Our team building a house in the tsunami region...the mud there was like black tar, so Laurelle and I decided to put on a little war paint.

This is a boat washed 2 miles inland from the tsunami...

My fav boy from last week's camp...isn't he so cute!

Thursday...

...is a pretty important day during our week long sports camp program. This is the day we tell the kids about Jesus. Each day we share a Bible stories with them, but tomorrow we break down His death and resurrection and what that means for us. Some of these kids are young, but it's awesome seeing how they truly understand what we're telling them. So please be praying for us.
This week is, once again, flying by. We don't have much free time since we're doing two camps a day, but it's kind of nice b/c we're in a youth house this week. It's on the church property and people just hang out there. There's a room (which I'm in now) that had 5 computers w/ internet, an x-box room (I've never touched one before) w/ 3 HUGE tv's all connected...whatever that means, and the kitchen is stocked. It's nice that our whole team is able to stay together this week...saves so much time picking everyone up and dropping everyone off before and after camp. In case you guys didn't know, I'm the only one who can drive the, now hunter green, mini-van...that's one of the many responsibilities of the "head coach." Speaking of our mini-van, today after our morning camp we hop in and all we hear was this clicking...yep, totally dead. Luckily there was someone still there who drove all the way home to pick up jumper cables. It ended up starting, but you guys, our van is SOOO ghetto. It's actually kind of funny. The driver window won't go up if I forget and put it down all the way...you just have to keep holding the button up and when it feels like going up, it will. The time spans from 20 seconds to 10 minutes, so that's kind of fun. Our windshield had a little divot, which has turned into this enormous crack, almost spanning from one side to the other. Our dashboard is covered in everyone's coach name tag stickers...which just adds to it's classy look. I could go on, but this blog is getting a little lengthy.

Until next time,
Sheryle

Girls from a school in Udon Thani

soccer boys

So Cal

So here I am in Southern California for my last 3 weeks of camps. Things are going great so far. I have 2 camps a day for the rest of the summer, so my schedule is extremely busy, but I'll get through it. Thank you so much for all your prayers and encouragement...I couldn't get through it on my own! I really miss everyone back in Chicago, so I'm really looking forward to the few weeks in August when I'll be back...can't wait!!! Right now I'm really focusing on the ministry at hand...it was so great seeing God at work over in Thailand, but I know He can do just as much here in the States. My morning camp is in Laguna Hills...right by Laguna Beach. Our night camp is up in Anaheim...that camp is so unique, b/c most kids are sponsored. Probably 80% of them couldn't afford to pay the camp fees, so the church has done fundraisers cover their costs. I LOVE working with kids who are less fortunate...there's just something about them. I have quite a few latino boys that call me "coach Shirley" b/c they can't pronounce Sheryle...it's SOOOO cute! I have one quick story that probably means nothing to you, but it totally made me smile today. So I wear my sunglasses most of the time, but when I'm not wearing them I have them hanging on the neck of my shirt, but in the back to keep them out of the way. Can you picture that? It's totally an awkward place for them, but it works for me. Today, Nathan, this cute little guy comes into camp and was like, man, I need to get my sunglasses out of my pocket...NO campers ever have sunglasses. Then he's like, "coach shirley, can you help me put these on the back of my shirt?" (just like I do). Whenever I'd put my sunglasses on, out his came. You guys are probably like, "what is she talking about." But it was honestly THE cutest thing I've ever seen! I'll try to get a picture of him at some point this week so you guys can see just how cute he is. : )
Alright, it's late, gotta run!

Love,
Sheryle

back in the US

Well, we made it back from Thailand. I've been in LA for the past few days for a short time of debriefing with the other international teams. Tomorrow we head out for another camp...3 more weeks left.
I'm trying to think of where I stopped w/ my updates. So much went on in Thailand...I seriously feel like I could type for hours and I still wouldn't be able to fully express what went on over there.
We were able to do ministry in 4 totally different parts of the country...it was really amazing seeing God work in a place where Buddhism is so prevalent. I'd say 80% of the kids/people we worked with (elementary thru college age student, as well as their teachers) have never heard about Jesus before. My eyes were opened to the fact that God places a void in every single person's life that only He can fill. From the moment these kids were born, Buddha was all they knew...every school would have the kids pray to him at different times throughout the day. Watching them do this we could see that for most it was just a routine...there was no personal relationship there. It was amazing that Christ used us to bring them to an understanding of who He really is...whether we were out on the soccer field or helping them with their English. We definitely saw God work...we always hear that God is alive in this world and working in ways that we could never imagine--that's exactly what I experienced in my time over there.
I have SOOO many stories to back that up...I just hope I have the time to tell you all! Now that I'm back in the States, I should be able to get on here more regularly.

Until next time...

aren't the kids here are just beautiful? it's been awesome going into the public schools here...most of the kids have never had Americans at their school. we're not only able to play sports with these kids, but we're able to share Christ openly, unlike the U.S. Buddhism is the main religion in thailand, so most of these kids are hearing about Jesus for the first time.

Here were are in Rayong at the local church playing futbol w/ some of the locals. 

Here is one of the "memorials" we found as we were walking down the beach in Phuket. 

