Thailand! A beautiful country of generous and hospitable people surrounded by incredible scenery and landmarks. I have been blessed to be able to see these gorgeous creations with my own eyes.
But even beyond that, this month my team is blessed to be staying in our own house, with our own beds, tables and chairs, fans, a refrigerator, tv for watching movies and absolutely amazingly generous and thoughtful hosts who take us around to the amazing sights and adventures that this area has to offer. Our bellies have been kept quite full with delicious Thai and Philippine foods prepared for us. Having all of these amenities is amazing and yet was almost overwhelming at first. It’s not much compared to what any of us have at home but a lot more than what we had gotten used to in Nepal and India. It has really made me appreciate everything that just being born in America has provided me.
This month we have been partnered with Eagle’s Rest Foundation in Phang Nga. Their primary ministry is providing care and respite for pastors from around Asia that would otherwise be in the ministry for years without a break or support. They were hosting a couple from the Philippines that hadn’t ever had a break in the 30 years that they had been serving. I so enjoyed getting to know about them and their ministry in the Philippines. As a team, we had the pleasure of hosing the couple in our house for an evening. We prepared and cooked a meal for he eight of us with a single propane burner, had a time of worship, and all shared a little of our testimonies in a time of fellowship. It was fun and slightly stressful preparing a night of “entertainment” for them but made us appreciate even more what the family team of Eagles Rest does for not only us, but all the missionaries that come through. We have had the opportunity to work construction on a building that will be used as a home for widows and orphans, help do necessary maintenance jobs around their properties, prayer walks in preparation for a festival that starts today, and we put on a two-day children’s program in a sea gypsy village. I have enjoyed everything we have done in ministry and been fortunate enough to experience in our off days. This month has been a good refreshing month for me, not just physically with the amenities we have been blessed with but also emotionally, in being able to really rest and press in deeper with my team and The Lord.
