her name is Ooy (pronounced like the oye in oye vey). She has a young son that recently had Gengi fever, a fairly serious disease contracted from a certain kind of mosquito found in Thailand. He has a rare blood disease as well and has to undergo transfusions on a regular basis so getting Gengi fever just adds to Ooy's worry about her son. They both need lots of prayer right now!

-I also ask that you keep the influx of volunteers in your prayers as well. Heidi is leaving on the 5th of July and we get two more short-term volunteers on the week of the 17th so there are lots of comings and goings this month! We all need prayers that we can live well together and that I can be the best host possible for these women.

-The trip to Burma reminded me of how long I have been here and how much time I have left at Agape. I definitely need prayer to keep up the work that I'm doing and to be able to say my goodbyes when the time comes! I don't even want to think about the end of September when I'll be getting on a plane to come home, so much of my heart is at Agape.

-Please keep my finances when I get back, and for these next few months, in your prayers as well. The amount of Baht per dollar that I get for exchanges has dropped from 38 Baht per dollar to 33. It doesn't sound like a lot but if you have to exchange 100 dollars, you get a lot less than before! 

I truly appreciate all the prayers you all have said for me while I've been here! I know how much influence the power of prayer can truly have, and I count myself blessed to know that people back at home love me so much.

Getting to Know the Kids

This month, instead of talking about two of the kids, I thought I'd talk a little about the nannies at Agape. I know, hearing about the kids is nice, but the nannies really help these kids and teach them so much that they deserve to be mentioned as well!

Mae Ooy (we call all of the women who work at Agape with the children 'Mae', which means mother in thai, as a prefix to their given name) has worked at Agape for quite a few years and works with the 4-5 year olds. She works with another nanny, Mae Goy, at the school our kids go to during the day at Agape. The kids all have the utmost respect for her and she does a lot of good work with them. Her son is the little boy mentioned in the prayer requests, and she's had a little bit of a rough patch lately. 

Even though life has dealt a couple of hard blows lately, she keeps a smile on her face and a strong faith in God. She is such an inspiration to both the other nannies and the international volunteers. Learning more about her and all the things that have happened in her life and the way she leads her life just let us all know how much she loves the kids and being at Agape. I'll try to include more about the nannies at Agape in the future, they really are such an important part of the kids lives at Agape!

New Video Up and Running!

After a little over a month of editing, picture collecting, and revising video formatting, my video is ready for viewing! The last video had a sound problem due to formatting, but this new one is good to go. Please feel free to take a look and tell me what you think.
This video is meant for showing to my home church at Southwinds Church of Christ and should be easily downloaded from my YouTube account. You can access my YouTube account by clicking on the videos section located at the bottom of this page.
Thanks again for all of your support and I look forward to hearing your comments!
God Bless

Financial Status

I discovered this past month that I am a bit short in funds and, although I have been budgeting, there have been a few unforeseen costs such as going to the doctor. Since I have been the only volunteer at Agape for the past month and a half, there have been a few extra costs pertaining to the volunteer house; there are usually at least 5 other volunteers to split costs such as gas for the stove and general household items. With just myself I've had to take care of these by myself, which is by no means a complaint, it just tends to add up over time. If anyone would be willing to donate funds, please let either myself of Gena Hopkins know! I appreciate everything you all have already done for me, and I know that you're all praying for me as well. If you can't donate, then please keep up the prayers! I'm a firm believer in the power of prayer and that God has His hand in this situation, as He does in all other situations.

May Updates!

Sorry this entry has been so long in coming! This past month, I met with quite a few new challenges and obstacles. Being the only volunteer, outside of the volunteer supervisors, was a bit more of a challenge than I had previously thought. Of course I still loved working with the kids, and I never went into Agape dreading it, but there were days when I felt like, it would be so nice to have someone on a shift with me who could speak English and help me with the kids! The Agape Home has been a little short staffed recently, so it’s usually just myself and one other nanny with nine kids until the third nanny finishes her morning duties and joins us.

