Pictures
View pictures from the trip at http://www.flickr.com/groups/wfcthailand.
September 25, 2007
Second (and last) update from Thailand
Wow, this has been an incredible trip. There is no way I could possibly describe all that has occurred during our time in Thailand…. I’ll try. We joined our partner church in Pua, Thailand in hosting a camp for about 50 youth. The camp was called Joshua Camp. Our team led much of the teaching for three days of amazing fellowship, worship, play, campfire and teaching. The culmination of the camp was exciting as several kids made the decision to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This was followed by 15 baptisms in a pond. Amazing, amazing, amazing. We all then spent an hour or so swimming and laughing. Absolute joy.
The next day we went up into the mountains to visit the Hill Tribes. Westside sponsors a small children’s home called Grace House. We now have eighteen girls living there and they are awesome. They are all Hill Tribe kids. We went to the villages that they all grew up in. We met family members and had some of the most wonderful moments. One home, the home of an eleven year old named Mai, was especially wonderful. Mai was baptised on Sunday and she had the opportunity to tell her family about her decision. She is from the Hmong tribe. Her father asked if he could share a few thoughts with us. He said that he was very pleased that she had made this decision and that he is willing to follow her and listen to her as she shares about Jesus. This is huge for any man, to follow his child in her decision and to be willing to learn from her. Apparently this is particularly huge for a Hmong man. Thank you God.
Today was wonderful as we spent the morning at a local school for three hours teaching the kids. Tons of fun and games, with the gospel interwoven in our lessons. The afternoon was spent with a group of 15 teenagers, many of them Christians at Pua Baptist Church. They hosted us and took us around town, some of the ladies on the back of motorcycles. We had a very interesting Thai dinner party that I’m afraid is better experienced than explained. You will have to join us to find out about this one. Unique would be an understatement. Half the group was then engaged in games with side splitting laughter and loud noise. The other half got engaged in a deep spiritual discussion that continues as I am typing. God is alive and well in Thailand and we are so priveleged to experience Him here in a different context.
We also had an exciting meeting with our ministry partners, Saman and Nok Jantawong. How exciting to hear about their plans for the future and how God has inspired them over the last year. The Church is now in a new building…rent free..Wow. They have made an addition to Grace House to accommodate nine more girls and their dreams are big. We are excited to be a part of those dreams. Their dreams..our dreams…God’s dreams.
Pray for our safe return and broken hearts as we leave some of the most beautiful people and incredible children I have ever met. We will see you soon.
In Christ,
Schaun
September 20, 2007
Trip so far
Well we have made it safely to Thailand and are currently staying at AbbaHouse in Chiangmai. Amazing experience. 33 girls, all in danger of the sex slave industry…mostly orphans. beautiful girls and so much fun. We have been teaching them conversational english, but actually they are teaching us nso much more. It has been exciting to travel around ChiangMai, but laso sad to see middle aged european or american men with young Thai girls…young prostitutes.Thank God for ministries like AbbaHouse.
Yesterday was jam packed with a visit to a Christian drug rehab center in the morning.We had an amazing time of worship, sharing testimonies and then playing the most fun games. We laughed a lot. We then took a trip to the highest point in Thailand and visited a temple there. It is so sad seeing people praying to statues and idols and buring incense. It has made our trip here more urgent as we share about the living God. We had lunch at a buddhist university and then took a visit to a Hmong village. We spent the evening doing english lessons with the Abbahouse girls, followed by an amazing worship service. These gilrs can sing…brings tears to your eyes. The evning ended with our debrief and bead ceremony.
We had the most amazing day today. We rode elephants, an ox cart, a river raft and more. Tonight we have a game night with the girls. Tomorrow we head north to Chiang Clang and Saturday we start a Joshua Camp in Pua. We will be spending a few days with the girls from Grace House, the Westside sponsored children’s home. Pray for us please.
God is working amongst our team. The unity is exceptional and we feel called.
Love to all.
Schaun
