The last three days we've been working pretty hard at building a new playground at the Lahu village and it has been so much fun! There is a hill that overlooks the village where the last wave of volunteers created an awesome soccer field. At the end of the soccer field there is some space, so Shivani and Ellen headed up a project to build a playground for the kids. The hill is made of very dense, compacted sand so we spent a couple days digging and pick-axing away at the dirt to make trenches to put in tires and other playground equipment. The first few days we joked that we were being sent to a labor camp, but we definitely had a lot of fun... and got a really good workout. Today was probably my favorite day working on the playground because all of the kids from the village came and helped us finish up some last minute digging, and then we all worked together cleaning off the tires to get them ready for painting. The older girls would go and get water in buckets to pour over the tires while the younger girls washed off the dirt with rags. At the same time the boys went off to get sand and concrete to secure the tires in place. There was so much unity and teamwork and we all were having so much fun. I felt so amazingly happy this whole afternoon. I just love this community and I love how willing and happy everyone is to contribute and give. This is such a poor village- the average person makes 200 ฿/ day (that's $6.25). Imagine trying to support a family of 2 or 3 kids on that wage. Although they may be lacking monetarily, they certainly are not lacking in happiness. It is such a good reminder to me that what really makes life sweet is our relationships and how we treat others. The Lahu are an amazing example of this! What a blessing and joy to get to be around such people!

 Some of our cute little helpers!

Yesterday Melanie, Janna, and I went to a different village called JaJuSii to teach dental care. This is a village I had never been to before and it was a special experience going there. We normally don't go to this village without a local just to be on the safe side because of potentially dangerous activity going on. There's a lady that we work with named Ouen who went with us. We parked at the Akha village and then walked about 20 minutes up a muddy road to get to this village. JaJuSii is much smaller than the Lahu and Akha villages, but it probably has the most beautiful view! The village is set atop a hill that overlooks lush fields and orchards and mountains. Heaven! I feel like the people in JaJuSii are less privileged than those of the other two villages and have had much less opportunity. They also are not quite as warm and welcoming as is typical here. However, I think the dental class was particularly helpful and insightful to the members of this community and they were happy to receive the toothbrushes and toothpaste. Also, a humanitarian group from Singapore had donated lots of toys to this village and we got to deliver them. The little kids were so excited! The toys that they donated were really nice- the type that light up and make music. It was definitely Christmas in JaJuSii yesterday!

Som Tam at the Lahu village! Let's just say it was quite an adventure...

 The girls made us some beautiful bouquets!

The last few days have been wonderful!

This last weekend was very relaxing! On Friday the whole group went to Chiang Mai, except for Ellen, Shivani, and me. Shivani wasn't feeling well, so she rested and Ellen and I got to go explore around Fang! This place reminds me of my first area on my mission, Mahasarakham. It's pretty small, but big enough to have a Tesco and KFC! On Saturday we headed to Chiang Mai and got there in the afternoon. Shivani and I went and ate Indian food for dinner, which was delicious! We spent some time walking around the streets as well. I think that is my favorite thing to do. It reminds me of being a missionary and it's the best way to get to know a city! Church on Sunday was wonderful! Shivani and I got called to be translators for primary for the next few weeks!

Monday was a great day- we got a lot accomplished! In the morning we were able to go to the Akha village and paint the exterior wall of a school where the kids are starting a garden. We painted lots of bright, happy flowers and trees! We also helped pack in dirt and sand in the garden, as well as invert motorcycle tires to be little planters for each kid. This was the teachers idea. She is very resourceful. It turned out great! Now I'm so excited to see the end result with the plants!

After we had finished painting and working on the garden the teacher, KhruuEl, ordered us noodle soup for lunch. They are so appreciative and love to show their thanks by feeding us. KhruuEl seemed really happy about the mural and garden, which makes me really glad because she was the one that asked us to do these projects. 

Later we got to go spend the evening in the Lahu village! While some volunteers were painting murals on the inside of the community center, Madison and I got to run our track and field day with Courtnee,  Mackenzie, and Janna. We originally came up with this idea because we noticed that in the Lahu village the girls and young boys didn't want to join in playing soccer with the older boys. So, we decided we'd have a track and field competition for them instead. We made a poster board with their names and the different events that each would participate in to keep track of their scores. We had them all participate in the high jump, vertical jump, long jump, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and running. The little kids were so enthusiastic about it and they seemed to enjoy seeing their name and scores on the board. It was definitely a little chaotic, but they certainly all had a really fun time! I think my favorite moment was when this little five-year old boy was trying to do pull-ups. He would make struggling noises, cringe his face and raise himself up maybe a millimeter. He did fifteen and made the record... not sure if that really counts. He was pleased, though!

