just keep smiling

The weeks are rushing by, and after a wonderful weekend back home with the family (for my sister Beth's doctoral graduation), there's only 5 weeks left until outreach! Each week we are learning more and more about Thailand, building up the the excitement and restlessness that comes with waiting. There was even a couple who have been living in Mae Sot for the past 3 months who came into our classroom for a few hours of Q&A. I wanted to post a quick blog with some of the recent news and fun facts I've learned.

* Our plane tickets are bought! My team flies out of the Denver Airport on June 26 to Bangkok. We even went on a "field trip" yesterday to Walgreen's to get our photos taken and papers filled out to apply for Visas.

* Thailand is a very tropical climate, and since July is the hottest month of the year, it looks like we'll be living in humid temperatures above 100 degrees. Also, this country is considered quite fashionable, so down-dressing in cheap old clothing would not only make us stand out as tourists, but harm our ministry effectiveness. So we will be a very stylish, very sweaty bunch!

* A lot of our travel will be by foot on rural, dusty roads. For any long distance journeys (like in and out of the city), the Compasio base has big, old Land Rovers that we'll be jumping in the back of for 2-8 hour bumpy rides.

* The Thai language is a difficult one. Not only are the characters different than English ones, but the Thai people use tone and sounds to differentiate words that are spelled exactly the same. For example, the word "excuse me" is spelled the same as "excuse me, I have to fart" - just toned differently. So be careful what you say in a crowd!

* It's been told to us by countless staff and speakers that Thailand is one of the friendliest, most welcoming cultures they have experienced. So above all else, just keep smiling! "Smile ridiculously, all the time" were our words of advice. That should welcome us right into the culture and their hearts, even if our dress, language and skin color don't quite fit in.

what is your plan?

During praise and intercession this morning, we lifted up the country Myanmar (Burma) as a campus. Being without television or much connection to the "outside world" I was just informed of the intensity of issues taking place there. Just last week Myanmar was hit by a cyclone (tsunami/hurricane-like disaster), killing over 25,000 instantly, and with estimations of over 100,000 people losing their lives from this natural disaster. Homes are destroyed, food is scarce, and the limited drinking water could be toxic to consume. What strikes me most, though, is that the Myanmar government is doing all they can to keep outside help away from their country. They cannot uplift the country by themselves, and yet, as a communist country, refuse to let anyone in who is wanting to help work in this fatal situation.

But God has big plans, and as a DTS team, we're starting to see the bigger picture unravel. For our outreach next month, we will be living on the Thailand/Myanmar border (in Mae Sot, Thailand). A huge part of our ministry is to work with refugees escaping communism and traveling into Thailand (check out more at www.compasio.org - that is the organization we will be partnering with all summer). Another point that we refuse to see as coincidence is that our outreach leaders, Jed & Natalie Johnson, are currently in Salem, Oregon taking an extensive two-week training on disaster relief. They have plans to create an entire program at this Colorado Springs base to respond to disasters around the world and have a team on the spot to provide medical, physical and emotional healing.

So now our prayer is, "God, what is your plan for us as we head out to the Thailand/Myanmar border? How do you want to use us in this country in desperate need of help?"

As a team, we're meeting nightly to pray and ask direction in the weeks to come before we head out overseas. Please pray with us for guidance, safety and purpose. I know God is sending us in the heart of this natural disaster for a reason. Help us to learn how and why it is we're going to serve.

Also, I am needing to raise a total of $3,300 to pay for travel, food and lodging for the entire summer in Thailand. If you feel God is leading you to partner with me in this ministry, you can support me at PO Box 60579, Colorado Springs, CO 80960. Any extra funds raised will go towards building classrooms and meeting the physical needs of the people in Thailand (and possible Myanmar as well). Together we can change the nations

I spoke too soon

I am learning that often I speak too soon.

Take, for example, last night. It was my first rock climbing experience. After dinner a small group of us headed out to an amazing indoor climbing gym where Isaiah taught us the ropes (literally). I had so much fun! Climbing up, finding different courses, repelling down, chalking up - I felt like I was ready to take on the Rocky Mountains! I even got to experience "bouldering" for my first time, which is when you scramble up the wall without a rope or harness, and you have to follow the color pattern to the top. I successfully completed a blue AND green course in bouldering, topping off a great night of climbing with the team.

This morning, at 5:45am for our 4 mile run, Isaiah asked me how sore my arms and back were, and if I was feeling ok to run. To his surprise, my response was that I didn't feel a thing - in fact, I felt great! Not an ounce of soreness. For being a girl without much upper body strength, I was pretty impressed for my lack of post-workout pains.

Well, this week we have been doing an in-depth study on openness and brokenness. So I feel the need to be open. Laying in bed, 24hrs after the intense climbing extravaganza, I have aching muscles in places I didn't even know existed. From my fingertips to my armpit, I am feeling the burn! And while this doesn't discourage me from climbing again next week, it has taught me a lesson in controlling the tongue. Before I go bragging about my indestructible strength, I better give myself a few days of healing. & maybe an extra trip to the hot tub!

Pictured above are myself and Trey tackling the Green course. You can't tell in my photo, but I'm about 4 or 5 feet off the ground, about to make my reach for the final rock in the course.


My rock-climbing coach, encourager and great friend, Isaiah!