After talking to Pastor Wes Flint, a team leader of Vision Beyond Borders, I believe we have a plan. If I fly out on February 23rd with a group from VBB, I can be at the camp on February 25th and help out during March and April, pretty much doing the same thing I did last year. However, once April rolls around, I am hoping to stay for a few more months so I can help the woman who runs the camp with all of her many duties. Not only does this woman support the Children's home I work at, she spend at least 5 days a week traveling around Thailand bringing food and supplies to dozens of oppressed Burmese tribes. Last time I was there, she expressed a need for help and I would love to give it. 

In the future, I would like to move to Asia permanently in order to work with women in the red-light district.  Thailand is one of the leading places for prostitution (especially child prostitution). There are alot of organizations that have beauty shops that double as chrildren's homes. At these shops, they are able to create relationships with the women, take care of children while their mom's work, and, hopefully, teach them how to do hair and nails so they can be employed at the shop. For those who do not know, God has given me a bit of a knack with hair and I would be honored to be able to put it to use in this way. While I am spending this 5-6 months in Thailand, I hope to make some connections with people already doing this. Prayers that I can gain knowledge and connections would be GREATLY appreciated! 

A few things are going to be different from last time; I will be going under the organization Christian Far East Ministries instead of Vision Beyond Borders, since they are more set up for longer ministry. Also, I will be applying for a 6 month visa instead of a 60 day. I can get airline tickets for only about $1700 but will need about $200 a month for living expenses. I am trying to put at least $100-200 out of each paycheck towards this so I really think I will need about $1700 in support. 

Prayer Request: My little sister is getting married on January 31st, and I am unable to start anything until that is over, which means the next month and a half will be a bit stressful trying to get everything done in time. Please pray for peace of mind and finances to be provided. I know God has everything in His hand and control and this is so so small (even though it can seem huge to me). 

Thank you all SO MUCH for your prayers!! I cannot wait to share this next adventure with you! 

God bless you,

Kelsey

I'm Alive

Last week sometime I was filling up my ever-emptying gas tank. Don't tell my mother, but I still occasionally open my car door while filling up to put my wallet away-- despite the risk of blowing up my car. I did just that but was struck with a revelation. My car didn't blow up. I didn't die. I was alive. This may seem fairly obvious, considering I'm sitting here writing this now, but let's stop and think about. I could have died. But I didn't. Why? What purpose did I have left on this earth that kept me from dying in an unfortunate car-blowing up accident? 

It was then that I heard God speak plain as day to the depths of my heart. There are a million opportunities for me to die each DAY- a million freak things that could happen that could end my life. BUT none of them had happened. God was protecting me for a PURPOSE. Every day that I'm alive, that I survive, God has something in store for me-- EVERY DAY. Whether, I'm at home, church, work, the bowling alley, etc., everywhere I go, the fact that I'm there means that God is giving me an opportunity to glorify and serve Him there. Everywhere. Every time. Every person. Every place. Every breath that I breathe is a gift from God-- given that I can serve Him. What an honor.

This may be something most people have figured out a long time ago, but for me, it brought hope and joy and fear and adoration. That God would continually choose to use a fool like me blows my mind. My heart is overflowing with the love Jesus is extending to me-- the grace that I do not deserve. What an amazing God. I choose to surrender my life to Him and Him alone and never take this life for granted. It is not my to waste on selfishness acts and foolish behavior. 

Use me Lord. 

Take my life, and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my hands, and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.

Take my feet, and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice, and let me sing
Always, only, for my King.
Take my lips, and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold; 
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my love, my God, I pour
At Thy feet it's treasure store.
Take myself, and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 

II Corinthians 12:9

Update!

This is an excerpt from the Vision Beyond Borders newsletter I just received. This section was written by the woman I worked under about the children and people I know in Thailand. Please read! Please Pray!! I long for the day to hold those kids in my arms again! 

