Hi all. Many pictures on the Smilebox card below. When you play the card, make sure you click on all the little pics to see them close up. Below the card, I have added a new blog entry: "The Shake Up." This will fill you in on all the new goings on...
Thanks for reading and praying.
Peace of Christ,
Brent, Julie, Ben, Kate and Jak
13.8.09
The Shake Up
Okay it is time for a serious update on the Penningtons.
When I last blogged, our world was quite different. Between the first of June and the end of July, two quick months, our world kinda did that thing where you "shake up" and "turn over" the glass globe with the little white specks of "snow" swirling around a quaint Pennsylvania countryside village, friendly snowman smiling in the middle. (I know, I know...A snowman analogy in Thailand is pushing it; but, let me break this to you gently, those globes don't have real snow inside. I cracked one open just to see...) The glass knick knack stands on the shelf, snow flecks peacefully gathered in different edges and corners of the village. Then, give it a few shakes and replace it on the shelf, you can almost see friendly snowman's smile crack as he watches everything spin for a while awaiting the "new normal."
Our present "new normal" came after watching our teammates the Tubbs and their life in Thailand get packed into about 20 large bags and boxes for a final return trip to the states. The last week was hard and good. We had a final worship time together that brought tears and groans that seemed unbearable at the time. In it I believe all of us became more ready for them to move on to the exciting "what's next" of God.
The irony of life in Jesus never ceases to amaze. We drove the Tubbs to the airport and, quite literally, as we were saying goodbye, Brent and Ben had to run to the other end of the airport to pick up some new friends who were coming for a few days to consider this area and joining our work here. Many of you have heard that the Lynn family is considering joining us in Chiang Rai but know little of the details about this family. Actually, upon their arrival we knew little about the Lynns as well. It was an honor to receive them and welcome them in order to begin the process of getting to know each other. Right now they are training with a sister church in Waco, Texas called Antioch Community Church. This visit was the initial "Hi" getting to know you process. Over the next few months we will communicate more about the possibilities of this place and this team being a good fit for the Lynn family. We are thankful to Jesus for the possibility and looking forward to seeing what God wants to do in this relationship. You can pray for this process.
After the Lynns left, my brother and his daughter Brently came for a few days on a return trip to Thailand after being away for a year. They played at a few worship gigs and loved on a bunch of people that miss them (including us). Brently blessed us with some of her songs. She is getting quite talented with her guitar (might I brag a moment). Most of you know that Russ pulled a guy out of a flaming car wreck in the states a few weeks ago and burnt his fingers up pretty "hot dogs on a campfire" like. God's gracious healing is on him. He will resume teaching math at Caprock High School again next week and should be able to actually write on the white board. As for me (Brent), I am recovering too; most people are just now realizing how difficult it has been for me to live with a superhero as a brother. It can be stressful at times. All joking aside, the 2 a.m. overseas phone call that they are taking your brother to a burn unit is not really fun, and yet Jesus provided a deep peace at the time.
The week after Russ and Brently visited, we were informed by the interim director (superintendent) at our kids' school, Pete Quesenberry, that he had cancer, lymphoma to be specific. Because of the extremity of his case, he was advised to return to California in order to be close to his family and start the chemotherapy treatment. This was and is quite discouraging to us. The Quesenberry family has been in Thailand, Nepal, and Laos for over 30 years. They are huge supporters and workers for the benefit of the school. Pete has balanced his work as Director of Chiang Rai International Christian School (CRICS) with his work as a veterinarian in a mission that helps hill tribe people in this area. Right now, so many people here are praying for him. Please pray for his healing; he has had some positive signs from doctors in California lately. Doctors are doing more tests before they start any treatment.
Pete had been talking to us for months about Brent taking over his position as director for the school. Pete's qualifications did not meet the requirements for the job exactly, and our process for registration was eventually going to require a director with education qualifications, certification and experience. When he asked, we told him we would pray about this. As I prayed (Brent), I wrote in my journal that I did not have peace to work at the school without God revealing that He was prompting a change in our mission here (my job at the university and our team situation were the two specifics I wrote about at the time). While we knew that the Tubbs' five year commitment was almost completed, I was not aware that they were discerning that their time in Thailand was coming to a close. Neither did I anticipate that a political situation with some administrators at the university would change my job in extreme ways. I was left doing a lot of busy work creating tests and translating, and zero time with the students. Of course, the purpose of the job was to connect with students. Thus, the position was becoming of little value for developing relationships, and all my efforts to develop relationships with Thai and Chinese students were occurring outside of the position.
