Here’s a riddle for you. What is
white and red with sticky fingers? The answer? Me, after painting
and staining the church we’ve been working on. Thats right, the men
of H-squad are up in the mountains of Northern Thailand in a village
I can’t pronounce or spell. It’s been a great time so far. We’re
with Ray, our ministry contact, Max, a kid 21 year old Thai kid that
Ray has been witnessing to, and Rappee and Pastor, a Thai couple that
lives in Chang Rai and evangelizes to the surrounding villages. It
took us about 2 days driving to get from Chang Mai to here. Along
the way we stopped for lunch at a restaurant that grilled out chicken
while you sat in grass huts in the river or sit in an inter tube in
the river…amazing. I wonder why people don’t think of these things
back home. Also on the second travel day we stopped at a waterfall
and got a little reckless climbing up the side of the
waterfall…fantastic. But after all the traveling we arrived on
Wednesday. That night we did a little spontaneous night hike around
the mountain. It was awesome though. It had rained earlier and
there was a full moon out that showed a thick cloud layer under us
and the peaks of other mountains poking through. Don’t worry I’ll
upload pictures when I can. The next day we started work painting a
church in the village that had just been built. This church is the
only church in the area and most of the surrounding villages do not
follow Christ. As we worked through the day and started interacting
with the villagers we all seemed to notice that everyone seemed a
little melancholy. Everyone was serious, even the kids. It wasn’t
until the next morning that I was able to get some of the kids to
smile and laugh. It was on Saturday that we finished painting the
church in time for the Easter service. On Easter morning I woke up
feeling a lot less then 100%. I had a sore throat and felt generally
weak. I went and had my quiet time with God and prayed that He would
make me feel better since I was speaking this morning. Before the
service all of us gathered in the new church and prayed over it and
anointed it for the kingdom. Once the service started we sat and
worshiped with them and then we led worship in english for four
songs. Then we got up and did a skit, then I spoke to them about
Ephesians 1:3-14 and just reminding them all the reasons they have to
celebrate and have joy. Then we did another skit and Nate got up and
spoke and closed us out. After an awesome Easter dinner of spaghetti
we’re off to Mae Sot to stay the night in beds and have a hot shower
before we head to B-u-r-m-a the next day.
Please pray for our team as we go to
B-u-r-m-a, that we would have protection but also that we could bring
joy, strength and encouragement to our brothers and sisters. Also
pray that the church building we finished would be used for a place
that the church could meet and be strengthened so that the gospel
could spread around these mountains. And finally be in prayer for
me. Got gave me relief for the service but once we finished the 2nd
skit and Nate started speaking I began feeling sick again. I really
don’t want this to continue getting worse and keep me from B-u-r-m-a. So
please be praying for me. Thank you to all of you who continuously
pray for me and my team. It’s a huge comfort to now I have support
back home.
