Just a few pictures...

Some ancient palace in Seoul, South Korea. We were too tired to remember.

The ladies at the night market, trying to keep cool.

Tyler and I at the Thai Cultural dinner.

And she smiled!

One of my favorite Thai baby girls.

Giant butterfly at the butterfly garden.

Hannah and I on our amazing elephant!

Me, Tyler, and Mat on the steps of some temple shrine/building.

At Doi Su Tem with Keely and Hannah. And Abe in the background...

Hannah and I in the hill tribes.

The women from the hill tribes with all their handicrafts.

Handing out new clothes and flip flops to the girls at Remember Nhu.

Working on the bathroom for Remember Nhu. Laurie and I mixed cement.

After the assembly at the elementary school, we made puppets!

Blowing bubbles!

Digging holes to plant papaya trees for Asia's Hope.

Some crazy jumping game the girls love to play, and they are totally pro.

Fa Fa and Edouni (?) rocking out with their Thai guitars

After lots of "studying," it was time for some serious play and love.

My students hard at work on their english lesson :)

Pi Faa, the woman with an amazing heart and firey spirit.

Visiting the homes of the children from the drop in center in the nearby slums, I met this lady who made this wonderful Aka headwear. I may have purchased one...

Visiting our students and friends at the massage parlor.

Two of our amazing English students, Muay and Cha Cha.

Brittany and I getting ready for a motorbike ride.

Laurie and Meg and I at the Wat (Buddhist temple)

Thai delicacy...fresh cockroach!

My first experience with a "squatty potty."

Teaching English at a learning center in Lampoon, just outside of Chiang Mai.

Waiting for the kids to come to the drop in center. I can't put up pictures of the kids, but you can imagine this room filled with even more purple shirts and lots of energitic beautiful children.

Our team making cookies for the kids at the drop in center.

Delicious fruit! And creepy faces...

Chiang Mai, the view from our YMCA hotel.

Kap Khun Kah Thailand!

This will be my final post of writing, so thank you again for following along and reading and praying for myself, our team, and the people of Thailand. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we make the difficult transition of life away from each other and away from Thailand, and I know that my prayer is that my heart would not forget what God has taught me and shown me about the beauty and brokenness of this world.





I ended the last post talking about the day we taught English at the public elementary school. This school was incredibly poor, and any student that can afford private education leaves to one of the nearby private schools, so literally only the poorest students remain. After being abandoned by our teachers, we all reunited for lunch a bit dazed and confused to say the least. I think the teachers sensed that and said we could observe a music class for a while. That sounded lovely, and initially it was. My third grade class was learning to play many traditional Thai instruments, including a guitar, recorder/flute, and violin made from a coconut. Needless to say even my tone-deaf ear could sense the grating music more atune to fingernails on a chalk board than any sort of orchestra. Yet there was a certain beauty in the students exploring and trying out their instruments, and I know that it was a joyful noise to Heaven. I wish my ears were more divine, because after two hours of such music, my ears were ready for a different sort of music. So I reviewed English lessons and just played with my students, and realized that in a day they had become so precious to me.





After class I returned to the house and volunteered to help Dtoom in the kitchen with dinner preparations. I too easily forget that me and kitchens, especially those lacking the utensils I am accoustomed to, do not get along all that splendidly. But I rolled up my sleeves and tried to glean as much wisdom from this amazing Thai cook on making green curry, cashew chicken, and vegetable stir fry. I was not encouraged in my skills when she continuously raised her eyebrows at me, asked if I had ever used a knife, had ever cooked, and nearly started to cry when I chopped the green onions too small. She kept looking at the dish and made me tell everyone that it wasn't supposed to be so ugly. At least we could all laugh about it, but Dtoom spent a lot of time with us throughout the week and she always brought up the ugly onions.





After dinner we were reunited with the rest of our team, and the next six to spend the night took one look at our faces and knew they were in for a real treat, perhaps far different than their expectations. We boarded the vans and headed back to the YMCA and never had our bunks and air conditioning felt so wonderful. But we definitely missed Claire and Dtoom and the girls, it was an amazing experience filled with laughter and frustration and heartbreak and joy.





Tuesday I spent the day at Asia's Hope, an orphanage in the hills of Chiang Mai with about 80 kids of all ages and from various hill tribes. When we arrived the kids were all at school, and so we dug holes for papaya trees for a few hours. It was exciting to learn about the history and philosophy of the school and how they are working to be self-sustaining and want to offer employment opportunities to widows who would otherwise have to give up their children to orphanages. It was fun to dig holes and then have the people working at Asia's Hope make us sit in the shade and drink water and cola and "rest" and protect our fair skin from the sun. Getting to know our translators, drivers, and other workers has been awesome and to hear their stories reminds me of our common humanity and common redemption through Jesus. One of my favorite things is finding myself caught up in this web of humanity and inter-connectedness, that even across the globe I can make friends and be encouraged by people whose lives are strikingly different yet at once similar to my own journey. And knowing that within this web are traces of beauty and traces of Grace, marks of our Saviour's work within our hearts and within this world.





After digging holes the moment we had all been waiting for arrived...school was out and the kids were there to play! At first there was a definite element of awkward as they stared at us and we stared at them, unsure how to cross the bridge of relationship. Bubbles. That is what we needed. Bubbles have the amazing ability of helping us forget our age and language differences and remember the wonder of floating balls of soapiness. So I spent the remainder of the afternoon blowing bubbles, teaching others how to blow bubbles, and cleaning up spilled bubbles. It was lovely. After dinner I took a walk with one of the directors, a lady named Debbie who I think was from Texas...somewhere down south judging by her accent, and we visited another orphanage down the street with 15 kids and two house parents. Again I was in awe at the love and sacrifice of husband and wife who dedicated themselves to showing love to fifteen orphan boys and girls. Sometimes in our group we ask each other "What makes you feel alive?" That question has been on my heart often, and I would have to say that being with these children makes me feel alive in a way that mysteriously breaks my heart and heals it all at once.





On Wednesday we woke up in the morning and planned an assembly for the elementary school we had been to on Monday. By this point exhaustion was definitely kicking in, as was the realization that we would be going back to the place where teachers abandoned us and language inhibited us. But we planned games and crafts and songs and skits. It was amazing that we were able to sing songs about Jesus and do a skit about Him calling the children to himself in a school that is very much Buddhist, has monks visit, and had a shrine on the very stage that we sang from. When we arrived at the school, it was so great to see my students again. I was honestly a little shocked that they actually remembered me, but we soon sat together and began singing and dancing and laughing our way through our confusion. In the middle of the craft time, while half the group was in the feild doing games, a huge rainstrom swept through, so the rest of the time was inside with lots of duck duck goose, puppet making, and more skits. At the end the kids sang us thank you songs and the teachers reappeared, as if by magic, just in time to enjoy ice cream and a nice send off. I will certainly miss those kids, but I am glad that we were able to be with them for even a few days, and to celebrate with them and show them Love.





