We are safe and alive in Thailand! We flew from Johannesburg to Hong Kong and then Hong Kong to Bangkok. We will be here for 5 days of debriefing with Squads A & B. Debrief is a time for teams to process their experiences from the previous month and to gear up for the ministry for the month ahead. It is a much-needed time of rest and rejuvenation. Once we arrive we (the June team) met the other teams and we hopped on a bus to a port city on the coast of the mainland. We then boarded a boat that took us out to Samed Island (or Samet, depending on who’s spelling it). All of our luggage made it with us – That is only the Lord’s doing and we are so grateful.
We are debriefing from the last 3 months on an island just outside of Bangkok. Because Thailand is so cheap we are able to stay in a hotel right on the beach for about $5 a night! You can buy about any meal in a restaurant or from a street vendor for a $1 or less. Here are some pictures that I borrowed from my squad mate Lauren Morris’ blog. (I take no credit b/c she did all the work!)
The main drag in town
Fire dancers on the beach at night
(local architecture here in Ka Somet) (real Thai food for a $1)
Our team has been given the plans for the next month. We will be stationed in Pataya in Thailand which is on the coast. We will be working with Tamar ministries working alongside them and ministering to the prostitues in the bars and teaching English. I have been told by the January Racers that Pataya is the prostitute capitol of Thailand above Bangkok and Phuket! It is hard to believe b/c no one has ever really heard of Pataya. I have been told it is on the coast but not an island so it is cheaper to get to that is why it is more popular. According to some the girls are not only offering themselves in the bars but on the beaches too. So it is consuming that city. We are excited to head into ministry on the 5th of September but we have a little trepidation b/c of the unknown. Please pray for us – to have a fruitful time of ministry in Thailand and open hearts to hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
