Thailand Top Pick No. 1
World Race D Squad partners with Emmi Khanthana
and Lighthouse Ministries in Chiang Mai.
Lighthouse Ministries is made up of three ministries—Wongen Kafe, Love Acts, and X Life. Wongen Kafe, where Emmi hosted D Squad’s month 8 Debrief, serves as an outreach to Chiang Mai University students and the local patrons. Three of our teams worked with Emmi and Lighthouse ministries this September. One team worked in Wongen Kafe, another team with X Life—living with buddhist families in the village and working in the rice fields, and our team ministered to prostitutes in the red light district through the bar ministry, Love Acts. The Lighthouse, where our team stayed for the month, is a missionary house where teams can have there own space apart from the ministry locations, and it’s open to travelers as well.
Thailand Top Pick No. 2
Life in the Red Light
Night after night we went out into the bars of Chiang Mai. Every time, ordering cokes or red bulls, we played pool and chatted with the women and ladyboys who work in the bars and the men who patron them. Some of us would take the girls out on dates so they wouldn’t have to be in the bars, or meet them during the day for lunch. We formed REAL friendships, and we found out that most of them had children, boyfriends, and hated their jobs. They have dreams of working somewhere else, living somewhere else, or being someone else. My partner in crime, Suzy, and I felt particularly called to intercede for the Red Light, and some nights we would just walk through, sit down, and pray the entire time. Most of the time men stayed away from us, and some nights no one would approach us. While our teammates seemed to attract the girls and the men and talk for hours or play games, caught up in getting to know many people, Suzy and I could clear a bar just by walking in. We believe we were the living light in that place, casting men out of the dark and back into the bright lights of the city.
We couldn't appear to be missionaries or preach the Gospel anywhere we went, let alone utter the name of Jesus. All we could do was love these people, some of whom personified the wounds we carry. It was the most draining ministry for some of us. But God filled us back up again every night. We sowed and watered a lot of seeds in the Red Light.
What an unbelievable three weeks of Chiang Mai nightlife we experienced.
Thailand Top Pick No. 3
Team Sown in the Spirit
Kate, Suzy, LQ, Jen, Dani, Robin
Formed in Thailand (Month 9), this combination of six women, divinely appointed, will finish the race together, harvesting the fruit of our spiritual journey, and sowing the seeds of Christ throughout Asia.
Thailand Top Pick No. 4
Tiger Kingdom
Yes, we got to play with real baby tigers. Yes, they let us lay on the big cats. Yes, it was a blast.
Thailand Top Pick No. 5
Doi Suthep Temple
After climbing the 309 steps, covering our shoulders with shawls, and removing our shoes, we ascended the last few steps into Doi Suthep Temple. Stepping over the threshold, I scanned the view and the glints of copper and gold caught my eye at every turn— pagodas, statues, bells and shrines. As I walked around the courtyard, surrounded by hundreds of other onlookers, worshipers, and tourists, I observed people praying and offering sacrifices of candles and flowers. One word describes my experience at Doi Suthep. Peace. I find that to be a strange word to describe a place void of any grace.
Thailand Top Pick No. 6
Elephant Riding
enough said.
Thailand Top Pick No. 7
Sunday Night Walking Street Market
My favorite pass-time in Chiangmai became our weekly outing to the Sunday Night Walking Street Market. $2 hour-long thai massages, fresh smoothies and street vendors selling local thai dishes for $1. Handbags, clothing, jewelry, local art—this was the place we stocked up on souvenirs!
Thailand Top Pick No. 8
Waterfall Explorations
A must-do, and a have-done, on every continent 🙂
Thailand Top Pick No. 9
Muay Thai Boxing
Located in the middle of Chiang Mai's Red Light District, this muay thai boxing ring had fights twice a week. Since we spent our nights hanging out with the girls who work in the bars, we always left the Red Light before it got busy and they had to tend to customers. So we didn't experience the late night fights until the last week, when we stayed one Friday night out for LQ's birthday.
Thailand Top Pick No. 10
Riding in the Songthaews
Is it a truck? Is it a taxi? It's genius, that's what it is. For less than $1 a ride, it got us wherever we need to go.
To see more photos from my World Race, visit my tumblr blog seerobinfly.tumblr.com
