Elephants!! After lots of internal debate, I finally decided to go see these gentle giants. I wanted to make sure that the elephants were treated ethically so that my money was protecting these animals, rather than harming them. After my teammate found a good place, we loaded onto a song thaew and drove an our into the mountains. When we finally arrived, the elephants greeted us and greedily accepted the bananas and sugar cane we brought for them. Each elephant had its own personality. Some were shy and others were more sassy. They all begged for more food until we ran out. After their stomachs settled, we got to take them to the river to wash and cool them down. They cuddled us and teased us by spraying water out of their trunks. The experience was so surreal and I will never forget it.
This is my friend Lexi! This photo was taken during ministry in the back of a shipping container filled with boxes. Our ministry is working for a printing company that sends bibles and Christian books to closed counties. They also have a free bookstore in Chiang Mai that offers locals and missionaries resources in many languages. At the warehouse, we moved boxes around and may have gone delusional from the lack of oxygen at the back of this container.
I had to add this tea to my post because it is Heaven in liquid form. I love it so much and I go a little crazyyyy for it. It cost 66 cents so you already know I drink. one every day. That is all.
I could go on and on about this photo! This is my best Thai friend, Siri. She is such a joy. She owns a succulent shop and restaurant down the street that I visit at least four times a week (lately it’s more like seven because I know I am leaving soon). She is the best chef and she holds down an entire business by herself. Her generosity is beyond anything I have ever experienced. She makes sure all her cakes are vegan for me and she is always surprising us with little gifts that she has made. She is determined and strong, but also light and funny. On the night this photo was taken, I came in for my usual yellow curry noodles and while we are eating, she pulls this banana chocolate cake for the table to share. With some chocolate syrup on top, it was perfect! This kind of thing is I pour out my love on her because she does it with me so well. If you are EVER in Chiang Mai, PLEASE come see Siri! You will not be disappointed.
Halloween is not my favorite holiday; it is never much fun and I don’t love candy. This year was my favorite Halloween ever! After ministry, the entire squad dressed up in costumes and we went door to door trick-or-treating in the hostel. I dressed up as my teammate, Lexi, and wore her signature outfit and drew lots of freckles on my face. After trick-or-treating, the other vegans and I went to the grocery store so we could have our own treats. There was a big party, but I slipped out with some friends to visit Siri for Halloween. Even though I had already eaten dinner and candy, she made me a big bowl of spicy ramen and a pumpkin smoothie. Of course, I ate all of it and I stayed with her until curfew. I closed out my Halloween by telling ghost stories on the roof with my team before cozying up to fall asleep.
Thai sunrises from the roof are gorgeous! I willingly sleep in my tent, instead of in the hostel, so that when I wake up I can look right at this view.
This is Huay Tung Lake. It is a local secret. I only saw one other group of tourist here. My teammate, Rosie, had been aching to come here, so we surprised her on her fake birthday (her true birthday isn’t on the race) and took her here. You choose a bamboo cabana to sit in and they bring you authentic Thai foods. The view is beautiful and the lake is semi-clear. I didn’t get in the water much, because I saw so many big fish, but I loved reading my Bible under the shade and soaking up time with my friends. This day was so relaxing.
This is the man! He was my team’s ministry host at the warehouse and book store. His name is Patrick; he is the biggest trickster and finest home chef in Thailand. His faith is so strong and his reverence for God’s word is profound. He taught us a sweet balance between hard work and relaxation. Everyday at the book house, Patrick made us a big Thai lunch and fed us so many snacks. He likes to sing classic rock songs for us during our breaks. I am grateful to have met Patrick.
This is a little snapshot of what dinner at the hostel looks like. Always rice, usually tofu, and sometimes veggies 🙁 . I am going to need an intense exercise plan when I come home from the race!
I saved the cutest picture for last! This is Pepsi, a street dog in Chiang Mai. The beautiful thing about Thailand is that there are sweet dogs everywhere. Each day I pet a new one. A Thai person explained that dogs in Thailand are like squirrels in the United States. They are abundant and just live their lives free in the city.
I hope you enjoyed this snapshot into my life. I have finished ministry in Thailand and it is time to move on to Malaysia! I am excited for the change, but it is pretty difficult for me to leave the community I have built here. I feel so at home in Thailand and it hurts to go. Please pray for my transition into this next season. Also, I am still $5, 745 from being fully funded. I trust God’s provision and I am so grateful to have made it this far. If you feel called to give, please do. If not, I appreciate all the prayer! Have wonderful days!!