After the assembly our group split off again and I went with six others to Remember Nhu, which is a home for girls who are at risk of being sold into prostitution. Basically this is a very real risk for many of the girls living in the hill tribes whose parents can not afford to feed them, so they are sold and trafficked. It is so tragic to even imagine, and the ministry of Remember Nhu is offering hope to many girls. There are a few Remember Nhu homes in the Chiang Mai area, and the one that we went to had only been opened for a little over a month. It was primitive compared to Asia's Hope, but it was very nice and much safer than the accomodations the girls had come from. Our team had been part of a work project to build showers and bathrooms, so for part of the afternoon after the assembly we mixed cement and lugged bricks and built the bathroom. Actually the only contribution I made was mixing cement in a hole with a shovel, but it was pretty fun and I can add that to the resume for sure. When it became clear that our services were no longer needed for construction, some of us girls went to the kitchen to help with dinner preparations. Mistake.





I was asked to chop up the meat. Not being too skilled with raw meat chopping, I was reluctant to begin. Then I found out I would be chopping up pork on a less than clean wood chopping block. I did my best to avoid the flies and to chop up the pork. I even cut all the fat off (which I later realized was a mistake because that is the best part, so someone chopped it up for me and put it back in the stir fry mixture). As I was just finishing with the pork, the cook came beside me with some gizzards (perhaps heart and stomach? I may never know) and began chopping with such tenacity that the guts began to splatter on me. Fortunately I was wearing sunglasses so my eyes were spared. And when they asked if anyone was available to mix cement, it didn't take much convincing for me to drop my knife and leave the kitchen duties to those more equipped. Dinner that night was surprisingly delicious, however.





When the girls arrived we were able to give them a bunch of new clothes and shoes we had brought over. After playing with playdough and a little soccer, we began more English lessons (we have become pros). It was fun to sit with the girls and hear them learning with so much enthusiasm. At the end the pastor/house dad and mom said goodbye and thank you to us before we left, and I felt the pleasure was definitely ours.





On Thursday we spent the day visiting various hill tribe villages. I guess I had different expectations for the day, expectations of being able to connect more with the people and spend time with them. We knew that many of the villages would be preparing for us to come with money for shopping, as the livelihood for the majority of the people is in handicrafts and tourists coming through to purchase scarves, bags, jewelry, and carved trinkets. I guess I hoped that our trip could be different, that we could show we were not just there to take souviners but to share in something...though I was not sure exactly what. We had brought toothbrushes and soccer balls and craft supplies for the people, but that seemed grossly insufficient when we saw the state of their homes and their apparent need and desperation. As we walked through the three villages, I realized that language barriers and lack of time made any connection very difficult. When I tried to speak with the women, they mostly wanted to know if I could buy anything. They would call out, "Please you buy something? I have no money." It was heartbreaking to be viewed purely as a consumer and challenging to realize that maybe this would be the only way that I could connect with these people. At the same time it was certainly a lesson in living missionally. We didn't have organizations or people there telling us how to serve or giving us jobs, instead we needed to learn to love and treat the people we met with dignity and respect and serve them in that way. I hope I can remember this lesson with my family, friends, work mates, people I meet in the grocery store and the mall--sometimes the greatest act of service we can give is to really see people, to reach out simply by making eye contact and saying "hello, you matter, and I see you."

On Friday we began our "debriefing" weekend, basically a time to enjoy Thailand together as a team, talk about what we had learned and experienced, and organize our leftover supplies and gifts and give the extra money we had raised to the various organizations. We ended up with nearly $15,000 left over that we will give to help start an orphanage in Burma, fund medical costs and education costs for the women and children of Garden of Hope, and give gifts to Remember Nhu and Asia's Hope as well. It is exciting to know that we will be able to leave behind resources as we take these people with us in our hearts and in our prayers.

In the afternoon we went to a temple in the hills of Chiang Mai called Doy Su Tem (I am not sure if that is how it is spelled...) and it was interesting. Definitely touristy, and gilded and filled with burning insence and offerings to the countless buddha statues. There was a beautiful view of the city, and the temple itself was interesting to see, but there was a heaviness and darkness there, and I think our teams hearts were with the women and children we had met in the previous weeks.

After the temple we had a meeting with Carl (from Remember Nhu) and learned more about his connections to the situation in Burma and people who are wanting to start orphanges there for children whose parents were lost in the cyclone or whose parents have been killed because they are part of the tribal ethnic minorities therefore a target for the government, which is systematically killing the hill tribe peoples. This couple, Philip and Esther, fled Burma and moved to the U.S., went to college, then moved back to Thailand. Now they are risking everything to go back into Burma and start this home. Not only that but they plan on having the home centered around Bible teaching and the truth of God's love, and if the government were to find out they would likely be killed. It is challenging and encouraging to hear of people who will enter into those situations and bring Light in the midst of danger, darkness, and despair. I am not sure if I have that courage, or even the faith to pray for it. At times I feel that I have too easily forgotten my first Love, forgotten that Jesus does not call me to safety, to comfort, or to security. Rather He calls us to live radically in the most ordinary and extreme ways, whether in a business suit, classroom, coffee shop, or the jungles of Burma.

In all the homes and orphanges that we worked with and were connected to, there was a strong sense of the need for wholistic healing. It is crucial that these people are given the basic necessities for survivial--food, safety, clothing, health care--and beyond that they need education, opportunity, and ultimatley Hope. And this Hope is displayed through discipleship and support from their brothers and sisters around the globe.

On Saturday we woke up early to go to an elephant show. I was super excited for the chance to ride an elephant, and I was not disappointed. We arrived and I was greeted by an eager trunk trying to eat the bananas in my hand. He almost got my camera too, but I pulled away just in time. We took a thirty minute ride through the jungles atop our trusty elephant, whose name I could not pronounce let alone remember, but he was 38 years old. And he had wonderful tusks. Following the ride we watched the elephant show, where they played soccer, danced, played harmonicas, and even painted. I purchased one of the paintings, and it is so incredible and super humbling to see that an elephant has greater artistic skills than me. After the show we went to lunch at a beautiful orchid and butterfly farm, and just enjoyed each others company. That afternoon we had more meetings and then a few of us girls went back to the market place for some last minute souvinouer (sp?) and gift shopping.

