1. In America, if the nurse said loudly “It is burning when you go pee pee?” in the middle of a crowded waiting room when you tell her you believe you have a bladder inflection, it would be absolutely mortifying. Somehow here, it’s only funny.. And maybe a little mortifying.
2. I’m amazed at the number of happy looking families in Thailand. In the hospital waiting room I am surrounded by five families all smiling laughing and playing together as they wait. Not just mothers and children but with fathers with them. The whole family is together and it’s beautiful to watch them interact. I don’t know what they are saying but it’s so evident how much they love one another.
3. I see my mom in every country I go to. Anytime I see a hard working woman who resembles her I am filled up with love. Today she was my taxi driver.
4. This is the first country that the men genuinely seem to like the women they are with in public.
5. Sometimes the boys I meet here remind me of the Lost Boys in Never Never land. They are so rough and tough and silly. I can imagine them saying “I am never growing up!” And maybe they have! I wouldn’t know if they have or not though haha. I only know how to say hello and thank you in Thai.
6. The city of Chiang Mai is one of of the cleanest cities we’ve been to. There are flowers and little trash in comparison. It really is very nice!
7. The Lord gave me a few revelations this month about trust, prayer and going to Him instead of people. It’s been a hard month but He is using it to grow me.
8. Working in an enclosed space with my team with month has been a lot of fun. We’ve listened to music, danced, joked, laughed, and sang as we’ve worked.
9. God is teaching me a lot about what being faithful looks like. It isn’t about always being perfect, it isn’t about going to church 3+ times a week, it isn’t about being happy all the time. It’s about giving your best and your worst to God, listening when He calls you and going out and doing the thing… Be it in your neighborhood, at your work, with your money, or in a different country. It’s about living a life for Him. And realizing without Him, you couldn’t do any of it. Sometimes you won’t be happy about it. Sometimes it will be hard. That doesn’t mean you aren’t being faithful.. Quite the opposite actually sometimes.
10. I do not like Thai food… AT ALL! For real though. Not a fan.
11. I’m realizing that I’m going to come home different. You can’t go through an experience like this and NOT change.. And why would you want to. Im going to come home with ideas that don’t match the people around me. And that’s okay.. Because for the first time, I am finding my voice and actually forming my own ideas instead of just absorbing the ideas of those I am around. I am studying and searching and thinking for myself (with the guidance of the Holy Spirit) and it is exciting..
12. I really considered coming home this month. I have prayed for peace over being here, prayed to wake up and not feel sick, prayed to stop having the desire to cry everyday, prayed for my purpose on this trip, prayed for strength.. For nearly two months I’ve prayed and I still am. And while God hasn’t granted all of those requests yet, He has given me a small glimmer of light in what He has and I’m just doing this thing one day at a time.
13. My host Pat was crazy, you just never knew what he was going to say. But over the month my team and I grew very fond of him. He is passionate about the Lord and the work he is doing in His name. Working with him has really been a blessing. He has taught me a lot about living in faith and God has showed my team many things through him.
14. I can’t believe I’ve done seven months of this life. I have four more left. That seems insane to me.
15. The yellow public songthaew’s (taxi) will start driving off before you are all the way in and the locals will have to rescue you by quickly grabbing and pulling you in… I know from experience.
16. We are spending the last week in Phuket for debrief… That’s a beach. A BEAUTIFUL one. And apparently I am going on an island excursion! It’s bound to be a fun time!
17. Catmosphere… Going tomorrow and getting a t-shirt. It is what it sounds like… A cafe where you get to hang out with cats. I couldn’t be here and not go! It wouldn’t make sense.
18. I had my own bed this month, a ton of access to wifi, hot showers and a kitchen. #pampered
19. This month has been warm… Like 103 degrees. And I came to the realization that the next four months will all be equally hot, if not hotter, and then I will return to Mississippi in the hottest month of the year. Five months of sweat… Bring on winter of 2016. #letitsnow!
20. My team isn’t perfect. The Lord knows we have our moments… But they are like family. You don’t get to choose em, they may drive you crazy sometimes… But you love them to death anyway. I can’t tell you how encouraging and loving they have been to me these past few months. I mean, it’s just like I told them, “there is no one else on this race i’d rather be struggling with.”
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Hey everyone! Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and check in on me. I love you so much and I am so blessed to have such loving friends, family and church family. I can’t wait to see you all again.
Love,
Makita
