The First of Many New Ventures: Grasshoppers, ATL, Thai Massages, and Street Workers
Hey everyone! Sorry it has taken me a little while to post again. It has been quite the journey since leaving the United States a little under two weeks ago. God has moved and God has shifted. The air is different. Stunningly different. Training camp is completed and launch is underway. Through the course of this blog I want to simply share some of my experiences and the heart of the Most Beautiful. He has big plans for Chiang Mai and He has shown His heart for the Thai people and the Fusion team in such a short time. He is faithful. He has shown His heart for me. He is confirming and He is whispering with such vigor. I thought it would be fun to break my journey into smaller pieces and experiences, so here goes! It’s a little long, so hang with me…the adventure has only begun.
Airport Excursions: My journey to Chiang Mai began at about 4:45 am, December 31st. From here I departed to Atlanta and moved onto San Fran where my team spent the night in the airport getting to chat, see one another for the first time, and test out our sleeping pads. Side note, California is beautiful! I hope to visit again one day. From here, we hopped on a 14 hour plane ride to China, another 3 hour plane ride to Thailand, and a final 8 hour bus ride to Chiang Mai. Jesus has been revealing that it’s not always about the destination, but rather about the journey. This is the beginning of a beautiful journey.
Zion Café: While in Thailand, we are being hosted at a beautiful café known as Zion Café. It is a super cute bed and breakfast where we have had the blessing of our own beds some nights and the blessing of intense sleeping community other nights. We have had sermons here, a few showers (emphasis on the few haha), and better learned how to serve. The workers here are lights and we are treated with such hospitality and grace. The owner is a vibrant Thai woman with a heart for the city of Chiang Mai. She rescues women in need of jobs and love and shares Jesus with them through all of her actions. This place is a blessing and a hub for community!
The Eubanks Residence and Free Burma Rangers: So after a little while at Zion, we moved into training camp-out into the mountains of Chiang Mai, at the home of David and Karen Eubank. The Eubank family is an extension of Gods kingdom, of being obedient and of utter abandonment. David Eubank is the founder of Free Burma Rangers, a love squad of people who have a heart for justice and hope. A Free Burma Ranger goes out into the country of Burma and rescues those who are oppressed. They run into the battle and find ways to help the helpless. They are the hands and feet of Jesus and they opened up their whole property to over 25 people. While there, we camped outside, “lost our packs”, assembled a tent blind-folded and dug deep! I worshiped with dance, prayed hard prayers, received encouragement, and was FREED! I was freed! I will be writing about this in another blog but I had to share. Jesus has been revealing that in order to truly experience more, we have to abandon more. It’s that simple.
Grasshoppers: I ate a grasshopper. Yes, a grasshopper. It tasted like a stale chip with a bad aftertaste but I did it. How often are you in Thailand and can eat a grasshopper? Jesus has been revealing so often that it’s about being in the moment. Venture outside of your comfort zone and know that Jesus loves to simply have fun with you. You were made to have joy and smile, He cares about the little things.
ATL: Not quite Atlanta, but rather Asking The Lord. ATL-ing is a concept that I am familiar with in regards to the process but growing in, in regards to daily seeking. When you ATL, you ask the Lord for someone or something on His heart. He gives you clues. You get to treasure hunt. You get to share Him. It’s an invigorating experience. A few of the stories I have left in this blog have to do with ATL-ing, but in essence, you trust the Holy Spirit to speak and God reveals. Jesus wants to take us closer and deeper.
Thai Massages: Crazy awesome massages where your body bends in ways you never knew possible. So as part of team-time, with my team The LOVE Rangers, we went and got Thai massages. Before doing so, and as a staple in growing our hearts, we pray before doing mostly anything. I love it! When praying, we asked God to reveal what was on His heart. We got the following: fish, baskets, the color purple, a mother in need of knowing and being reminded of God’s love, a bagel shaped object, and flowers. Little did you know, the Thai massage place had flowers on the front, fish paintings on the wall-as well as baskets, the owner was dressed in all purple, the bathroom mirror was bagel-shaped, and there were many women and mothers in need of God’s love. So after an hour of relaxation and a little pain, we asked to pray. Through Jesus and translating, we prayed. We prayed for love to fall, for love to fill their hearts and for them to know that they were loved. Tears were welling and little did you know, they knew the owner of the café we were staying at and when we later walked by, the owner of the massage place was praying again. God moved. God shifted the air. God is revealing more.
Street Workers: So while one our way to church one morning, or while on our way to getting lost one morning, God spoke to my heart. He wanted me to buy a bottle of water; not for me, but for a servant. A simple bottle of water. So after not being able to find our church and exploring the city more, we headed back to Zion. We were almost to the café when I saw her. The servant woman God was asking me to give the water to. I had a squad-mate join me in walking towards her, the buddy system is always a must on the Race. I also love this. So we crossed the street and walk up to a woman. She was tired and sweating, sweeping and working hard, and as I approached her with the water she opened her hands. She put her hands together in gratitude and said thank you. She said she was thirsty. We all smiled. Although we could not speak much Thai, or her much English, we asked her name. Her name was Peace. We were able to pray for her. We held her hands, dirty from cleaning the streets of Chiang Mai and she bowed her head. When the prayer was over she touched her head. I really do believe God touched her there, for in the Thai culture the head is sacred. But as she kneeled down with us, touching her head as she had almost been hit, I smiled because I know God was touching her. Little did I know, my teammate had also been praying an ATL prayer and a person of peace was revealed to her-Peace was the woman we talked to. The woman of peace was indeed named Peace.
These are only a few of the incredible memories I have had so far on the Race. God is beckoning me deeper. He has more in store, more in store for the world and more in store for my heart. He is solidifying my identity and helping me to never lean on the words of people, but Him solely. He is dancing with me. He is freeing me. He is moving. He wants us to drink from His living water and give drinks to the thirsty.
Thank you all so much for your hearts and I am grateful for each donor, prayer warrior, encouraging spirit, friend and family member on this journey with me. The body of Christ is stunning and we all get to be a part of it as a child of The Most Beautiful Father!
-V
Gods heart is stunning. Seek it out!
“Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me.”
Jesus further goes onto say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me”. (Matthew 25: 34-36, 40)
