When we got our assignment for our eighth month in Thailand, I was a little less than enthused to be in the northern part of the country teaching English. I was disappointed for two reasons: the first being that Thailand is known for their incredible islands and we were going to be nowhere near them. The second reason was because we had just taught English the month before, and it can be mentally exhausting. However, God is faithful, and the month allowed for growth, joy, and bucket list items to be completed.
Thailand was “MANistry” month for the guys. It’s the one month where all eight of U Squad’s boys get a break from all of the estrogen and do ministry together. So, inevitably, the girls from the two co-ed teams, teams Summit and ING, were combined to make the team SummitING. It was the first time I had been on an all girls team in three months. We were lucky enough to take our first two days after arriving to explore Bangkok. It was an incredible city and inspired the singing of many choruses of “One Night in Bangkok.”
The day we had to take our 10-hour bus ride north to Chiang Mai I was not feeling very well, and I had to take Allison’s anti-diarrheal pills. Let me tell you, those things are effective for days. Literally, four days. I made it there okay, and we were taken to the Garden Home in Dunkaew Village just outside of Chiang Mai. We were split three and three between two quaint little bungalows. We were also split between two different Buddhist schools to teach English.
Christina, Allison, and Kristen G taught English at the Buddhist school right in the village. Katie, Hannah, and I taught English at a Buddhist school a couple of kilometers away, and we rode the bus with the kids each morning. We taught kindergarteners through third graders English vocabulary and sentence structure. We spent the entire first day drawing different fruits and vegetables to teach them vocabulary. Apple, cherry, avocado, BANANA!! They picked them up quickly.
Hannah, the teacher of the group, truly thrived with the kids. I can tell you that I’m developing a pretty intense love for kids that I definitely didn’t have before the race. We were able to tell them stories from the bible, and it was a unique experience because they permitted it in a Buddhist school. Praise God. It was the first time the students and the teachers had ever heard anything about the story of Christ. The kids danced to the Hillsong Young and Free song, Alive every day. It was really awesome to watch the teachers sing along to the lyrics, even though they didn’t understand the full extent of what they were singing.
The Lord definitely stretched my patience this month. As fun as little kids are, they are rambunctious, and when you can’t speak to them in their own language, it can be a little challenging. I was also living and working alongside new teammates, which is always a learning experience. The Lord was with me every step of the way encouraging me to stretch myself and extend love to the people around me. He is so faithful.
I was also blessed to celebrate my 25th birthday in Thailand! I was praying and praying that I would get permission to go down to Phuket and the Thai islands to celebrate my quarter-of-a-century marker! Yet again, God was faithful, and I was able to fly down to Phuket with my friends Kristen G and Chantai on my birthday! I got to spend the weekend exploring the Phi Phi Islands and one of the best beaches in the world in Phuket. I have never seen such beautiful turquoise water in my life. It was a birthday of dreams, and something I have always wanted to check off my bucket list. I am blessed.
Oh Thailand, I will never forget you. Please enjoy this recap video to get a little glimpse into my month!