All of these circumstances converged and challenged Julie and me to pray again about the position as director of the school. In all of this, the Lord made it quite clear that I was to take this leadership role at the school. All of our efforts in church planting have been what we call ministry from within the community and now this continues with CRICS. We now are passionately called to lead this school along with our volunteer teaching of groups of students at the university. Thai and Chinese students have and will continue to come to the Lord in this education context He has called us to. My last official day at Rajabhat University was July 31. With this move, we are freed up to work at building this international school here for the benefit of the community, for the glory of God, and for the expanse of the Church and Christ's kingdom.
Before my final day at the university, we were blessed to have Julie's parents visit and bring a sidekick along. Jack and Ann really encouraged us. We had great fun, and Papa Jack and I even taught an economics class together at Mae Fah Luang University for an accounting teacher Thai friend of ours. He taught about the causes of the present economic crisis, and I helped as his amanuensis (uh...I wrote down the stuff he said and explained some things). Mama Ann loved on Julie and the kids and brought lots of surprises like salsa and cereal.
The sidekick that came along was Jackson, one of the 22 cousins. Each of Ben, Kate and Jak's cousins are a gift of God to us all, and, this time, Jackson was a great representative for them all. Having a cousin here allowed Mama Ann and Papa Jack to throw an official overseas "camp cousins," and give Brent and Julie a couple days without young'ns. On the first of August, we traveled down to Phuket in the south. Mama Ann and Papa Jack got to see more of Thailand, and we all got to enjoy Ben's baptism in the Andaman Sea. The waves were rocking and rolling that day, so Papa Jack tried to hold back the tides as we dunked Ben between swells. If you know Ben, you will recognize that this story is a beautiful metaphor of his nature. The peace of Christ is deep in his character even as the waves rage.
As I write this, I am overwhelmed at all that happened in the last two months. This year will be faith building. In fact, this will be a year of faith and a year of building. Chinese students are learning more of their new treasure in Christ and learning how to build with that treasure here and back home. Thai students are learning to think differently about religion and how to build disciples. The Chiang Rai International School (CRICS) will be built and developed into an excellent place for students to grow academically in a community that honors Jesus. For CRICS, the physical structure of a building will be developed this year as God provides for what we need to become legal. He has provided for the land, now we are praying for the classrooms.
Thank you for your prayers and partnership with our work here. We have felt your prayers and encouragement in countless ways over the past two months of transitions.
Please pray for these three things now:
1.) The providence for and development of our mission and specifically the Chiang Rai International Christian School.
2.) Healing for our friend Pete Quesenberry who has lymphoma
3.) Our transition in all of this to have peace and strength as a family. That we would honor Jesus with our lives.
When I last blogged, our world was quite different. Between the first of June and the end of July, two quick months, our world kinda did that thing where you "shake up" and "turn over" the glass globe with the little white specks of "snow" swirling around a quaint Pennsylvania countryside village, friendly snowman smiling in the middle. (I know, I know...A snowman analogy in Thailand is pushing it; but, let me break this to you gently, those globes don't have real snow inside. I cracked one open just to see...) The glass knick knack stands on the shelf, snow flecks peacefully gathered in different edges and corners of the village. Then, give it a few shakes and replace it on the shelf, you can almost see friendly snowman's smile crack as he watches everything spin for a while awaiting the "new normal."
Our present "new normal" came after watching our teammates the Tubbs and their life in Thailand get packed into about 20 large bags and boxes for a final return trip to the states. The last week was hard and good. We had a final worship time together that brought tears and groans that seemed unbearable at the time. In it I believe all of us became more ready for them to move on to the exciting "what's next" of God.
The irony of life in Jesus never ceases to amaze. We drove the Tubbs to the airport and, quite literally, as we were saying goodbye, Brent and Ben had to run to the other end of the airport to pick up some new friends who were coming for a few days to consider this area and joining our work here. Many of you have heard that the Lynn family is considering joining us in Chiang Rai but know little of the details about this family. Actually, upon their arrival we knew little about the Lynns as well. It was an honor to receive them and welcome them in order to begin the process of getting to know each other. Right now they are training with a sister church in Waco, Texas called Antioch Community Church. This visit was the initial "Hi" getting to know you process. Over the next few months we will communicate more about the possibilities of this place and this team being a good fit for the Lynn family. We are thankful to Jesus for the possibility and looking forward to seeing what God wants to do in this relationship. You can pray for this process.
