God's Sufficient Grace

traveling mercies (composed 7/27/06)

Traveling mercies…I remember thinking that was an interesting way to pray the first time I heard someone use that phrase to ask for help in travel. But after my trip and move to Bangkok, it now makes perfect sense. I can truly say that the Lord has been merciful during our travels.

Dad and I arrived safely at my school apartment and new home at around 1:30 a.m. last night (Bangkok time). Our trip went extremely well. When we brought my massive amount of hugely heavy luggage to the Jax airport on Tuesday morning, we were able to quickly rearrange the weight so that I did not have to pay any more than I had expected and was able to check all of it. A few of you prayed for an uneventful trip: that is exactly what God provided. Absolutely no problems with planes, connections, passport/visas, missing flights – nothing. The flight itself amazingly did not seem terribly long (in comparison to my other trips to Asia). Dad and I slept so much, I think, that it went by relatively quickly. We didn’t even have any long lines to wait through at immigration/customs, either in Tokyo or Bangkok. In Tokyo, we didn’t end up having to go through customs at all, like I had in past trips, and since we had a 5+ hour layover, Dad and I asked around as to how to get a train ticket to the nearest town (not Tokyo, which is about an hour and ½ from the airport) and ended up poking around the very charming little city of Narita for a few hours! So we were able to get a taste of Japan as well.

Having Dad travel with me has also been a great blessing. It made the whole trip more pleasant, having someone to talk to, etc. and he has been so selfless, lugging around my hugely heavy luggage. I definitely couldn’t have carried everything on my own.

We were met at the airport by Mrs. Elsie, the Elementary principal and my new boss, and Bob Johnson, teacher at ICS and husband/father of the host family living in my apartment complex. Mrs. Elsie is very warm and motherly and greeted me with a big hug and welcome to Bangkok. Bob was also very kind and giving and has already been very wonderful in helping me get settled in to my apartment.

My apartment is literally right next to the school. I think the apartments are on top of the school’s canteen or something and just beside the school office/Secondary library building. I feel very safe here as it is within the school’s security gate and I am on the 4th (top) floor of the apartment building. It is small-ish, but not as tiny as I expected (smaller than last year’s apartment but larger than my college dorm room) and the one room has been divided into two parts by virtue of a very large wardrobe/closet-type piece of furniture. So there is a living room area right as you walk in the door, with chair, loveseat, entertainment center and coffee table, and then on the other side of the wardrobe are my bed, bedside table, and vanity. The kitchenette (including table and chairs) and bathroom are in the very back. I like the furniture and think with a little work and decorating, it could become homey. For Laurel and Beka and others who were praying for windows and natural light, I have 2 windows! A little, high one in the bathroom and a larger one above the kitchen sink, so I can look outside as I do dishes (it just doesn’t get any cozier than that! Although that window looks out over a parking garage and another apartment complex. Oh well…). The morning sun woke me up today at 6:30, which excites me. : ) I don’t have a porch all to myself, but out the front door there is a wide outdoor walkway (which all the apartments open out to) which includes a sitting area complete with flower boxes! The view that way is great and Mrs. Elsie said that one can see beautiful sunrises out that direction! I will post pictures of everything as soon as I am a little more settled in and it looks like “my” apartment.

All in all, I am very excited about my new little place, and quite eager to unpack, rearrange (much to Dad’s chagrin, I’m sure!) and decorate, as well as explore the surrounding area. (I’m told there are street food vendors just outside the gate, and a convenience store and massage parlor down the street! ; )

I read Psalm 118 before bed last night (this morning!). “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” Give thanks with me for God’s answer to our prayers! Certainly the Lord has been good and “merciful” to me!

posted by Catherine Rogers @ 3:40 AM