Life in Thailand

Beginning again.

About a month ago, Heather and I arrived in Thailand for the second time. During our 19 hour plane ride, a multitude of emotions flooded my heart: joy, sadness, gratefulness, anxiety… The thought of leaving the students that I had just spent 2 ½ months building relationships with saddened my heart; the thought of starting over with a new ministry and new people made me somewhat apprehensive. BUT, I found hope and rest in the fact that God made a way for us to come back for a reason. He knew what he was doing when he burdened my heart for this country one year earlier and he knew what he was doing when he allowed us to return.

Take two.

During our first week here, we spent a lot of time preparing for a group of Word of Life students to arrive for a missions trip. This missions trip was not just any missions trip. It was on this very trip last year that God changed my life and brought me back to Thailand. It was this very trip that began this crazy journey. I’m so thankful for the opportunity to relive all of the experiences and regain my perspective on the deep needs of the Thai people. On one particular night, we got to do a prayer walk in one of the most famous red light districts in Thailand. Though there was so much darkness and depravity that we saw as women seeking security and significance sold their bodies to men seeking the same. However, God also reminded me that even in the midst of that stifling darkness, his light still prevailed and there was and is still hope. Through that experience along with many others, God reminded me of my purpose and helped prepare me for the months to come, emerged in the culture with the opportunity to impact lives for eternity. It was also a privilege to help lead a group of over 30 students and see as God changed their hearts just as he had changed mine a year ago. Though I didn’t know many of them well, they were all so encouraging by their passion to follow and serve God.


Bringing hope.

In just 2 short weeks, we will begin language school as well as teaching English to university age adults. After a few weeks of only being able to say two words in Thai, I will be happy when I can finally communicate at least somewhat with the Thai people. As you can imagine, we have had some pretty interesting experiences attempting to get around Bangkok alone without knowing any Thai. Though it will be no easy task, I’m thankful for the opportunity we have to learn Thai so that we can better minister to the people here. Also, as I mentioned, we will begin teaching English at our local church. Many of these students are unsaved so I’m excited for the opportunity to build relationships with them in order to share the love of Christ with them. Like learning Thai, leading them to Christ will not be easy but I am confident that God will work and though we may not see the benefits right away, He never stops working. I pray that God opens their eyes to who he is and that they chose to find their hope in Christ in the midst of a hopeless religion. Everyday, I walk by shrines covered in adornments often with food or drinks set beside them by people hoping to find favor with Buddha. Though they know that Buddha does not actually drink or eat the gifts set beside those shrines, they are so hopeless that they feel they have no other options. They do not genuinely believe in their religion. They merely follow what tradition says. I pray that God breaks the molds of tradition and religion and replaces it with a true relationship with Jesus Christ and I pray that he uses me to do that. 


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