While They're in Thailand

Hello dear readers! 
I {Katie} figured it was quite fitting to reveal my deepest tribute to the land where Mands and Cam are currently being pampered by Thai massages, mangos, sticky rice, tuk tuks, and the cheapest luxury and tackiest trinkets you’ll ever find!! (“same, same, but different”, anyone?)

Oh Thailand, where to begin?

Well, some background to this homage is required. Rewind a few years, and I find myself the youngest person in a grad program filled with middle-aged married Asian men. I took a hint (aka: I was neither male nor married nor Asian) and decided to drop out, and do something new. Like move to Thailand. Like teach English.

So, with my eclectic Mary Poppins purse of memories, here are the lessons I learned while in Thailand:

1. At the end of the day, teaching English is probably one of the weirdest and funniest gigs out there. If you want to simultaneously laugh and be frustrated, please sign your life away on the dotted line….

2. Sometimes the absolute best thing you can do is just GO, not knowing who, what, where, when or how. (so, nothing).

At the end of my trip I emailed a refugee pastor living in a camp on the border of Burma and Thailand. The email was like 5 paragraphs on how passionate I was about issues of refugee resettlement and how I would be honored to teach in the camp if I had permission, etc. etc. etc. He texted me back one word.  Come.  So I did just that, strapped up, took a 6 hour bus ride to the border, and then had a mini-heart attack as it dawned on me that I had no idea where I was, who was picking me up, or where I was going. After some frantic prayer, there he was, my to-the-point-texting-friend. I was not prepared, for this experience in the camp changed my life. For the better. My heart was cracked, and I saw what injustice does to communities, altering life thousands upon thousands. But I also saw that in the midst of harrowing despair, God shone bright light of his redemptive nature of HOPE and grace.  I made life long friends in the camp, who gave me a glimpse into their world and faith. And I was humbled. Oh yes, sometimes you Must. Just. Go.

and lastly,

3. The God that loves us so incredibly is waaaay more adventurous and risky than most of us give Him credit for.

I went to Thailand with a plan, my plan. But God seemed to hit me with His game plan, one in which happened to completely unravel my own devices. Every time I got a job, it would somehow end unexpectedly, and I’d have to start over. I went from teaching at a school, to working with HIV/AIDS patients in the Golden Triangle, to teaching English at summer camps, and then finally to teaching at a refugee camp. And it was amazing! The girl who had always been so afraid to be alone, was somehow thrust into a bold adventure that God used to shape and mold her tiny view of a powerful Creator. The fear that had earlier defined my small frame began to morph into courage and boldness as sweet Abba breathed new life, standing with me through the thick of the adventure. I began to absorb the heartbeat of the Father, pounding the message that life was intended to be lived outright epic with purpose and community and dreams and hope, instead of just existing to be safe, comfortable or a rule follower. And it taught me that truly God will do “immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20).

Excited to get to know you lovelies more!

With Hope,

Katie