Highlights from the past 2 weeks

Sa wa dee ka!! 

I got back this morning from Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. What an adventure! It was really a wonderful experience and I'm glad I had the opportunity to go. It was cool to get an inside look into what life is like in northern Thailand and learn more about the life and family of my friend, Pin. Here are some highlights from my trip:

-An overnight bus ride with reclining seats

-Meeting lots of people in Pin's family in Chiang Rai and being warmly welcomed

-Seeing where Pin grew up, where she went to school, and going to her favorite ice cream shop

-Hiking and seeing a beautiful waterfall

-Seeing lots of rice fields and the most GREEN I've ever seen 

-Eating on the floor, basically outdoors, and everyone eating out of the same containers

-Seeing life lived simply and getting to experience some of that too

-Travelling to Chiang Mai and staying with Pin's younger brother

-Playing with her 7-month-old nephew and 7-year-old niece

-Spontaneously going swimming in a stream

-Seeing lots of different kinds of fruit trees and eating straight from them

-Having a sleepover with Pin's niece and being asked lots of questions in Thai

-Staying at Pin's cousins' house and playing with more kids

-Going to the Chiang Mai markets

-Going at least half way up a mountain and seeing a great view of Chiang Mai

-Getting a taste of what it is like to be the only foreigner 

-Being safe and feeling healthy the whole time =)

I'm excited to get back to another week with my kiddos in Pattaya. Continue to pray for lives to be changed in the slums and on the streets of Pattaya. Pray for my heart to be changed as well. I have been in Thailand for 5 weeks now, and I have 5 more weeks in Pattaya, before doing some travelling and  then coming home. 

Before I left for my trip, we had a great sleepover with the PSM kids. We took them swimming, watched a movie, played water balloon games, ate peanut butter and banana sandwiches (spreading my love for these to Thailand), and painted nails with the girls. We also had times of singing and Jacie and I both lead a devotion. On Sunday, we took them to church, and they preformed 2 dances they have been practicing. They had a blast (and so did I)! 

Tonight I'm going to a party at the Tamar Center. A new group of people (who come from various backgrounds...lady boys, prostitutes, single moms) start their training this week!! 

Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support. It means so much to me!