Welcome to the halfway point! Months 1-5 are finished and I am now off to Africa. Every new country and continent brings new challenges, lessons and blessings. Here are some things I have had the opportunity to experience.
Philippines
1. I have cried
2. I have cried with precious Beloved women
3. I have eaten Balut
4. I have laughed
5. I have played with children
6. I have sang karaoke
7. I have eaten blood pork “Dinogoan”
8. I have been in places I my soul will never forget
9. I have seen things I will not forget
10. I have had my heart broken for others
11. I have met so many amazing people
12. I have witnessed what it is to be an American in other cultures
13. I have had many heart attacks while watching the traffic
14. I have hugged and been hugged
15. I have prayed for hope
16. I have been spoiled/blessed by our host
17. I have been called beautiful
18. I have been called an angel
19. I have seen a prayer of 10 years be answered just by our presence
20. I have fallen in love with a beautiful child
21. I have seen God
22. I have felt God
23. I have heard God
Malaysia
1. I have been scratched by a wild cat
2. I have colored in a coloring book with children
3. I have served hundreds of meals
4. I have worked in a bakery
5. I have worked on my tan
6. I have been attacked by monkeys
7. I have visited temples and mosques
8. I have cried
9. I have prayed for a man to find a job
10. I have been shown what it means to pay it forward
11. I have seen the Twin (Petronas) Towers
12. I have been sick
13. I have laughed
14. I have painted a mural on a wall
15. I have debated with a Muslim man
16. I have fallen more in love with my Savior
17. I have eaten so many amazing new foods
18. I have visited a cemetery
19. I have celebrated Easter
20. I have made a pretzel
21. I have fallen in love with precious children
22. I have had a photo shoot around the town
23. I have learned that you don’t need utensils to eat
24. I have played in the rain (all around town in my pj’s at 10pm)
25. I have seen God
26. I have felt God
27. I have heard God
Thailand
1. I have eaten a bug (not sure what kind)
2. I have sweat perhaps sweat more than I did in Australia
3. I have shared living quarters with beetles, birds, centipedes, and scorpions
4. I have shaved a coconut
5. I have held a puppy while riding on the back of a motorcycle being driven by a 13 year old
6. I have taken bucket showers (with spiders)
7. I have never thought so highly of ice and fans
8. I have seen a squad mate fall and break her ankle
9. I have participated in a multi-village wide stilt walking contest
10. I have been soaked by the rain
11. I have walked through a “red shirt” protest
12. I have been to the Reclining Buddha temple
13. I have been part of a Mother’s Day music video to “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
14. I have held a sick baby in my lap on a long car ride
15. I have taught an English class
16. I have been called beautiful
17. I have eaten rat
18. I have been to Cambodia
19. I have ridden an elephant in Cambodia
20. I have been kissed on the cheek by a drunk guy
21. I have been in Laos
22. I have laughed
23. I have tumbled in the grass (and left it afterwards)
24. I have walked hand-in-hand with a laughing child
25. I have witnessed the heart of God in the children around me
26. I have been rained on (twice) in the back of a pick-up truck
27. I have cleaned and bandaged a little boys torn ankle
28. I have seen God
29. I have felt God
30. I have heard God
31. Thank you to all of you for all of your prayers and support. It is such an encouragement to be able to go through this journey knowing that I have so many people behind me.
So this is it, my Asian adventure. I can’t believe all the things that I have been able to experience over these 3 months. Though I am leaving this continent, this is not the end. Please continue to keep these people in your prayers. There is so much lost religion and confusion that I cannot and am asking you to not ignore or forget. Let’s keep lifting this region up to God and watch Him move throughout the lands.
Blessings to you all and I’ll see you in Africa!
