I am back in the US now and continuing to get my life back together. However, I wanted to share something amazing that happened during the great flood in Sawankhalok two years ago (that felt weird saying...2 years already?).
A few days before the flood, the whole school was buzzing with conversations about when the water would reach us. We knew because as a teacher in the school quipped "When there is flooding in Prae, there will definitely be flooding in Sukhothai." Phrae is a province north of Sukhothai. The waters in Sawankhalok's Yom river had started to rise the day before and people started sandbagging the banks. During my 7th period class, as I was teaching the appropriate vocabulary befitting the occasion, "flooding" "sandbags" "help," a commotion started outside and it seems the flood had finally come and the water breached the sandbags.
I finished my class and then went back to the office. It was still dry in the school but the water had already started to flow into the main street in front of the school. Just then, another fellow American teacher, an elderly woman from Wisconsin, decided she really wanted to ship a box of pillows and convinced a younger Thai teacher to send her to the post office which was conveniently right next to the river. I thought she was crazy, but it turns out that I was the more idiotic one, because I decided to take my bike and tour around the city. It was a crazy sight to see heavy traffic and the water already up about three inches. When I returned to the school to gather my things and load the things of another fellow teach on my bike, the water was up to about 10 inches and I had to walk my bike instead. I wanted to make sure she got home safely so by the time that I was heading back to my house, the water was way past 1 ft.
By the time I reached my street which was lower than the main street, there was a mini waterfall at the entrance of the street. Although my house was a little higher, the water had already nearly reached the front step of my house and all my plants and garden supplies were floating. I hastily went inside to clean up from all the mud and to my disappointment, the water pressure was so low (during a flood? really?) that I couldn't do anything except wash my hands. An hour later, I went out to check my front yard again and the water had gone past the front step and was literally a centimeter from reaching the bottom gap of my door. I stuffed some plastic bags under the door frantically, but I didn't think it was much use since the water was really coming in with full force.
This was when I had no choice but to come down to my knees and pray to God to save my house from the flood. I commanded the waters not to enter my house by the authority I had in Jesus. I also prayed that the floods would not harm anyone in my village. I closed my door and believing, went upstairs and watched as the water in the street rose higher and higher. It also rained that night if I recall correctly...as if there wasn't enough water. I ate some frozen food and went to bed hoping for the best.
The Miracle
The next day, as I looked out the window, I saw the water had subsided a little probably due to the neighborhood arranging for sandbags to be placed at the street entrance to reduce the flow of water. I went downstairs and saw that my bottom floor was completely dry! I praised God for saving my house from the flood! I held my breath as I opened my front door (since I couldn't see how high the water was in comparison to the door). When the door opened, I saw that the water had subsided to my front step again. As I went out and looked at my walls, I saw water stains that suggested the water level reached about five inches above the bottom of the door!
The water reached one foot above my door and did not enter? Even my neighbors had water entering my houses as I saw them brooming away the water from their houses, but mine was kept safe. It was definitely a miracle and I thank God for literally saving my house from the flood. Thank you Jesus!
This is a contrasted picture to show the water line above the bottom gap of my door! I also praise God that there were no reports of any deaths or severe injuries either in Sawankhalok!
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