After 30 hours of bus rides, and sleeping at top Ray’s Burger joint in Maesot, Thailand, and in the Evergreen Hotel, my team and I finally found ourselves in Mandalay, Myanmar. Once we got off our last bus, dozens of different hotel staff came up to us to try to get us to go to their hotel. Chris, a young man who works at Ray’s Burger joint traveled with us all the way to Mandalay, and helped us get from the bus station to a hotel. We arrived at the hotel, only to find that it wasn’t necessarily the place that we wanted to stay.
Some of my teammates and I walked around and found the Hotel Sahara, a great little spot in the middle of town, and we’ve been staying here ever since. This month, Team RAD is doing something totally new: Unsung Heroes. In a nutshell, my team are I are scoping out Mandalay, Myanmar to find contacts that AIM could possibly partner with in the future.
In the last few days, we’ve been treasure hunters, explorers, patients, researchers, and most importantly, connectors. My teammates and I have gone out into the streets of Mandalay and found some incredible treasures, including pagodas, churches, sweet ice-cream shops, and great restaurants. The more interesting and valuable treasures, though, are the people. Friendly, curious, and gentle, Mandalay’s citizens are incredible people who want to know about us Americans as much as we want to know about them.
When we haven’t been out on the streets, we’ve been emailing potential contacts, researching things do in our free time, as well as the history of Myanmar. ( I will write another blog on Myanmar’s history later) My teammate, Paul, was a patient at one of Mandalay’s hospitals, and from what he told me, it seemed to be an experience he’ll never forget. My team and I have been so blessed to have already met two people who are serving the Kingdom here in Myanmar. (Again, more blogs with details about them and their work to come later.)
It’s already been a wild ride here in Myanmar, and the month isn’t even close to over. I’ve noticed great contrasts here in Mandalay, from seeing the very rich drive by in their shiny cars, to smiling at the poor who are riding on the backs of trucks. Although I’ve never been to India, I feel that if India and China had a baby, Myanmar would be the result. This country has deep Asian roots (regarding the food, Buddhism, Burmese language) but also has some Indian flavor ( the fashion, where men wear skirts, women wear long skirts all of the time, and some of the food.)
My team and I have so much to discover here in Mandalay, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the month.
I’m also looking forward to completing the Race. I’m about $4,466 away from being fully funded.
I don’t want to go home, and I believe that I will be staying on the World Race for the whole 11 months.
I know that there are things that the Lord is prepping me to see, do and experience all around the world after July 1, 2014… but only if I stay on the Race.
There are conversations that He is prepping me and others for when I go to Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa and Swaziland…..but only if I stay on the Race.
There are children in those countries that He’s prepping for me to hug and kiss on the cheek….
but only if I stay on the Race.
There are taxi drivers who are going to share their stories with me and who I can minister to…
but only if I stay on the Race.
I am totally clueless as to where these donations will come from , and how they will come, but I believe they will come.
I do believe that I will be fully funded. I type out in faith, that I will be fully funded by July 1st.
Will you help me stay on the Race?
If you’d like to help me stay, simply click here.
Thank you for your time. : ]
