Random Thoughts

Wonderful time of worship on Sunday with the kids and staff.  Their worship flows from a true and pure love for Jesus, not just a motion they go through on Sunday morning.  Feel challenged in my own time of worship after worshiping with them.

So honored and humbled that God has allowed me to be a part of an awesome organization like Asia's Hope. I love hearing the stories of success for our kids, they are going to university, getting jobs, starting their own business and getting married. Life here is Thailand is still very difficult and hard especially for minorities such as the Hill Tribes, which all of our children are.

Monday morning we visited a Buddhist temple up in mountains above the city. Was again saddened by all the time, energy and resources that are put into worshiping a god who just sits and does nothing, seems like such a waste. I sometimes wonder if God looks at me and feels sad because I don't use my time, energy and resources in a way that are honoring to him. Something to think about.

Monday afternoon we spent time with the kids from the DS3 and DS4 homes. I didn't take any pictures, I just played. I spent most of the time throwing a frisbee with a delightful little girl named Nena (well, at least I think that was her name). Communication is a bit challenging since they know very little English. The boys played soccer and badminton while Emily was involved in an interesting version of Uno.

Disappointed that we will not be seeing the kids today (Tues.) Apparently it is raining heavily at the homes we were going to visit so at Tutu's recommendation we will not be visiting this afternoon. It is the rainy season here and it has rained almost every day. The rain does help to cool things off a bit.

Only one more full day here in Thailand, hard to believe our time here is almost over. I hope we have been an encouragement to the children and staff and I hope that our lives will be different when we get back home because of our experiences here. 

Spending Time with the DS2 Family

Spent the afternoon with the DS2 family just hanging out and playing with the kids. We played Uno, soccer, takraw (kick volleyball), blew bubbles, jumped rope, threw frisbees and had our nails done, well the girls had their nails done!

Looking foward to worshiping with all 7 of the DS homes this morning.

Soccer and Swimming

Wednesday was a transition day as we moved from Tutu and Pastor Mike's house into the city of Chiang Mai. Later in the evening we were joined by John, Chien, Pak and Xiu Dan McCollum. We have taken some time to explore the city and the night market between visits to the childrens' homes.

On Thursday we spent some time with the kids at the DS1 homes, the boys were involved in a very competitive game of soccer!

Zeb getting in a wrestling workout on Friday at the pool!!

Time for me to go find some breakfast, later today we will be heading to the DS2 home to love on some more kids.

Keep praying for us, Aaron's stomach is still feeling a bit sensitive, Tutu bought him some Thai medicine yesterday so hopefully it work. Pray that we continue to stay healthy. Pray for John and his kids, Kori, John's wife, wasn't able to come to Thailand this year due to her job. I am sure they are are missing her.

Carol

Monday and Tuesday

Since the kids are all in school during the day we are using that time to do some sightseeing and learn more about Thai culture from Tutu, Pastor Mike and David, Tutu's son.

Monday was a day of elephants and snakes! David took us to see the elephant and snake show! Enjoyed the elephant show but I am not a big fan of snakes! We enjoyed our time sightseeing and also getting to know David better.

Monday evening we went to the Hot Springs home to worship with the kids there, they have a time of worship each night. Aaron stayed back at Pastor Mike's house since he wasn't feeling well. After worship it was time for the kids to have dinner so we left to go get some dinner also.

Tuesday morning we took our time, partially to give Aaron time to recover, which he did :).  After breakfast we visited the umbrella factory in Chiang Mai, known world wide apparently. After a wonderful lunch we all went for a traditional Thai massage, so relaxing. After that it was off to visit with the kids at the four DS1 homes. The boys went off to play frisbee games, Emily spent time jumping rope with the little ones and I had a group of older girls, we practiced their English using some alphabet flash cards we brought along. I was impressed with their English. Then it was back to take showers and head out to dinner.

Weekend Update

Saturday we drove to Waing Pa Pow to visit the kids at the two homes there. We spent the night in a Thai resort, very nice by Thai standards, that had a pool. The kids from the homes were brought over in shifts to swim, first the girls, then the boys. Not sure how no one gets hurt or drowns when they swim, imagine 20+ kids in a pool with no rules at all. We all had a great time.

On Sunday we worshiped with the kids and staff at the WPP homes, wonderful, wonderful time. After church the kids went off to their homes for lunch and we moved to Tutu's parent's house for lunch. After that it was back to the church for a wild and crazy time of play with the kids. Frisbees, balloons and kids were flying everywhere!

Happy and tired we drove back to Chiang Mai for dinner. We all are sleeping better, still waking up early but not as often during the night.

Carol

Rest, Swimming and Food - what more could you ask for!

