May Update
Friends & Family,
We are doing well! COVID numbers are still pretty high in Thailand, partly due to COVID now spreading inside the prisons. Parks are still closed and there is still a large fine for not wearing a mask at all times, but this week restaurants and cafes have been allowed to re-open for limited indoor dinning. Yay! Despite being mostly stuck inside, we are so grateful for no 'stay at home order', and being able to go to the grocery store as much as we want and meeting up with a few friends at a coffee shop or restaurant.
Next week we are wrapping up our third (!!) course of Thai school. Our next course, which starts at the beginning of June, is a reading and writing course. We are super excited to learn to read and write Thai, and feel like it will be a nice change of pace from what feels like endless amounts of grammar and vocabulary. The Thai language uses an alphabet (as opposed to characters, like Chinese), but its still quite a bit different than our English alphabet)
Below: The Thai Alphabet, Adam says he feels like it's going to be art class learning to write these letters, haha.
The view from the top of our apartment building. We currently about 20 minutes away from central Bangkok. ^^
Over the past few months we’ve been getting to know a couple who have been missionaries to Thailand for 14 years. They have invited us on a journey of researching and learning about orphan care and the general state of the foster/orphan care system in Thailand. Globally there is a big push to move away from institutionalized care and towards family based care, which is a very good thing. 80% of Thai children in children's homes and orphanages/institutions have parents that are capable of parenting but have placed their children in institutionalized care for economic reasons. We are learning about and connecting with organizations here in Thailand that are working to help families feel financially stable enough to bring their children home and be able to provide food and education.
We are excited to be learning about how all of this fits with our vision and eager to bring our desire to see children who come from hard places and situations encounter Jesus and be cared for and looked after by trauma informed, Jesus loving individuals. Our heart is for children and families, and we are so excited to see what Jesus has for the broken families of Thailand.
Community! These are some of the amazing people we meet with once a week for Neuma Church Life Group.
A few fun things coming up: Adam has been a part of the Neuma Church worship team and on June 6th he will be leading worship. You can check it out here.
We will also be joining McGonigle Millville United Methodist Church(the church Adam's Grandma attends) via zoom during their Sunday Service on June 6th (time difference makes it possible for us to be in two places at once, lol). We are excited to be sharing our hearts with them and our love for the Thai people.
Thailand Fun Facts:
Thailand has the longest capital city name in the world. Most of the world knows of it as Bangkok. However its full name is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. Pheww... what a mouth full! For short though locals just use Grungtep.
Prayer Requests:
We so appreciate all your prayers for us as we have been on this language learning journey, we have felt your prayers and feel like we are learning so much. We appreciate even more prayers as we start learning to read and write!
Pray that we would steward this time in semi lock down well, studying, researching, connecting with church and interceding for the Thai people.
Pray for decreased COVID here in Thailand. The government is planning to launch a nationwide vaccination campaign on June 7th. Pray that it goes well and that the government does what it needs to do to help Thailand overcome this pandemic.
We love hearing from you, if you'd like to reach out you can just reply to this email. If you are interested in seeing more of our daily life please follow us on instagram @kaylacoupe and @coupetroop (I (Kayla) also try to post my IG stories on Facebook Stories)
Much Love,
Adam and Kayla Coupe