Thailand!!!! Yep that’s where I am! I have so much to update you all on so here it goes…
Debrief! This was a great time in Nairobi of processing through our time in Africa, recalling what the Lord has done and praising Him. I really enjoyed getting to hang out with all of O-Squad, that’s always a good time 🙂 Teams were also changed again at this debrief which brings me to my next item of business, my new team…..*drum roll*…..TEAM BELOVED! I am on an all women team, our team leader is Miss. Brittany Cox (she was on my last team they have raised her up to team leader!), Brittany Jackson (yes there are THREE “Brittany’s” on the team), Courtney Hess, Heather Horton, and last but not least Jenny Hill who I have been on a team with the entire race 🙂 I am so excited to be on an all women team again and I am excited to dive even further into community with these ladies.
Ministry in Thailand…we are living and doing ministry in a southern tourist town called Pattaya. Here’s some info on the town itself, Pattaya used to be a small fishing town but greatly expanded when it became an official “R&R” spot for American armed forces during the Vietnam War. Naturally shops, services, bars, and hotels grew to meet the demand. The tourism boom followed and today Pattaya is and international hot spot for prostitution. It has a registered population at 70,000 people, but more than 2 million tourists visit each year. Most of the population live in slum communities and have little education and little hope.
We are partnering with several ministries here, one of which is the ministry we are staying with, Step Ahead. Step Ahead works with women and children at risk of being trafficked or prostituted, the women learn how to make leather bags, wallets, and hand bags as a means to support themselves. We have also done some work with Tamar Ministries which is similar to Step Ahead in that they are providing different skills for women such as baking, card making, computer skills, as well as English classes.
So that’s the down low on what we are up to here in Thailand!! I will try to post some pictures, but my camera broke several months ago 🙁 but I have teammate who will let me use their pictures. I am however in the market for a new camera (after all I am in the land of electronics) let me know if you have any suggestions. Inexpensive but good quality, thanks!!!