Although this is just a small obstacle to have to overcome, I feel that the kids would have greatly benefited from another volunteer or two. It’s a little difficult to entertain all the kids and get to know them on a more personal basis when you’re busy trying to keep the kids from picking on each other and from getting into trouble!

This is just a small obstacle, really. There are so many other things that could be difficult for me right now, such as homesickness or being lonely at the volunteer house. As it is, I feel blessed that I haven’t had to worry about those as much as I had anticipated. Knowing that volunteers are coming and that I can talk to family and friends makes it all much easier for me to deal with.

One of the biggest challenges that I have had to deal with this last month has been breaking up the routine and structure of the morning schedule at Agape. As a volunteer, I have access to quite a few different activities and supplies that the kids are able to use. When you work by yourself, you tend to let yourself fall into a predictable routine and you can fall into the trap of just doing the same things each day because it’s familiar and a little easy. With more volunteers, it’s easy to think of creative ways to have the kids spend their mornings before the morning worship. You wouldn’t think that this would be tricky to do; just think of things to do each day and let that be that. But even in doing this you can fall into a daily routine.

So, I’ve been doing a little experimenting with arts and crafts projects to keep the kids on their toes so to speak so we don’t always watch videos and play dress-up and color. And it makes it special when you get to do so many different things and the kids love to be creative! It is a challenge to always be thinking of things for the kids to do, but I welcome the challenge and I’m glad that I’ve gotten this opportunity to be able to do all the things that I’d like to. I doubt that I’ll get this chance again once volunteers come and it’s a good way for the kids and I to bond until then.

I have also been sick this past month with the rainy season starting and all the weather changes taking place. I’m doing much better now, but it’s never fun to be sick and then have to work with kids whose energy never seems to abate! I love the kids to death and would much rather be able to keep up with their antics than have to sit out because I’m under the weather.

Prayer Requests

- Please keep me in your prayers since I have been the only volunteer all month! I don’t want to get burnt out and any prayers for my patience would be greatly appreciated!

- Also, I’d like to ask that you remember the kids at Agape in your prayers. We have had quite a few with fevers recently, and although the ARV drugs are doing wonders for them, they still get sick frequently.

- I ask that you keep my Thai lessons in your prayers as well. It might seem like an odd request, but if I’ve learned anything since I’ve been here, it’s that the kids respect the fact that you can speak Thai and the fact that it helps lessen the language barrier’s restrictions is a bonus as well.

- We will be getting new volunteers in June and I ask that you keep their travels in your prayers as well. Pray that I will be an encouragement to them when they arrive and be the best host I can be.

-Please keep my finances in your prayers as well! There have been a few unforeseen costs that have come up while I’ve been over here, and prayers would be greatly appreciated!

- I would also ask that you keep The Agape Home in your prayers. They have been struggling with keeping staff members and have been pretty short staffed recently on top of a lull in donations being made to the home. The economic conditions throughout the world are struggles for the Thais as well and just ask that God’s hand be on the situation.

I would like to thank all of you who gave me your support, both spiritual and financial. This mission trip could not have been possible without you and I thank God for each of you every day.

God Bless!

Pictures and Videos

I have a video that's been a long time coming, but will be up in the near future. Please feel free to watch it on YouTube and, if you belong to a church, to share it with your church family. It should be fairly easy to rip it from YouTube, and I encourage you to do so!
There will be more pictures coming too, both of the kids and of my trip to Burma for my visa renewal. My visa renewal marks the half-way mark of my trip, and I just can't believe that I've been here for three months already. It seems like I've only just gotten here, but I've already made so many long lasting friendships. I know these last few months will soon be over and I'll be on my way home, which makes the upcoming trip home bittersweet. Leaving friends and those that you've come to love is always hard.
In times when I find myself not looking forward to leaving, I just remind myself of Philippians 4:8. It's amazing how God's word has an answer for all situations isn't it?
God Bless you all!

