This month we lived on a farm in Thailand and it was nothing short of incredible!
Our ministry was jam packed all month and we did so many different things. Pat (our ministry host) gave us a thought the first day we met him, ‘one life at a time.’ Basically saying for us to not let worldly things steal our focus, but to really take time to look at people, and meet them exactly where they are and to love them well. We’ve really tried putting that to practice this month, by adapting to anything Pat threw our way.
Our main ministry, and the heartbeat of Pat, is prison ministry. We went all over northern Thailand to juvenile detention centers and to the main youth prison in Chiang Mai to hang out with the boys, share our testimonies and the share the love of Jesus. I had never done prison ministry before and was a little nervous that it would be challenging to relate to these young guys, but it turned out to be completely the opposite. We sat around, ate snacks, laughed and shared our stories. I realized they were just like me and ultimately wanted security and freedom from the desires of this world. It was amazing to see Pat at work and see so many doors in Thailand opening for him. He’s changing things here, and to be a part of it, if only for a month, was the most rewarding thing.
Aside from prison ministry, we went to the local hospital, did house visits and even taught kids how to swim one week! We all almost drowned at one point or another, but it was seriously the most hilarious and wonderful way to spend our mornings.
Majority of our time though was spent on Pat’s farm with his wife, two daughters and the 8 boys he’s taken in from the youth prison. We’ve all adapted to our sunrise wakeup call, farm work filled days and communal dinners which are followed by family Bible studies. It has honestly been the best month. We all work together, and minister to one another in simplicity and love. I made this little video about life on the farm because it’s been the best!!! We lug around buckets of our poop water, which Pat calls ‘goodies’ to fertilize the growing mango trees. We feed the pigs, (and might potentially slaughter one before we leave) chop down thorny trees, dig holes and plant banana trees, and end our days swimming in one of the three ponds. We’ve all gotten sunburned, splashed by human waste, and have been cut or bruised at some point.. but we’ve also laughed harder, had deeper conversations about God, loved and pressed in more than we ever have before. This has been a month of total growth, individually and as a team.
I guess at the end of the month all I have to say is how thankful I am that this is where we were called. My life has honestly been changed. I will be able to look back and think of Pat and this farm and the boys that we’ve ministered and know that this was the month that God really showed up, slowed things down and made me more joyful than I’ve ever been.
