Thailnd: The first week

It is truly incredible how fast a week can fly by. It seems almost impossible that we landed a week ago. It simply feels like yesterday that we arrived.

This week has been filled with many laughs and some beautiful start to friendships.
This week, we stayed with a Christian Thai couple who run the only Christian book store here in Chiang Mai. Ajaan Yongyut and P'Porn (pronounced P' Pawn) are an amazing couple! They know so many people and everywhere they go, they share the light of Christ with others. One of my favorite times that we spent together was in the afternoons at the bookstore. We would come back from our Thai lesson and sit with them and talk. We would share with them all we were learning in Thai class and we shared many laughs! We laughed mainly over how bad we pronounced something or if we didn't use the right tones and said something we didn't mean to say! They really loved on us and helped us out by teaching us some Thai and correcting us when we say something wrong. One of our last nights at the bookstore, P'Porn took us to the Night Bazaar which is a huge night market. (you can literally buy anything there!) She took us to see one of her friends who has a booth there and introduced us as her daughters. It almost brought me to tears at how much she really cares about us. She has become my Thai mother and I am so blessed to know her and to be continually blessed by her.

As I briefly mentioned before, we have been studying language this week. We study 5 days a week for 2 hours each day. Our Kru (or teacher) has been teaching Thai for 38 years! She really knows what she is doing and expects nothing but the best from her students. At first I was a little intimidated by her but after getting to know her better, she is such a sweet lady. I enjoy our talks during breaks about where we come from and past experiences we have had.  Although she has taught many missionaries including some of the ones on our team, she is not a Christian. Please pray for her that her heart will be opened and Christ will reign in her life. Please pray that the missionaries that she is teaching currently will be able to share with her and for the stronghold of Buddhism in her life to be broken.

After language, we usually go on a language route. A language route is several Thai people that we go practice our Thai with. They are people from all across the board from a lady who works at a coffee shop to business owners to market vendors. We have become friends with a lady who works at a coffee shop and after we finish language we usually head there to grab some coffee and begin our language route. P'A (the lady who works there) has really been a joy to talk with. She listens as we tell her the little bit of Thai that we can speak. Our Thai basically consists of telling her what color something is, how many their are, our names, and a few other very basic things. She asks us questions based on what we know or have said and usually we can answer. My first language mistake was I asked her how many boys she was! I totally meant to ask her how many siblings she has!!! We had a really good laugh about that!!!!


Anyway, I gotta go get ready for Church but I wanted to give you all an update of what is happening here!!! I will try to post some pictures soon!!!

All my love,
Ang

We Made It

Hey ya'll we made it!!!

We are both really tired and so . . . I just wanted to upload a video to say hey!

Check it out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0hIK8Yyn-4


All my love,
Angela

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!
We are flying out to Thailand in just a couple of hours!!!!
I just wanted to write a quick update to let you all know how much I have appreciated you all and all your encouragement this week!!!

I have also really been blessed by the Reach interns this week and it is hard to say goodbye to them as they fly away but God is already doing amazing things through them and will continue to do amazing things as they leave and once they arrive!

Man I love this group of people!!!!!

Tosha and I are also trying to do some Youtube videos this summer and if you want to check them out you can: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_xxlyc2EYg

All my love,
Ang

PDO. . . take two

I am now in the middle of PDO and man oh man have I been learning so much. I think, I thought I was going to know so much because I am a missionary kid but let me tell you, the Lord sure humbled me quick! There are so many things I wouldn't have even thought might effect me. There are a couple of things I want to highlight from the past two days.

Yesterday, we spent the majority of our day at a ropes course team building. We were split up into three groups and were sent out with a guide to complete certain elements. We learned just how key communication is within a team and when communication breaks down, the team starts to crumble and can fail at a task that is trying to be completed. We were able to learn about each others weaknesses and strengths as well which was really helpful as we were able to encourage each other and help one another through whatever issue we were struggling with.

Today, we had evening prayers with the sisters here at the convent. It was amazing to see such devoted women truly pouring all they are and have into the service of God. The prioress prayed over us as interns and the people we will come into contact with. I was brought to tears by their love for us as fellow laborers for God. It is such a comfort and blessing to know that they will be fervently praying on our behalf while we are halfway across the world.

