We arrived in Selaphm, Thailand at 5am on April 7th after a 9 hour bus ride overnight from Bangkok. We are clearly not in a city like the rest of our squad this month. The Seven Eleven across the street is the only thing that looks familiar. Our translator, Boom, calls our contacts and we wait for them to come and get us. We hop in the back of their truck and drive a short distance to their church/home. We are ushered into a small nursery and told to sleep for a few hours. We are also informed that we will be leaving at 9am to go to Bible camp in the Jungle.
So after a few hours of sleep, we hop on this crazy bus with about 60 kids ranging from age 7-16 an
d head to the jungle. I laugh because as the music starts blasting and kids are dancing in the isles and yelling I am reminded of times when I was that kid on the way to weekend retreat with Young Life or taking a group of crazy middle schoolers to Roctober. Inside I rejoice because I know God is going to work in their hearts this weekend, whether they are ready or not…and for that I am thankful. Unlike most places and cultures we have been in thus far, these kids are not accustomed to foreigners. It is almost as if they are afraid of us and we sit back and watch and pray asking the Lord what our role is amongst these people this month. Slowly, but surely the walls start to come down and they begin to interact with us. And of course all the while the Lord is breaking our hearts for these people.
The Lord has placed us in area of Thailand known as the Isaan. We are in the Roi Et Province. They are located near the border of Laos and are the poorest area of Thailand. We are experiencing Thai culture and foods at it’s best. We were even served a bowl of crickets for dinner last night! Ma and Pastor are two of the hardest working and most selfless people I have met on this race. They have been persecuted for their beliefs, but they have not stopped proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ and loving the people of this town. They love all people, even the outcasts, as the church itself is situated on the grounds of a leper colony.
Last night we participated in an all night prayer service with the church in remembrance of Christ’s death on the cross. There were about 40 people there. There were children as young as 2 and men and women as old as 80. There were people with leprosy, university students from Bangkok, kids of all ages and 6 American girls the Lord has placed here for the next 3 weeks. As we worshipped, prayed and shared with one another I pleaded with God for the hearts of these people and this country and asked Him how He wanted me to be a part of that, this is what He showed me in His Word.
Thailand is 95% Buddhist, 4% Muslim and 1% Christian. We toured temples in Bangkok and witnessed the people of this country crying out to idols and statues in hope for something. But last night I was reminded that the Lord is in His temple. He is in control. He will destroy their idols and all the earth will be silent before him. He told me our part in that is: to love, to serve, to encourage, to proclaim truth and to be a light for Christ in this place. I can’t destroy the things they worship or change what they have been taught all of their life, but God can and He will. In the same way He revealed Himself to me, He will reveal Himself to them. He is showing up already, His hand is evident…it is going to be a great month. Happy Easter from Thailand!!! 