After our track and field day I got to do the dental hygiene class! My mom's work at Columbia Falls Family Dental donated toothbrushes, toothpaste, and floss, as well as visuals for dental classes. We had over forty kids and adults at the class and it went really well! Melanie is a dental assistant so we taught it together. We taught about the basics of brushing and flossing teeth, as well as foods that are good and bad for teeth. We dressed some of the kids in life-size teeth made out of pillowcases to create a row of teeth and to show them how to floss and brush properly. CF Family Dental gave us these ideas and my mom and grandma did the sewing, with attempted help from me (I have no sewing skills!) At the end of the class they all promised to brush and floss twice a day and use the kits that were donated. It was a really fun class with lots of participation! 

Here are a few pics from the night; however, Abby took some awesome pics with her camera that I'm going to post later!

We ended the night with an amazing cultural show! A village elder played music on a flute-like instrument and about ten or more girls danced along and played drums and cymbals, all decked out in their traditional clothing! We all got to join in the dancing at the end! Some of the teenage boys also showed us a traditional game they play with a big wooden spinny top. Nights like these are amazing! I just love getting a glimpse into their traditions and culture, and I love being invited to take part in it also! These people seem like a close-knit community with wonderful leaders and they are so willing to share what they have. I love them!

Today (Tuesday) we got to go to the Lahu village and begin building a playground by the newly created soccer field. The field sits atop the nearby hill  that overlooks the village on one side and rice fields on the other. The soccer field provides a great activity for the older children and the playground will be great for the cute little kids! Shivani and Ellen designed it and today we worked at digging small trenches to place tires and other equipment in. It's going to be great when it's finished!

Ellen, Shivani, and Abby are working on some awesome murals in the community center! We were asked to draw scenes from the Bible, so they put their artistic skills to work by creating Noah and the Ark, David and Goliath, Moses parting the Red Sea, and a few mermaids. haha Pretty impressive!

Natalie taught baby yoga today and it was the cutest thing in the world! Each little preschooler got a mat/ pad to sit on and they all followed her. They loved it and were surprisingly cooperative! One girls was so relaxed that she even fell asleep! 

Today we also taught swimming lessons... and froze! I never thought that was possible in Thailand. When we went to pick up the Akha boys for lessons we got drenched in a sudden rainstorm in the back of the pick-up. The temperature outside was cool as well, making it especially chilly to swim. By the time we were heading back to the village to drop the boys off my toes literally were numb. That is insane! I think the only time I have ever felt cold in Thailand was in the church with the AC blasting! Anyway, the lessons went great, though. There's definitely improvement happening and the kids love it! Dani, Shivani, and Madison teach the classes. I come along to help translate and watch the kids since my swimming skills peaked at level 3 when I was in first grade. I try to help as best I can. haha

This evening we got to teach another dental hygiene class at the Akha village. There was a really good turnout- we ran out of supplies! I just love how willing all the kids were to participate and how excited they were about everything! We will teach this class one more time at the JaJuuSii village on Thursday.

Tonight we made dinner at the house and it was delicious! Russell is a really good cook and he shared his tomato soup recipe that's full of vegetables. We also made grilled cheese sandwiches! อร่อยมากๆๆๆ 

The last few days have been so good and I'm so excited for everything else coming up this week. I'll keep things updated! I'm just so happy and feeling so grateful for the opportunity to be back here!

This is going to be a really long post! So much has happened in the last few days! This weekend was quite the adventure to say the least! Saturdays and Sundays are our day off so we decided to go to Chiang Mai for the weekend. On Saturday a member of our church in Chiang Mai took all of us, plus a number of UVU students and their friends, on a wild ride ride through the jungle to find a waterfall. I am not sure if I was more terrified driving down a highway in the back of a pick-up with with 20 other people, or bushwhacking down a steep, slippery
slope to find the waterfall. Either way it was probably not safe, but definitely fun! The waterfall and surrounding area was beautiful and we even passed a few elephants on the way!

