Week 4
This week I marked the milestone of living in Thailand for one month! I still have trouble believing that I am here. I am amazed that God has answered my prayer and desire to serve here.
I am currently writing to you from Bangkok. I was supposed to go to Vietnam for a short visa run but had visa trouble. The trouble is that Americans cannot enter Vietnam without an arrival visa. No worries though, I was able to travel to Bangkok a few days earlier to surprise my friend. My team and I will look at visa run options for the end of October.
It has been a joy to join my friend and spend quality time together. I joined her for outreach on a campus in Bangkok. I was amazed to watch her share the Gospel in Thai with a student. I have enjoyed seeing my friend love and serve our Lord. We are both excited to celebrate a mutual friend’s baptism this weekend.
Ministry
I have enjoyed getting to know the families with OMF. Last week when my roommate and I were working at a coffee shop when a few middle school girls we have come to know joined us. It was such a blessing that they decided to sit and chat with us.
We had a retreat this previous weekend for families in Northen Thailand. We had about 15 children from ages 2 to 14. Our team put on a mini VBS for these kids, along with some pool time, which the children enjoyed (so did I). There was one five year old girl who struggled to join because English was her second language. She was very sweet but it was hard for her to understand what was going on. Even though it was hard for her, she still asked me to read a children’s Bible to her in English. She was glued to every page and word, and as I read the closer she got. I did my best to point out the pictures that corresponded with the words. She even taught me a few words in Dutch! This was such a sweet moment for me and I am grateful the Lord gave me the opportunity to love her like this. Another moment was when this 6 year old boy requested that we pray for the flooding in Thailand. When he prayed, he first thanked God for the rain and its nourishment to the earth. I was in awe of the spiritual maturity of this boy. He also prayed for his 4 year old sister with the kindest words. Who knew a 6 year old can teach you how to pray?
Coming up this month, our team will be working with many families doing home school support. We will also be preparing for a few craft weekends for missionary children.
My team leader reached out to me to join an international school’s retreat for families with children who have disabilities. I am so eager to work with these families and children. This will be a 3 day retreat and I will be paired with a student with a disability. I am so excited to use my talents, gifts, and education to serve the Lord in this way.
Prayer Requests
- Pray that the Lord guides my steps daily
- Pray that I will be open and obedient to any future mission or ministry work the Lord may call me to
- Pray that I will rest in the Lord’s plan for my life
- Pray that the Lord will relieve any anxiety about reentry
- Praise God for extra time with dear friends in Bangkok
- Pray for energy as I serve at a this disability camp
- Pray for the children who will attend the upcoming craft weekend
- Praise God for the joy we were able to provide the children during the conference
- Pray for the 5 year old girl as she navigates living in Thailand and learning English
- Pray for an university student to receive the Gospel and put her faith in Jesus
- Pray for my friend as she is stepping into a leadership role in her ministry