After the Lynns left, my brother and his daughter Brently came for a few days on a return trip to Thailand after being away for a year. They played at a few worship gigs and loved on a bunch of people that miss them (including us). Brently blessed us with some of her songs. She is getting quite talented with her guitar (might I brag a moment). Most of you know that Russ pulled a guy out of a flaming car wreck in the states a few weeks ago and burnt his fingers up pretty "hot dogs on a campfire" like. God's gracious healing is on him. He will resume teaching math at Caprock High School again next week and should be able to actually write on the white board. As for me (Brent), I am recovering too; most people are just now realizing how difficult it has been for me to live with a superhero as a brother. It can be stressful at times. All joking aside, the 2 a.m. overseas phone call that they are taking your brother to a burn unit is not really fun, and yet Jesus provided a deep peace at the time.
The week after Russ and Brently visited, we were informed by the interim director (superintendent) at our kids' school, Pete Quesenberry, that he had cancer, lymphoma to be specific. Because of the extremity of his case, he was advised to return to California in order to be close to his family and start the chemotherapy treatment. This was and is quite discouraging to us. The Quesenberry family has been in Thailand, Nepal, and Laos for over 30 years. They are huge supporters and workers for the benefit of the school. Pete has balanced his work as Director of Chiang Rai International Christian School (CRICS) with his work as a veterinarian in a mission that helps hill tribe people in this area. Right now, so many people here are praying for him. Please pray for his healing; he has had some positive signs from doctors in California lately. Doctors are doing more tests before they start any treatment.
Pete had been talking to us for months about Brent taking over his position as director for the school. Pete's qualifications did not meet the requirements for the job exactly, and our process for registration was eventually going to require a director with education qualifications, certification and experience. When he asked, we told him we would pray about this. As I prayed (Brent), I wrote in my journal that I did not have peace to work at the school without God revealing that He was prompting a change in our mission here (my job at the university and our team situation were the two specifics I wrote about at the time). While we knew that the Tubbs' five year commitment was almost completed, I was not aware that they were discerning that their time in Thailand was coming to a close. Neither did I anticipate that a political situation with some administrators at the university would change my job in extreme ways. I was left doing a lot of busy work creating tests and translating, and zero time with the students. Of course, the purpose of the job was to connect with students. Thus, the position was becoming of little value for developing relationships, and all my efforts to develop relationships with Thai and Chinese students were occurring outside of the position.
All of these circumstances converged and challenged Julie and me to pray again about the position as director of the school. In all of this, the Lord made it quite clear that I was to take this leadership role at the school. All of our efforts in church planting have been what we call ministry from within the community and now this continues with CRICS. We now are passionately called to lead this school along with our volunteer teaching of groups of students at the university. Thai and Chinese students have and will continue to come to the Lord in this education context He has called us to. My last official day at Rajabhat University was July 31. With this move, we are freed up to work at building this international school here for the benefit of the community, for the glory of God, and for the expanse of the Church and Christ's kingdom.
Before my final day at the university, we were blessed to have Julie's parents visit and bring a sidekick along. Jack and Ann really encouraged us. We had great fun, and Papa Jack and I even taught an economics class together at Mae Fah Luang University for an accounting teacher Thai friend of ours. He taught about the causes of the present economic crisis, and I helped as his amanuensis (uh...I wrote down the stuff he said and explained some things). Mama Ann loved on Julie and the kids and brought lots of surprises like salsa and cereal.
The sidekick that came along was Jackson, one of the 22 cousins. Each of Ben, Kate and Jak's cousins are a gift of God to us all, and, this time, Jackson was a great representative for them all. Having a cousin here allowed Mama Ann and Papa Jack to throw an official overseas "camp cousins," and give Brent and Julie a couple days without young'ns. On the first of August, we traveled down to Phuket in the south. Mama Ann and Papa Jack got to see more of Thailand, and we all got to enjoy Ben's baptism in the Andaman Sea. The waves were rocking and rolling that day, so Papa Jack tried to hold back the tides as we dunked Ben between swells. If you know Ben, you will recognize that this story is a beautiful metaphor of his nature. The peace of Christ is deep in his character even as the waves rage.
As I write this, I am overwhelmed at all that happened in the last two months. This year will be faith building. In fact, this will be a year of faith and a year of building. Chinese students are learning more of their new treasure in Christ and learning how to build with that treasure here and back home. Thai students are learning to think differently about religion and how to build disciples. The Chiang Rai International School (CRICS) will be built and developed into an excellent place for students to grow academically in a community that honors Jesus. For CRICS, the physical structure of a building will be developed this year as God provides for what we need to become legal. He has provided for the land, now we are praying for the classrooms.
Thank you for your prayers and partnership with our work here. We have felt your prayers and encouragement in countless ways over the past two months of transitions.
Please pray for these three things now:
1.) The providence for and development of our mission and specifically the Chiang Rai International Christian School.
2.) Healing for our friend Pete Quesenberry who has lymphoma
3.) Our transition in all of this to have peace and strength as a family. That we would honor Jesus with our lives.
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