Wow - I have so much new passion to listen to Gods call for my life after this experience. I have 95 little Thai girl shaped holes in my heart and I want to be able to hang out with all of them for another year of my life, but the little time that I got to spend with them was worth how hard it was to leave them. We each had a little group of girls that we were designated to meet with, but most of the time we all just hung out as a group of over a hundred people who were loving Jesus and each other.
Every day during the day time while the girls were at school, we went to different schools around the area to show the dramas that we had learned back in Colorado as well as teach English. We were able to give our testimonies and explain who Jesus is and such with the dances and dramas as ice breakers and it made it a lot easier for us to get into the primarily Buddhist schools, since we were offering to help the students with their English. It was cool to be able to talk with them and play with them when we didn't have an organized event to be involved in and even though we had a major language barrier, joy was universal. When we were at the primary and secondary schools we perfected "stella, ella ola" and musical chairs - but the high schools allowed for a little more. The second day we went to a school on child appreciation day. It was really cool because we just joined them in their celebration and it reminded me a lot of the last day of school when you get to be part of organized events and win prizes. There were tons of relays and silly games for the kids to play and we were asked to organize games and of course be involved with them. Well the one that I got to be part of was, you tied a eggplant by a string around your waste and let it hang in between your legs. You then had to give this eggplant momentum to hit a table tennis ball across a little section of a soccer field. HA! We were so brutal and looked absolutely ridiculous!! We did win some cool snacks though and the kids were always willing and a little hurt if we didn't take some of the snacks that they had. We were never in short supply of a variety of snacks and drinks when we were in a group of kids and it was amazing to just see how the whole culture is one of generosity. It's so crazy to me, but I love it! So that was awesome to be able to just have fun with them and they really started to love us at every school quite quickly.
Apparently being white and north american gets you some major status here beause every school that we went to we were surrounded with people to love on us and some were a little more crazy than others. There are two boys on our team that were absolutely gawked everywhere we went. When they would introduce themselves in front of the school, all of the girls, no matter what age (literally teachers included) would scream and take out their phones and cameras to take pictures. After we were done dramas, they would crowd around and ask for autographs from all of us and some of us had a line of people waiting to take pictures. I was called Taylor Swift, Barbie, Jessica Simpson, Angelina Jolie (SALT) and every other blonde, famous person every where we went. At one school girls came up to us and got us to sign their school uniforms - I honestly didn't even know what to do, it was so insane. Also I was names Miss.Universe and my friend from Mexico Mr.Thai - so we aqcuired many new identities after each shcool adventure. But I have a lot of new facebook friends which is really cool and each one of them was so beautiful. It's just crazy to see how big of a deal visitors are to a school and how we were always treated with such respect, fed well, greeted with such warmth and always felt that we were very special. This was even more amazing because the message that we had to share was life! and by being something exciting for the day made everyone more eager to be around us and come to the assemblies and such that we were leading. It was really cool to be able to take the message of Jesus and especially His love to a whole body of students. There won't be too many times when I'll be able to be part of something like this and our team was very in tuned with the Holy Spirit and His leading - making the time seem "successful" if that word can even be used when it comes to being Jesus' hands and feet.
Teaching English is a lot harder than you'd think it would be and for most of the time we just worked on pronunciation with the kids since they already new the legisitics of a lot. These people are so much more dedicated and well rounded than back home because it is expected. It's crazy how fast they catch on to speaking english, games or anything if they just push beyond the embarassment enough to try and not run away from us or the challenge. It's a whole new world over here. On that idea I realized I forgot to talk about how many public places don't have western toilets and instead squatti potties. Even if there is an american toilet though, toilet paper doesn't flush though so if you do get to wipe, you have to throw it in the garbage. BUT most places don't offer toilet paper so if you would like to wipe you have to bring it in yourself or some more "high class" places have a spray nozel to clean yourself off with. It really is a different culture ha. Also finding ants in your honey for breakfast is an extremely normal experience, so cleanliness is really not my biggest concern as of now - I fit in great!