On Sunday we went to church and I was able to see so many of the wonderful members that I love! I'm so happy that I'll be able to see them for the next few weeks! I have missed Chiang Mai so much! It feels like home! Hopefully I'll get some pictures next week to post!

So, our projects have been so fun the last few days! We were able to continue painting the inside of the Lahu's cafeteria. We're painting it light blue and then Shivani will paint murals over it. Today I talked to the teacher and she asked us to paint a mural of Jesus with little children, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and Noah's Ark. Let's just say I'm glad I'm not in charge of the murals!!

In the Lahu village Natalie directs an aerobic class and it is so much fun! They have a loud speaker to play music on and the children, teenagers, and some adults from the village join in. On Monday night after teaching and painting we were all dancing together in the rain and it was heaven! I was so incredibly happy and in that moment I felt like life could not get better. It took me back to those times as a missionary when I felt nothing but complete joy! After dancing the village elder and his wife invited us to their home for an authentic Lahu dinner of vegetable soup and spicy paste. Delicious! We contributed some nummy grilled chicken and asparagus that Russell made. We even taught them how to Tim Tam Slam!! I think it was a hit! I just love the warmth and generosity of these tribal people. I already knew that the Thai people have these qualities, but I feel like they are magnified among the villagers! What a blessing to be spending every day with them. 

Aerobics class

 Dinner with the village elder and his wife

Tim Tam Slam!!

This week we are starting up a track and field program for the Akha village! We noticed that a lot of the little kids and girls don't participate in soccer with the boys because maybe they feel a little intimidated. We decided to start this program to get the girls and younger kids more involved in physical activities. We are going to make it into a competition where they achieve goals and we will track their progress. At the end of the five weeks they will receive awards for their progress. We introduced the program yesterday and I think it's going to be great! The kids were so enthusiastic about every skill/event that we taught them! Can't wait to get that up and running!

We also teach swimming to the Akha children twice a week at a pool in town. I help Dani teach mostly just because I can translate. It's a lot of fun and I could see progress in some of the kids in just one lesson. 

I'm amazed at the amount of energy that these kids have and how excited they are about everything we do with them. It is really fulfilling and so rewarding every day! One of my favorite things happens when we go to the Lahu village. Upon our arrival, the village elder speaks through a loudspeaker to announce to the villagers that we are there. Within seconds the children come streaming down the hillside to our trucks wanting to play. It is seriously the sweetest thing! I just love these kids!

This evening Janna taught an awesome first aid class at the Lahu village and I translated. She taught basic first aid skills and the kids practiced applying a band-aid on me. Janna is a great teacher and the students were way engaged! She asked them what they want to learn next week and the girls asked for a class on acne control! haha So, I think we're going to do a skin care/ spa day next week! We're also going to start the dental hygiene classes. I'm super excited for that! 

There's so many projects going on and I've only covered a few. I'll keep posting and updating!!

 First aid class

Each week we have a team activity and this week's was AMAZING! We hopped in the truck and headed up the mountain to the Thai-Myanmar border. This was probably one of the most beautiful settings I have ever been in! The peaks of the mountains were poking through the mist and I could not believe how lush the forest was. It was even legitimately cold!!!! Pictures do not do it justice! I was so grateful our little truck made it up the steep, windy road. We made plenty of stops for pictures and on the way back we stopped at the National Thai Agricultural Center. This was probably my very favorite place I've been in Thailand! So, apparently years ago the King created this community in order to provide jobs for the hill tribe people, who often tend to participate in drug dealing since they live so close to the border. He hoped this would give them opportunities and steer their lives in a healthier direction. Anyway, this area is now the highest producing growing area in Thailand and it provides most of the produce for the country. The gardens and orchards were breathtaking! So many fruits and vegetables (notably persimmons!!). For lunch we went to a delicious restaurant that uses the fresh produce from the agricultural center. It was so tasty and fresh. Not to mention there was a beautiful view! We also got to look around a bonsai garden and hike up a huge rock garden! Today's adventure was amazing and I loved every minute of it! Here's just a few pictures!

 Looking back toward Fang!

 Checking out the some military tunnels at the border. The soldier wanted a picture with us all as well. haha

 This is the town right at the border.

 An orchard at the agricultural center.

 lunch time!

 Hiking in the rock garden!

 Bonsai trees!