Southeast Asia Mission Trip

photo credit: Alex Block

A year ago I started school at Christ For The Nations Institute.  I chose a journal that was a gift from my friend Crystal to document my experience while at CFNI.  I knew big things were going to happen because God sent me to this school, away from my comfort zone, to strengthen me spiritually.

For my first journal entry I wrote, "I want these next 3 years to strengthen me so I can go + be sent out to the nations".  That following summer, I, along with 23 other students, went out into the mission field in Southeast Asia.  Please read my entry "Wise Owl" to see how God led me to go on this destined trip.  In that blog, I talked about how God left me an owl feather on the ground on a day when I was overwhelmed about my future.  This owl feather was a symbol that God was still with me and to trust Him while I'm on the path that He led me on.  I also realized this feather is similar to the cover of my journal.  On the cover reads, "He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge".

Our Team

I did not know my team members very well before the trip but told myself this trip is not about my comfort.  God has chosen each individual and they all have a reason and purpose to serve.  We had met once a week for months to prepare.  I was still anxious and had "fear of the unknown".  However, I was at peace with going, remembering God's words for me to go.  

I thank my cousin Charles for waking up early to take me to school on our departure day.  (And for picking me up after the trip!)  We flew 14 hours to Doha and then 7 hours to Thailand.  We had a little hiccup at the Bangkok airport with no transportation to our hotel but God answered our prayers and we were able to safely arrive and stayed overnight.  The flights were very long and I envied my teammate Pamela who sat next to me and slept the entire time!  I can not sleep very well on flights but did get to enjoy a great conversation with my other teammate, Ethan.  It was a pleasure to get to know him and hear about his life in Oregon.

Ham helping me pack.

Thank you to my cousin Charles for taking me to school and picking me up from the airport!

My roommate for the trip Nichole and I hearting Thailand.

our team.

a lot of luggage.

and here we go with the selfie stick...

our home for the next 14 hours.

Snuggled between Pam and Ethan.

When we arrived in Bangkok, we checked into the hotel and then went to the mall to stretch our legs and eat dinner.  The mall in Bangkok was huge and I enjoyed hanging out with the girls on our trip.  I bought these animal moisturizing masks so we could wear them later that evening in our room.

Bangkok mall after two long flights.
left to right: Kim, Miriam, Yui, Sarah, me, Nichole

animal moisturizing face masks.

not quite as we expected but a fun experience.
left to right: Yui, me, Kim, Sarah, Nichole

Arrive in Chiang Rai

Our stay in Bangkok was short but we were grateful for a chance to sleep in beds.  We were all so tired from traveling the past two days that most of us were asleep by 7pm!  We had to get up at 3am for our flight to Chiang Rai.  Once we arrived at the airport, we were greeted by the organization, Asian Mission Outreach.  They made us feel so welcomed!  Our team left the airport riding in songthaews.  Meaning "two rows", these converted pick up trucks are popular modes of public transportation in Thailand.  We arrived and unloaded at our hotel and then headed to their base where we were oriented to the schedule for the next few days.  I was very impressed with how organized and down to the minute their schedule was.  They also did a great job with teaching us about the culture and etiquette.  For example, it is rude to show the sole of your feet and you can not point with your feet.  To say hello in Thai if you're a woman is "Sawadee Ka" and for a man it is "Sawadee Krap". 

AMO greets our Asia Impact team. 
photo credit: Justin Jorell San Agustin 



Riding in the songthaew.

Jordan opting for the open feel.

We arrived at our hotel!

sweet welcome treats by AMO

Asian Mission Outreach Foundation

pizza lunch!

Headed to the mall for dinner.  Ahtziri enjoying the ride.

You pick your ingredients for dessert.

My concoction.

Sunday Ministry in Thai Churches

Our team split into groups for multiple church outreach.  Team members Elizabeth, Ryan, Sarah, and I stayed in town at AMO's base for church service led by Bishop Ariel who is also founder of AMO.  Elizabeth preached the story of Naaman to the church body while Sarah and I had bible study with the children.  I have been preparing and anticipating this day.  I have never taught a bible lesson to children before and was quite nervous.  I have to give a HUGE thank you to Shellie and Billy Summers for helping me choose the story of Gideon and writing the lesson.  The day went very well!  The children were engaged and I had a great translator and AMO member to assist me.   

Our translator Gao with Sarah and me.

Crafts following the story.

AMO member Chelsea was with Sarah and me during the school outreaches.  She was so helpful, sweet, and is greatly missed!