Phuket

OK, so I LOVE Phuket. It's amazing here...there's still so much need, it's crazy. I woke up early this morning and went for a run on the beach...we're staying right on the coast here, it's beautiful! What I saw this morning was so awesome, yet kind of sad. There is still quite a bit of ruble left over from the tsunami. The town we're in, Khao-Lak, is the city that had the most deaths in all of Thailand. There are refugee camps for people who are still with out homes. We're actually going to help build a house on Wednesday. Anyways, as we were running we would come across trees w/ pictures of people nailed to it and there would be crosses there, candles, etc. It's exactly what we saw on TV back in the States. It's so crazy that I'm here, in the heart of where the disaster struck. It's pretty different seeing it first hand as opposed to on the news. There are chairs laying in the middle of the beaches, medicine bottles, clothes...pretty much the people's physical belongings scattered here and there. You can see where houses used to stand...trees uprooted...I could go on and on. Today we went into two schools...it's awesome working with these kids. A huge rain storm came through when we were supposed to break into our sports sessions, so everyone ended up on the soccer field in this torrential downpour. The field was pretty much under water. Everyone was soaked to the bone...diving headers through HUGE mud puddles. Good times were definitely had by all!
We've met soo many people here in Phuket that work w/ Christian organizations...most are here for the relief effort still, so I've been able to meet tons of cool peeps.
The missionaries we're working with are awesome...they have the most amazing hearts.
Wish I could write more, but I gotta run!

Love,
Sheryle

p.s.

I keep forgetting things...today we were able to work with kids from Compassion Ministries. it's like a sponsorship program where American's can "adopt" a child from Thailand and send them money every month to provide them with food, clothes, and schooling. So the church we're working with brought in about 80 kids who all have American "families" and we did a camp for them. It's really cool being able to see where the money actually goes when people in the US sponsor a child. These are all children who don't have anything, yet they all had so much fun with us today. Just seeing them laugh and smile, knowing what their lives have been like, was so great. OK, I'm done.

Sawadeeka!

...THAT means HI. Kap kun ka means thank you...oops! You guys probably wouldn't have known the difference anyways, right? : ) Anyways, just wanted to clarify.
So we just got done with dinner here...Thai food is amazing, but it's totally different than the Thai food I've experienced in Chi-town. Every meal is the same...there's no difference between breakfast and dinner, it's kind of crazy. There is rice at every meal, and then some kind of mysterious meat, usually seafood. We've seen some interested things since we've been here. I've been brave and have tried most of what has been placed in front of me...it's also the "right" thing to do in this culture. By saying "no" to something offered is often considered rude. Seafood is very common here as well...seeing that we're right on the coast it makes sense.
Driving through Thailand's country side on the way to different camps, I've been able to see things that you'd see in National Geographic...it's amazing! Little tin houses in the middle of NO WHERE...their lifestyles are SOO primitive. I see it, but when I actually think about it it amazes me...that is their life! I'm here for a few weeks and I'm definitely seeing and experiencing the culture, but then I leave and go back home to the U.S. where I could have pretty much anything I need or want...that's not the case here. We often think, "oh, I feel so bad for these people" but to them, this is it, this is all they know. It's evident that they're content with what they have b/c they are always smiling and so polite...they treat us (Americans) so well. I'm not sure why, but it's been happening everywhere we go. They keep giving and giving, even if they don't have much of anything. It's been quite the challenge to look at what God has given me and what I do with it, you know.
Anyways, like I said, we're off to Bangkok tomorrow to catch our flight to Puket. We'll have a few hours to check out the city, which I'm really excited about.

Thanks again for your prayers!

Sher

Kap kun ka!

...that's hello in Thai. It's awesome here you guys...I don't even know where to begin. everything is so different than the U.S. We started off at Sammuk, a boarding school where we taught english, held sports clinics, and hung out with the student. It was cool b/c back in the States the camps are for younger kids, so it was nice being with people closer to our age. They had a few Americans that taught english there that we hung out with. It is semi-frustrating seeing that I know like 2 words in Thai, but most of the older students could understand and speak some english.
I'm going to jump back to the trip over here...my team had a lay-over in the Philippines. So I decided to take them out to explore the capital, Manila. We had an awesome time there...even though it was only a few hours. We were able to walk around these " neighborhoods" that had little stands everywhere, but it was for locals...we didn't see a single tourist the whole time. I love going to places like that, b/c we're able to really experience what it's like there.
I have TONS of pics, but we're at this internet cafe...so the computers are extremely slow and we don't have much time here. I'll try and get them on here ASAP.
When we left the school (near Bangkok) we traveled to Rayong (Marty, you can chart that on the map!) here we've been working in schools that have never had Americans. The kids are adorable! I can't even begin to describe the joy on their faces...they are so precious! All of them wanted our autographs...it was crazy. Our programs are different from the US, obviously, but we use some of the same stuff. Thailand's main religion is Buddism...they are temples all over the place. However, there have been several kids who ask us why we believe in God, and it's been amazing seeing Him work in a country where Christianity pretty much doesn't exist. For me, it's been really eye opening in terms of our freedom in the US...you can ask any Thai person what they think of American, and they all say freedom. I would've never guessed, but after being here for almost a week I can see where they're coming from.
Yesturday after our time at the school we went to the beach...it was awesome. We went on a banana boat (kind of like a big tube that 5 people can sit on)...it was sooo cheap to rent a boat for an hour.
Ah, I have soo much that I want to tell you guys, but it's hard to put most of what I've experienced in words. We leave tomorrow for Puket (the city where the tsunami hit). I'm really looking forward to that...it's supposed to be beautiful there.
Please keep my team in your prayers...so far everything's going great, so let's hope that continues!


Thanks for all the emails, keep them coming! Sorry I can't write each of you back!

I love and miss you all tons!

Sheryle

p.s. you can check out www.uwthailand.com if you would like. the othe head coach has been updating that blog...I personally haven't checked it out yet, but he might have put stuff on there that Iv'e forgotten.