*Hey friends! I know it’s been a little while since my last blog, so here’s a quick update on the last three weeks~
My team and I left Cambodia after the most amazing month. It was a tearful goodbye, and I left a piece of my heart with all of the children at New Hope for Orphans, but I will always look back on that time with thanksgiving and gladness.
We then spent a week in Bangkok for debrief. This was a time of fun adventures, great food, looking back on and processing the past month, and rest and rejuvenation.
On March 7th, we arrived at our home for the remainder of the trip in Ratchaburi, Thailand! The first few days were spent settling in and starting a few of our ministries, which include teaching summer school, speaking and worshipping on public radio, and spending time at a juvenile detention center.
We actually packed up again and spent a week in a village on the Thailand/Myanmar border with the Karen people. Our days were filled with manual labor, teaching English at the local school, and teaching Bible stories to the village kids. It was a challenging week, but God worked in big ways. We are now finally back in Ratchaburi and continuing all of the ministries going on here!
It’s the way Samyung ran into my arms, his big smile and bright eyes looking up at me.
It’s when I’m having a hard day and Kate buys me Kit Kat ice cream.
It’s worshipping on the roof of our hostel in Bangkok at sunset, praising the Lord for being so good.
It’s playing musical chairs with the kids and screaming with laughter, all of us too competitive for our own good.
All of these, plus a million more, are reasons why God brought me here.
For so long, I was hurt and confused as to why He told me not to go on the World Race Gap Year. I spent six months at home wondering this, never able to come up with an answer.
And now I know. God knew this was so much better for me. He knew there were things I needed to experience at home before being ready to serve Him wholeheartedly and do life with five other ladies. He knew that I was learning patience and trust. He knew I needed more time with my family. He knew I needed to feel the lows to appreciate the highs.
But there are also just so many little moments throughout the day that I know God had planned all along, moments of pure joy and sweetness. He had my teammates picked out for me from the beginning, knowing how we’d push and challenge each other while loving and laughing the whole time. I know now that Samyung, Panith, Sokleang, and all of the children in Cambodia were always meant to be in my life. I could never have imagined how much impact they’d have on my life, and how much I would love them. But God knew.
And I can’t yet know what God has planned for the rest of our time in Thailand, but I know it will be good, because my being here was his plan all along.
