My Thanksgiving this year was spent visiting missionaries in Chiang Mai Thailand, sightseeing the beautiful country, and making new friendships with Thai Christians. Although I missed being with my family and friends at home, the trip was phenomenal and inspired me to especially enjoy the community I have in Texas until leaving for the World Race. Here’s a few of the highlights of our trip.
We took Legos (a prized toy in Thailand) collected at Preston Road Church to the kids at an orphanage outside of Chiang Mai. We played games with the kids, sang songs, and of course built with Legos. It’s amazing how, at home, I spend almost all of my time doing things to indulge myself and I’m left feeling empty; however, when we set out to serve a bunch of kids who have nothing to offer but a smile and hug we leave with more love in our hearts and a boost of emotional energy.
We had a chance to eat amazingly good Thai food of all sorts. My favorites were the curries, authentic Pad Thai, and basil pork. Some of the more “interesting” delicacies were the bugs we sampled…some of us sampled more than others. I tried the fried bamboo worm. My Thai friend convinced me to try it by describing the taste like a French fry. It’s not McDonalds, but actually, it’s not so bad!
We experienced incredible community among our own group, among the missionary families, and among the Thai Christians we visited. It was remarkable seeing the way the young Christians made the Cheung Doi church their home base every day of the week. This house that used to be the Allens’ home is now the place for worship, but also houses a number of church members as well as offices. Any day of the week, downstairs in the living room and kitchen you will find church members together-many working remotely, some preparing crafts to sell at a market, some studying, but all are living, eating, and worshiping together. It was very Acts 4 and I loved it!! It reminds me of the way I was drawn into the Preston Road church family hanging out all the time at the “youth house”.
This is Gap. She is a beautiful Thai Christian woman who has come a long way in the past 5 years. She is my friend and inspiration toward leaving things of the world, trusting in faith, and moving toward things of God. Her life is an example of God’s love and grace and to me she is the face of Christianity in Thailand.