"We had two back to back trips to our orphanages. Just two days before we planned to go we got the final "okay" from our "spy" Thai-Karen soldier to cross the river. One week prior to our visit, a time bomb was placed on one of the boats to this camp. The boat was totally destroyed and so were other boats close by. Our contact planned another route to get to the camp, instead of doing the 2 hours boat ride and passing 4 Burmese Army camps, we drove 4 hours by four-wheel-drive truck through the jungle to the river. From here we carried the supplies to the boat and finally crossed the river to the camp. Our teenage boys were quite worried about our safety. They wanted to make sure their "mommy" and our co-worker were safe. I asked them what they would do if the Burmese would see us, their answer was: "We don't have weapons, but we can pray together with Mommy." They are incredible! All other kids were already waiting for us on the shore. We had a warm welcome with many smiles. We still need prayer to keep this camp safe. Two days before we arrived there was a lot of shooting and fighting between the KNU (Karen army) and the Burmese army. Shooting  and mortars were heard at our dorm. This was very frightening, especially for our girls and the younger orphans. Some of them were so frightened that they actually wet their pants. Our leader called all the kids together in the dorm and they all prayed while the fighting was going on. We thank God for His protection, there are more then 4,000 Karen refugees in this IDP camp inside Burma; these are mostly women and children. While we were there we had an early Christmas celebration and the children were thrilled to receive gifts and be prayed for. On behalf of our orphanage: Thank you for your love, support and prayers, Merry Christmas and Blessed 2012."

I'm ready to rumble!

To every thing there is a season: A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. A time to RETURN?

After much debate and delay, I have finally decided to pursue the opportunity to return to Thailand in March for a few months. There is the same need as last year for the summer months (March-April) to help out with supervising and aiding the kids-- as well as loving on them! I'm ready to see "my babies" as I commonly refer to them. It was so crazy to think that a year will have gone by; I feared they had forgotten me. Two nights ago, God blessed me with a call from Luke, one of the teachers at the Children's Home. He told me he still shows my picture to his friends and tells them about our time at KT. When I asked him to pray that I can return in March, he was ecstatic! I know the way the Karen pray and the excitement to join them grows by the day. 

Please pray for me!! I feel at peace with the decision to return, but my heart is nervous that I will not get the funds/skills needed in time. 

Please pray for the Karen and other Burmese tribes being persecuted by the government. Pray for an increase in their boldness and trust in Jesus in the face of persecution. Revival!! 

Please pray for those considering joining me as I return. Many have expressed an interest and it has been my heart's prayer that I could have someone to encourage me, aid me, speak English to me, etc. 

Please pray that God gets glorified through all our actions as we continue on this journey for Him! 

My friend Luke is the one in the middle in the blue and white shirt.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

To Be Continued...

            Why settle for an ordinary life when we serve an extraordinary God? The idea of living in America with the picket fence, baseball games, and work routine has lost all appeal. My life truly has been forever changed. Before my trip to Thailand, I thought I had God pretty much figured out—I knew all the verses, stories, lessons, etc. After living in the Shekinah Children’s Home for six weeks, it feels like I just tasted the smallest sip of all that God is and all He can do.  Jesus has blown my mind.

            There are so many stories, so many memories, it is hard to know where to begin. I came into the camp alone and afraid, and they accepted me in as family. I became a mother and sister and daughter and friend. The children stole my heart away with the first hug; they captured my spirit with the first giggle; they kidnapped my soul when they raised their hands to worship Jesus. I love them with every ounce of my being.

I journeyed to Thailand with a team that did work throughout Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos. It was a pleasure and honor to get to know these servants of Christ. I was able to accompany them into Vietnam. What an experience to travel in a Communist country. The best part was being able to attend a church service of some Vietnamese people. It was very small and hidden, but the people sang out with all their hearts. The people are hungry for God’s word and are requesting 10,000 more Mung Bibles.

After Vietnam, I stayed in Bangkok with a friend while the team went to Laos before meeting in Chiang Mai to travel to the refugee camps together. Knowing I was so close to meeting the kids was driving me crazy and I could barely handle waiting in Bangkok. Even before I ever knew them, God gave me a love for these kids that I could not explain. I counted the hours until I could finally see their faces.

When the day finally came that we went to the KT (Shekinah Children’s Home), my heart was bursting with excitement. As we pulled in, all the children came running down the hill to meet and greet us with hugs. All my fears disappeared in that moment and I was ready to make this jungle mound my home. The team left to rest, and I stayed behind to play with the children. Within two hours of being there, bombs began to go off across the river (Burma), which was only about a football field away. The children were terrified and took off running in all directions. Eight children and I hid behind some large boulders at the bottom of the hill. In the moment it seemed surreal and I was not afraid, but seeing the fear in the children’s eyes—seeing them sleep two to three in a bed, wet the bed, have nightmares—it put it in perspective. This was their reality. Those same bombs had driven them from their homeland and killed their family. It was heartbreaking to be with them, where they were supposed to feel safe, and know that they didn’t. In order to help ease their fear at night, I slept with the girls, always sharing my mat with one of them and giggling with them until everyone grew tired. Bedtime was definitely something I looked forward to.

