[First published on 2/15/2016. To view the original newsletter, click here.]
Hello family and friends!
Greetings from Thailand! Err…Cambodia actually, LOL
So sorry for sending an update out so late! Our first month in Thailand was so hectic and flew by so fast, as we were all adjusting to life on The World Race. Many times it was hard to even find a quiet moment to gather my own thoughts. Oh, and the internet…let me tell you, the struggle for wi-fi is real!
I have much to update everyone on how my January went so my apologies ahead of time for this lengthy newsletter. But please read to the end because there is much I want to share with you all!
TRAINING CAMP
Our ministry this month was centered in the city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. And one of the first things we did was head to a ranch near Chiang Mai for five days of Training Camp. Normally Training Camp is done back in the States a few months before leaving the country, but since we are the Fusion squad with international participants, our Training Camp was held in our first country.
Training Camp can best be described as an extended retreat where we received much spiritual teachings and trainings in addition to some practical training on how to survive on The World Race — like living in tents, hiking in our gear and going days without a shower. We also did various group exercises that focused on team dynamics and chemistry-building. While it was definitely a challenge adjusting to this “World Race style” of community living, it was an invaluable experience and one I will remember for quite some time. If you’d like to know more about my Training Camp experience, please read my blog post!
http://sangpark.theworldrace.org/?filename=month-1-thailand-training-camp
So at the end of Training Camp, our squad of 23 people was divided into 4 smaller teams that will stay, serve and live together for ministry for a few months until new teams are formed. Also at the end of Training Camp, various Squad roles were given…and I was bestowed the role of Squad Logistics (along with another person). I know, many of you are thinking that this is the perfect role for me — and apparently you’re right because our Squad Leaders knew within the first minute when they had talked to me at LAX that I had a mind for logistics. So while I know God has gifted me in this area, I still have trepidation in this role because of my unfamiliarity with international travel and visa rules. So please pray that I won’t mess up and have 22 people mad at me for 11 months!
[Here is our Fusion squad of 23 people at Training Camp, along with our Squad coaches, mentors and leaders!]
[And introducing my team for the next few months — Team Lift!
From left to right: Sarah, Darek, EmilyAnn, Sang, dani, Danielle (center)]
LAUNCH
After Training Camp was over, we were given a few off days (more on that later!) and then proceeded to Launch. While Training Camp had more of an inward spiritual focus, Launch was oriented towards more external practical matters, as we received training on topics like medical emergencies, risk management and team conflict resolution. This was also when I received training on logistics and yes, even finance — and here I thought I had left my finance duties behind when I quit my job! And at times, these Launch days felt like full work days as we would sometimes sit in training for almost eight hours. But at the end of the day, I am extremely grateful and thankful for the leaders and staff that came to teach, prepare and impart their wisdom and experience for the very real issues we may encounter during The World Race this year!
MINISTRY
And so after Launch, we were finally able to do some ministry! This month we worked with a woman named Pi Emmi and her ministry, Lighthouse in Action (lighthouseinaction.org), whose mission is “to eradicate the commercial sex trade in Chiang Mai, and see the Thai people choose abundant life through Jesus, as we show them His truth and love through our actions.”
Specifically, each of the four teams within our squad was assigned with different types of ministries throughout Chiang Mai. These included prayer walks, bar ministry, slum ministry and monk chats, and we did the ministries for about ten days. For my team, we were given prayer walks and monk chats.
In the mornings, we would do a prayer walk along a new bar area in a poorer neighborhood of Chiang Mai. The street we walked was apparently an emerging red-light district and a hot spot for local men. So as we walked this street each day, our team would pray, sing or simply listen to how God wanted to lead us during our walks. And in the afternoons, we would visit a local Buddhist temple for monk chats, a program designated for visitors to talk with monks about the temple and Thai culture. Our team would sit with whichever monk was available at the moment and see where the conversation led. We also walked around the temple grounds and lifted up prayers.
God definitely provided some cool moments during our ministry times (like our friendship with a woman named Ye and my being able to name her business!) so if you’re interested in reading more about them, check out my blog post!
http://sangpark.theworldrace.org/post/month-1-thailand-ministry-in-chiang-mai
[Me and Ye holding up the new banner and menu for her business!]
[Our team with one of our monk chat friends!]
OFF DAYS
So during each month, we are given a few off days that serve as breaks from doing ministry. They are essentially our free days that we can use to run errands, do touristy/adventure-type activities or simply rest. Well, being that this was my first month and eager to experience any and everything I could, I wanted to make the most of my off days in Thailand. So…I went hiking down a waterfall, took a Thai cooking class and jumped off a cliff 🙂
Below are some pictures of each of my off day experiences, but click on my blog post link below if you’re interested in reading and seeing more pictures!
http://sangpark.theworldrace.org/?filename=month-1-thailand-off-days
[Off Day #1 – Hiking down Buatong Waterfall (or Sticky Falls)!]
[Off Day #2 – Taking a Thai cooking class!]
[Off Day #3 – Cliff jumping at Chiang Mai Grand Canyon!]
FUNDRAISING UPDATE
Thank you everyone for your continued support! I am now funded at $12,681 of my $16,362 goal (78%)! I am utterly amazed at how God is covering my financial needs thru all of you! You don’t know how much of a burden is lifted from me every time a donation is received, so THANK YOU!
I am already very close to my third deadline of $13,000 total by Monday, February 29 so with just a little push, I’m confident I’ll be able to meet it! After that is my last fundraising goal, where I will need to be fully funded. With that being said, I would love to be fully funded as soon as I can so that it is no longer a worry for me while doing ministry! Plus, everyone gets the added bonus of having shorter newsletters by not having to read a fundraising section 🙂 — so we all win!
So if you’d like to contribute to my journey, please use the link below!
[Select Support a World Racer and enter my full name, Sang Yeop Park.]
A FEW THOUGHTS AND PRAYER REQUESTS
The best way I can describe my experience in Thailand is that it was a month of sensory and mental overload. New friends, new places, new everything — this first month of my World Race journey was definitely a transitional period as I moved from a life of routine and comfort at home to one of unknown and at times unexpected changes here on the Race. It is a struggle for me to not be in control of what my days look like, but really I was never in control as it was always God and that will be more of the case in these next 10 months.
During our many prayer sessions at Training Camp, some words I kept getting from others was to “let go of my fears.” As many of you know, I am a thinker who takes time to think thru and process things — which I am still doing on what fears specifically that God wants me to release to Him. But I received those words enough times that I believe it is a lesson that the Lord will teach me and be at the forefront of my journey. I know He wants to grow me in this area, but it still scares me…which leads me to some prayer requests.
1. Pray for my fears. Please pray that God will reveal what those fears are and that the Holy Spirit will aid me in battling thru them.
2. Pray for my health. By God’s grace, I have adjusted fairly well to the food and such here and am in good health generally. But I did have a stomach bug at the end of the month that got me pretty good, so please pray that God will provide me with good health while on the Race.
3. Pray for my new role as Squad Logistics. Each month my Logistics teammate and I will have to take time away from our respective ministries to work on logistical matters. Please pray that we both be reminded that Logistics is another form of ministry for us and that we honor and serve our entire Squad and God well thru it.
Thank you for making it to the end and reading this very lengthy newsletter! My hope is that I will be able to send two newsletters each month (internet availability permitting, of course) to keep you all better up-to-date. So hopefully no more of these long newsletters!
And of course, if you want even more updates and details on what I’m doing, you can always subscribe to my blog at http://sangpark.theworldrace.org!
Until next time from Cambodia!
By His Love,
Sang Park