Now about the girls at the Home of Blessing. Well first, the pastors daughter, named Nikki, was our translator at all of the schools and one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She is only 20 years old and has dedicated a huge part of her life to loving these girls and helping her parents facilitate english speaking teams that want to come in to help out. She is a lot of fun also and we became really good friends spending most of our time there together. I will talk about her more as we go though. We were able to have some awesome worship times with the girls and be part of bible stufy with the min the mornings also. It was brutal to wake up at 5:15 am, but hearing them sing their Thai worship songs was so worth it and at such a young age they can spend 10 minutes, easily, praying for each other, their families and whatever else God is putting on their hearts. They each have to lead bible study for their groups on saturdays and some of them are 8 years old. I am 18 and can't even lead a bible study hardly and 8 year olds are taking scriputre and expanding on it for fresh revelation to the rest of the group of 10 or so girls. It is so amazing and the discipline and intensity they have in being Christians is amazing and I wish thatr I could be as dedicated to my relationship with Christ, but I am fickle. He is teaching me not to live in condemnation there though, that it's okay that I struggle sometimes but just to take Him with me. And though I wasn't able to spend as much personal time with God, I was always immersed in His Spirit. Each day I wouldn't realize how much of His strength I was tapping into until I would journal and realize all of the amazing things that had happened that wouldn't normally happen to me. I am starting to recognize Him in everything which is how it's supposed to be, but I was never able to do that before. The supernatural realm is so real and involved in everything and there is nothing that works beyond it's forces! I love that He is showing me that now.
If the schools were a big deal, enormous would be the best way to describe hanging out with the girls. They honestly had the love of Christ in them so hard core it was crazy and it was spilling out all over to each other and especially us. Every time that we had free time at all and were with them they would buy so many snacks and give us half or more. These girls all come from families who don't have enough money to support them, but the small amount that they had, they were more than willing to share with us with so much joy! There aren't a lot of words that would describe these girls, but they are completely filled with Jesus and are moving in their schools and such a support system to each other. The older ones take care of the younger, and the younger the younger still - since the pastor and his family is unable to be with all 95 at once - it ios seriously amazing and driven completely by love!
We were able to hang out with them in the settings of bible study, worship times and just playing games, but the last night was more amazing than the rest. We were able to teach them some of our dramas and dances so that they could use them when they go into the surrounding villages to share the good news. Our hard work resulted in a BBQ of American food for the girls and a dance party! They loved it. It's not often that they get to be out of structured time and just be silly withthe people that they love - but being part of it with them was so awesome. It allowed all of us to just let go and be silly also, which unfortunately/fortunately bonded us more, making the goodbye even worse. After the dancing, silly time, we all said a little goodbye and appreciation for how they changed our lives and they wanted to do the same. We got into our little groups and each of the older girls in the group brought us a gift. I seriously wanted to cry because they have hardly enough money for anything for themeselves, but they go and buy each of us a gift to remember them by. They even remembered our favorite colors for bracelets - the small gift that we were able to give them a few nights earlier, paled into comparison to what we recieved. But the cool thing is it wasn't about gifts, after we were all done wearing and/or admiring the physical representation of what we recieved, we just stood with each other and hugged. Singing songs of the appreciation of meeting before heaven and being inspired to go into the world and be Jesus' hands and feet. It was an extremely hard night, but the tears that we saw there were multiplied in huge supply when the actual departure happened the next day. Fortunately I got to have a sleepover with Nikkie that night to get some of our goodbye out before we had to do everyone at once. So the next day was packing and cleaning day - but since it was saturday only a few girls were at school. This was really hard not being able to be with them but a little easier too beacause we knew we had to leave. When it was time that we were actually loading up, the girls got into the last hug line we would ever see and everyone was able to hold each other for a brief goodbye, for most of us until heaven. But I made it through everyone and was going to load the big truck and then our lovely girl Lidia runs up from school. Wow that girl is going to change the world and is gifted in seriously every area that I know of, but her tears were the catalyst to mine. I truly loved her as a sister and friend in God. I was able to encourage her of the impact she is going to be on the world and the kingdom of God, but I don't think that her humble heart will ever have her realize how great she is - probably the reason why she is so incredibly effective. Saying goodbye to Nikkie at the bus station was another not awesome experience, but we get to meet again and I am certain of that which makes the goodbyes so much easier. The dance party that we had in Home of Blessing is nothing compared to the joyful dance that is going to happen when we are with the author of joy as the perfect body and bride!
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