The original plan was for us to be in Huai Pao, a village
outside of Chiang Mai. We were supposed
to be there the whole month. However…our expectations turned into an unexpected “don’t have expectations” lesson. World Race tip#1: don’t have expectations. Ever. So April became an “Ask the Lord” month!
While in Chiang Mai…
We met Toi at a Buddhist temple!
We had asked the Lord for one person we could
minister to this month. A prayer-walk landed us at a temple where Toi lives. He’s the care-giver of 89-year-old Pha Thep, the head monk of all Chiang Mai temples. After several days of going to visit him and praying for him, it’s evident that Jesus is “getting to him”.
One day, we rode elephants and swam in a waterfall!
World Race tip#33: bring your umbrella for elephant sneezes.
We doused people with ice water!
…and we got hit too.
And that’s how Thailand brings in the new year! Toi provided water for us. The city was a mess. We were drenched. It was awesome. World Race tip#22: make sure your route goes through Thailand in April.
Aimee and Caity got sick. L They spent several days in the hospital, but they’re better now!
Dates got pushed around. We began to wonder if we’d ever make it to that village. Sickness was preventing us, and the team was eager to go. We realized that
the Lord had us where we were for a reason, so we asked Him what to do with each day. We kept visiting Toi and sharing Jesus with him, the “one” who we had prayed for. World Race tip#16: be intentional.
God healed Danae’s ankle!! She was on crutches for two months because of a volleyball accident in
Nicaragua. The doctors were talking
about operating, BUT THEN! We prayed
over her, and GOD HEALED!! World Race tip#36: pray for the sick.
We reached out to the bars one night. Cierra and I chose one particular bar to
visit because it had no customers. We
could talk with the bartender. She has a teenage daughter, and we asked about
what her dreams for her are. We just
sat there…talking…trying to build a bridge over which we could share
Jesus. Then we gave her a booklet about
Him, and she was happy to receive it.
Huai Pao, Chiang Deo. The village. (Please pronounce as follows: “Hoy-POW!” The locals will love you…) Sara said we were leaving in two days. And I was all like, “Really? Cause…I wanna stay here. Toi. Like, we’ve
seen him every day and we’re on a role with the Gospel and everything…” She assured me that the Lord would continue
working even if we left. Karen and I
went to see him the next day. We told
him that we would be leaving the following day but would try to see him one
more time on our way back through the city.
He pointed to visitors driving in on the back of pickup trucks. He told
us that Pha Thep had visitors for the new year.
I asked if we could meet him, but Toi said he needed rest from recent
heart conditions. Then I felt the Spirit nudge me, and an excitement rose in me to pray for
him. “Toi,” I said, “we will be praying for your leader. Please tell him that he has
American friends who are praying for his heart. And we will be praying for you.” Toi directed his attention to me and said, “Don’t
just say it; do it!” I went to the village with peace in my heart, and a sense
of urgency to pray for both of them.
#randommomentsontherace
#thismancracksmeup
The night before heading to the village, I went to Bar Street. This night I am still
processing. This night was so heavy, these girls so little…
This street is lined with brothels, young girls sitting
outside in neon lights…waiting. “Working”. The first thing I noticed was how young and
precious the girls were. I held my breath in disbelief. How to handle this?? The youngest was thirteen.
Like the compassionate heart of Christ, our girls went
directly to the ones they had met on other nights. A date was set to bring one
girl out for ice cream. She was afraid and agreed if the madam would come with
her. Both were bought the next day, and
they heard about real Love. One of ours laughed with a young prostitute, one took
pictures with another, one shared her testimony with the madam. American men came and went, and broke my heart.
The next day, we were sent to Huai Pao.
Us in all our Thai glory.
Every morning with sunrise we left our cottage and cleared a
field, a field where there will be a home for recovering prostitutes from the
city.
Thanks to previous racers, we were able to work in style.
In the evenings we prayed for Toi and Pha Thep, AND! back in Chiang Mai…
One team continued to visit Toi. They gave him a Bible. He
said, “I read three or four hours every night. I will read this and have
questions!” We asked God for “one”, and He gave us one very influential man
with the potential to share with others.
Thailand was not what I expected, but it was incredible!
