Hi! I’m posting this blog kinda late (again), so an update will be happening soon(ish), buuuuut since I last wrote to y’all about what has been happening, we have had PVT, ATL ministry, MDB, and lots of hours en route to various locations. SO! Here is a bit about life lately…
Parent Vision Trip (PVT)
I briefly mentioned in “Life lately: Cambodia” that our parents were soon coming to spend a week with us…now they have! In the beginning of our Thailand month, I got to spend a handful of days with my mama in Chiang Mai. We explored the city, tried new foods, visited a Buddhist temple, hiked to some waterfalls and a mountaintop temple with our friends (Marah and Emma and their mamas), attended a Beauty for Ashes event, and spent quality time just talking and sharing our hearts about the past several months. It was so sweet getting to introduce my mom to my World Race family and vice versa. Each of us racers at PVT shared a short WR testimony, and during our final worship night we opened the floor for all the parents to come to the front so we could pray over each parent and marriage. These people have spent so much of their lives pouring into us, and it was incredible to offer them a glimpse of the journey we have been on that led us to this moment of pouring Holy Spirit into them. What a sweet, sweet time of surrender and celebration.
Ask the Lord (ATL)
Originally, I was supposed to be with Team TMI in Chiang Mai, where we would partner with the Adventures base for the month; however, the air quality in Chiang Mai was dangerously high and bad for our health, so our leadership in the States switched it up for us and gave us a month of ATL ministry! After a few days of confusion, prayer, reaching out to different locations, prayer, travel, and prayer, we ended up at a church in Bangkok that was the most incredible place for our team. We were split into two groups of four, and our artsy/business-y group partnered with Samaritan Creations (a café) while the other half of us partnered with Khlong Toey, a different church in the city. The Samaritan Creations group was able to help the café with some marketing and business techniques while the Khlong Toey group got to work at an English/music/soccer day camp.
We had so much fun at the day camp! Honestly, I was not thrilled to be teaching English again (I learned in Cambodia that it is just not something I am good at), and I was disappointed to not be at the café. Samaritan Creations exists to rescue women out of the sex trade and empower them to pursue an education, so they can discover different options to provide for their families. It serves as a safe place of healing and restoration, and I so wanted to be there for the month. However, after spending just 10 minutes with the kiddos at staff at the day camp, I was stoked to spend the rest of my month with them. The kids were fun and sweet and delightful to be around, and the staff was even more so. We were quickly invited into their family and found that our time to leave came sooner than we were ready for.
This month reminded us that our God is bigger than an air quality chart, bigger than a ministry set-up sheet, bigger than our World Race budget, and bigger than the plans we have for ourselves. His forgiveness is bigger than our mistakes. His grace is bigger than our guilt. His comfort is bigger than our hurt.
God also reminded me that he is bigger than the oceans that separate me from my loved ones, bigger than my insecurities that have come unburied, and bigger than the hard emotions that I often don’t know what to do with. He reminded me that “Ask the Lord” applies to much more than ministry and goes far beyond the span of an 11-month mission trip.
Mini-debrief (MDB)
K-squad gathered at a hostel in Bangkok during Easter weekend for a time of debrief, teaching, receiving, and celebration that the reality of Christ’s resurrection is our reality forever! We had sessions on submission, goal-setting, practical dreaming, biblical literacy, the power/gifts of Holy Spirit, praying into the future, living every day in the truth of our risen King, the importance/power of thinking before speaking, community as we go home, financial stewardship, remembering our “yes” and choosing our next “yes.” It was a weekend of S.M.A.R.T. goals for spiritual growth, “practical” wisdom, and powerful worship.
I really, really love K-squad. What an incredibly diverse and special group of humans I get to be a part of. Thanks, God.
Praises
I am in the Philippines for another ATL month! Aaaaand remember when I said I wanted to work with the café that serves as a safe-haven and place of empowerment for women who are rescued out of the sex industry? Three guesses as to what I get to do this month
I have gotten to spend time with family that I have never met until this month
God has provided for me financially in the sweetest ways
Prayer requests
Protection over our hearts as we go into walking street to do bar ministry
Wisdom and peace as we prepare for our transition home; balance as we remain present here