Great day yesterday. Our day consisted of a wonderful breakfast at Pastor Mike's house, lunch was a traditional Thai noodle dish called Kao Soy (spelling might be off??), some time to rest and try to get over some jet lag, swimming with the DS3 and DS4 home kids and of course dinner on the way home from swimming. Tutu took us to this amazing place that was much bigger than it first appeared. It was all open air with thatched roofs and wood floors, including a few loose boards! It was all these smaller sections connected by wooden boardwalks, our table was in a section that was over the water (lake or pond). Tutu ordered all these amazing Thai dishes, including grilled shrimp. This shrimp came out complete with head, tail, legs and a few even had shrimp eggs! You will have to ask the boys to tell you about the catfish in the water.

We had a great time with the kids from the homes, handed out some candy, played some soccer and Simon Says before we headed out to the pool to swim. The pool is on an adjacent piece of land and is Dan (Tutu's husband's) project. They hope to one day build a guest house on the property as well. There are approximately 50 kids plus staff at these two homes so swimming was a rather wild and crazy time. At one point I saw this "pile" of kids moving through the water, when I looked closer I realized that it was actually Zeb with about six little boys all hanging on to him! Thanks to Grace Community Church, Fremont, Ohio for sponsoring these two homes.

I am always so humbled by these people, they are so grateful that we come to visit. One of the staff members speaks English very well and was thanking me for all the work I do back at home! Are you kidding me?? What I do is nothing compared to what these amazing people do here. They loving parent 25 kids! These kids are happy, loving, kind, polite, they are being raised by wonderful parents. I love that I get to play a small part in this amazing work that God is doing here.

Later this morning, we will be heading off to Waing Paw Po to visit the two homes there and worship with them on Sunday. Please be praying for us, Tutu has asked us all to share our testimonies with them on Sunday. For some of us this is way out of our comfort zone, please pray that God will give us wisdom and courage as we prepare. Remember that we are 11 hours ahead of you, so please be praying on Saturday. Not sure about internet access there so it may be a couple of days till you hear from us again.

Keep praying!
Carol

First Day in Thailand

We arrived safe and sound in Thailand on Thursday evening. Emily and I are staying with Tutu and Aaron, Joel and Zeb are close by at Pastor Mike Flincham's house. Everyone got a pretty good night's rest, we all enjoyed a very American breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and juice. Today will be pretty low key to help us all adjust to the jetlag and culture changes. Tutu will be taking us somewhere for a traditional Thai lunch and later we will meeting the kids at the DS3 and DS4 homes, it sounds like the plan is to take them swimming.

It's still a little hard to believe that I am actually in Thailand, it's only through God's strength that I am able to do this.

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."

Carol

Almost There

So far, so good. We have navigated 3 airports and survived one long 13+ hour plane ride. We are now in the Seoul, Korea airport waiting for our last flight. A free hot shower at the airport has made us all feel like new people. Other than feeling a little tired we are all doing well.

One more 5 1/2 hour flight and we will be in Chiang Mai, Thailand!

Thanks for all the prayers.

Get Ready, Get Set......

As I prepared for the trip this week I was faced with alot of challenges - fear, doubt, discouragement, frustration, feelings of being overwhelmed and complete inadequacy. Once again I found myself saying to God "I can't do this" and his answer was the same as always, " I know you can't do this, that's why I am here, remember you can do all things THROUGH CHRIST". So I battled through all those negative thoughts and emotions by "taking captive every thought" (2 Cor. 10:5b). It wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't very pretty but God is faithful and once again "his power (and strength) were shown through my weakness (See 2 Cor. 12:9). By the end of the week I began to feel a new sense of peace, not because I suddenly felt confident in my own abilities, but confident in the fact that I have a relationship with a God who is bigger than any of the challenges I will be faced with on this trip.

I am so grateful, and humbled, by all of you who are praying for us. Your prayers do make a difference, please don't stop. This week pray for strength - physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.

Carol

Off To Thailand!!

It is with a mixture of emotions,everything from fear and panic to excitement and anticipation that I am planning my next trip to Asia. On July 2, I will be traveling to Thailand along with Emily and fiance' Zeb Beam and Aaron and his friend Joel Zook to visit all 10 of the Asia's Hope homes in Thailand. We will be returning on July 17.

I believe this can be a real time of continued healing for our family, as well as an encouragement and blessing to the staff and children who have all prayed regularly for our family over the past year. The healing that I have seen in these children in previous trips has been a real source of hope for me during the last year. I am looking forward to meeting all of them and thanking them for their prayers.

Below are ways in which you can pray for us:

• Pray for us emotionally, this will be the first time we travel overseas without Tim. Pray that I will be able to fulfill my role as "team leader", also a first for me.
• That we will be an encouragement to the staff and kids and find creative way to communicate to them that they are loved.
• That we would be sensitive to cultural differences. 
• Health and safety

If you would like to help us financially you can do so by mailing a donation to Asia's Hope, PMB 185, 343 W. Milltown Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.

Looking forward to meeting all the kids in Thailand!!!

Thanks for following along on this latest "trek" with us.