A typical day began at 6 am with singing, praying, and listening to a short sermon. Afterwards we would do our “morning duty” of sweeping all the leaves from underneath the mango trees into big piles to be burned. By the time we finished, it would be about 8:00 am—breakfast—which usually consisted of rice, eggs, and fish paste with chilies. Oh how they laughed at me as I tried to get used to the spicy food, and even more so as I tried to “correctly” eat with my hands. I was happy to make to them laugh, even if it was at my own expense. After breakfast the children would play outside before the sun would fully rise and make it too hot to function. At around noon, we would gather for a snack: a box of soy milk and a few cookies. (This would hold us over until dinner.) In the afternoon’s we would sometimes have a music or English class, while on others we would lay on the floor in front of the small TV and watch episodes of Tom and Jerry or Mr. Bean. The kids cannot speak English, but they loved to watch and laugh.(Astrid, the woman who funds the home, brought the new Karate Kid movie one evening. The kids LOVED it. It was so funny to watch each of them try to do their best Kung Fu moves on their friends. I think we watched that movie three times that week.) At 5:00 pm, we have dinner which is more rice, chilies, fish paste, and maybe some potatoes and some weird jungle veggie. Before 7:00 pm, we would shower while it was still hot enough to handle the cold water but cool enough to not sweat too much. At 7:00 pm, we would have worship again. I learned a lot of patience since every sermon was in Karen, but it was worth it because of the singing. By the end of my time there, I could sing almost every song with them in their language and do the actions. They LOVE to sing!! And I love to sing with them. After worship, we would watch TV until our nine o’clock bedtime so we could do it all over again.

            One of my favorite things about living with them in the jungle was how slowly the days past. Because it was summer in Thailand, the kids did not have school, so we were able to just get to know one another. The children and teachers loved to practice English with me while I loved to learn Karen from them. Right before I arrived, someone had donated a playground for the kids which included a section of three swings. One of the first words the children learned was “Push!” which beckoned me to push them on the swing. Rather than call me by my name, the children called me “Teacher” which in reality sounded more like “Tee-ah” or “Teach-ah.” After much persuading, I convinced the cooks and teachers to call me “Kelsey.” It was entertaining to hear them try to pronounce it (I never knew my name was so hard!). 

My responsibilities at the KT were to give the children with health conditions their medicine, bandage any “owies,” preach some sermons, teach some English, and discipline on occasion. To be honest, I really just felt like I was a Mom. When a child cried I would hold him and kiss him until he was ok. I would play with the kids and tickle them and tease them. We would praise Jesus together and pray for each other. I would worry about and miss them whenever we were apart—even if it was only for a few hours. My funniest “Mom moment” was during the Vacation Bible School weeks we had. The children from Pastor Jimmy’s camp joined us for two weeks which included his two daughters—Paw Paw and Mae Mae (ages 14 and 12). As I was sleeping in the girls’ dorm one night, I was awakened to the sound of CheeGay coughing (she is six years old and has severe asthma). I got up to get her inhaler and noticed that Paw Paw and Mae Mae weren’t in the bed they were laying in when I fell asleep. After getting CheeGay settled and back to sleep, I looked through the dark to see where they were. When I did not find them, I began to freak out. I ran up to the building where the women slept to see if they had moved up there in the night. As I searched, I woke three of the women up, causing them to panic as well. I decided to go back to the dorm and search—this time with the lights on. Of course, I found them sleeping safely and soundly in the far corners of the dorm. Everyone laughed at me at breakfast the next day when the three women told the story. I remember trying to sleep that night thinking “so this is what mothering feels like.”

I have so many more memories I would love to share with you—some good, some sad, some scary. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want to hear more. I love to talk about it.

One afternoon at the camp, Astrid was sharing stories about the amazing things God has done during her 20 years of mission work. It was so amazing, I was moved to tears. She looked me in the eyes and said, “Kelsey, I can’t wait to hear your stories in 20 years.” She had mentioned the possibility of me coming back again for a longer term. I had already been thinking about it for weeks before she brought it up. Now that I’m back I can think of nothing else. I have kept in frequent contact with her, and am tentatively planning in December for a year-long term. I am excited, honored, and humbled to be part of something so much bigger than myself. Why God would choose to use someone like me—who knows nothing other than my own small work—to become a fulltime servant of Him is beyond my comprehension, but like I said, why settle for an extraordinary life when we serve an extraordinary God? One phrase that Pastor Jimmy and Luke (a teacher at KT) told me over and over again was “I cannot do anything, but God can do everything.” I am confident in God’s call and am pursuing it with a heart of joy. I am so excited to see what God has in store for me!! I know it is going to be far better than anything I could imagine or plan. My goal still is to make little of myself and much of my God. May my life bring glory to His name!

