Hey everyone, this blog is primarily information because I haven’t checked in recently. Here are a few updates:
- I am only $281.71 away from being fully funded! All the glory goes to God for providing this money for my race, but I am so thankful to all of you who have been instruments in how he provided that money. Thank you!
- My squad arrived Sunday to Pattaya, Thailand for our debrief week. This time includes some rest and relaxation to give us a bit of a break. We also really get to recharge our spiritual batteries with evening worship sessions, 1 on 1 meetings with our squad mentors and squad parents, who have flown in to spend the week with us, and meetings to prepare us for the month and ministries ahead.
- This week we will have some team changes again. With “Manistry” month ending, there is some automatic team changes that have to occur to integrate the men back into the teams. There will also be changes because our current squad leaders go home at the end of next month, and so they are raising up new squad leaders to take their place. That will also contribute to the need for moving people around a bit. With that said, change is often hard, and I will be sad to leave my Team Remnant, if that becomes the case as I believe it will. Please be in prayer for new teams as these changes occur.
- Being in Thailand, we are exposed to a new culture. This culture is full of beauty and interesting things to see and learn. I’ve already learned how to say hello, what is your name, how are you?, and thank you. I’ve had my first foot massage ever (for only $3), and have already become accustomed to greeting people by putting my hands together in front of my face with a little bow and taking off my shoes before entering houses or shops. But, just like other cultures, there is also MUCH darkness in Thailand. We are in a location full of sexual perversion, idolatry, and bondage. Every night we see young Thai women, dressed in almost nothing, walking the streets or hanging out in bars with older, normally white, males who see them as nothing more than an hour’s worth of physical pleasure. Buddhist cab drivers and restaurant owners and souvenir shops display tiny idol statues. The women of our group have been asked to walk with our men at night, not for our safety’s sake, as has been the case in previous countries, but for the men’s sake so that prostitutes will view them as “occupied” and not bother them. Satan has a strong foothold here, and so although we are not technically in ministry yet for the month, we are already seeing some of the things we will be dealing with.
- Lastly-my birthday is tomorrow (the 6th)! My current team, Remnant has made plans for lunch together and I’m thinking another foot massage sounds like a great birthday treat 🙂 Maybe an iced-green-tea smoothie as well.
Blessings and prayers for all my loved ones at home,
Teresa
