One Month=Somewhat of a Routine!
Wow! Can you believe it, just two days will mark one month of living in Bangkok! Things have been going well. I have began somewhat of a routine, waking up every morning at 6 am to get ready and leave by 6:30 to make it to school by 8 am. I take a bus the main road right outside my community to the skytrain, which is called BTS here. Then I walk just a little bit to my Thai language school, which lasts four hours from 8 am to 12 pm. After school, on Mondays and Fridays, I go back to my community or run random errands; on Wednesdays-Thursdays, I have meetings that last until the evening. Some... Read more
WANTED
I’ll be honest; before I came to Bangkok I was afraid I would be unwanted and unloved here. It was a HUGE concern of mine. After all, I came from an extremely loving home, and by all standards I had it all. I had a great relationship with my family, I had friends who would always go the extra mile for me, I had open doors in several ministries, and I was surrounded by a church family that both challenged and poured into me (I haven’t lost any of these blessings in the long run, but I’m letting God hold these relationships in His hand while I’m abroad). The icing on the cake was I lived in... Read more
From Texas to Turkey
After over a year of praying, thinking and seeking direction, and then another 4 months of partnership development, I am finally in Istanbul! It seems like I have been talking and thinking about this city forever, and now that I am here it almost doesn’t feel real. The pre-going part of my journey was a walk of faith in and of itself and makes me even more excited for what lies ahead. God’s provision for me during the summer of partnership development and CPA exam studying was extraordinary, and I have full confidence in where He has me for this season of my life. I arrived early October... Read more
Changing Lenses
If I’m being completely honest with you, prior to my first month in Thailand I never really thought much about the poor. In fact, I could almost say that I made efforts to stay away from “them”. Typically I would make up some excuse to justify my lack of care towards the poor, “I can’t relate to them, I’ve never been poor” or “They’re going to judge me for the wealth that I do have.” These were serious thoughts that I remember intentionally having. This wasn’t always the case though. There were the times that I experienced poverty first hand, like on my trips to El Salvador and Haiti. I... Read more
447
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” - C. S. Lewis To say that I have learned things this summer is an understatement.... Read more
I am poor.
My flip flop broke yesterday. I looked down and noticed yet another ripped hole in my t-shirt. My appearance is anything but nice and put together. Usually I don’t notice. Usually it doesn’t bother me. I do my thing and rock my “slum look” without a second thought. Stains on my shirts from who knows what. Rips in my jeans. Patches sewn on top of patches to cover up the holes. My mother would have a fit. (And if you’re reading this mom, consider this a mini-warning of what you’ll see when you come visit me). The other day, I made a trip downtown to visit a friend who works in a ministry closer... Read more
Bowl of Spaghetti
“More loose ends than a bowl full of spaghetti.” I told my friend as she asked how I was doing with getting things wrapped up before I leave. It is overwhelming to look at that much confusion, knowing I need to make sense of it before I leave the USA for two years. That said, it has been a roller coaster ride of highs and lows as I've been preparing to go. I spent most of the summer meeting with friends and family to explain what I was doing, where I was going, and inviting them to partner with me prayerfully and financially. Since I am not terribly outgoing, the adventure started then for me... Read more
Be Ready!
A lot of "see ya laters" were said in the past week. Even though I didn't cry in anyone's presence while saying good-byes, the tears began to flow in car rides and boarding the plane. From the depths of my heart I want to say thank-you and that I appreciate all of you! Words cannot express my thankfulness and the encouragement that you give me, to keep doing what I’m doing! A little less than a week ago, I was boarding a plane and saying good-bye to my family. It was a very hard thing to do, but I was reminded of what this would’ve been like for the disciples following Jesus. They didn’t have... Read more
We all have a story
There was once a man named Jesus walking with a very large crowd following him. In the crowd was a woman who had been very sick for twelve years, she had gone to many doctors but nothing had made her better, in fact, she had gotten worse. She had heard of Jesus and said "if i ever touch his clothes I will be made well" and so she went to where he was and while in the crowd touched his clothes. Immediately her disease stopped and she knew she was healed. Jesus, feeling the power leave his body turned around to see who had done it and said, "who touched my clothing?" But the disciples said, "... Read more