Sunday we went back to church at Asia's Hope, and I held a beautiful girl named Sorwana (I think) in my arms the whole time. She was so solemn and still, and slept for a lot of the time, but at the end of the service she woke up and just sat in my arms and sang (in a baby gibberish sort of way). We had sung many songs throughout the service, and there was special music and guitar solos and everything. But in my heart I felt that this song from this orphan girl resonated the deepest in the heart of her Father, a heart that was breaking and rejoicing all at once to see His children united in worship. I kept holding her for the majority of the afternoon and made it my goal to cause her to smile. After many tosses in the air and goofy baby talk, I was blessed with the most beautiful smile. I do not know why she forgot to smile, I don't know where she came from that her face would be so somber. But I also am confident that the joy and love she is experiencing in Asia's hope will begin a healing process that will draw her closer to Jesus, and my hope is that others are blessed with her smile as I was.

Sunday night we went to a Thai cultural dinner, and that was amazing. We heard lots of Thai music (I decided not to purchase a CD and subject my family to that) and saw lots of dancing, and even had the chance to participate. At the end of the night we let off these giant lanterns into the sky, and it was so awesome to see them floating up into the night. Afterwards we went back to the Sunday night market and walked around and absorbed all things Thai, as well as our final stops at fruit vendors and banana crepes, before going back to bed exhuasted. Monday we spent the day packing, meeting, and organizing our gifts and crafts for the various ministries we had worked with. We left for the airport and said a tearful goodbye to Brittany, Faa, and our friends we had made the past three weeks, and we began the long journey home, including a ten hour layover and tour of the city in Seoul.

Now that I am home, I have been asked often the question, "How was Thailand? What did you do?" I am still learning how to answer that. It was challenging, blessing, heart and mind stretching. It was hot, it was spicey, it was rainy, it was beautiful. My prayer now is that the glory of God may be revealed in the people of Thailand, in the people of Burma, and in our own hearts, as the following verse describes.

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay, and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God." Romans 8:18, 20-21.

Final Week in Thailand

Hello Friends and Family,
I realize that my past blogs have been incredibly long streams of thought and activity, and to those of you who have been able to read them, thank you for following along and praying for our team as we journey through service and learning in Thailand. It is now Saturday night of our final week, and in two days we leave. While I am excited to be reunited with you all, I am trying to not forget what I have learned and experienced here.

Last Sunday our team went to an orphanage called Asia's Hope for a church service. We drove into a compound type area (that is such an ugly word for such a beautiful place...there are three homes and trees and a playground and a church building with cafeteria, all in the hills outside of Chiang Mai) and as soon as we jumped out of the vans we were greeted by children eager to welcome us and make sure that we sat next to them for the service. It was definitely crowded, definitely not air conditioned, and definitely wonderful. The children sang many songs for us (all in Thai of course, which is quite the accomplishment for some of the kids who come from hill tribes and do not speak Thai as their native language) and it was so beautiful to see the love that was showered upon them by the staff and house parents. It truly felt as if we were in the house of God, where people of all cultures and backgrounds gather together to celebrate the joy of life in a child-like manner. After the service we had the chance to play some with the kids, then were treated to an amazing Thai lunch. I was able to sit next to the wife of the pastor, and it was fascinating to hear her story and the vision that the people of Asia's Hope have for all of the children. Each child is guarunteed to be supported through college and they are taught english and vocational skills. It was so encouraging to me to hear from people who love so much and who do so much to serve others, even when it is hot and uncomfortable and there are language barriers.

After church and lunch we returned to have a meeting with Carl, the director for Remember Nhu, the organization we worked with for the third week. It has been such a blessing to meet with so many different organizations who have different purposes and ministries but who ultimately come to love and serve and come alongside the Thai people and give them resources and opportunities to live lives of dignity. Remember Nhu is specifically focused on keeping girls out of the sex trade and preventing child trafficking, and they have a few homes around Chaing Mai for girls whose parents cannot afford to care for them, or have passed away, and so they would either be sold or abandoned. It has been difficult to hear these stories and meet these girls and then look at my own life and wonder why I wasn't born in a hill tribe village or why my parents have sacrificed everything for me and show me so much love. I guess to him who has been given much, much will be expected and I know that God is equipping each memeber of our team to love in ordinary and extraordinary ways.

After dinner on Sunday night we were informed that we would be taking part in Thai homestays for a few days of the week. The first team would be going that night, so naturally I volunteered to be one of the first. I didn't have a very good idea what to expect. My mind imagined anywhere from a tiny hut in the hills to a beautiful estate, and so I came with bug spray and a toothbrush ready for what was in store, along with five of my teammates. We were staying at the home of Claire and Alan, an American man and Thai lady who work with a missions organization called Partners. Alan is a nurse and he was actually away while we were there in Myanmar to connect with members of Partners who are working with the hill tribe people and helping them escape the oppresive ethnic cleansing of the Burmese army. While we were there Claire showed us a short video on the conflict and the work of Partners, and it blew my mind. I had no idea that a war had been raging within Burma for over fifty years, and the atheiest military dictatorship is systematically wiping out entire groups of peoples. That is one of the primary reasons they have not been accepting aid lately, the cyclone has virtually done their job for them. Myanmar has the fourth largest army in the world and no enemies except their own people. I am almost ashamed to say that as a history major and someone who likes to know what is going on in the world, all of this information about Burma/Myanmar has been virtually new to me. It was incredible to me that Alan, and many others from across the globe, risk their lives in order to come alongside the tribal people of Burma and show them they are not forgotten. I encourage you to google the Partners organization and to read about this conflict, and to pray.

After watching the video our team was fairly shooken up emotionally, and it was good to have some time to talk together. At the same time, it was hard not to laugh at the situation we found ourselves in. Claire's home is gorgeous, it looks like a mansion, but her and Alan have been giving all their money away so they don't have much furniture. So, we slept on mats on the floor, and the electricity was sketchy so the fan situation was at first unsure (we soon fixed it, thank goodness). The water system was broken for the week so the water had to be pumped in and we took bucket showers (which was fun...though the water was a little murky and there was a large toad in the bathroom sharing in the experience). That night I don't think I slept at all because of the change in surroundings and fear of lizards and spiders and other bugs that were in the area (I know, I am not very hardcore.) It was especially funny because this house was so gorgeous...coy ponds, chandeliers, beautiful flowers and gardens, and then a hard floor and bucket shower to remind us of our humility and need to serve. We woke up at five and did chores with the two girls who live in the home (they are hill tribe girls that I think Claire and Alan have pretty much adopted). So at 5am I was raking leaves on an estate in Thailand with a broomish rake that really didn't work too well. But I am sure not too many people can say they have done that, and in a small sense I think it gave us a feeling of solidarity with servants and those who rise early.

