Sending our love from Thailand!
To be quite honest, I was nervous to come to Asia. I was comfortable in Central America, not too-too far from home, speaking a somewhat familiar language, being around fellow believers in God. 


This month, I am immersed in a language I can't understand, everything is written with an alphabet I cannot read, I am no longer in the majority party when it comes to relgious beliefs, I’m surrounded by a culture so radically different from my own, and the food is at times, um, interesting. But, in just a short amount of time, God is breaking my heart for this place.
Yum, chicken! Wait, no, that would be pig intestines.
GIANT Buddha statue that Thai people must worship everyday.
This month, Team Wellspring is living and working Phetchabun Rajabhat University in Northern Thailand. We have a fantastic contact this month, Mae. Mae is 28 and an incredible woman of God. Mae became a believer when she was in college. After attending bible school, she felt God calling her back to her hometown of Phetchabun to work as a professor in the English Department at the University and share Christ’s love with the students. Her faith is so amazing and inspiring, especially since she grew up in a Buddhist household. We have LOVED working alongside her this month.
Me & Mae!
The people of Thailand are SO incredibly kind and generous. They may even be—dare I say it??—nicer than southern people. They would give you the shirt off their backs without you even asking. Just a few examples of the generosity of the Thai people:
· During our first weekend, a sweet student gave me her scarf for no reason at all!. 

· My first lunch on campus with the 1st year students, my new friend, Em, bought my lunch!
· Mae’s sweet parents found out we wanted to try mango sticky rice (an DELICIOUS Thai dessert), and they scoured the town to find it for us that same night.
· When I accidentally left my bible in the South Korea airport, Mae generously gave me one of her own bibles to keep. Talk about having a full heart!
My new friends, Em & Sa
We have had a pretty full schedule since we arrived: teaching English classes, running an English camp every weekend, and meeting just about every department and faculty member on campus. Everywhere we go on campus, people shout “Hello! Beautiful!” We are known as the “farak” (pronounced fa-LONG) on campus. I don’t know many Thai words besides “sawa dee ka” (hello), and “kob khun ka” (thank you), but you know you’re a big deal when every other word you hear around you is “farak, farak, farak!” We are basically celebrities. Our next stop isn’t Cambodia, it’s Hollywood!
English Camp
(a.k.a. Where's Waldo: White People Edition)
Nikki & I with our sweet friend, Kay
I am already loving this country. The Asian culture is not so scary after all. Although the people of this country are predominantly Buddhist, I am so excited for all God is doing so far. At our first English Camp, God put it on my heart to share part of my testimony with about 40-ish Thai, students who are Buddhist. Speaking very slowly, assisted by a 3rd-year student as my translator, I spoke of how God had shown me my true identity by relieving me of my shyness and deep-rooted insecurities. I shared about how God placed a boldness and a courage in me that I’ve never known—a boldness to follow Him across the world to love on His children and a boldness to stand up and speak to them! It was such an incredible opportunity and experience, something I’m not sure I would have voluntarily done only a couple of years ago. Through sharing my testimony, God has already opened doors to begin a conversation about Him with one of my new friends. So exciting!
Please pray for more of these conversations. Please pray for our last week in Thailand. Please pray for Christ to shine through us every minute.
Thanks to everyone for fighting in prayer for me and my team!