Thank you SO MUCH for your support and your prayers. This could not have happened if not for your love, prayers, and support. I am so humbled to be blessed so much. I pray you all may experience the joy I have received from your offerings. God bless you, my friends.  

A bondslave of Christ,

                Kelsey Erickson

So this is what jeg lag is like...

Despite my attempt to battle the drastic time change by waking up at 7 am and not sleeping at all during the day, my body and mind are both still fully awake and 2:30 am (3:30 pm Thailand time). Awesome... I was told that since the time zones were 13 hours different, it would take me 13 days to return to a normal sleeping cycle. Looks like I'm not gonna be returning to work anytime soon! (If anyone has tips/secrets on how to defeat this monster, I'm willing to give 'er a try!)

Well, I suppose I should fill everyone in on what happened in Bangkok. First of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the prayer! Wow... when I found out how many people were on their knees for me, I was seriously blown away. God bless you brothers and sisters.

So the story goes, I fly into Bangkok at about 11 pm on Monday night. Decided to just stay at the airport since my plane flew out at 6:55 the next morning. When the gates opened at 4, I was still awake so I got my boarding pass, checked in my bags and headed for passport control. Handed security my passport and he looked at it for a few minutes, then called over an officer whom I had to follow (uh oh). He then looked at my passport and informed me that I had overstayed my visa. "I overstayed?? Bought I bought a tourist visa that is good for 60 days?!" Turns out, that when I left Bangkok after staying for 2 nights and flew to Vietnam for 4 days, it ended my tourist visa because it's only good for one entrance into Thailand. Since I was only allowed to stay 30 days and stayed 14 days past that, they told me I had to pay 500 baht a day for each day I had been illegally living there. Looking in my wallet, I saw I only had about 2500 baht, not the 7000 they were asking for. Hmmm... let's see, I have no credit card. No more money. No Thai phone numbers. My parents are in Washington and don't have the contact info either. My plane boarded in an hour and it had to be payed in cash... uhhhh...??
I tried to convince the man to use some common sense and see that obviously the 60 day visa was for my "second time" in Thailand but he said it was no good. They called a United Airlines employee and she took me around to get my checked bags back and then to the exit so I could take a taxi to the US Embassy.
Let's backtrack for a minute. From the very beginning-- months before coming to Thailand-- my biggest fear MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE was having to fly back across America by myself. The thought terrified me and filled my heart with dread. Don't you love when God takes your weakest moments and uses them to teach you about Himself?
After a long and expensive taxi ride to the embassy, I sat waiting for my turn, looking pretty rugged since I hadn't showered, done my hair, slept etc. The man sitting next to me asked why I came to the embassy and I explained my story to him. He listened quietly and then wrote out his phone number for me "in case you have any more problems." I doubted I would actually use it, but it was nice to be treated kindly. When I talked to the people at the embassy, they told me a woman had called for me and gave me her number. I called her there from the embassy and found it was the Thai travel agent that worked with Vision Beyond Borders. She told me that a man from VBB had been at the airport looking for me, hadn't found me, but had booked a new flight for me the following day as well as left 7000 baht for me to pay the fine. Wow. Praise God. As if that wasn't enough, the woman told me I could come to her office, drop off my stuff and explore Bangkok since I had a free day. "OK!!" When I turned, the man who'd asked me about what happened was waiting for me. He then carried my big awkward bag up and down stairs, stopped a taxi, payed for it, and helped me find her office. Turns out he's American but lives in Thailand. We had the chance to talk about what I'd been doing in Thailand and my thanks to God for the strength He'd given me to serve Him in this way. God bless you, Larry from Oklahoma. It was an honor meeting you.
Once at Dao's (the travel agent) office, she let me go up to her bosses couch to sleep. When I awoke about 4 hours later, she let me email my mother, then took me out to lunch. I didn't even know this woman! Not only did she pay for lunch, she ordered dessert for us too. After lunch, I wandered around for a little, looking through a mall and the street market and then getting a massage to try and de-stress from the hectic day. At 5 I went back to Dao's office and she invited me to come and stay in her home so I could sleep in a bed that night instead of having another sleepless night at the airport. Did I mention I didn't even know this woman?! That night her mother, her sister, her nephew and her took me out to dinner and told me to order whatever I wanted because they were paying. After dinner, Dao let me shower and sleep in her room in her bed. That morning at 3:00 am, we woke up to be at the airport by 4. Before we left the house her mother gave me 1000 baht and a beautiful Thai keychain. Dao gave me a purse for me and my mother and 3 other small bags. I wished SO badly I had something to offer them. They were SO kind... I felt like we were family. Dao went into the airport with me and made sure I had the money and the passes home and gave me some coins and her number in case anything went wrong. Nothing did.