After breakfast we went to the elementary school across the street where we were told we would observe or maybe help teach english. When we arrived, at 7:30, there weren't any teachers there, and so we waited for a while. The cook found us and took us to the "cafeteria" and had us wipe down tables and sweep. I was glad I was wiping down the tables because those sweeping had a dead rat and some poop to deal with. But it was fun to talk with the cook, and it added to the overall mystery of the day. When we were finished, the teachers had arrived and the students were lining up on the lawn for the morning salute--it was quite the ceremony. As we met the teachers, we divided up into classrooms to observe...or so we thought. For some reason the teachers were under the impression that we were American teachers who spoke Thai and were there to teach. So as soon as I walk into my classroom, the teacher introduces me, says "teach!" and then leaves. Thank goodness I had taught a little english the week before, but a classroom full of third graders who speak only Thai and you are trying to teach them english is a completely different story. So we did the alphabet, head-shoulders-knees-and-toes, numbers, basic greetings, and I was starting to run out of ideas. The teacher would pop in and out but she didn't really speak english so I couldn't communicate to her that I was not a teacher, did not know what I was doing, and was running out of material to teach. But in the midst of this confusion and chaos, I was really having a good time I think. It was fun to see the kids respond to the english lesson, it was fun to be completely foolish and not know what I was doing. Eventually I just took the students outside and we played follow the leader and duck duck goose and we sang songs, and I began to love them. Their holes and stains in their uniforms told a story, and their eagerness to hold my hand or sit next to me in games reminded me that our words and actions do matter and that even if the spoken language is not understood, the language of love, joy, and affirmation is universal.

While I was going through all of these mixed emotions of confusion and joy, my teammates were having awful and wonderful experiences of their own. When we reunited for lunch, we were shocked that we had all been abandoned by our teachers. There are many differences in the Thai and American education system, and this school was a clear example of that...in many hilarious ways.

Sadly I would love to write more but it is almost midnight, this internet place is closing, my hour is up, and we are waking up early for church in the morning. I will write more when I get back home (crazy to think of!) and thank you all so much for your prayers and for reading this.

Peace.

ฟหก่ด้าส่หฟก้ดีเเหรี้ฟไ

Hello friends and family, and thank you again for your prayers. This blog is likely going to be very long, so please be patient with me as I process through and try my best to accurately portray the journey that has been Thailand. And just a side note, I am at an internet cafe and there is a button you push to make the words thai, so that is what the title is...a bunch of Thai gibberish for you to enjoy :)

So I think I left off telling about Friday, which is the day we planned the party for the kids. The Drop in Center for the Garden of Hope had it's "grand opening" with us there, and so we threw a huge party with pizza, pop, games, crafts, music, singing, and all sorts of other crazy merriment. It was so good to connect with the kids that came. Most of them are street kids who at night will sell flowers or even beg, but now they have a place that is safe to come and play and eat and learn about God's love for them in the midst of their poverty. As we prayed for the party, Mark reminded us that as we pray for these kids and come alongside them, they are no longer resource poor.

The party was especially wonderful and alltogether difficult for me when I met Peh, a fourteen year old girl from a near by slum (we later had the chance to visit her home--she lives in a one room apartment with her mom, her mom's boyfriend, and her four siblings). She dropped out of school to take care of her younger sister, who is a bundle of energy for sure. Faa, one of the ladies who works with the kids, told me that she is pregnant. I could not believe that this young girl eating mangos with me and wearing an angel t-shirt was about to become a mother. I didn't even know how to react, how to love her, and how to reconcile the fact that I was born into so much love and blessing, and that my cousin and his wife just had a daughter that was born into so much love, and my brother and sister in-law are going to have a baby in a few months that will also be born into much love and opportunity. God has been showing me His heart of mercy, and how he loves all his children, whatever their circumstances. That Love must propel us to love others, and to be the hands and feet that come alongside girls like Peh who have not known or experienced that love. Please pray for her and the Garden of Hope staff, and for her unborn child, that the world would be a little more beautiful and a little more gentle to these beloved children.

After the party we sang worship songs together in the drop in center. We are all wearing matching purple shirts, our uniforms for the week, and we are in the middle of bars and restuarants and massage parlors. Needless to say we get a lot of funny looks from tourists and thais alike, who wonder why all these Farang (foreigners) are spending their time singing songs about Jesus with dirty street kids. It reminded me again of the quote about the bird, that we are singing in the middle of this dark place, despite the darkness in our own hearts, because we have faith in the dawn that is breaking in. I feel so priviledged to be a part of the vision that the Garden of Hope has been working towards for years, and to encourage and learn from these people has been a huge blessing.

On Saturday morning we woke up early and drove to a nearby village to teach English to some kids that our Thai teacher, Khru, works with. It was so fun to sing with them and work one on one with kids who are so eager to learn. The girl I worked with learned so fast, even though she was pretty shy, and I wish that I could be as receptive to learning Thai as she was for english. During a moment of down time, I had the chance to talk with Faa from the Garden of Hope, and she told me more of her story. She is from the Aka hill tribes, a marginalized group of Thais who are not considered citizens and who are poorer and less educated than the rest of the Thai population. Despite not being wanted in Thai society, she went to college and excelled in Business and learned five languages (on top of the two she already knew). As she began to volunteer for the Garden, businesses made her offers to work for them...nice offers with good salaries and opportunities. She decided to work for the Garden instead, and dedicate her time to building relationships with kids on the streets and their families and educating them and loving them. Her friends think she is crazy, and sometimes she still struggles with her choice, but she loves the kids and the people of the streets and knows that this is what God has called her to do. She even told me about a time she was arrested, along with children, because she refused to leave and stop telling the kids about Jesus. Sometimes foreigners assume she is a prostitute as she walks the streets with kids, so she has learned Thai boxing for four years in order to protect herself (being the youngest out of 12 kids might have helped too). She probably weighs about 80 pounds, so knowing this is funny to imagine. Anyway, hearing her heart for the kids and her genuine love for Jesus made me cry actually...I hope that I can love with half the love she shows, and I hope that I can have the courage to give up prestige in order to love and give dignity to those in need.