Love without Borders

After service, we traveled to a closed country.  This country is not yet fully open to the gospel so for protection, I can not discuss in detail.  I can say our time there was very fruitful, with doors opening and the people were grateful for our visit.  Please pray for continued relationship and for them to receive the love and light.

Thai School ministry

We arrived back in Chiang Rai a couple days later and continued preparation for the Thai schools.  Select members of our group had a drama presentation and all of us had to practice two dances as openers for the school.  That evening we were able to go to the street market and get some delicious treats.

Drama practice.  Nathan portraying Jesus.  The girls are the demons.

Yui plays a model battling self esteem issues. 

Night market!

Beautiful music.

This ice cream was amazing.  Coconut and mango with coconut jelly and milk.  Nichole shows us a priority especially in the hot weather... WATER!

   The next morning we visited our first school to teach 300 children English.  I was nervous to teach for the first time.  We started by introducing ourselves, dancing, playing games, Elizabeth gave a motivational speech, and then we had a morning break before splitting into classrooms.  While I was leading the children to class, my nice line formation went chaotic because the children saw a snake!  What a way to start my first class day!  Before each child entered the classroom, they had to remove their shoes.  Nichole and I taught 4th graders.  Our lesson was teaching about individuals in a family such as "mother" and "father".  AMO provided the lessons for us and AMO member Chelsea was a huge help in class.  We also took the children outside for a fun learning activity.  After lunch, we went to another classroom and taught the children how to tell time.

photo credit: Justin Jorell San Agustin

Argentinian couple Emilia and Ivan.

Emilia getting affection from a student.

Nichole and I acting out family roles.
photo credit: Justin Jorell San Agustin

Our morning class.

Delicious snack.  Coffee with jello squares and coconut flakes.  The consistency is more dense than American jello.

Afternoon lesson teaching time.

Our afternoon class.

       Cat Café

That evening I got to visit my first cat café.  You walk into the café, drink your coffee, study, hang out and many cute cats lounge around and snuggle with you.  Some were quite playful.  I love animals so this was a nice treat.

Morgan, Faith, and Shayna enjoying the cat café.

Morgan and kitty.

Shayna is smitten.

The Father's Love

We continued teaching for the next two days at different schools. Feeling more comfortable with the lesson plan, Nichole and I came up with fun learning activities.  In one class, the kids enjoyed a game where two of them would race to me and the fastest one would answer a question about the lesson.  At the end of our day, the classes would gather in the main room and Bishop Ariel would share some words with the students.  He told the students we were there because we loved them.  He told them the children could invite God into their hearts.  And he also told them we were there to hug and hold them if they missed their mother or father.  As I looked out at the children, I could see some of them start to cry.  After Bishop Ariel was finished with the alter call, our team walked out to the children who were crying and hugged them.  There were also children who seemed like they were doing ok but as soon as you embraced them, they would break down in your arms.

The school.

All the shoes.

Left to right: Ivan, AMO member Mae, Elizabeth, Emilia

The kids loved the relay race.

We asked them to draw a picture of their family.

Nichole and my class for the morning.

The little girl was one of our translators.

Kim sharing a motivational speech.

 

Bishop Ariel hugging two of the children.

Daniel and student.

Pamela praying over a girl.

Emilia with student.

Morgan and Nichole.

Miriam with the girls.

Shelby with student.

More school outreaches and a Youth Talent Show

We had many school outreaches in Thailand and I have to say I have much respect for teachers.  It was my first time to teach and I was worried about keeping the attention of the students and also being able to teach them.  AMO did such a great job with giving us lesson plans and a big THANK YOU to AMO Chelsea for helping Nichole and me in the classrooms.  I was impressed with how obedient the children were in the Thai schools.  I felt they were very attentive, especially during our dramas.  At one school, I gave a motivational talk about being comfortable in your own shoes instead of trying to be like other people.  (I was inspired to give this talk after seeing Nichole's pile of shoes in our hotel room, haha.)  I honestly felt every child in the room was quiet and focused on my message.  Friday evening, we went back to AMO base and helped with the Talent Fair.  This was an event where children and young adults from the community were invited to come and participate in free music lessons, English booth, photo booth, and baking/coffee lessons.      

The kids loved cheering during the game activity.  The boys were currently winning the game.

Now the girls are winning.

Ryan being silly.

Our team's drama.
left to right: Kim, Cali, Yui, Sarah, Merari, Ahtziri, Emilia

The children were so focused on the drama.

