If you would like to read my blog with pictures, go to my personal blog site here: http://angie-peace-of-mind.blogspot.com/ However, all the blog text is below. Thanks for your support!!!
I have been in Thailand for two weeks now. It seems like longer. I think just because it feels so natural to be here. We only have a little over a week left before we head to Malaysia and I don’t really want to leave. This has been a pretty hard month for my team. Out of seven members, five have had some sort of illness or problem with their body. I was one of the five, but thankfully my illness was only for a few days others have lingered for quite longer. We have been delayed in going to our ministry site in the village. We WILL go on Monday and have a chance to spend a week with those amazing people and I am really looking forward to that. So, what do you do when plans don’t go as planned? Well…
- You go befriend monks and pray at Temples. Every other day my team does this for at least two hours. We just show the love of God to the people here. Sometimes we talk to them and sometimes we just sit and pray and sing. I didn’t really know the impact this would have on me. To be honest, I have never been the biggest prayer warrior and at times I have even found praying boring when it’s for a long period of time. (Just being honest!) However, I have learned to love it and see how much power there really is in prayer. I also have an increased confidence to sing. I don’t know if it’s because the people don’t speak English or because I just think I sound better than I used to, but I am loving singing at the Temples.
- You spend hours on a rooftop praying and worshipping God. From the rooftop you can see many temples, the lights of the city, the young Asian girls walking hand in hand with an old white man who just purchased her time and body. You also see a few stars and the moon. For two hours, we gather with other teams of people and pray for all of our friends who have went out to meet with prostitutes. Some buy time with them, others just listen to their stories, and some just pray. We also pray for the girls and their customers. Societally, this is culture. Young girls ages 13-18 work for their families by selling themselves for sex. There are a lot of customers here because it’s a cultural norm. No one should have to live like this! END IT!
- We visit our friends in the hospital. Our squad has been under some major attack as we have had so many illnesses this month. We have had three people hospitalized and countless others who have had trips to the hospital to be seen by a doctor. So, we also pray for them a lot!
- We enjoy the Thai people and culture. We went to the biggest water fight to celebrate the New Year. We walk around and talk to people who can speak to us. We go to the mall and many iced coffee shops. They have really good iced coffee here. They grind the beans in front of you. We smile and bow at everyone we pass….lots of smiling and bowing!
So, in two short weeks. I have learned a lot. I came in on a mountain and have definitely began my descent to the bottom so I can climb my next one. Yesterday, I led the rooftop worship service. Today, I wrote a song. God has restored my voice that I had squelched for the last few years. Who knows what tomorrow may hold…
