In an Airport Again

Well, I'm back in the Chang Mai international airport. The last few days have been very busy, full of tourism and site seeing. It was supposed to be a relaxing time of rest and relaxation, but it turned out to be very full.
We finished camp on Tuesday morning, had everything packed up by lunch time, then left the resort to spend our last two days in the city. Tuesday evening we went to a traditional cultural dinner where we all sat on the floor to eat, and watched ladies with long fingernails dance around waving their hands in the traditional Thai style. There was also a guy who danced with knives and later fire. Wednesday we went to an orchid farm, then rode elephants to a small village out in the mountain jungles. We then rode on an ox cart to the side of a river to eat lunch. From there, we boarded bamboo rafts and took them down the river a few miles through small rapids and beautiful mountains. That night, and the next, we spent at the Night Bazaar. I may spend more time describing it in detail, I sure could. It's pretty amazing! I got to know my way around it very well.
Yesterday, we visited an orphanage and played with the kids, singing songs, teaching them games, and just seeing how they live, showing them love. We ate lunch at Grace International School with many of the students who had been at the camp. In the afternoon, we visited the largest Buddist temple in Chang Mai. It was on the top of the mountain right behind the city, with a beautiful view of the smoggy city. Last night, we ate dinner on a river boat cruise on the dirty Ping river. It was beautiful, even romantic, reminding me of Paris. Our boat looked like it was from the Jungle Boat Cruise at Disney land. I couldn't have asked for a better ending to our time here.

It is strange being here in another country, almost another world, while Southern California is on fire. All my family is safe, and, last I checked, our material possesions have not been burned. I have been praying that the community would become united as Christ's people act with the love that they have been given.
I expect to be back in Los Angeles by 9pm, Friday.