Snack break before we taught the preschoolers.

Head shoulders knees and toes!

Nichole and my preschooler class.

Photo booth at the Youth Talent Show.

Ryan, Ethan, Elizabeth at the music station.
photo credit: Kim Pena

English station. Sarah, Yui, and Morgan help the youth practice English.
photo credit: Kim Pena

Nichole, Jordan, and Cali at the baking and coffee station.
photo credit: Kim Pena

Elizabeth serving dinner.
photo credit: Kim Pena

photo credit: Kim Pena

Miriam, Bishop Ariel, and me.
photo credit: Justin Jorell San Agustin

Mountain Orphanage and Home School.

We drove up a mountain to visit an orphanage.  The drive had some spectacular views.  There was a moment when our driver got lost so we prayed and ultimately found our way.  We taught the children a Holy Spirit song, performed a Pentecost drama, served them lunch, and gifted them with a monetary donation and hygiene essentials.  The man in charge of the orphanage was so grateful.  He has a love for children and currently cares for 60 orphans in his home.  I wish we had more time here.

On a different day, we went to a home to teach.  I really enjoyed this outreach.  We went to a woman's home who hosted AMO coming to teach the neighborhood children at her house.  Our team taught English, played games, and performed the drama of the lost sheep parable.  

The house. 

Ethan teaching a lesson.

I was the lost sheep and Ethan was the shepherd.



The house owner was a cat person.  So is Shayna.

Finger painting.

Pamela laying the drawings out to dry.

Mountain orphanage

Merari and child.

During our trip, we spent a Sunday ministering at a church in a country that is newly opened to the gospel.  We were advised to not post pictures so I will not post specifics.  Elizabeth shared the story of Naaman and after service, the church served us a filling noodle lunch.  As we walked back out of the church, we saw a long line of Buddhist monks making the morning alms round.  Walking barefoot and carrying a bowl, the monks receive rice and food from the community. They will then carry the food back to the temple so they can divide and share the food. 

We also visited an orphanage before returning to Thailand.  Our team taught bible study and prepared lunch for the children. 

CFNI and AMO team at church.

Free Day!

We were so grateful to have a free day to rest and recharge.  We visited Singha Park and rented bikes.  The park was beautiful!

My first time on a tandem bike.  My bike mate, Nichole.

Longhorns!

Ahtziri feeding the giraffe.

Nichole with the zebras.

photo credit: Justin Jorell San Agustin

Malaysia

Our last country to minister in was Malaysia.  We flew to Penang and had a day to rest.  Our team visited the beach and had some fun together. 

View from our hotel room.

This was a family sitting next to me.  The little boy loved looking at his dad! 

Paulo from Brazil.

left to right: Yui, me, Paulo, Cali, Elizabeth, Nathan, Ryan, Merari, Shelby



Group dinner.

Malaysia is mostly Muslim.

Malaysia Outreaches

In Malaysia, we really had to watch what we said because it is not allowed for non-Muslims to preach to Muslims.  The first place we visited was the House of Hope, a non-profit organization helping underprivileged families regardless of race, gender, politics or religion.

House of Hope.

Team member Kim tried the entire time we were there to make this little boy smile.  He finally did!

 

For the next three days in Malaysia, we traveled a good distance through the mountains to visit churches of the Orang Asli tribe.  A few of us preached at the churches.  The churches we went to were not like the mega churches here in Dallas.  It was just one room and people sat on the floor after removing their shoes.  Some thing I did for the first time was lay hands on people and them falling down in the Spirit.  The pastor would ask people to come up who needed healing.  Our team was there to pray over them.  One by one, the villagers were falling down.  It was incredible.  The Holy Spirit is so powerful and He works through us to heal others.  The last day in Malaysia was one of the highlights for me.  Sixteen villagers got baptized in the river.

Laying hands on the villagers.

After this woman fell in the spirit, she stood up and embraced Sarah.

Yui hugging a child.

Jordan and Miriam praying over children.

Sharing my testimony.

Cali sharing her testimony.

Morgan preaching.

Ivan sharing the Word.

Walking to the river for baptisms.

Ivan and Ethan baptizing a villager.

The Orang Asli villagers who were baptized.

    

I'd like to thank the leadership of this mission trip.  Thank you for preparing us and guiding us on the mission field.  If you would like to serve overseas in Southeast Asia, please contact Asian Mission Organization.  I can not say enough good things about them.  They also have a missionary training program.