After the time teaching english, we went to an outdoor market and were greeted with sights and sounds I can hardly begin to describe. But if you want a live eel, cockroach, or anyother sort of insect or fish product, thai markets are a great place to find those. I stuck with fruit (I love the pineapple!) and some dish that Faa recommended. It was really fun to walk around and greet the people. I even had the pleasure of using a squatty potty for the first time. It only cost 10 baht....

That afternoon we visited Brittany and Kelly in their apartment and walked around that part of Chaing Mai. We went to a Wat (temple) and Kelly and I released some birds that were in cages. I think it is part of some Buddhist ritual, there were all sorts of animals to be released into the river or into the sky, but we prayed together and tried to make it something beautiful for Jesus. Hannah released turtles, and we saw another lady releasing eels...I am glad I stuck with the birds. That night we had dinner at an amazing Indian restuarant (we had free time this afternoon so we choose not to eat more thai food, as amazing as it is) and the time and conversation was great. I love our team, and sharing time with the staff of Garden of Hope has been great too. After dinner Hannah and I decided not to cram in the back of a pick-up taxi as we had done to get there, as fun as that was. Instead we rented a tuk-tuk (motorbike cart thing) and rode back to the YMCA. It was so fun, and I am glad to count that as another one of my Thai traveling experiences :) As we met together as a team on Saturday night, we realized how much being with the kids instilled in us a hope for the future of Thailand. Each life is so important to us, and infintely more to God.

Sunday morning we had the pleasure of going to a Thai church service, which luckily was translated for us Americans. It lasted a good two hours, but it was fun to sing songs in Thai and english and to worship together with the Thai church. After church we had the afternoon to rest, and that is when I did my first blog post. At that time I was struggling with not feeling useful here in Thailand. There is a definite language barrier, I didn't feel like I could contribute anything, and it has been a process of learning how to love in all situations, to all peoples. As I prayed for opportunities to serve, I saw a man begging across the street next to the starbucks that I had been to that morning At first I wanted to turn away and thought, "Well, that isn't an opportunity, that is just a reality beggars in Thailand." As we left the internet cafe, I felt very false walking past and doing nothing when I had just prayed to be used. So Abe and Tyler and I went into a nearby store, bought some food and water, stopped by a fruit stand, and I went over and gave maybe three dollars worth of provisions to this man with his child. He had wai-ed me from across the street (greeting of respect where you put your hands together and bow) and I thought he looked older. As I came closer, I realized that he was probably younger than me, and the child laying in his arms was probably no older than three or four. I tried to speak my limited Thai with him, but he didn't understand me. I realized that he was probably Burmese, and my heart broke to realize how close I had come to walking by, especially after learning so much about the plight of the Burmese people. Please continue to pray for that situation and for the many people who are seeking to give aid and coming against many barriers. The Burmese government does not want to help it's people, and that level of evil is difficult to comprehend. Yet God does have the whole world in His hands, and His story of redemption has been working in our lives since the beginning, and it will continue to work in the darkest of places as we become the bridges of justice and mercy through big and small acts of great love.

After that we met together to go to the Sunday night market, which was the largest market I had ever seen in my life. And I had no idea there were so many tourists in Thailand. There was lots of things to see and eat and buy, and of course I did it all.

On monday we went back to the drop in center to hang out with the kids, and that was fun to see them again and play with them. In the afternoon we took them to a nearby movie theatre, and I sat with Peh and here sister as we watched the movie (which was in Thai so I didn't understand anything, but it was nice to be in air conditioning for a while). Afterwards we went out to Dairy Queen (yes, even in Thailand) and had hot dogs and ice cream. I passed on the hot dogs because I could see that being the one thing that would make me sick here...and went to get phad thai for dinner later instead. But it was so fun to be with the kids and to run around the mall and smile with them and love them and practice our broken Thai with them.

On Tuesday we went back to the drop in center to play, do crafts, and sing with the children. We split up into teams to pick up trash, go on prayer walks, and play with the kids for the afternoon. I ended up going on a walk for over two and a half hours, and seeing much of the city that I had not seen by driving on the main roads. This is a beautiful place filled with many paradoxes: buddhist temples next to bars, slums next to beautiful gated homes, shanty houses with televisions blaring, but over everything the smiles and greetings of the Thai people. It was strange to walk by gorgeous hotels after greeting people in the slums, and it made me realize that we are here for a very different purpose, and I hope that in some small sense we are redeeming the image of a tourist that many of the Thai people have. I know that the people that picked up trash had many interesting conversations and some Thais even brought them water. All in our lovely purple shirts :)

Tuesday night after dinner I went out with Brittany and Kelly and some other Fox girls to visit the women in the bars. I came with many expectations, and I still don't know how to capture with words the experience. We arrived and there were about seven women there, and after brief introductions we sat down to some beverages (they make part of their money off of the drinks they sell, so we bought some soda and treated them to drinks too). Then we began what would turn into a two hour round of Uno. I had so much fun, and almost forgot that we were playing Uno in a bar in Thailand with prostitutes until some men came in and some of their attention was diverted. It was heart breaking to see the way in which the men treated the women, and the things that they made them do even in public. It was also clear that many of them would rather have been playing Uno than spending time with these American men, who Brittany informed me were regulars. Half way through the game another American came who was badly crippled and in a wheel chair. He was also a regular, and one of the girls (who I later found out was sixteen) went and brought him a drink and stood with him. I realized, in a somewhat contrived connection, that this man represented physically what everyone in that bar was in some sense emotionally and spiritually--brokenness. His search for love and acceptance brought him to a Thai bar to solicit the attention of a prostitute. But my own search for love and acceptance has not always brought me to Grace either, and it has been incredibly humbling to recognize the common threads of humanity in our team from Fox, in the men at the bars, and in the Thai women who I played Uno with. The only difference is that we have accepted the gift of Grace, and by God's mercy we are able to live with a redeemed understanding of love and His love for us. I guess that night was the most transformative game of Uno I have ever played.

On Wednesday we followed a similar routine of going to the drop in center and playing with the kids. Some of the women from the bars, as well as nearby massage parlors, came to take English lessons, and I feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to do this. Me and Mel and Kari taught English for nearly four hours and I feel in love with our students. The first two that came were Muay and Cha Cha, and they worked at a nearby massage parlor. They had some basic English skills, and it was certainly a challenge to teach and create curriculm simultaneously. But it was so energizing and I have come to realize something I am super passionate about. I had never considered it really as ministry before, but there is a huge sense of empowerment in learning English. These women are in their thirties, and work from 10am to midnight everyday at the massage parlor. Luckily they have a lot of down time and so are able to come and take English lessons. The second round of women we taught were Om and Yu, who were far more limited so we were able to make a new curriculm and a scale for determining English proficiency...not nearly as affective as I am sure other programs would be, but for free on the spot English lessons, I hope we were able to do a good service to these wonderful women. Yu lives with her young daughter, and while she is at work she locks her in the room to keep her safe, becasue she can't afford child care. But now her daughter will be able to come to the drop in center and play with other children in a place that is safe, and I am so grateful for that.