Before I left the camp, I prayed that God would make my faith great like that of the people I had been working with. They have no doubt that God will provide-- and though they have nothing and their way seems hopeless-- God provides for them, but never in a way you expect. In the middle of what I thought to be my worst nightmare come true, I remember that prayer and heard that still, small voice telling me to trust Him-- God has provided EVERYTHING for me on the trip so far-- why would the trip home be any different?? I apologized for my doubt and began to get excited to see how God would make this work because there was certainly nothing I could do about it. I am so humbled, so in awe, that God not only took care of the situation but poured His blessings and love onto me through these people that I had never met.
What an amazing God we serve. Hallelujah, what a Savior.
Jesus, I love you.

Jesus, All for Jesus

Well, I'm not where to begin, or end, seeing as the time for goodbyes has come and gone. The past week has been a blur or me praying that the days pass slowly while at the same time wishing it would end quickly because knowing you have to say goodbye and watching the moment approach is the worst feeling ever. I was asked countless times by the people when I was coming back, to which I would answer, "I don't know? But pray that God gives me money so I can come back soon!" All of my friends at Pastor Jimmy's and the KT are praying that I return. I do not doubt that I will.
It seems so funny to me that everyone is so concerned that when I go to America, I will forget them. Though we have parted physically, they will always live with me in my heart. I told them many times I will always, always remember them, and I hope they would remember me too.
The day before it was time to say goodbye, was my birthday, April 23rd. Oh my goodness they spoiled me so much! For about 3 days beforehand, the little girls would give me necklaces and make me flower wreaths and sing to me. Sigh. I will treasure those moments forever. Later that day, we took all the kids from the Vacation Bible School up to Maei National Park to eat cake (a super special treat for these kids-- they rarely get sugar, let alone cake!) and swim and play in a waterfall. It was amazing and they were SO happy. We took 3 truck fulls aka there were about 30-40 people in the back of each truck bed. Gotta love the lack of any traffic laws-- sure saves on the gas money it would take to bring a bus out here. After we returned, it was time to say goodbye to the kids from Pastor Jimmy's camp, as well as to Pastor Jimmy and his family. Jimmy is an amazing man of great, great faith. I enjoyed talking to him and hearing his many many stories about how God has provided for him and supplied his every need. I'd grown very close to his daughters (age 14 and 12), it was hard to say goodbye to them. Such beautiful girls! And both with so much spirit!
The rest of the afternoon was quiet as most of the kids were tired and the number of kids had decreased by more than half. I tried to soak up every moment and memorize every leaf and sound to keep with me always. I ate my last Karen dinner of rice and fish paste with my hands, even though "farang" (foreigners) are not supposed to. Worship that night was amazing. There was a storm coming in that knocked the power out, so we worshipped in the dark with a candle and a flashlight. We sang for a longer time than normal because the darkness kept us from doing anything else. I think it was God's gift to me. The last song we sang was "How Great Thou Art," my favorite hymn. I am so blessed that God grants me the desires of my heart and fills me with joy in times when there could be great sorrow.
That night in the girls dorm we stayed up late playing and taking pictures. We giggled and laughed and tickled until the candles were all burnt out and the children fell asleep. I could not sleep though. Eventually I crawled over the girl sleeping on the bunk with me and sat on the swing overlooking the camp- my favorite place to think and pray. Oh my heart hurt...
We had worship at 6:30. While we were still singing some of the children and teachers laid hands on me and prayed while the others continued to sing to Jesus. Who am I to be loved by these amazing people? The tears started then and did not stop until we were driving away. After worship, we loaded the truck, and I hugged each of the children, gave them a kiss (or many) and told them "YaEhNa" which means "I love you" in Karen. They all would reply "I love you" and give me a kiss on both cheeks, my forehead and chin and tell me "God bless you!" As we drove away, I waved and blew them kisses. My body felt (and still feels) physically sick and in pain. I told the teachers (all ages 17-21) that it felt like someone ripped out my heart and stomped on it. I miss my brothers and sisters very much. They've all become so dear to me.
Now I am in Chiang Mai waiting to fly out at 7 pm tonight to Bangkok, where I will sleep until I fly out at 7 am tomorrow morning. It's going to be a long, lonely, sad trip home, and I ask that you pray for safety as I travel back across the world.

