11 Things – Asia {with photos}

Not only is my time in Japan coming to a close, but my time in Asia is too. It's been five wonderful months of taking our shoes off at the front door, eating with chopsticks, bowing nonstop, and mastering the art of the squatty potty. I have thoroughly enjoyed Asia, and I am so sad to leave a place where I'm constantly surrounded by people who have even squintier eyes than I do. Check out my 'lists of 11' below.

11 weird things I ate in Asia

1) Chicken stomach (China)
2) Tarantula (Cambodia)
3) Live bees (Cambodia)
4) Pig ear (Cambodia)
5) Fish head soup (Cambodia)
6) Natto – fermented soy beans (Japan)
7) Octopus (Japan)
8) Sea urchin (Japan)
9) Squid ink jam (Japan)
10) Mochi (Japan)
11) Corn ice cream (Japan)

11 firsts I had in Asia

1) Visited the Great Wall of China
2) Rode an elephant
3) Petted and played with tigers and monkeys
4) Wore a kimono
5) Visited Angkor Wat
6) Held a python
7) Snorkeled in the Indian Ocean
8) Preached! (Who am I???!!!)
9) Rode (and fell off of) a water buffalo
10) Swam in the Mekong River
11) Taught about Jesus to a classroom full of teenagers who had never heard his name before!

11 things I will not miss about Asia

1) Squatty potties
2) Loogies everywhere (China)
3) Dengue Fever
4) Malaysia – all of it
5) Chinese trains
6) Chinese traffic
7) Paying to use the bathroom
8) Shoe stores that laugh when I ask if they have any shoes equivalent to a size 9. Grrr small Asian feet.
9) Eating meat and not knowing what animal it comes from (China)
10) Needing to bring my own toilet paper everywhere
11) Jackfruit (Cambodia)

11 things I loved about Asia

1) Tuk tuk rides
2) The food
3) $4 massages
4) 50 cent pedicures
5) Eating with chopsticks
6) Asian babies – all of them
7) Korean Airlines
8) Squatty potties (we have a love/hate relationship)
9) Riding elephants through the rain forest
10) Japanese toilets
11) Powleang and my Khmer family!

I hate to leave Asia, but I'm so grateful for all the different cultures I was able to experience and everything I learned here. Please be in prayer for all of Asia, a continent with very little understanding of Jesus. Here are specific ways you can pray for the five countries we visited:

China – Pray for more Christians to invade this place and not be afraid to share the gospel. Also pray for young adults who are being forced into specific majors in university and the lack of freedom they have to choose their career paths.

Thailand – Pray for the spirit of lust that consumes this nation and for the men stuck in a world of sexual sin. Pray for the thousands of women and children trapped in the sex slave industry.

Cambodia – Pray for more people to love on the Khmer population and to share the gospel. Also pray for the impoverished, both materially and spiritually. This country really captured my heart and I would love people to pray for a prosperous and Christ-filled future for this nation.

Malaysia – Pray for God to move in radical ways and that the strict laws would be lifted so Jesus can be talked about freely and openly.

Japan – Pray against the spirit of comparison that consumes this country. Japan has the highest suicide rates in the entire world due to extreme societal pressure. Pray that individuals begin to feel loved for who they truly are. Also pray that more Christians come here and share God's love with the 99% of Japanese people who have no clue who he is.

Thanks for all your prayers and support. In just a few days, our squad will travel to Albania! Can't wait to see what's in store for us in Eastern Europe. 🙂

Check out 11 of my favorite pictures from Asia.

And a bonus picture 🙂

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Thank you so much to my faithful supporters who have kept me on the field this long! I am still in need of $3790 by March 1st in order to complete this race. Please prayerfully consider partnering with me in bringing the love of Christ to the nations.