Back in Thailand again, but this time, for the first time ever, I'm staying in Bangkapi, which is to the northeast of Bangkok's city center and close to Bethel.
It's been interesting returning to a new part of the city and having to do the whole exploration deal again. Learn when and where the meetings and field service are, where to eat, fill up water and do my laundry. Okay the food part has been especially difficult for me as previously I knew exactly where to go to get the food I was craving, what to order or not order at any given place, and the cooks all knew me. Tuesday another customer took my order in English, as the cook was clearly concerned about communicating with me :) He was so nice and helpful I didn't have the heart to tell him I could order for myself.
Tuesday finally made it out in Thai field service. Incredibly nervous after six months gone, but it went very well I thought. I worked with a Japanese sister who is serving here with her two fleshly sisters - how cool is that?! She is the middle child of five kids!
Bangkapi congregation, much like Thonburi, has many Japanese ones serving there. According to one sister I spoke to there are 14 total. I'd recently heard the statistic that 60% or so of Japanese witnesses are pioneers. Speaking with Maho (a Japanese sister from Osaka) I learned that in her home congregation they cover their territory every 2-3 months! In fact she says they bicycle around their territory partly so it will take longer :)
Yeah we definitely don't cover the territory that often here! I can understand now why we have such good support from the Japanese friends in Thailand. I met one brother who had previously served in a Portuguese congregation in Japan. I was told many ones from Brazil go to Japan. Who knew? And now he and his wife are learning Thai.
It was kinda funny, on Tuesday we had a big group out in the ministry, but only 3 or 4 Thais. And about that many brothers, come to think of it. I guess sometimes the foreign women are a large army :)
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