Prayer Requests:
For the chilren and teachers at the camps, that they know they are not forgetton, but loved.
For the many sick children, that they would be healed.
For the Karen people as a whole-- that they could not live in fear but rest in the arms of Jesus.
That the Thai police, Buddhist army, and Burmese army would stop persecuting them.
That their faith would continue to grow and spread to everyone in Northern Thailand.
For me as I return to the US and try to fit back into American culture.

Thank you so much for everyone who has been praying for me and these children. I told them many times that the American people love them and are praying for them-- you should see the smiles on their faces. I pray you all are able to experience the joy and faith these people have-- I know it will change your life.

The song "Jesus, All for Jesus" has been on my heart. I will share only a few lyrics with you:

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into your hands
For it's only in your will that I am free
For it's only in your will that I am free

I don't know what my future holds, but I know that I don't want to settle for a "normal" life. Why be ordinary when we serve an Extraordinary God??!!!!

Prayer Requests

We head back to the camps in the morning so I'm not sure when/if I'll have internet access again so I will try to give you many prayer requests to keep you occupied if I cannot keep you updated.

First of all, pray for safety. The Thai soldiers have been coming and capturing Karen people who don't have IDs. If they take them back to Burma, there is a high chance they will be killed. Some of the helpers at the camp don't have IDs. They are very afraid. Pray that the Karen people are able to live in peace. They've already been driven out of their homes and have lived in fear for so long. Now they come to a safe place only to find they once again have to guard their every step. It is heartbreaking to watch.

Second, pray for health. There is an outbreak of chicken pox at my camp and another one currently. Nothing serious, but unpleasant for the children. Also, since the people are refugees, when they get sick, they cannot get medical aid unless a Thai citizen takes them (like we've done on this trip).

Thirdly, pray for income. The Karen people have no money. They cannot work because they do not have ID, so they cannot buy clothes, food, blankets, etc. That said, there is a great need for many items. Some things I have noticed are CLOTHES CLOTHES CLOTHES. At my camp most people, adult and children, have about 3 shirts and 2-3 bottoms. Therefore they wear through very quickly. Most of the clothes these children wear have holes in them and are covered in dirt. We can only hand wash here (no running water) so once something is stained, it stays that way. The kids do not complain, but you should see the look on their faces when they get new clothes. :)
Another need is potholders. Everything is cooked over little fire pits and they use old towels or shirts to lift these very big, awkward, and very hot metal pots. I've seen the people cooking burn their hands so much, I couldn't take it and went to a nearby village and bought 2 of the thickest towels I could find. It is amazing to think how something as simple as potholders could help them so much.
Medicine is a need also. Like I said, they cannot receive medical care, so the Karen only survive off of what we are able to send them.
English books. EVERYONE wants to learn English but they have only a few, often incorrect, brief books. They ask me to teach them grammer and all that jazz, but I do not remember. If they had books they could learn so much faster.
There are many more things, and if you would like to know more information about helping supply some needs, let me know.

My last prayer request is for me. I only have a short time left here and I ask for your prayers that I can spend every second wisely as I finish my time. I want the children to not only think of me fondly, but to think of Jesus when they remember me. Also, the woman I am working under is desperately in need of more help. She asked if I would return and stay for 1 year. I told her I would pray about it. I ask that you pray with me. I know my life is meant to change from this trip, but I don't know if it means I am to work from America or if I am the one to fill the need. This is weighing heavy on my mind and heart and I would really appreciate your prayers.

Thank you all for everything! May God continue to bless you as He has blessed me through your prayers.

