I AM IN THAILAND!
This is a place I have dreamed of coming to for a long time! It was also a huge determining factor in my decision to choose the route I did.
We drove to Thailand via bus from Cambodia and it was only about a 6 hour drive. Crossing the boarder was quite the adventure in that we had to walk a good distance with all of our gear and go through customs and immigration in the hottest weather I have ever experienced in life! It was a journey. But we MADE it! We all went to a YWAM (Youth With A Mission) base in Bangkok where we did training. We were there for two days, and then we were off to Rayong, which was about a 3 hour drive from Bangkok.
As we were driving, our sweet bus driver handed me the phone, and our host had called and wanted to talk to me and welcome us to Thailand! Our host’s name is TJ, and he is one of the most incredible men I have ever met in my life. But just his heart to call and welcome us was so inviting and made me feel so comfortable even before arriving.
When we got to the place we were staying, we quickly realized that we would be living in the middle of the jungle for the month, and it is INCREDIBLE. I can’t wait to show you guys pictures. We live in a guesthouse that is amazing! There is a little boy that lives with us named Manat, and he is 12. TJ takes care of him and he is the most servant hearted boy I have ever met. After we were greeted and shown around the place, TJ left us to be able to relax and explore for the rest of the day. Manat took us to this beautiful lake and hiking area near our house. When we got back, he poured us Coke, and gave us chocolate. Like, what? He carries our things for us, and is always looking out for us. Guys, my heart truly can’t take this kid. I want to steal him and take him home with me. Although I have discussed how weird he would think Chicago was, and how crazy America would seem to him after living in the jungle. Haha.
All that to say, we are surrounded by people that are living out what it is like to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
Our first day of ministry, we went to a Juvenile detention center for boys. 3 of us were able to give our testimonies, and it was really powerful. Then TJ gave a sermon, and I was just watching the boys as they were listening to the words TJ was speaking. It was interesting because many of the boys were fidgeting, and just getting distracted, but there was a boy specifically that caught my eye. He was sitting very straight, and seemed very interested in what TJ was saying. He literally didn’t take his eyes off of TJ.
The sermon was all in Thai, so we had no idea what TJ was talking about, but at the end of it, some boys raised their hands, and TJ told them to come up to the front. So they moved to the front of the room and had a seat. Then TJ started forming the rest of the boys in groups and told us to go sit behind the boys seated up front. We were so confused and had no idea what was happening. But the boy I had my eye on was in the front. So I sat behind him. TJ told us to pray for them, but before we did, I asked why they were brought to the front, and TJ informed us that these six boys had just accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. WHAT?! We were absolutely lost for words. We praised the Lord for this and just prayed our hearts out for these boys. It was honestly one of the most powerful times I have experienced. We prayed over the other boys as well, and just praised the Lord for what we had just witnessed. TJ spoke with the boys more in depth about discipleship while they were still in the center and how to maintain a relationship with Jesus. We are also working on getting Bibles to them before we leave!
We also went and visited a shrimp farm that one of the couples in TJ’s congregation owns. We prayed over the land and their business. The man that runs the shrimp farm had his brother and nephew over helping him. They were not believers. We prayed over them and TJ asked if they wanted to accept Christ into their hearts, and they DID. That is 8 NEW BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST guys! I’m honestly blown away by all the ways the Lord is working here.
I literally could probably write a book just on the week that we have been here so far. But I will just finish this blog with what we did for ministry yesterday.
Yesterday was by far my favorite day on the Race.
When we first got to Thailand, TJ had told us that the following Friday they were fasting and traveling 3 provinces over to a church there to fast breakfast and lunch, and spend the day in prayer and worship. We were all for it, and I was so excited because I love prayer, and I have also really grown to love fasting. I started that morning very early. Every morning I get up around 5:30-6:00 and read and pray and just spend time with the Lord. But yesterday morning was just so different from all the other mornings. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed that long. The Lord was preparing me for that day and it was just something I really don’t know how to put into words but it was amazing. When we got to the church I just felt the Lords presence with us in that church. It was so cool to be with another body of believers. We started with worship and it was so awesome to listen to a worship team put their whole heart into praising the Lord. Even though the majority was in Thai, I felt their hearts praising His name. In moments where I didn’t know the words, I just used that time to pray and thank the Lord for all He has done for me and my family and just the people all around me. I prayed for literally everything I could possibly think to pray for. So know if you’re reading this, you were probably prayed for yesterday! We prayed for the Nations, we prayed specifically for America, and for our president, and for Thailand and for ALL of the nations. We prayed for the lost and the broken. We prayed for everyone in the room. We just prayed so deeply and it was literally the most incredible thing I think I have ever done. At around 4:30 we broke bread together and took communion, and then we shared a meal together. It was amazing. We prayed for healing for one of the members of the church for her knees and for her cataracts and her pain was gone and her sight was better. I watched her squat to pick up a child and she didn’t flinch. It was incredible. We finished out our time there in worship and were able to lead some English worship songs and that was great.
Our time here in Thailand has just begun, but it has surpassed my expectations of what I thought it would be like by SO much.
I have so much more to type, but I have very limited time here, as we don’t have wifi where we’re staying and we’re in the middle of the jungle!
I could go on and on!
Stay posted. I plan to write more blogs in my free time and I know these are going to be good ones. This place is amazing and God is INSANELY good.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. God is just getting started with all the things He plans to do this month.
SHOOT! Something really quickly that I have to brag on God about! Two of our teammates have been struggling with sleep. So we laid hands on them last night and prayed for a full nights sleep. We also declared in Jesus name that Maggie would be fully funded by today when she checked her wifi. And guess what guys, they both woke up from a FULL nights sleep and felt so rested. ALSO, MAGGIE IS FULLY FUNDED. God you are SO good!
Gosh. Okay. I’m done.
I love you all so much!
Peace and love,
Keeley