Blessings, Blessings, and More Blessings!

Alright, so I've found out through the Agape grapevine so to speak that we have a few kids from the group that I work with being adopted soon! At least two that I know of and we might have another one or two, but they were referred to as more hypothetical and based on a lot of uncertainties so I'll let you all know if I find anything out for sure. I do know for sure that Kittichai (pronounced kid-dee-shy), a little boy from the five year old group is being adopted by a couple who live in France and Suwat (pronounced soo-watt), a little boy from the two year old group is being adopted by a couple who live in New Zealand. Neither of them are HIV positive. Kittichai will be the first to leave, and could be leaving as soon as the end of this month but there are still a few things to finalize first. I just couldn't wait for the next ''monthly update'' to tell you all, it's just so very exciting! I know we will all miss them but the fact that they have the opportunity to grow up with a loving family and special attention without 15 other kids always around is such a beautiful blessing. Keep them in your prayers and please keep their new adoptive families in your prayers as well!

I've received lots of positive feedback regarding my blog and the birthday cards were wonderful (the mail takes about two weeks to get to me, so they were a little belated ;) )!

Keep up the prayers! God Bless you guys!

Pictures, As Promised!

I know that it's been a little while since I've added pictures, but I have a lot now so enjoy!

The picture uploading site that I had previously used was not able to handle all of the new pictures that I needed to upload, so I have a new site for people to go to to look at all of my pictures. Just go to www.dropshots.com/littlebigfish17 and click on the Agape Kids Album to see them! These pictures were taken on my birthday at a lake near Agape and on the Agape grounds. Some of the pictures were taken by the kids, yes I let them use my camera (with supervision of course), and those ones tend to be my favorites! Let me know which ones are your favorites too :)

I've tried to keep all of my e-mail, correspondence, blog, and picture information under the same domain name (littlebigfish17) so it's easier for everyone to remember, but if you can't just let me know and I can get the information to you.

I'm not able to say the kid's names since this is a public blog, but if anyone wants to know the kid's names please just contact me through e-mail and I'll be more than happy to let you know!

God Bless, and keep up the prayers!

April Updates!

Now that I've been here for a little while, I've started to get myself adjusted to what the schedule and life style here in Chiang Mai. Things are usually pretty laid back and there are lots of things to do both inside the city and outside! Between work, meeting new people, making time for friends, the markets, and staying on top of keeping everyone back at home updated, it's easy to stay busy. 

This past month I did start to get a little homesick, but the friends I've made here have made it very easy to get myself adjusted and even celebrated my birthday with me. Even little gestures make a big difference when you're this far away from home! Two of my friends took me out to dinner a few nights before my birthday to help me celebrate, and we got to eat all sorts of local favorites like lime chicken, stir fried morning glory of course, and what the Thais like to call "Dancing Shrimp" which is actually live shrimp served in a super spicy broth. I'm pretty sure I won't be forgetting that experience any time soon!

The kids are wonderful and I'm really starting to enjoy working so closely with them! Now that I've learned enough Thai to hold a real conversation, it makes it so much easier and the kids love to tell me all sorts of interesting things. Although there are usually only myself and a volunteer supervisor on shift, I feel privileged to get the chance to work with the kids in a more one-on-one type setting and it makes it easier for them to remember my name. For a while, some of the kids had taken to calling me Mae Ar Sa (pronounced may aah saw) which means Miss volunteer in Thai. The kids can say Alissa, but sometimes when you say it too fast it sounds like Ar Sa to the kids so they got a little confused!

