This past week, our team and the YWAM team that we have been living and working alongside packed into the back of the big blue pick-up and drove out for a week of village outreach.
Over the course of 5 days we visited 7 different schools! Our team split into 3 groups: games, a bible story, and teaching English (my teammate Hannah and I were in charge of teaching English).
When we arrived to the schools, the kids were usually very excited that the “foreigners” were coming! At each school we taught 3 lessons each being 30-50 minutes long.
It was such a cool experience getting to teach and interact with so many sweet kids. All of the schools we visited were Buddhist. At one of the schools, it had been a year since the children had heard a bible story and who knows how long it will be before they do again. So, getting the opportunity to share bible stories, silent prayers, and some of Gods love with them was a huge privelage!
I’ve done some strange things in my life but hunting for insects to fry and eat is right up there. We drove out to a field somewhere in the middle of nowhere. There was a giant speaker on top of a truck to lure the bugs, black lights, and water bottles to put them in. I caught one beetle and then I was done.
There’s nothing like different languages and cultures colliding in a beautiful sound of worship and praise. Hearing two languages in worship and prayer reminded me of what heaven will sound like some day.
One day we were told we would be “growing grass” I am such a crazy symbolic person so to me this was special since at the beginning of the month the Lord had really been speaking to me about “uprooting” things in my life and we actually picked weeds. And now at the end of the month it’s time to lay down new seeds of truth where the old has been uprooted and I got to do that in a tangible way as well.
One of the best parts about each place we go is the relationships that form. It was so special getting to do life with a group of Thai people our age all month. It was also wonderful getting to interact with the locals in the villages and encourage one another. The goodbyes never get easy though.
Our team also grew together so much as sisters and TRUE FRIENDS this first month of living and working alongside eachother. I have already learned so much from each of them and love them deeply.
Thailand was a wonderful experience! It was probably my favorite month on the race so far because of the way I saw the Lord in each of the Thai people we became family with. Going around the table on our last night here my heart melted as each of us shared and I saw the life long impact we all made on eachothers lives.
After 5 months of living in Asia I really will miss the land of rice, squatty potties, mangos, geckos, monks, motorbikes, heat, and hospitality. Thanks for sticking with me this far on the race. I can’t believe it’s almost halfway done! And there is still so much more to come! xoxo- Jenna
