Thais in our village usually wake up at 1:00 or 2:00 a.m. to begin tapping rubber trees. Long before most of us are awake, they are already walking through the dark plantations with only a headlamp to guide them. By sunrise, around 6:00 a.m., they begin collecting the latex before preparing for another day's work.
It is difficult to fully appreciate this way of life unless you have experienced it yourself.
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| Picture taken at the funeral 2026 |
One of our relatives informed us that Uncle Daeng had passed away.
The news brought a mixture of sadness and reflection on my side. Uncle Daeng was not just a distant relative, he was someone who had been close to our family for many years. Because of his prolonged illness, Nittie and I had opportunities to bless him.
As we gathered with the family, we participated in the local funeral customs. In Thai culture, one part of the ceremony involves pouring water over the hands of the deceased before the body is placed inside the coffin. Uncle Daeng's coffin was made of plywood, as cremation is the common practice here, and afterward the ashes are often scattered in the sea.
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| Picture was taken at Songkhla Lake, Southern Thailand 2026 |
Before The Father gave humanity the assignment to have dominion
over His creation, He first blessed them.
From the very beginning, His blessings came before their work.
His favor came before appointment.
Humanity is loved before any performance found at him or her.
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| Picture was taken at Pakbara Satun, Thailand 2026 |
This is what I have been thinking about lately.
Maybe we are in a situation similar to what Moses experienced. Behind him was the Egyptian army, and in front of him was the Red Sea.
There was no turning back. Yet if he moved forward, all he could see was water.
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| Picture taken at our local public market 2026 |
What I notice lately is that the situation in the Middle East seems to have calmed down compared to before. At least from what we can see on the outside, life appears to be going back to normal again.
But honestly, it is becoming harder these days to know what is really happening in the world just by watching the news or reading articles online. Many media sources now lean strongly to one side, so sometimes it is difficult to know what is fully true and what is only part of the story.