We had about 8 kids in isolation with the chicken pox at one point this past month and have finally gotten all of the kids healthy and chicken pox free! It sounds like it wouldn't be too bad to work in isolation, but it can be tricky since the kids are generally confined to a room and can't play with the other kid's toys in case they get anyone else sick. We had to be a little creative and plan some activities for the kids to do just to keep them from going crazy with seeing so much of each other all the time! None of the volunteers got sick and we're all taking the right precautions against both getting sick and getting HIV. This past month has been a little bit of a trial with more than one child getting cuts and scraps, but everyone has remembered their safety precautions and we are of course being very very careful when any blood is involved! So don't worry, we're all using our heads over here.

Other than that, I feel that the kids are really warming up to me especially since I've been here for 2 months. Time has gone by so quickly and I still can't believe that I've been here for two full months and only have 5 more months left! There are so many things that I still want to do and I have guitar and piano lessons with the older kids planned for June when the kids are on summer break and might even start some cooking lessons with a few of the nannies and kids as well. Either way, I'm sure I'll stay busy! 

My work schedule has me working for 5 days in a row and then I get two days off so if anyone would like to talk with me through Skype or just chat online, let me know so we can set up a time! Remember, I'm about 12 hours ahead of you all so when it's the morning for you, It's about bedtime for me.

  Getting To Know The Kids

(Due to privacy laws in Thailand, I won't be able to post any pictures of the kids with names attached but please feel free to e-mail me if you'd like to know who is who in the pictures!)

Each of the kids at Agape has their own personal story. Some are more elaborate than others, but I’d like to dedicate a portion of my newsletter each month to some of the kids and their stories. I feel that by getting to know the kids on an individual basis will help both myself, and my readers, to understand and connect with each child personally.

Jarupon (pronounced Jah-rue-pong) is in the four-five year old group that I work with at Agape and is about 5 years old. He first came to Agape just a little over a year ago with his older brother after their family could no longer care for them. Jarupon is HIV negative, but his brother is HIV positive. These two boys have been through a lot in the past year having lost both of their parents, moved to Agape, and having had to learn a different language.

Both of these young boys have been through so much, and it's very understandable that Jarupon is one of our most difficult children to work with. As a young adult, I haven't had to go through nearly half the trials that they have and I know most of my friends can say the same thing. When I first came to Agape Jarupon practically refused to listen to me or respect the fact that I was a volunteer. He's made such wonderful progress as he has learned to trust more and more people in his life.

There used to be days that he would just terrorize the other kids and just behave horribly in general but by remembering to be patient and always rewarding good behavior, it has really paid off for all of us. He loves to hear that he has been a wonderful helper and likes to help us with the younger kids too. For some reason, he has gotten it into his head that if something is broken, I can fix it so I'm usually greeted with a broken toy and a hug. He is a wonderful little boy, and I pray that we can help him through the trials that he will continue to struggle through.

Prayer Requests

- Please continue to keep my safety in your prayers. We have had a few issues with political riots recently and although none of them have been directed at foreigners, you can never pray enough for safe travels!

- Also, I would like to request prayers for the kids at Agape. The ARV drugs are doing wonders for their well-being and immune system but there are still a lot of kids who get sick very easily and have trouble getting rid of even the common cold quickly.

- I am currently the only volunteer working at Agape besides the two volunteer supervisors (technically full time volunteers, a little different than what I am) and although it hasn't been too difficult to adjust to working shifts being the only English speaker, pray that I have patience and can learn to speak Thai better!

- We will be getting new volunteers in June and I ask that you keep their travels in your prayers as well.  Pray that I will be an encouragement to them when they arrive and be the best host I can be.

Quick Update

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to give a really quick update about what has been happening over the past few weeks. There has been a little outbreak of chickenpox at Agape and seven of the sixteen kids I work with have it and are currently in isolation to prevent spreading it to the rest of the kids! Please keep them in your prayers since they aren't able to go outside or do any of the fun things that the other kids get to do like participate in the Songkran festival (a 3-day water festival in Thailand marking their new year celebration). I've been working with them a lot since we have a volunteer who hasn't had the chickenpox yet and I don't mind working with the sickies.

