the rains came down and the floods came up...

Thailand has/is experiencing the worst flooding in over 50 years. Over 60 of the 77 provinces have been affected by flooding at some point since July. The death toll is rising. The last number I saw on a news story was 533 dead, 2 missing. Over 1.3 million Thais have been affected by this flood. And even now some 7,210 villages in 129 districts of 23 provinces are still under water. The water is not moving anywhere fast. It is approaching the center of Bangkok. Millions have lost jobs already from factories being shut down because of chest deep water. Many have lost their rice crops. That will not only hurt them personally, but will hurt the economy. The flooding is definitely not going to be over when the water recedes.
My church has put together and given out over 700 packages full of rice, fish sauce ramen noodles, canned fish, drinking water, soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and Christian literature. We have been to around 5 different villages. Some whose houses are flooded, some whose rice fields are flooded. In most of the villages our pastor has been able to share the Good News with those receiving packages.
Here are some pictures. Some are ones that I've taken, some are from the internet.


packing the bags

my truck filled with the bags

this is not a lake - it used to be rice fields

people taking their packages home. their homes are up to 4 km into the water.

our pastor telling the Good News in these people's heart language

getting the bags out of my truck



for more pics look here... http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/worst-flooding-in-decades-swamps-thailand/100168/
this is a link to see how provinces in Thailand are affected by the floods... http://www.thaiflood.com/en/