Another trip to Thailand? Yes! Our Midwest Team of 8 blasted out of “the storm of the decade” February 2, 2011 to the exotic Land of Smiles. Six of us waited an extra day in Bangkok (BKK), Kim, Lynette, Loretta, Judy, Mark and Ron, for the remaining two teammates from Indiana, Anna and Catherine. While airports were shutting down across the Midwest, doors were opening in Thailand for adventures with God!

After all the birds were in the nest, we left BKK early Sat morning for the seven hour drive north to Mae Sot, located along the border of Burma. Mae Sot’s population of 200,000 includes Thai, Burmese and Karen. Upon arriving there we met up with our host missionaries for the outreach, Neill and Diana Gilbert. The Gilberts have lived in Thailand seven years and work with Pastor Somphon “John” Sriwichai and the Mae Sot Foursquare Church. After settling in, our team geared up for a visit to Home of Hope, an orphanage for 22 Thai children. Our main focus for the night was the Bible story about a commander of the army for Aram, Naaman, who had leprosy and the captive slave girl who told him about the man of God, Elisha, who could heal him. The children helped us act out the story wearing costumes.

After church on Sunday we visited the construction site of the future Home of Hope building. It was disheartening to see that there had been little progress in the last year. In addition to this, a shanty town had sprung up on the site. We decided to pray and recommit the land and future of Home of Hope to the Lord.

On Monday we did a day program at ELPIS, which is a school for Burmese refugees. The younger children made puppets and followed along with the story of Queen Ester, a young orphan girl exiled from Israel, who grew up to become Queen Ester. When a plot to eradicate her people was discovered, Queen Ester appealed to the king and saved the exiled Jews from destruction. We finished our day with sports and candy!

While most of our team was busy with ELPIS, another part of our team was getting blankets, hooded jackets and other children’s clothing ready for our trip to the Hill Tribes to visit the Karen people. They also worked on getting other supplies we would need for our two nights and three day adventure in the mountains. In preparation for our time in the Hill Tribes, our team packed bags and bedrolls. Then we had a communion service together. We read scripture, sang songs and prayed. Only God knew what He had in store for the Karen people, our translators, cooks, and team.

In the morning we headed out in over packed trucks that can handle the rugged terrain of the drive. At the base of the mountain we stopped at Pastor Pra Phon’s home. On his property are girl’s and boy’s buildings, which they call a hostel. This ministry provides room and board for children of the Hill Tribes that want to go to school. We met our cook and translators, three young women who live at the hostel. There was also a fourteen year old girl with a special smile, who we will call Naomi. She would lead us all to the second village, which is her home.

The first village, called Huai Maeng Bong had 54 families and is located 80 minutes north of Mae Sot. We met the families that would host us and ate a “take out” lunch wrapped up in banana leaves. Going green is apparently an old idea in Thailand. Helping Pastor John and the Midwest 8 Team was Pastor Dear, also from Mae Sot Foursquare Church. He plays the guitar and helps with sound and light equipment, translates, and anything else needed. Our host missionary, Neill, came with us and lent a hand in many ways, including advice on being culturally sensitive.

During the afternoon we walked around the village and introduced ourselves to the families. Some of us brought pictures so we could show what our life in America is like. We had translators, sometimes going from English to Thai to Karen. We got to learn about their lives and they asked us questions. Before going to the next home we invited them to the evening program.

The outdoor evening program opened with a “friend” from Kim’s dentist office. Mr. Mouth was a great hit with the children and adults as he talked about how important dental hygiene is and demonstrated how to properly brush. Up in the Hill Tribes it is too hard to get toothpaste, however, we found out that salt is a good substitute, so we gave away salt along with the toothbrushes. That evening we also sang songs and Loretta gave her testimony of God’s saving grace possible through the gift of Jesus Christ. She explained how Jesus paid the price of his shed blood to buy us back from sin and eternal death. Judy helped Loretta by holding up one of the picture flip charts we had brought. Then we began acting out the story of Namaan with the little girl that was captured from Israel. This girl became a Little Light of God as she explained to Namaan’s wife about the prophet of God, Elisha, who could heal Namaan from the wicked disease of leprosy. Pastor Pra Phon translated from English to Karen with Pastor John and Pastor Dear assisting. After the story, Pastor John gave the message of new life with God through Jesus Christ. An estimate of people that came forward for prayer for salvation and other needs: 20-25. The estimated amount of items given away: 110 blankets, 100 hooded jackets, 200 toothbrushes, and many children’s clothing sets and salt.