I have also decided that I will be remaining at the volunteer house by myself until the next set of volunteers arrive in late May or early June since I'm just getting used to the area and have lots of friends here! I will also be starting my Thai lessons this week so keep them in your prayers as well. I've picked up a little bit but knowing more would be very helpful too.

I've been asked if there are things that I'd like for my birthday or if there are things that I miss in general, and right now it's mostly just my family but anything that reminds me of home would be appreciated! Things like softcover books or pictures of family and friends or handwritten letters would be wonderful and please let me know if there's anything that you'd like for me to send you as well! I love to write letters, and don't mind sending more personalized cards to people.

There have also been some concerns about how things are going in Thailand with the airports in Bangkok being shut down again and all of the protests escalating to more dramatic means. Don't worry! Things on the news at home tend to be more blown out of proportion than what they really are and everything here is ok for me. There are two political parties that are having some differences right now but there hasn't been any violence so far and there have just been some strikes happening around the city. We just have to be mindful of not being identified with either party in case things become a little more hazardous; this should be pretty easy since party members are identified as wearing either a red or yellow shirt and I don't own shirts of either color! 

Apart from feeling a little homesick recently, I'm doing just fine and miss all of you very much! I have a video that I'm getting ready to send to the members at Southwinds Church of Christ and I'll have for you guys as soon as I can!

God Bless, and remember Matthew 28:19-20!

Pictures Finally!

Items The Kids Need!

Ok, so after discussing with Laura, the volunteer coordinator at Agape, we have come up with a list of things that the kids could use if anyone is interested!

Craft Supplies

-Coloring Books

-Colored Pencils

-Markers

-Crayons

-Paint (finger paints, acrylics, anything that can be washed out of clothes!)

-Yarn

-Glue (both glue sticks and regular glue)

-Pretty much anything crafty that kids age 2-16 would like

Hygiene Supplies

-Toothpaste (both adult toothpastes and little kid style toothpaste)

-Toothbrushes

-Washcloths

-Towels

-Woven bath mats

-Baby shampoo (the kind that won't sting if it gets in their eyes)

-Regular shampoo

-Soap (both bar and liquid are fine)

-Combs

-Hair clips

-Hair ties

-Deodorant

-Baby powder

School Supplies

-Book bags

-Pencils

-Pens

-Notebooks

-Rulers

-Calculators

Toys

-Anything either new or used, but please don't send plush toys or soft animal type toys! Plush toys are huge carriers of communicable diseases and we don't want the kids spreading germs through their playthings. Remember, these kid's immune systems aren't the best due to being HIV positive.

As a side note, we would like to remind people that items are a lot cheaper here than what they are back at home. If you would prefer, please let me know what items you would like to have purchased for the kids and make a donation towards the purchase of those items. This might be better in some cases like with bulkier items like book bags and would let the kids be able to pick out which ones they prefer; this would also eliminate the need for shipping costs! If you decide that this is the route you'd like to take, I'd love to send you pictures of the kids using the items that you've sent or made donations towards!

We would also like to encourage just plain sponsoring the kids! A lot of the kids at Agape don't have any sponsors right now, and sponsorship pays for a lot of their everyday basic needs like new clothing, food, paying for school when they become old enough to go, utilities for Agape, etc. If you are interested in sponsoring a child, it is only $30 a month and can be done by looking at the Agape Home's website at nikkisplace.org. You can also make direct donations for other things through that same website, and it is very user-friendly.

Any comments or questions?

Please feel free to e-mail me and let me know!

My First Weeks

My First Weeks

 

 

The flight to Chiang Mai was, for the most part, a very uneventful one. I got to meet some interesting people and had a few brave encounters with Korean airplane food. Once I landed, got through customs, and arrived at the volunteer house, one of my roommates came out to greet me and help me get all settled in.  After sleeping half a day away, I finally got up and introduced myself to my other roommate. There are only three of us in the house right now, myself, Jill from Tasmania, and Ane from Denmark.

