It’s been 45 days since we signed documents, did homework to debrief and ended or time in Phuket, Thailand. I did not want to leave, a large part of me felt I was being ripped away. For the past 45 days, I’ve been afraid. I was afraid I would lose the initial heart for Phuket. I was afraid I would come home unchanged and easily willing to slip back into old habits. One day, a little while ago, I wrote this journal entry: “Dear Jesus, I am leaving the people I’m wanting to pray for in Your hands. You want…
The Gift of Emotions
“To love God with all of your heart, you have to own all of your heart.” “How do you feel right now?” our teacher asked the question simply. “I don’t know.” I slowly replied. At that moment, so many thoughts were running through my mind that it made it difficult to express what I felt. Emotions were coming up that felt unacceptable and I wanted to push them quickly down before anyone else in the classroom got a glimpse of the messiness there. The past few months, as I’ve been in a program focused on principles for counseling ministry, God…
$50,000 Matching Campaign until December 31 #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday, is coming soon! (Tuesday November 28th) #Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving and we are excited to participate for our very first time. We are so excited that we couldn’t wait until Tuesday morning because we have some incredible news to share with you today. Because of a generous donation, we are able to announce a $50,000 matching campaign for donations received until the end of this year. Specifically, we are looking to expand the reach and scope of our ministry through the Child Advocacy Center, and the building and grand opening of a first of its kind, vocational training center, in Phuket. You can…
Fundraising…..The Holy Privilege of Building Relationships
As a full-time missionary, I am all too aware that the words “privilege” and “fundraising” are not often talked about in the same sentence. The majority of us on the foreign, and local, mission field have experienced the time and faithful persistence required to continually share our need, meet with churches, all the while praying that we would reach our goal. I am no stranger to this, and can honestly admit to times imagining what it would feel like to be fully funded, never again having the need to fundraise or cringe at the thought of asking for money. Don’t…
Packing Your Bags: Preparing for Short-Term Missions
So, you’re getting ready to go on a short-term mission trip? Perhaps it’s your first time and you don’t quite know what to expect. Imagining what food you might eat. Practicing phrases such as “hello” and “where is the bathroom?” in an unfamiliar language. Making sure your bags are packed just perfectly. But making sure your bag is ready isn’t the only preparation that is important. “If all you do to prepare for your mission trip is pack a suitcase, you might be missing the “mission” part of your trip. Just like you wouldn’t go on a trip without first…
Human Trafficking: What Can You Possibly Do?
Today is Anti-Human Trafficking Day here in Thailand. Depending on where you fall on the spectrum, the term “human trafficking” might boil your blood with righteous indignation, might cause you to roll your eyes at this oft-repeated buzz-word, or might lead you to wonder what this non-intuitive term is even supposed to describe. If you’re like many North Americans, you know that human trafficking is a serious, worldwide problem, but the very vastness of it leaves you questioning what you could possibly do to be a part of the solution. We would like to help you with that. For Freedom…
Our Reason is Jesus
Every day starts well with a cup of coffee. This particular day was no different, as I sat quietly at the coffee shop, observing the endless flow of adventuring tourists, expat regulars, and local Thais stopping in on their way to work. Holding my latte, I looked out the window and thought about what my life has been like the past 3 ½ years living in between these worlds…having the appearance of a foreigner, yet the heart of a Thai. Always ready for the next adventure with God, like a child following after their father. Yet, more than someone just…
Before You Sing Hosanna
Today is referred to as Palm Sunday, which commemorates the Gospel account of Jesus entering Jerusalem and being celebrated as the Jewish king. The people of Jerusalem took palm branches and spread them on the road before Jesus, and the crowds were joyfully shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” You see, the Jews had long been looking for the coming of their Saviour, the anointed Messiah, the one who would free the Israelites from Roman oppression and restore the…
How in the World…? Finding Home on the Other Side of the Globe
It’s a small, big world… I am from one of the largest countries on earth. I grew up going to the biggest church of my denomination nationally and was well connected there. My city is very spread out, but I am familiar with most of it. Eight-hour weekend road trips were normal as my family lived to the east and the west of me. I was blessed with many friendships and had a large social network. Through my international travel, I even knew people around the globe. My world was big, or so I thought. Then the day came…
Riding a Moto: Cultural Adaptation at Its Finest
I swerve suddenly to avoid a pothole in the road and then squeeze in front of an overloaded pickup truck in order to pass a car that abruptly pulls into my lane. I hold my breath as an exhaust-belching tour bus lumbers past and then watch, mesmerized, as a family of four, their dog, and their groceries smoothly ride by, no helmets required. This is a typical excerpt from my daily commute via the SE Asian motorbike, affectionately known as a moto. To a visiting tourist, the traffic here in Thailand looks chaotic, leaving many tourists (dangerously) thinking there are no traffic rules…