After this Pastor John told our team to go to our host homes and get some rest while he stayed back with Pastor Dear to show the Jesus Film. As we settled into our sleeping bags and sleeping mats on the wooden floors of our Karen home, we could hear the native language of Sagwa telling the story of Emmanuel: God with us. If you would have come with us that night you could have looked into the star-studded-sky and rejoiced with us in all God is doing in the Hill Tribes. In the city we hardly see any stars anymore, but here in the mountains, where there is no electricity, the night sky is snow white with stars, reminding us that God is always working to bring HIS light to people even though many are unaware of his hand of love reaching out to the nations.

In the Hill Tribes we also used the Tape Talk cassette player with the picture flip chart. When people who don’t read or write have an opportunity to hear God’s Word, it gives them something to consider. Many seeds of faith are planted through the Tape Talk and picture book.

Now it was time to go to the second village, Ga Nui Lay Taa, which has 59 families. This is Naomi’s village. She has stayed at Pastor Pra Phon’s hostel at the base of the mountain. Every morning and every night, Pastor Pra Phona and his wife pray with the Hill Tribe students and read God’s word. Naomi’s father was there to greet our team and we walked down a steep slope to get to their home. This is where we would take our meals and where the women would sleep at night. We met the rest of her family and waited for lunch. There is no furniture in the homes in the villages. If you want back support lean against a wall or just lie down like a lot of the Karen do. This gave our team a new appreciation for hard wood floors! Once again, we visited homes in the village. We used the Tape Talk and the picture flip chart. One family said the language was a little hard to understand, not because it was the wrong dialect, but because they had never heard these words of God before. We invited them to come to the evening meeting where “these words” would be explained in everyday conversation words along with dramas and music.

That evening something wonderful happened as we played beach ball volleyball. God was getting hearts ready to listen to the music, testimonies, and watch the dramas of Naaman and Queen Ester unfold. All of us were awestruck that night when we realized that God was using a Little Light in this village much like he did with Naaman. And also like Queen Ester, who became an advocate for her people. Nobody knew of God’s plan for Naomi and her village when we began planning this outreach. She became God’s connection between her village and Pastor John of Mae Sot and the team from America. Enough said for now, just keep praying for Naomi and others like her that God is choosing to be the first Little Light to their people!

We finished our time in Mae Sot with a work day on Friday at the Mae Sot Foursquare Church. Serving beside Pastor John and Pastor Dear cleaning, scraping and staining wood was another way to worship and give thanks to God. That evening we helped Pastor Dear with the Youth Service while Lynette helped Neill and Diana with their personal finances. On Saturday we spent our last time with the Home of Hope children and gave away many gifts. Lynette posted videos and updates about the construction delays. Would anything change? Before we left Mae Sot we visited the construction site again and prayed.

On Sunday Anna led our team in songs and the drama about Queen Ester that we had practiced with the Youth Group on Friday night. She concluded with an application of the story for our lives: courage to do the right thing when our lives are changed in unexpected ways. What if you were asked to be God’s Little Light in an unexpected way?

Were we really on our way to Chang Mai to ride elephants? And don’t forget to attend the elephant “art trunk show.” Seriously, these elephants hold a paint brush in their trunk and paint flowers and even self portraits! We spent the afternoon floating on bamboo rafts on a lazy river and other tourist hot spots followed by an evening of food and dance at the cultural center in Chang Mai. Now we must say “good-by” to Neill and Diana. Our team had become their family for over a week. Every person on our team had a special gift or talent that was utilized during the outreach. Even listening to Neill and Diana about their life in Thailand is a ministry. Neill especially enjoyed treating us to his Midwestern jokes and stories that his Thai friends just can’t understand. On Feb 15th we drove 9-10 hours south to BKK and our hotel. We had a lot of time to talk, sleep and think. With hearts full of thankfulness and memories, we boarded the airplane heading west to home, family and friends. All of us want to say “Thank You for your hearts of generosity, prayer and encouragement!”
  

      v      Amount given to Home of Hope Building Fund from Outreach Budget: $3,747.91

v      Additional funds given after outreach to above Building Fund: $6,650.00

v     And more funds poured in as teammates shared at their churches! Over $30,000 is now in the construction fund for Home of Hope!

We pray and hope this Thailand 2011 Outreach will continue to bless everyone connected to it by the hand of our Faithful Father, Merciful Savior and Abiding Holy Spirit. To Him Who Sits on the Throne and To The Lamb, All Praise, Honor and Glory. From every tribe, tongue and nation we want to express our thanksgiving with humble hearts of gratitude to you the Living One True God!