-Kelsey

I'm in love

The moment I stepped out of the van and saw the kids running down the hill to say hello to me and the team, my heart was theirs. I have never seen children so beautiful! They are so precious, sometimes I remember that I only have a few weeks left with them and my heart breaks.
I feel like there are so many stories I could share that I don't even know where to begin... but I'll try to give you a decent picture of what life has been like for me these past few weeks living with the Karen children in northern Thailand.
We started out with eight children because there is a 5-week summer break and those with parents went back to their families for a short while. Now, because the families are so poor, they are back at the camp and we have about 20 children and a few adults. The children range in age from 6 to 14 but everyone looks and acts alot younger than their actual age. There are 3 boys close to my age that speak English (sometimes), and they have become my brothers. They tease me and hit my like I'm their sister, and of course I hit them back. I love them very much. All the people in the camp are of the Karen tribe. It is not part of Karen culture to hug or hold, but the children love to be held and kissed and loved on. I don't think there's anything I love more than holding a child on my lap or holding my hand or kissing me goodnight. They have gripped my heart and are not letting go.
Everyone calls me "Teacher" (which actually sounds more like "Teacha" or "Tee-ah"). It was weird at first but I'm getting used to it. Every morning we wake up at 6 am for worship. They sing and dance and pray and recite scripture and listen to a short sermon everyday twice a day. I love it.
After worship we get brooms, go outside, and sweep the leaves and the loose dirt into piles and burn them. (Unfortunately by about 2 o'clock all the leaves have fallen from the trees and no one could tell that we ever swept.) At about eight, we eat breakfast-- usually consisting of rice, fish paste and a vegetable. Because they know I like eggs, they'll usually cook some with an onion just for me, even though I told them not to. They love to serve as much as they can.
After bfast the children will play outside before it gets too hot. Once the heat sets in, we may watch a movie, or take a nap. At around noon we'll have a small snack, usually of soy milk and a few cookies to hold us over until dinner. Everyone takes a shower at around 4 or 5 while it's still hot enough to handle the cold water, but about to cool down so you don't continue to sweat (as much). There is no running water so its just pouring cold water over yourself. At first this was a little hard and weird but God is helping me get used to it.
At around 5 we have dinner-- more rice, maybe potatoes or chicken, and a veggie. At 7 we will have worship again and then watch an episode of Mr. Bean or Tom and Jerry before bedtime at 9 (or before). Those are their two favorite shows and the can (and do) watch them over and over again.
I am getting to understand and learn about Karen culture and some of the language. I love being able to sing with them during worship and tell them "goodnight" and "I love you" in their own language. They are gracious to me though in my mispronounciation.

Tomorrow I will tell you how God has been stretching me and some prayer requests, but for now, I am very tired and we have a big day tomorrow of showing some kids the big city for the first time. The smile on their faces is priceless as they are introduced to a world they have never known (most have never left the jungle and say that a 7-11 is a big shop). I'll be here in Chiang Mai until the 8th and will do my best to give you more information while I'm here and the internet is fast enough for me to update this. Thank you for your prayers. God is working in my life and I pray He is in yours as well! Naluggy! ("Good night" in Karen)

-Kelsey

Praise and Prayer

Praise: Items successfully brought into Vietnam
Prayer: 10,000 more needed

Praise: Items successfully brought into Laos (more than ever before)

The Communist government allows citizens to have Bibles unless you are of the Mung (sp) tribe. Because they are so numerous, it is illegal for them to own one.
Prayer: That this changes

Praise: Everyone made it to Chiang Mai. Going to meet the kids today. Finally getting this trip started!!
Prayer: That I can settle in and be accepted by the kids, not rely on my own strength, let the love of Christ flow through me onto them so they know they are a treasure

 Prayer: The Thai people have no idea what is going on with the Burmese refugees. Instead they have a misguided view of them as being illegal peasants who will bring in a lot of drugs.

Prayer: The gunfire persists near the camp I will be staying at. Pray that it stops, and the soldiers leave the children alone.

The tsunami is affecting the weather here causing it to be rainy and cold despite the fact that it is summer. I'm enjoying it while it lasts, but that might just be a selfish thing :P

Thank you all for your prayers! My journey is about to begin =)

Proverbs 3:5-6

Oof

It's our last night it Vietnam. Today we attended a service. What an experience to worship with different languages but to one God. We even sang "How Great Thou Art," my favorite hymn. I am overwhelmed with the love God is pouring on me with His acts and His people.
This afternoon we drove an hour and a half through the countryside (which is so beautiful and green, yet dirty and poor) to view a Vietnam War battlesite, also created by the Communist Party. We saw the craters left behind by the bombs dropped. We also got to crawl through the tunnels that the Vietnamese soldiers used to hide, attack, etc. While crawling through my first tunnel-- which already freaked me out due to its very small size-- a bat flew right by my head, causing me to scream and everyone else to laugh (sigh). Needless to say I was hesitant to crawl through any more after that (I only made it through half of another one once the people in front of me warned there were a couple more).
Tomorrow back to Bangkok to visit an old friend. Should be a good couple of days.

