I love Thailand.
The 5 day, 5 country trek here was immediately worth it when we got into our tuk-tuk and started driving through Chiang Mai and on to our ministry location.
Haiti and Thailand could not be more different, and after a month of seeing nothing but dirt and trash, I almost cried when I saw the beautiful green countryside that I now call home.
We are camping (like tents and nothing else kinda camping) in a mango orchard this month .. which I have to admit I was a little worried about at first.
My initial reaction was “but there are tarantulas here!”, and while that is a legitimate fear (there are also vipers and all kinds of poisonous creatures living with us) I am thankful to say I haven’t seen an unusually large spider.. yet.
We have been asked not to share details about the work we are doing with the children on the internet, but that’s only half of our ministry this month. From 8am – 3pm every day, we are in the jungle, chopping down trees with machetes.
Seriously.
It’s incredibly hard work. I’m already forming calluses on my hands and muscles hurt that I didn’t even know I had, but it’s so rewarding to look back at the end of the day and see the amount of progress twelve girls can make.
We are clearing land where the new boy’s home will one day stand, so we are more than happy to sweat our butts off to be a part of it. Right now the new girl’s home is being constructed and should be finished by the end of the month, so we are all hoping that we’ll get to move them in before we leave.
Just as I knew it would be, the food here is incredible. Thai is my favorite food in the states and the real deal blows it out of the water. After two months of eating almost nothing besides rice and beans, Thai food is heaven. I’m so excited to sit down at every meal and even though I rarely know what I’m eating, it has yet to disappoint.
All in all, I’m just so happy to be here. Even though their language is nearly impossible for me to speak, I’m already completely in love with the children, our hosts are lovely and hospitable, and I don’t know if there’s better therapy in the world than going crazy on a tree with a giant sword.
In a place that is so far from my normal .. with love in my heart and my sisters by my side .. I’m home.