That night after dinner the three of us girls went to the massage parlors to visit the women we taught english too. Muay was out to dinner with a costumer, and when we heard that the reality of their work hit us. While different from the prostitutes in bars, many ugly things happen in the massage parlors as well. Mark told us that a common formula for prostitution is a woman with little money and a man with more money, and that situation is not contained to just brothels or bars...it is virtually everywhere. To know this and then see our new friends was hard...these women are beautiful and courageous. They often support their entire families (men are not expected to do this because they are worth more in society) and are looked down upon by their own people and foreigners. We so much just wanted to love them and let them know that they are talented individuals worthy of so much more. As we chatted with them, they brought out all their english work and homework and we practiced and chatted for a while. Then we noticed that they didn't really have any business, and everytime someone walked by they would call out, "Hello, you like Thai massage?" in a sing-songy voice and they were completely ignored. So Mel and Kari and I asked for foot massages, and got one hour foot massages for three dollars, plus a one dollar tip which was nearly three times the normal amount people tipped. I honestly do not know how they can survive on such little money, and a few of them have children that they support on their own. The fact that they are so eager to learn English and work so hard has taught me much about being good stewards with our time and resources, and not taking for granted the amazing educational opportunities I have been given. We left that night with our feet feeling great, but our hearts somewhat heavy with the joy and sorrow that we had experienced somewhat simultaneously.

On Thursday morning we left early to visit the slums with Faa. Six of us girls headed out and walked for about two hours, stopping at homes to greet people and stopping for fruit along the way. Right next to nice homes there are slums where four families share a tiny tin house, and then there are more nice homes and then more slum areas. We stopped at one home along the river and witnessed a beautiful community of families sitting together and making things to sell that night on the streets. One of the items was a traditional Thai hat, and the lady making it had to be in her seventies. The process was so intricate, and while the hat is ridiculous looking by my standards, it was a thing of beauty to her and her culture. I asked how much it was and found out it was only five dollars, for hours of labor. I bought one and while I may never wear it, I will not forget that place and that woman who was sewing so diligently. Toward the end of our walk we met one of the mothers who brought her child to the drop in center. She cried and told us of how she was sick and didn't know why, but couldn't afford medical treatment. She asked us to pray for her, and so we laid hands on her and simultaneously in English and Thai offered our petitions to our heavenly Father, whose heart was breaking along with ours for this young mother and her situation. Sue was able to give her enough money from our budget to visit the doctor and get medicine, and she will continue to be in contact with the garden of hope as well. Please keep her and her family in your prayers too.

When we returned to the drop in center, Mark told us about some Burmese women he had visited the day before at the border. One had a baby ten days ago, the other was expecting a child in a few weeks. They had literally nothing to offer their babies, no clothing, diapers, or blankets. Again I was struck at the differences in the lives of these babies and the lives of the Strandy babies born this year, and I could not understand. Yet these women are our sisters too, and they are no longer alone because people have stepped into thier lives to support and love them. Some girls from our team went shopping and bought some supplies to be sent to them, and hopefully it can make a small difference. World Vision has a clinic there as well, so they will be taken care of medically in the months to come.

In the afternoon, Muay, Cha-Cha, Om, and Yu came back for more English lessons. We laughed together, we chatted together, and I hope they learned at least a little. It was funny working on 'L' sounds and "th" sounds which often come out "r" sounds and "sh" sounds. So instead of play it is pray, and instead of three it is shree. I have a lot of respect for these women, that they would sit through ours of learning how to say words and then go back to hours of sitting at the massage shop. This is definitely something I would love to pursue in the future and I hope to become better equipped with the knowledge and resources to offer the best to women such as these who are seeking to learn English. Again there was an element of heartbreak, as I asked Cha Cha why she was happy, she said because she was in love. I asked her who she was in love with, and she told me her boyfriend who lived in Australia. She showed me a text message he sent her with words of love, and I asked if he was going to move to Thailand. She said he only came to visit, and it sounded similar to the stories Brittany and Kelly had shared about men who "support" women and then visit every once in a while. That love could be so contorted is heart breaking, and I only hope that our presence and love for the women could be the starting point to introducing them to the greatest Love.

After dinner that night we went back to the massage parlor, and Hannah came with us. Hannah and Cha Cha and I and another woman named Eh went on a walk through the night market and chatted and laughed. It felt like we were with friends walking through a shopping center. Cha Cha told me more about her siblings, how she was married when she was younger, how much she loves Thailand, and her hopes to learn more English. Eh shared with us her explorations in Buddhism, and it is clear her heart is open to Love and to Jesus. She wants to "live the best life for good luck" and is so much seeking meaning and fulfillment. We talked to Brittany and Kelly about her story, and talked about how to lovingly share Jesus. All these women are so much a part of my heart now, and I know that I will miss them when I leave.

On Friday we knew it would be the last day. Some of the group had spent more time with the kids, and the rest of us (myself included) were especially attached to the women we had met. We came to the center in the morning and worshiped together and prayed blessing over the Garden of Hope and the staff, that this work that was begun would be carried out and continued in the community and throughout the country. We sang a song called 23 and I nearly cried as I realized how much I want this to be my prayer and the prayer of the women and children we have met. Here are the lyrics:

"Arise oh Lord, Lift up your eyes, don't forget I'm helpless.
Oh you, lead me to waters and pastures so green.
Oh you, pour out your oil and choose goodness and mercy for me.

No I will not be in want

You're with me, I will not fear.
You comfort me, I will not fear.

Everything I ever wanted I found in you."

I so much pray that the women and children and men and that our team and you all would realize that in the midst of our helplessness, we can cry out to Jesus and He will lead us and He has chosen goodness for us and His mercy covers our brokenness. He is with us, and comforts our fears. I pray that the women would see his love and comfort in our hearts as well, and that we would be able to approach this love and grace together in humility, even within the darkest places and with our darkened hearts.

