so far so good

Pattaya city is known for being the sin city of Thailand. All the bad stuff you imagine would probably all be here. Don't worry we didn't stay in Pattaya city, but we did get to see a glimpse of it. One street we drove passed was filled with bars all right next to each other.

We went to an island off of Pattaya city. The island and its beaches were beautiful. How could anyone think that God didn't create this?

We started to go teach English to another poor area near us. It's amazing how God is opening doors of opportunity to share his love. God has been teaching all of our team members through these ministries. One thing God has shown me is to really love these children as much as he does.

W0rld Vision held a Music Day for the slum area. Our team had to dance and sing a song. We danced to 'Making Melodies in my Heart' and sang 'God of this City'.

These girls came to help us out with the World Vision Event. We're so thankful they came to help because we couldn't have done it without them.
Sa Wat Dii Kha!!

My Tuesday and Thursday students who I teach English to. I'm so thankful that I got the chance to meet these wonderful girls. Anne the middle one on the 2nd row invited her friends to come to church. She's an amazing person. When was the last time I invited all my non-Christian friends to church?!

After English class we all got on one Bok Bok and came to eat dinner together.

All 12 of us squeezed in one Bok Bok going to and back from dinner.

On Saturdays from 2 to 4 pm Katie and Erik teaches Guitar and Piano lessons to who ever wants to learn. Katie and Erik are doing an amazing job teaching music to these children.

Saturday morning school for the poor children has been going well. It's a bit frustrating because they don't do well with instruction and listening. On one Saturday we tried to play crab leg race with them and well...it didn't turn out as we expected. They started to go and kick each other. :(

We got the chance get out of Bangkok and go to Lopburi. It toke us 2 and a half hours to get there by train. The train was free for the Thai's. Us foreigners had to pay 22 baht per person. 22 baht is less than 1 US dollar, so it was still pretty cheap.

This kind and loving lady is the lady of the house who hosted us. They don't have much, but they give everything they have to glorify God and use it in their ministry. They are an amazing family who serves the Lord whole hearty...not asking anything in return.

The host family had a Song Thao so he toke all of us around the country side for free. :)

We got the chance to go to see the rural poor area. All the houses on that road was one room made out of sheets of metal. It was such a sad sight to see.

The countryside of Lopburi. Open areas, clear skies, and fresh air!

We got the chance to check out the monkey temple in downtown Lopburi. The monkeys were free to do and roam where ever they want to.

While in Lopburi we witness 2 people come to accept Christ, Jack and a grandma. God is so good and faithful! Please pray for these 2 new believers. Pray that it will be planted in good soil and that they will strengthen their relationship with Christ. Pray that God will send them mentors to help and guide them along.

Ask, and It Will Be Given

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? -Matthew 7:7-10

One of my prayers, at the beginning of this trip was for God to reveal at least one Hmong person to me. Did he do that? Yes, he did that and more. I met the first two Hmong guys at Baptist Bible College in Bangkok. It was amazing because God not only blessed me with one Hmong person, but two! Both are the only Christian in their household and are serving the Lord with all they have.

On the first Sunday at Ban Suan Church, God blessed me another Hmong person. There I met a Hmong grandma who came to hear the word. She is the only one in her family who is a Christian and loves Jesus a lot! She lives with her nephew selling fried chicken and babysitting. After church, she invited me and Brian to visit her sister's house down the road. They welcomed us whole hearty and asked us about life in the States and all. I also got the opportunity to talk and hear about their life here in Thailand. The grandma's sister said she use to be a christian, but she married her husband and she followed his religion (it was some Thai word I couldn't understand). I told the grandma that she should encourage her sister to come to church to find rest and peace.

The next Sunday at Ban Suan church I got the opportunity to meet a Hmong family who use to come to Ban Suan church. When we started to talk he told me that him and his family are in the process of going to America. He said that his relative came to talk with him the other day to finalize everything and they should be leaving soon to America within 3 months. I asked him where he was going and he told me that a church in Georgia is sponsoring him so he's going there. He then starts to show me the address of the Church and his relative and well, it was no other than Pastor Thai Her. It's crazy of how small this world is. I told him that I know Pastor Thai Her and that I've been to the church and all. I also got to talk and play with his son who is about 6 or 7 years old (He doesn't know how old he is). This little boy knows more Hmong and Thai than I do. He is fluent in both language and is about to become fluent in English too. That's crazy awesome!

