Living in Chiang Mai always presents some unique challenges. Over the last few months, I have lived in four different places while I was looking for a place to live. And I have encountered all kinds of crazy things along the way.

First came the Great Flea Wars of 2007, in which fleas in-fested the out-side. Ever heard of fleas jumping up at you from a paved driveway? It was so bad, someone asked me if I had the chicken pox!

Other adventures include barely missing a full grown female elephant which was lumbering down the 6-lane Super Highway (it did have the required red blinker on its tail, but I was driving a little too fast that night…how can one NOT see an elephant?!!); and the unforgettable spectacle of a fluffy, white toy poodle being bounced up and down on the back of a motorcycle while the driver passed me driving at a high rate of speed down a dirt road. Fortunately, with each bump, this adept canine kept landing back on the motorcycle seat behind the driver, but the flapping ears just made me crack up.

But of all the amazing things that have happened so far, this one is the best. So…I bought a new refrigerator for my new rental home about a month ago. And it worked great. It’s a good sized appliance and the roomy freezer has plenty of space for my Ben and Jerry’s.

Then last Thursday, it seemed to be very lukewarm inside. My cheese was soft, and the ice cream mushy. Hmm…what’s the deal with this?! So I turned up the dial that night, to see if it would work any better. “Granted, it is 92 degrees in the afternoon,” I thought. But it didn’t get any better the next day.

So I called the store where I bought the fridge and had them send a guy over to check it out. The culprit? Ants! These little, bitty ants had actually eaten through the electrical wiring and gotten into the machinery of my refrigerator, clogging it all up, and burning out the motor. There were hundreds of them. Yes, Ripley’s Believe It or Not…The ants ate my refrigerator!!

Today, I discovered a verse in Proverbs: “Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer; coneys are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags; locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks; a lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in king’s palaces.” (Proverbs 30:24, NIV)

Made me wonder, if this army of little, bitty ants can eat my refrigerator what can a crazy, five-foot-two American do when she cooperates with others, makes wise plans, and collaborates with the heavenly armies of God to work against the unjust exploitation of women and children? Even though the things you and I do in a day may seem so small, the power of God takes those little things and magnifies them to make a difference in peoples’ lives. So no act of kindness and compassion is too small. Many blessings, and thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement and support.

With Love,

Kit