Following worship and prayer, I taught English again, and the hardest part was telling the women that we would not be back on Monday, but Kelly and Brittany would be taking over the teaching. They were so thankful, calling us "Khru" which means teacher. I will miss them so much, and I hope that teaching English will be a candle that was lit here that will not go out. Later in the afternoon I had the chance to teach English to two younger girls (I could never really prounce their names but I think it was Mae and Fon) and they were hilarious and so fun to teach. As we said goodbye and sang songs together, they started to cry when they realized we would not be coming back. I was completely humbled because I had not thought that just one experience would mean anything, but I have come to learn that all of our interactions are meaninful opportunities to show grace and love. Everytime you meet another human being is a chance for holiness, we can choose to show love and dignity or we can choose to look the other way. I will miss the girls and the kids, but especially the women. We visited them one last time last night and they painted our nails for us and laughed with us and we hugged goodbye, in a definite bittersweet moment.

Thank you for reading this incredibly long post, and for praying for all the various needs and requests I have mentioned. I am excited to see you all and share this in person, and show you the pictures of the beautiful people I have had the priviledge of meeting and loving here in Thailand. My time is up here and I will be going to have a day of rest before we work in the Hill Tribes next week in orphanages with Remember Nhu. I love and miss you all!

Sawadee Kah!

It has been a week since we set off early in the morning from the Portland airport (with a lovely send-off from about 15 fox friends) and began our very long journey to Chiang Mai Thailand. Thankfully our plane had movies to choose from and good food to help pass the time. We arrived in Thailand around midnight on Monday, greeted by Brittany and Kelly, two GFU grads who know work for the Garden of Hope. I did not expect to see them there, and nearly cried at the excitement of being in Thailand--finally--and seeing such good friends who have been living and working here for the past year.



Tuesday we all woke up, thanks to jet lag, at about 6am, and our first scheduled event wasn't until 10, thanks to the kindness of our leaders who thought maybe we would like to sleep. So, we explored the area around the YMCA (we are staying at a hotel/ymca that is surprisingly nice, complete with air conditioning, showers, and daily room service). That first day I had such a sense of excitement and almost belonging while we walked through the streets, greeted vendors, smelled all of the various smells from jasemin to amazing Thai food to garbage and dead rats. It reminded me in some aspects of Costa Rica, in some aspects of Egypt, but it was definitely distinctly Thai. We returned to the hotel for breakfast and then had time of worship and prayer with the team. Brittany came to take us to the Garden of Hope drop in center for our first day of training, and it just so happened that she needed a passenger to go with her on her moped. So I hopped on the back (with a helmet, don't worry mom) and we sped through the crowded streets and inbetween traffic to get to Starbucks. That's right...in all their excitement Brittany and Kelly had not slept much the past few days, so they needed a little caffine boost. It was hilarious to watch Brittany speak Thai and in between hear words like "espresso non-fat." I soon discovered the reason why she needed a passenger, as someone had to hold the drinks. I also discovered that you really don't need hands while riding a motor bike, just faith and a good sense of balance. We arrived at the drop in center safe and sound, with only minimal amounts of coffee spilled :)



The Garden of Hope drop in Center is in the middle of the center for tourism (and prostitution) in Chaing Mai. During the day, all you see are an abundance of shops, bars, and massage parlors, but at night the street serves a very different purpose. As we toured the center, it was such a contrast, with it's brightly painted walls, children's toys, resource room for women, and offices. We met some of the staff and heard their vision of building relationships with women and offering them a hope AND a future by providing them with dignifying ways in which to support themselves and their families. Then we had our first Thai language lesson, which was challenging to say the least. Thai is a tonal language, so if you say the same word with a different emphasis on the syllables, it means something completely different. For example, the word for beautiful, when pronounced slightly differently, means back luck. So I hope that when I tell people they are beautiful, they understand what I mean.



After our training time and dinner (at an amazing Thai restaurant down the street) we returned to our vans and faced what has been one of the greatest struggles for many of us in our time here. Foreigners (generally older white men) walking with beautiful Thai women. My heart turns so easily to anger and judgement, and it has been a lesson in grace as I seek not to instantly judge, but to pray for the people that I see on the roads. Often those prayers turn into breath prayers of "Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." We all fall short and rebel against our relationship with God, yet it is so easy to become enraged when another does it far more publicly. This issue is so complex and the driving forces behind prostitution, exploitation, and trafficking are dark and difficult to explain, fix, or process. Yet the God's mercy and justice is a beautiful and powerful force, and we have all been learning to pray even in the midst of this darkness and anger. After hearing this talk, we had the opportunity to make cookies together for the kids at the drop in center, and that was somewhat therapuetic to work together and create something positive after hearing something so seemingly hopeless. And we also were able to sample some delicious oatmeal cookies, which reminded us all of home.



Wednesday we had a similar morning routine (waking up way too early, taking a walk through the city, getting some delicious pineapple at a fruit stand, then breakfast and prayer and worship time with our team) and then we headed to the Garden of Hope headquarters which are outside of Chaing Mai in a farming community. It is a pagoda style home with a pond and beautiful gardens, and there was such a sense of peace in the place. This is where the culinary arts academy is and where Krista and Mark (the founders of Garden of Hope) plan to start a hospitality training program. They are both originally from California, and Mark was the head of a large hotel chain training staff, and so he wants to give the women here the best training and educational opportunities so they can work in the nicest hotels of Thailand, or even start their own restaurants or businesses. Krista was a lawyer in California and moved to Thailand with Mark seven years ago to train the women and work with the Thai government on legal issues regarding the rights of women. It was fascinating and encouraging to hear their stories and how they have followed God to a place they never wanted to go and into work they never thought they would do, leaving behind prestigious jobs and comfort in the United States.

At the Garden we had an amazing Thai lunch and were able to hear more from Kelly about how her experience in Thailand has taught her how to love people and seek out community, and she hopes to bring that love for people and community back to portland when she returns next year. I think this is the greatest challenge and blessing of traveling and experiencing mission and service--how to then transfer that growth and life back to the everyday.

After lunch we had another language lesson which was incredibly frustrating, but at times amusing and ultimately just a reminder that I love spanish and making connections through language is so important for me. So far I can say "hello" "thank you" "you're welcome" and "what is your name" in Thai. I have a long way to go....After the language lesson Krista talked to us about the complexities and the history of prostitution in Thailand. There are over 200,000 prostitutes in Thailand, and just that many, if not more, child prostitutes, often trafficked from neighboring Myanmar. It is technically illegal in Thailand, but it is so deeply inmeshed in the culture and such a part of tourism and industry that change ultimately needs to come from the Thai people themselves, as well as foreigners and tourists. It can be somewhat depressing to hear about this, but Krista also shares stories of hope, stories of women who she knows and loves and is working with to give them new opportunities and new hope.

