almost back to normal

Well we got to escape for a little bit to the beautiful island of Koh Chang. The water was warm, clean, and beautiful! We were there for 5 days, and I am pretty sure that we did not leave the water the entire five days! We would go to the beach around 9, go right in the water, and not leave it until about 5 when we went back to our place. It was so beautiful and relaxing! One day we went snorkeling and we saw a sting ray jump out of the water and many exotic fish. It was beautiful! I had a lot of fun and came back very refreshed!

When we got back from the beach it was nice to see that all the water in the streets from the sewer over flowing had gone back down and the school down the street from us that was completely underwater is now completely dry! Rainy season is over and the days have been sunny and breezy! We made it through the worst without getting flooded! The only way we can get flooded now is if one of the dykes break or the sandbags don't hold. I was told today that I could "de-flood" my classroom though which is a relief. We moved all our furniture back in our house too so it feels more like a home again! School starts again on the 15th. It will be so nice to be able to get back into the classroom with my students! I miss them and I miss teaching them! The grocery stores have food again. I even saw bottles of water on the shelves! :) Life is returning back to normal here at GES.

Even though God was good in protecting us though, there are so many people who did not end up as lucky as us. So many people are without homes and possessions. I heard about a Thai woman yesterday who travels to visit Thai women in other countries to teach them how to do Bible studies. She is in Germany right now and has been in contact with her neighbors who say that they have nothing left. Everything has been ruined. She said that even though her house is flooded and destroyed, she is not going to come back home to take care of it, she is going to stay and finish her work in Germany. On the walkways that go over the roads, there are so many homeless and hurting people who have been sleeping there because they have no where else that is dry to go. Please pray for the hurting and homeless here! May they see God working even in their pain and loss!