Hello from Thailand!
Yes, that’s right, my squad and I have made it into the ‘Land of Smiles,’ and we’re already off to a blazing start. We traveled from Penang, Malaysia (which is gorgeous, by the way), and then took about a 7ish hour bus ride to Hat Yai (which included a 2+ hour stop at the border. Yeah. That was fun), and then we boarded a 16 hour overnight train from Hat Yai into Bangkok, and then after hanging out in Bangkok for the day, boarded another overnight train to get to our ministry site for this month.
Anyway, more on that later. Right now, I just wanted to take a minute to recap all that we’ve done on this race so far. It’s easy between all the country and currency and time zone changes to forget what’s happened the past few months—but I wanted to make sure to take time to fill everyone in on where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing! So here it goes. A long overdue World Race month 1-5 recap.
Month 1: Panama City, Panama [YWAM-Panama City]
For our first month in Panama City, we worked with the local YWAM, and really got to know the DTS (discipleships training school) students and staff. We got to help out in the kitchen (once we cooked for almost 60 people!) and cleaning, and then we also got to partner with a local pastor to visit a local men’s prison every week. Visiting the prison and hearing people worship God within the barbed wire walls was something amazing, and the gratitude the prisoners had for the time we spent with them was so humbling. We also were able to tell our stories on a local radio show (yes, we’re famous), and then assist the local church with their youth ministry on Sundays.
Lessons Learned: Living in close community is hard to navigate, but the relationships that come of it are so worth it!
Highlight: Being able to share part of my story and worship with the prisoners in Gamboa.
Month 2: San Jose, Costa Rica [Los Guidos, El Comedor de las Sonrisas]
Month 2, our entire squad of 40 people lived and served together at a feeding center in what was maybe the most dangerous slum in all of San Jose. In Los Guidos, which was little more than row after row of tin shacks sprawled up and down the mountains, we worked everyday to serve and play with the local children who would come to the feeding center—for many of those children, it would be their only hot meal of the day. Close to 80% of the children coming to the feeding center were being abused in some way, and coming to the center was maybe the only chance those kids had to feel like actual kids.
My team and I also had the opportunity to teach English a few days a week at a local school, and it was incredible for so many reasons—the love the kids showed us, the patience of the teachers, the fact that the kids in 6th grade we’re shaking each other down for drugs and asking me what the f-word meant… It was beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time.
Lessons Learned: Just because people are labeled as dangerous or impoverished doesn’t mean they actually are.
Highlight: Being able to meet the most wonderful teacher who taught her 3rd grade class right from wrong, prayed with them and had them all put on a little dance performance for us.
Month 3: Nandasmo, Nicaragua [Escuela Rosario Dawson]
In Nandasmo, my team and I did a lot of teaching at the local schools. Heather and I spent time everyday with students from pre-school up until sixth grade. We got to hang out with them in class, play with them during recess and even see them around the in the small town or at church! In Nicaragua, we also helped to teach the local churches children’s program on Saturdays, plant trees, partake in door-to-door ministry, paint cement lawn ornaments, sing a whole bunch and even preach!
Lessons Learned: There’s no doubt that kids love to learn…the material just has to be presented in the right way
Highlight: Being able to share my testimony at church ALL IN SPANISH. Respect it!
Month 4: La Villa de San Francisco, Honduras [El Arbol de la Vida]
In Honduras, we got to partner with the awesome Arbol de la Vida (tree of life) organization, which focuses on, among other things, disciplining local youth—giving them an education and a meal and a knowledge of the one who loves and created them. We did a wide array of things this month, and some of it involved some manual labor around the ministry site. We were able to build some rings around the trees, construct 2 soccer goals out of PVC pipe (the kids loved it!), and dig out a GIANT hole for a new septic tank they wanted to install (very glamorous work for us 5 ladies). Jasmine and I were able to help hold a soccer academy a few days a week, and even though most of the kids were better than me, it was still a lot of fun to see how much joy the kids had just kicking the ball around. We also had the opportunity to visit a psychiatric hospital and hang out with the people there, and that was a great experieince as well.
Our main ministry was definitely focused on kids program every week. The kids in La Villa are sponsored and they would come to the teaching center 2 days a week for an awesome program with songs and snacks and a message. It was amazing to be able to see how much was being invested in those kids who maybe weren’t getting it at home, and it was so cool to be apart of the special Christmas programs that the kids had. To see them open their gifts was to see joy in a way that I’d never experienced before. The dedication of the people at Arbol de la Vida was incredible to see—the way they loved and invested in the kids was definitely something I hope to hold onto for the rest of the race (and the rest of my life).
Lessons Learned: Dream big! No matter your current situation or circumstance, having dreams for your life—big ones—are so important to living victoriously!
Highlight: SOoooo, so many this month, but one of the highlights would have to be seeing the girls in the children’s program trying on their dresses that they were going to get to wear for the big Christmas show. Some of them had never had dresses of their own before, and it was such blessing to be able to sit on that moment.
Month 5: GM, Malaysia [can’t say exactly]
In Malaysia, we were in a part of the country that is very, very Islamic. The people living there, the native Malay people, aren’t allowed to leave Islam without serious repercussions. So our ministry for this month has to be ‘vague’ to protect our ministry contacts there, but we helped to clean up the city of GM after the flood, and we also taught English a few times a week. We stayed with an Indian-Malaysian family, and so in Malaysia we were basically immersed in Indian culture—Indian-style celebrations for baby’s-to-be and house warmings, delicious curry and roti and naan, and a lot of cute Indian kids J
Lessons Learned: This month was extremely challenging—between having no schedule, a lot of difficulties in communication, the tightest sleeping arrangements ever, eating at the same restaurant everyday for every meal, and scattered ministry opportunities, it was a crazy month. We definitely learned that, even with the pressure piled on, God always meets us where we’re at. Even if where we’re at is hot and cramped and uncomfortable.
Highlight: Having our ministry hosts’ prophecy and pray over us (and wash our feet!) on our last night in town.
Month 6: Thailand
Thailand was one of the countries that I was most excited to visit when I signed up for the race, and it has definitely lived up to all my expectations so far! The food is AMAZING (and so spicy), the people are kind and the scenery is right off a postcard.
This month, we’re working with an organization that focuses on the prevention aspect of the sex trade—it identifies children surrounding in villages and cities that because of family situation or whatever else, are at risk of being sold into the sex trade. Then, with the permission of parent/guardians, those children are brought to live on the ministry’s campus where they receive educations and healthy meals and the love of a family environment and structure. Because of the sensitive nature of this ministry, we have to be careful about the names and locations of the children, so as not to put them at risk by those who would wish to make a profit off of them.
Our ministry this month is to help this organization in building a new children’s home on their grounds (so they can take in more kids!), and then also spending time with the children and their new host parents in the evenings. We still have about a week left here, so I couldn’t tell you what my highlight was quite yet 🙂
So there’s our summary. For now.
Of course it’s impossible to go through every moment where God just took my breath away, or where the circumstances of the people I was caring for did the same, but that’s for another day.
So thanks for listening! Prayers for my team (Beautiful Mess) while we work and try to intercede for those stuck in the trade are always welcome! Thailand is beautiful, but there is a lot of darkness here. Let’s pray for light.
ALSO, I have only $200 until I meet my FINAL fundraising deadline for the race! Praise Jesus!
Hope you’re all well!
Bree
