Month 6 of 11 Recap: Thailand/Burma - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

Month 6 of 11: Mae Sot, Thailand

Ministry: Outpour Movement

Overview:

Originally month 6 of the World Race, A-squad was to spend the month doing ministry in Myanmar (Burma). A few days before June we all found out that we would be split apart with our teams between Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand. My team and I found ourselves staying in Thailand for another month. At the time we didn’t really know what to make of it but we realized it wasn’t our race, it’s honestly for God…and if Thailand is where he wants us to serve, then Thailand we will be.

He knew that it was exactly where we needed to be…

I mean let’s be honest, he knows what he is doing.

Outpour Movement is an incredible ministry with incredible people. Each and every person involved contributes to the ministry in a way using their own gifts and interests, and we were fortunate to be a part of their ministry for the month. Outpour Movement reaches Northern Thailand and Burma. This month we spent time in two different Burmese Children Homes, a local village, No Man’s Land, a leper village right across the border, a brick village across the border in Burma, and the Muslim community.

We might have missed the land but we still got the hearts of the Burmese people.

Outpour Movement was an incredible ministry to be a part of. A lot of the people with it are World Race alum and it was great to be with people who “got” what this year is for us, and to learn from their experiences. One was even a part of the first World Race adventure ever!! Talk about some wild adventures they had!

Each day was different but some of the activities we participated in include:

Teaching English at New Jerusalem Children’s Home Mondays and Wednesdays
Sports Day on Saturdays
Declaring truths over the border and No Man’s Land
Prayer walks through the Muslim community and getting breakfast 2x a week at a Muslim Tea Shop
House church at New Jerusalem Children’s Home
Tutoring at the Refuge
Teaching English in a local village
Movie day with The Refuge
Promotion for Famous Rays Burger Restaurant
Planning and executing of an 80’s themed trivia night
Deep cleaning of the restaurant
Painting a mural of a tree in the bike shop
Painting a canvas for the bike shop
Evangelism in the Burmese villages with the staff of New Jerusalem Children’s Home

This month was really great ministry wise, but it was one of the hardest months I’ve had not only on the race, but in my life. I went through a lot of personal things this month, and said goodbye to some big things in my life in terms of relationships. It was extremely hard, and at times it still is. I have been completely broken and in a place where I didn’t even want to be here on the race anymore. There were days I just wanted to curl up on my mama’s lap.

God is leading me closer to him than I have been before in my life. I realized above all else this year is about my relationship with him. I’m finding my comfort, my strength, my identity, my value, and my worth in HIM. It’s not easy stepping away from things in my life, but I’m trusting God in the process.

We had a Holy Spirit encounter as a squad last night and I was overcome with the Holy Spirit for the first time in my life. It was incredible. It realigned my vision to what this year and this race means for me. It gave me clarity…and it has relit my fire.

Sights

Bikes
Waterfalls
Crowded Streets
The Burmese/Thailand Border
Illegal border crossings
Random checkpoints from Police and the illegal Burmese
Market traffic jams
Sunsets from an abandoned building

Sounds

Car/bus/mopeds
Burmese and Thai languages
Children playing

Smells

Burgers and French fries
Thai and Burmese food
Incense
Diesel

Real Life in Mae Sot, Thailand is…

Teaching English
Living above a burger restaurant
Feeling like we’re staying at the Ritz with wifi and ac
Joining a gym for the month!
Going to “CasaMia” for every meal
Hanging out with an old friend from home! (Lane Terzeiff)
The Thai military arresting illegal Burmese migrants
Random police check points
Rain at some point of every day
Burgers, fries, and milkshakes anytime we want from Famous Ray’s below us
Finding another Anderson University Alum!
Living in Thailand but more of a Burmese community
Exploring Burmese food

A HUGE Thank You to those who donated to my World Race this month!!

Rikki Murray

Lisa Russell

J&L Interiors, LLC

Walter Wallace

Leslie Downs

Blake Bailey

Ryan Witzig

John Rudesheim

Josh Pittman

Avery Laffey

Edsel Holden

Ainsley Lollar

Todd Cyphers

Adrienne Tarrence

Justin Kent

Pope Tarrence

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:4-6