Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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             Being on the world race implies that at the end of every month we pack up all of our stuff and move on to a new country. Today we left Chiang Rai, in the north of Thailand, and now we’ll spend a couple of days in Bangkok before going to Cambodia. This month went by really quick due to our ’round the world travel days. 

            It’s rather strange to live a year of your life fully aware of the passing months. I mean at home, nothing really changes from one month to another. Sometimes we focus on the seasons or the semesters, but life is never so neatly chopped up into fine little sections. It’s more challenging to take the opportunity to reflect on what God’s brought us through or where we’re headed next. However, I’m fortunate to have that chance at the end of every month. 

            A month is the perfect amount of time to get settled in/fully unpacked, and begin to form relationships with people (or in the case of Thailand, finally learn their names). Then we have to repack and start all over again. It’s definitely hard; but it’s a blessing. 

 
              
            It was a lot more challenging this month to make connections with people. It’s the first month of the race for me where I can’t speak the language, and most people in Thailand don’t know any English either. The children at House of Union were much more reserved and we really had to make an effort to get to know them. In general, Thai people are very polite and courteous, but not very outgoing or friendly. The culture and the country are beautiful and the lifestyle is very peaceful. 
            We did a lot of odd jobs this month; gardening, chopping and stacking wood, stripping bamboo, cleaning and fixing things. We also had a lot of free time. This month, I learned that you really will get out of a day what you put into it. I did a lot of talking with God about how I should spend my time, and on the days I listened for his voice, I was rewarded. Sometimes I felt that I should be intentional with the kids – play Frisbee, tag or do crafts and other times I felt prompted to spend time in the word, listening to podcasts or journaling. 

 

            Something that surprised me was the enjoyment I received from working in the garden. My mom and sister always used to tease me about my lack of enthusiasm for the hobby, but I think they’d be proud of what we accomplished in that tropical Thai garden! It was relaxing to be so close to nature, in the peace and quiet, and enable things to grow that will provide nourishment for many. 

            Now, as month 4 comes to a close and month 5 begins I continue to ask God to shape me into a better person. Lately, I’ve had a desire to learn how to pray more fervently – to truly commit all things to Christ. Please join me in prayer for our ministry in Cambodia and for the remainder of our fundraising. Our requests:
– a safe journey
– good health
– that we may be a blessing to whoever we meet
– that we might build a special relationship with someone in need
– that the rest of our funds will come in quickly ($5000 in 2 months)

Thank you for your support! Much love,
Katrina & Paul