Well, I’ve officially been in Rayong, Thailand for about a month now! It really has been flying by. I have gotten to experience things I never thought I would, and I’ve been pushed outside my comfort zone so many times I’m not sure it even exists anymore.
So far, we have been teaching English at a few different schools in the area. My team teaches in groups of 2, 3, or 6 to classes of Kindergarteners, multiple grades, or an entire school assembly. Sometimes we have white boards, and other times we have to improvise and get creative. Sometimes we have Thai teachers to help us communicate with the students, and other times we have 60 blank faces staring back at us, confused. Sometimes we have air conditioning, and most times we drip sweat while 20 kids try to hug us at the end of a class.
Apart from teaching emotions, months, and colors, we have gotten the chance to share Jesus with these schools. We often tell Bible stories through skits and sing songs about God. I’ve even gotten to share the Gospel with entire schools (there goes the comfort zone). All the schools we teach at are run by Buddhist temples, and it has been the coolest experience to be a light bearer amidst an abundance of darkness.
Besides teaching daily at the schools, we have been teaching at the community center twice each week (where our students range from Kindergartners to grandmothers). On Sundays, I play guitar and lead worship with my team for the congregation at New Jerusalem church (again with the comfort zone). On Wednesdays and Fridays, we go to Pastor TJ’s house for fellowship. We’ve also gotten the opportunity to minister in homes and at the local prison.
And after a month of this kind of life, it really has become my new normal. It is normal to me to hop in the back of the truck to ride through the mountains for a home visit. It is normal to me to see 20 street dogs hanging around the neighborhood we live in on my run. It is normal to me to end a class and get attacked by a ton of precious children, hungry to be loved. It is normal to me to live in constant community, to wake up each morning to three other girls in my room. It is normal to walk to the market to pick up some fruit and Thai Tea. Basically, it’s life. It’s not at all like what I left behind, but it’s life.
Thailand truly has become home for this season, and my teammates have become family. We have learned to laugh at some ridiculous situations we’ve found ourselves in. We have learned to be thankful for the little blessings. Although not every day is spent chasing waterfalls or witnessing miracles, every day is an adventure of its own. Thank you, Jesus, for life abundant.
Telling 200 kids at the Kao Chung Lum school about Jesus!
The last day of Kindergarten at the Wat Tri school (I taught with my teammates Rachel and Kathryn).
Some days on the World Race… we actually do chase waterfalls. We found this gem in Chantaburi with team CBG on an off day!
These are the 5 girls I get to do life with every day (plus our translator Kwan… we were blessed to have her for our first three weeks here).
Please continue to pray for my team and our ministry over here in Klaeng, Rayong! Sending lots of love to my friends on the other side of the world!
Here is my team’s month 1 video!