Two days until Tosha and I begin our journey to Thailand. I think we are both ready to be there and are struggling to find peace in being here a few days longer. Today, I have been really struggling to find inner peace and find my mind wandering into self doubts and situational doubts. The prayer of my heart today has been that I will find the peace I need and that I will not try to solve my own issues but that Christ will have full control over these situations.

Today I am asking for prayers for Tosha and I as we struggle with finding peace in being here and for me as I have been doubting myself.

Thank you all so much for your partnership with me on this journey through your love and prayers!

All my love,
Ang

PDO

PDO (Pre-Departure Orientation) is in full swing!!! I can't believe it is finally here!!!!

We began PDO last night at dinner served by the sisters. Yes, that is right, the sisters... as in nuns! We are staying at a Benedictine convent/monastery. Which is really actually an awesome thing because they have such beautiful hearts devoted only to the Lord. They have devoted themselves to praying for the 44 interns that are going with CMF this summer. How awesome!!! God is so good!!!

We have been learning a whole lot today both about our selves personally and as different teams. I have really be super encouraged through gaining so much knowledge about things I would have never thought to think about. We have also been able to share our testimonies throughout the day to the whole group of us. I have been crazy blessed to hear how Christ has worked through so many different backgrounds and through so many hard situations to bring glory to his name and to bring us all to this place.

I have been able to get to know my teammate Tosha really well!!! It is funny how God works, Tosha and I share much of the same personality but are different in just enough ways that I know we are going to get along great! You know you are going to be good friends with someone when you stay up late talking about your life and feeling safe in doing so. (Which is exactly what we did!) We get along great and already have been deemed "partners in crime" by the leaders here! It is going to be an amazing summer with her!!!!

I can't believe that we are only four days away from flying to Thailand but God has a lot more to teach us before we leave!!!

Please continue to pray for Tosha and I as we prepare to leave and that God will be opening hearts already even before we get there. Please also pray for the safety of the other 42 interns going across the globe to spread Christ's love and hope to the lost!!!

God is so good!!!

All my love,
Ang

And so the journey begins

The journey officially began today with a 8 hour car ride to Indianapolis!!! After listening to The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis in the car, I felt quite sure my heart is ready for an amazing adventure. I however don't think my adventure will include other worlds found in wardrobes but I know it will include many amazing people as it already has!

Yesterday was my birthday and I was so truly blessed by so many facebook messages, phone calls, text messages, and even a few letters! The outpouring of love I felt and still feel is truly overwhelming. God has blessed me with some amazing people who keep me laughing and show me Christ's love in amazing ways. It was just the thing I needed to start me off on an amazing adventure!!!

I have made it to New Palestine, Indiana!!! God truly worked miracles and I am staying with the lovely McConnaughhay family. They took me in as a complete stranger to them just knowing I needed a place to stay for a few nights. It is incredible the connections we have through mutual friends!!! They have been encouraging me since the moment I stepped in their house! I am blessed to stay with such an amazing family and I can feel Christ's love here!

So far, the adventure is grand but, it is just starting...

Countdown To Thailand

The countdown to Thailand has begun!!!

3 days until I leave for Pre-departure orientation (PDO)|

5 days until PDO starts

10 days until I am on a plane to Thailand

13 days until my feet touch Thai soil!

God is so good and has really been blessing me while I have been home for a couple of weeks.
I have been able to see so many friends and family and have been so blessed by them. God has really been renewing my heart and soul during this time.

This week, God has really been showing me how much I need to purge out of my life. Having moved back from school with all my stuff for the first time since moving to school, I realized just how much stuff I have accumulated. Things that do not really matter but somehow I thought I needed to keep. After many trips to Goodwill to donate a lot of stuff, I feel so much better. It is as if I somehow feel lighter. I am glad I can give to someone else who can use it rather than keep it in a box somewhere.

This week, my prayer requests are:
1) My trip to Indianapolis- That I would be safe traveling.
2) PDO- That God would be working in the lives of all the interns who will be there
3) Flight to Thailand- It is a really long 3 day trip and pray that everything would go smooth

Thank you all so much and I will try to keep you updated as much as I can!!!

All my love,
Ang