Wednesday night we went back to the hotel after dinner and had more time of worship and sharing. I have been so encouraged by our team and have really grown in a lot of my friendships. The way in which we encourage each other is incredible, and this experience would not be the same without our group. We have learned much about ourselves, our own brokenness, our desire to love and be loved, and our desire to show the Hope and mercy of God in the darkest of places. One night when we met there was a quote on the wall that has been on my mind throughout this trip, and it says:

"Faith is the bird, which sensing the dawn, sings while it is still dark."

I hope that we would all learn to sing in the midst of darkness, knowing that the dawn of the Kingdom of Jesus is breaking into this world and into our hurting hearts. Please pray that our team would remember how to sing in this darkness, that we would not be discouraged.

Thursday we discovered starbucks in the morning...yes, a little piece of America. We sat outside and journaled and talked and laughed and it was such a beautiful time to grow together and continue talking about the things were were learning and experiencing. At our devotional time we read a few Psalms (146 and 148) and talked about how sometimes we experience very dark times in our hearts and souls, but there is hope and Light in our Saviour, and we can cling to that hope during those times. This became especially relevant as we learned about Buddhism today from a gentleman who has been living and working in Thailand for several years with Burmese refugees. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to hear his story of working with people who secretly cross the border into Myanmar, walk hundreds of miles, and rescue entire villages of peoples who are at risk of ethnic cleansing. The Burmese goverment is evil, killing their own people and denying them aid, and I think that none of us realized the true extent of this until coming here to Thailand, near the border with Myanmar. He talked about how in order to introduce people to Jesus in a way relevant to Buddhism, we need to build bridges of relationship and love. A huge part of Thai Buddhism is the concept of detachment, so to become attached to someone or to a God is considered weak. So in order to share the love of Jesus to Thai people, we need to learn to think differently and listn and connect in a way that build bridges. He then said that our team was a part of that building process. As the Thai people see Americans and Christians who are here to love and serve them, the bridge is being built.

After hearing about all of the atrocities in Burma and the difficulty in preaching the gospel and introducing people to Jesus within a Thai culture, I was pretty discouraged and feeling hopeless. Mark asked us what we would do, and we started listing off different ways to love and serve. He then said that when he asks Thai Christians what to do, the first thing they say is "Pray." We had become so proud and self-assured of our methods and things we could "do" that we forgot the power of solidarity through prayer. We didn't even mention it. Many of the people here are resource poor, but through prayer, they are no longer resource poor. Please continue to pray for the people of Burma and Thailand as this situation seems increasingly hopeless. Help us remember that we do have hope, and through prayer we can take action.

The next morning we were struck again with how easily we judge. At starbucks (I know, morning ritual) we saw an old white man with a beautiful Thai girl, and Candice and I and some of the girls talked about how we could pray for that situation. Candice actually started to cry as she was struck at how easily we judge and point to others shortcomings because it is so blantant. It is so hard to be here, as an American, and see other westerners and not immediately judge. This has been a continual process as we learn to love and understand each other and those around us, and please continue to pray that we would understand more deeply the meaning of grace and justice. I don't want to deny the fact that I am angry about the injustice, but I don't want to become so consumed in anger that it becomes hateful.

Well I am actually out of time and need to head back to the YMCA for our morning meeting and then we are going to the Garden of Hope to have lunch with all the kids and take them to a movie. Today is a Thai holiday (I think it is Buddha's birthday) and so we will be able to spend time with the kids out of school. I will write more later...thank you for your prayers and for reading this very long post of my thoughts and experiences thus far in Thailand.

Thailand May Serve

Our Thailand May Serve Team! This is an amazing group that I am so grateful to be a part of, and I am confident that great challenges and great joys are in store for us in Chaing Mai.

Reflecting back on the past four years at George Fox, I feel incredibly blessed with all of the opportunities for growth and service that I have been given. After studying abroad in Costa Rica the fall of my junior year and traveling to Egypt the following May, my heart has opened in many ways as God has shown me how to love and live among people different from me. I have learned not to cling to what I think is comfortable, but to accept moments of uncertainty and discomfort because in those moments God reveals the power of His transformative work.

This year, God has continued to bless and challenge me as the Christian Services Director for the student body at George Fox. I have glimpsed visions of God’s love and merciful heart for His world as I learn to serve and love those in need in the surrounding area. Last October I applied for May Serve, a three week missions trip overseas. Seventeen students along with two professors are part of a team headed for Thailand May 10th through May 31st. Partnering with the Garden of Hope (http://www.justfoodinc.org/) and Remember Nhu (http://www.remembernhu.org/), our focus will be on providing hope to those in, at risk of, or exiting prostitution and trafficking in Chaing Mai.

The first portion of the trip will be spent working with the Garden of Hope in the women’s outreach and culinary arts programs, helping with various work projects during the day and reaching out to women, teens, and children in the red light districts at night. The majority of our work will be relational, which excites and terrifies me. I am learning to trust that God will give me the words and actions to show the Thai people love, as well as the humility to be challenged and learn from their culture. For the final portion of our trip, we will be partnering with Remember Nhu to minister to the children of various hill tribe villages through VBS, clothing distribution, games, music, drama, and testimonies.

As I embark on this new adventure I ask you to prayerfully consider partnering with me through prayer. As our team prepares for and sets out on our journey, please pray that God will guide us and fill our hearts with love and mercy for our brothers and sisters in Thailand. Pray for wisdom, patience, and grace for our leaders, and that we may be open to learn and experience what God has for us. Thank you for your partnership through prayer and support!

"And what does the Lord require of you but to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God?" Micah 6:8

Hard Rock cafe hot fudge sundae...perfect ending to a perfect vacation!

Sunset Falucca cruise. A rather bittersweet evening in Cairo, since it was our last.

Garbage city, Cairo.

Jeeps in the desert. We were so Indiana Jones.

Cleopatra's spring. A nice break in Siwa Oasis after an intense bike ride through the sandy village!

We are so ready with our bikes. We almost blended in with the locals, but they are much faster riders than us.

The best rest stop ever. We got off the air conditioned bus and were greeted with a blast of warm sea air and then were able to explore this beautiful cove!

Library of Alexandria, a great starting point in learning Arabic.

Starbucks?!? In Alexandria!?! It was just what I needed...

Horseback riding along the Red Sea at sunset.

This was at our table where we ate lunch. Everything about this meal was incredible: the food, the location, the company. Best lunch ever!

I have never seen such large carrots. So clearly I had to take a picture.

Ready to snorkel the blue hole! Those fish had no idea what was coming...