Working in the ministry with the refugees was probably one of my favorite things I’ve gotten to do on the race. I wish we had more time to spend with them but that seems to be how life goes. Sometimes doors open only to be closed and have something else open. Maybe the purpose of that was just for God to continue to open our eyes and our hearts to what’s really going on in the world.
Some other awesome things happened to us though. First, I got to see an old friend. Thanks to technology, Snapchat maps and his urge to see Thailand, I got to connect with my buddy Brad from high school. I hadn’t seen him in a long time and I was a little anxious because it had been a while. But we ended up meeting up and grabbing dinner then heading to a night market. It’s pretty amazing how old friendships can come back up. It’s also pretty crazy how I have now met so many people who are so close to where I live on the other side of the world. These are some of the little joys God likes to bless me with.
PVT – Parent Vision Trip
As I wrote in my last post, my mom came to Thailand! I am so encouraged by her facing the travel and pollution to come see me. We got to spend some awesome quality time together. We got to hear a few different talks from some squad mates and I got to show her a tiny glimpse into a day we live out here. We both did listening prayers for each other. We cried, we laughed and we got to really enjoy each other’s company. We also did a zip line. I am so proud of this woman. The course was 26 different lines and they were pretty intimidating. She was afraid at first but she faced her fears and I am so incredibly proud of her for that! I think the best part about having her was just being able to reflect on where our relationship was before I went into my program to where it is now. There is a love that is so much deeper and an understanding between us that is truly a miracle from God. I love her!
Thailand has been full of adventure and connections. I am thankful for the things we got to do/see while we were here. The ways I got to see God using other people and myself. How he is stretching me and growing me constantly.
Update: We are in Cambodia! Cambodia is hot and humid. In about three hours my team and I will be heading to a local port to board a tiny boat that will take us about an hour down the river to a floating village. I believe our time here will be incredibly challenging being without so many comforts, WiFi, air conditioning and beds, we have become accustomed to here in Asia. But I am very excited to unplug and spend the next few weeks really focused on our ministry and the people we will meet there as long as challenging myself to grow more. Prayers for this squad, our team, the ministry we are heading into, and the people of this village are all greatly appreciated.
I love y’all!
Thomas Pond
