Thailand Update! - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

It has been two weeks since my team and I arrived at our new ministry site in Kanchanaburi, Thailand.

My squad and I overtook the YWAM base in Bangkok, Thailand on December 4. After two days of exploring markets and very foreign food, my team headed off in a van for our ministry site five hours away. The longer we drove, the more beautiful the scenery became with bluffs shooting skyward and mountains covered in jungle and palm trees. As our van pulled onto a gravel road, parking in front of our new home, my first thought was “God, please be kidding me, I know you have a wicked sense of humor but this is a bit much.” Our ministry site is in a very small farming community of about 500 people although I swear I’ve only seen 30. We are living on a jungle farm with our ministry host, Pang, her husband, Arun, their two-year old daughter, Mary, Pang’s parents, and aunt and uncle. At first the living conditions seemed extremely rustic. Squatty potties, bug nets, an open-air kitchen, and swarming insects of many different stinging varieties. I felt as though all my comforts had been stripped away and it was painful. I didn’t think I would ever feel truly rested in this new atmosphere.

With wifi an hour away, I felt deprived of being able to communicate with people, especially family during the holidays. Our days have been a mix of farm chores (moving bags of fertilizer, picking chili peppers, cleaning, etc.) or teaching English at one of two local border schools. On the weekends we pack up and drive a few hours away to lead an English camp for kids in the community. We teach at a border school from 9-11 AM on Friday and leave for English camp at 12:30, returning back to the farm late Sunday afternoon.

There were many thoughts running through my head when I learned the scope of what I could expect here in Thailand. “This isn’t ministry, I barely have any contact with non-christians!” “What does God have in store for me here, I don’t feel like I am being pushed out of my comfort zone emotionally or spiritually because ministry is so similar to Guatemala.”

One day, as I was sitting before God and watching the sunrise (perks of jet lag), a question popped into my head, “Do I believe God is here in Kanchanaburi?” This is the response I wrote in my journal.

If God has placed me to meet him here, why should I desire to be anywhere else? That is my flesh wanting comfort and safety-I have asked God to crucify my flesh. My time here in Thailand will be incredibly well-spent if I spend everyday seeking God and loving fully on my team and every Thai person I have the privilege of knowing.

I slowly began to realize that God placed me in Kanchanaburi, out of my comfort zone, to have me all to Himself. I am not distracted by wifi, friends, or the urge to go adventuring because I am isolated to a farm that seems to be surrounded by dogs that “stalk” you if you try to go for a walk down the road. I am learning a lot about myself, God, and my teammates here. As usual, God is blowing our expectations and we have already had the opportunity to pray for a young mother in our community and lead worship in a Thai church. While some aspects of ministry are similar to Guatemala I have come to realize that we have many opportunities here that didn’t exist in Guatemala.

Now, two weeks have passed and the “rustic” living conditions have come to feel normal. My heart no longer skips a beat when scorpions appear under bags or geckos decide to give me company in the shower. I am learning what hard work looks like by watching this family take care of their home and getting a very raw look at part of Thai culture. During English camps we have the opportunity to stay at a Thai family’s home and the hospitality they show to us “falangs” is quite amazing. Another surprise is that some people in the community are so dedicated to learning English that they have come to the farm to talk to us! God is literally placing people at our front door who we can get to know!

Here are some photos from my time in Thailand thus far!