Saturday Bible Study

There has been much that has happened in Thailand and so much to say that I don't know where to start. Bear with me as it's late and don't know where it would lead me.

In Thailand, we do a lot of walking around and I've noticed that there a lot of children from the poor area roaming or playing on the streets by themselves or with a group of children. There's barely any parent or guardian supervision. A lot of the children are from broken families who struggle with addiction, finances, work, and etc. I just want to pour my love on them and do so much for them, but I could only do so little.

This is one of the reasons why Ban Suan church has Saturday bible study in the mornings from 10 till 12 am. This past Saturday, my teammates (Erik, Ted, and Katie) and I was told to prepare bible study, but we didn't know what age group it was for and we figured it was for teenagers or young adults. To our surprise, when we got there...there was children scattered everywhere inside the church playing with toys. We found out that we were suppose to prepare bible study for the children living in the poor area. That morning was a hectic morning, everything was all over the place and to add on top of that the children barely listened to us. When Ted tried to read Jonah and the Whale to them, but only a few kids listened while the rest were off talking, messing, and giggling off in another corner. It was hard trying to get them to listen and get them to understand, they just simply did not want to listen to us at all. It was a blessing that we had a volunteered there who came and helped us. She explained to me that a lot of children go play video games to escape the family fights, struggle, argument, and etc. so this program is a bridge to help them.

I asked the volunteer (I forgot her name), how long Ban Suan has had this Saturday program and she said they've had it for years now. She has seen a lot of children come and go. Usually, when they hit their teenage years they fall into prostitution, work, worldly things, and etc. so they don't return back to church. It's sad to hear that some didn't find Christ while they were there and has gone the opposite way. I hope and pray that the seeds they have planted would take root and that some day they will return back to Ban Suan church or any other church and find Christ.

Even though Ban Suan church has seen a lot of children come and go, there are still some if very little that the seed was planted, watered, and God increased them. One of these few people is Anne who is 16 years old and is one of my student who I teach english to. I was told she attended Saturday bible study since she was a child and even started to go to church on Sundays too. She accepted Christ and wanted to get baptize this year, but her mother and brother forbid her not to. Her mother and brother are buddhist and did not want her to convert. I was also told that her brother has even made her stop coming to church on Sundays. God is so good though, he made a way where Anne could come to church. (This is where God is using our team as a vessel for him :) ) Since we are doing english lessons, she has an excuse now to come to church without getting in trouble. Isn't God great?! That's not the only thing...she has even told and invited her friends about the english lessons offered at Ban Suan church. So all of the students in my class on Tuesdays and Thursdays is Anne and her 8 friends.

One thing that broke and made my heart sing was last Thursday. I met Anne and her friends for the first time that day. We had gone around and introduced ourselves by saying our name, what we like, and what we want to do for the rest of our life. This is what Anne said, "My nickname is Anne, I like to watch Television, and I want to come here (to Ban Suan church) for the rest of my life." I could see it in her eyes that that statement meant so much for her when she said it. I didn't know Anne nor her story at the time so it didn't hit me until Pee Mali told me about her life story. Wow, God is amazing and it's incredible to see Him at work.

Prayer Request

-For Saturday Bible study. Pray that more children would come and hear the word of God. May they find rest, hope, peace, and life there. May God use us as vessels to further His kingdom. My our team have wisdom and understanding along with patience. :)

-For the leaders at Ban Suan Church. May they continue to serve the Lord and bring many more people to know the Lord. Pray that the Lord will give them strength and guidance.

-Pray for Anne. Pray that she will continue to seek the Lord with all her heart. Pray that she will be strong and courageous and not be discouraged. Pray that she will grow more in Him and she sees that God has a wonderful plan in store for her.

-Pray for Anne's family. Pray that they will find and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Pray that they will let Anne go to church on Sundays.