Getting myself adjusted to the time change and work schedule hasn’t been as difficult as getting used to the kids and the language barrier! Although I have picked up a lot of useful Thai words, I’m looking forward to beginning my language lessons so I can communicate more effectively. Plus, the kids seem to respect the volunteers who speak Thai much more than those who don’t!

My first week at Agape was pretty much what I had anticipated. For the most part, my job is to make sure that the kids have good doses of discipline mixed with lots of love. This includes putting kids in time-out for misbehavior, making sure they don’t bite or hit each other, being an extra playmate, and of course, giving lots of hugs and kisses! A little boy named Nattapon even gives me goodnight kisses every night I work just before going to bed.

I know that working with so many kids will be both a challenge and a reward. I just hope that I’m up to the challenge! Without it, there can be no true reward. 

  Getting To Know The Kids

(In this first newsletter, you won’t be seeing any pictures of the children since I needed to focus on working more closely with them and getting down the daily routine rather than taking lots of pictures. Don’t worry though! There will be tons of pictures in the near future!)

Each of the kids at Agape has their own personal story. Some are more elaborate than others, but I’d like to dedicate a portion of my newsletter each month to some of the kids and their stories. I feel that by getting to know the kids on an individual basis will help both myself, and my readers, to understand and connect with each child personally.

Tanongsak (pronounced Tah-non-sack) is one of the younger kids that I have been looking after in the 3-year-old group at Agape. He loves to play with the older kids and usually has a big smile on his face. Although I don’t have a picture of him yet, I’ll try to include one in next month’s newsletter, he is very easy to recognize by his laugh and round face!

When Tanongsak first came to Agape, he was about 1 and a half years old. His mother was so sick she was unable to care for him anymore, and decided to give him to Agape to look after. Because she was so sick (she was HIV positive) she wasn’t able to pick him up, so he was mostly left to play on the floor by himself and could barely walk.

At three years old, he is still a little behind the other kids in his age group, but has made great progress! Sometimes he’ll trick the volunteers in to giving him rides in a stroller, but we are encouraged to get him outside playing. He enjoys playing soccer, jumping on the trampoline, and swimming with the other kids. His story reminds us of what lots of attention and God’s love can do!

Prayer Requests

- Please keep my safety in your prayers! Although Thailand hasn’t had any issues with foreigner's safety for a while, it is still something that needs to be kept in mind as it can change in an instant.

- Also, I would like to request prayers for the kids at Agape. The ARV drugs are doing wonders for their well-being and immune system but there are still a lot of kids who get sick very easily and have trouble getting rid of even the common cold quickly.

- As of right now, there are six volunteers working for Agape but five of them will be gone by the end of April. This leaves just myself until new volunteers arrive sometime in June! Please keep this time in your prayers. There are a lot of kids who deserve individual attention and I’m praying that I’m able to meet their needs!

- I would also ask that you keep my family in your prayers. I know it isn’t easy to be on the opposite side of the world from them and I know they feel the same!

I would like to thank all of you who gave me your support, both spiritual and financial.  This mission trip could not have been possible without you and I thank God for each of you every day.

God Bless!

Contact Information

Have any comments or suggestions?

Letters and e-mails are welcome and encouraged.

I would love to hear from you!

 

Letters and packages should be sent to:

The Agape Home

Attn: Alissa Hopkins

P.O. Box 95

Chiang Mai 50000

Thailand

 

E-Mails should be sent to:

Littlebigfish17@aol.com

I also have various video chat forums available to talk with people if anyone is interested. Please just contact me through e-mail so we can set up a time to do so!

 

If you are interested in donating items to the Agape home, please let me know and I can circulate a list of needs.

 I will be giving piano and guitar lessons to a few of the kids here and would like to request some sheet music for both piano and guitar. These can be sent through regular mail and any contributions would be greatly appreciated!

 

 

**Phone calls are not being accepted at this time. Please do not call my cell phone unless I specifically call you first! **