Vietnam

Thank you all for your prayers! We are currently in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon). Wow. I thought the traffic was crazy in Bangkok... I was wrong. It is CRAZY here. There are at least a hundred motorbikes on each street. Center lines don't mean anything. Lights and pedestrian signs are optional. Blinkers are pretty much nonexistent. I've been honked at but not hit (yet). Oh, did I mention people drive their motorbikes on the sidewalks too?

This city is very fascinating. There is a drastic difference between the poor and rich buildings-- though they are right next to each other. Sidewalk is pretty much just another word for market and chair. There are people EVERYWHERE. There are SO many peddlers and they love us. Many times they will follow you around until you finally buy one of their items. I think I'm going to have a lot of $1 souvenirs when I get home.  

A few hours ago we visited a museum concerning the Vietnam War created by the Communist Party. It was both intriguing, heartbreaking, and a little eye-opening seeing as I did not know much about the war beforehand. It was an interesting experience being able to see it from their point of view. 

We are about to go explore the night market and hopefully eat some dinner. I will talk to you all again soon. 

In Christ's love

-Kelsey

Bangkok

Alright! After waaay too many hours of flying, we are finally in Bangkok. It was 80 degrees when we landed last night (at midnight) and should get up to the upper 90s later. There's a light breeze now that is keeping me cool but when the humidity reaches its full power-- I'm going to look like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz. We have one day in Bangkok to recooperate before flying to Vietnam tomorrow. Please please pray for safety for the team and the objects we carry. I am excited to see God's hand in this communist country where even reading a Bible is prohibited.
Thanks for all the love everyone! I appreciate your encouragement and prayers. Look forward to talking to you again soon!!!
A bondslave of Christ
-Kelsey

Almost there!

     Less than three days until I fly out Missoula... wow wow wow. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind. I am so happy to announce that I have reached my financial goal. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone for your prayers and support. I am so humbled to be blessed by so many. These past few weeks I have just felt to humbled and in awe of God and His love for me. Why He choose to pour an abundance of love upon a weak and foolish girl like me is beyond my comprehension. I cannot wait to be able to bless these children with the same love I have received from all of you. Praise the Lord for uniting us in one common goal-- Love. No matter where we are or what we have, this is a gift we can always give. Being able to help others understand and experience the love of an all-powerful, all-knowing, Creator God... what better way to live life?!
    As the day that I leave swiftly approaches, I ask for your prayers as I am beginning to get quite nervous. However, every time I begin to give in to my desire to freak out, God reminds me that He is in control and I need not be afraid. Everything involved in preparing for this trip has gone perfectly. When it looked like there could be a potential road-block, it has been immediately resolved. I have no doubt in my mind that God wants me to go on this trip. I already feel like I have grown so much and I haven't even gone there yet. I am ready for my life to be changed, my heart softened, and eyes opened.

"Take my life and let it be all for you and for your glory."

Prayer requests:
-Safe travel and a smooth entrance into Vietnam for the team
-A focused, calm, and brave heart for me

Give thanks to the LORD for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 118:1

The plan

Ok, so here's the plan. On March 9 I will fly out of Missoula to Bangkok. From there I will journey with a team to Vietnam for a few days. Then I will spend a few days in Bangkok with a friend from high school before catching a plane for Chiang Mai. The time spent in Vietnam is adding extra expenses so I will need close to $1000 more dollars for flights, food, and hotel. I have almost all Thailand expenses paid for (Thank you SO much to all that have blessed me financially. I feel so humbled to be loved by so many.), so I ask for your prayers that I can get the money I need before I go.

16 days until I leave! The reality is setting in as I am moving out of my apartment next weekend and only have 2 weeks of work left. Pray that I am able to get things done as I am torn between spending time with friends and loved ones, work, packing, and battling sickness.

God Bless You All
-Kelsey

Update

First of all, I have a praise! We had some trouble with my Visa-- a few miscommunications and signing things wrong but thanks to the Grace of God all has been worked out and I will have it back before March 9th so I can still travel over with the team of people and not have to fly by myself. Hallelujah!

Second, I have an update. I just talked to my team leader, and he said that my contact in Chiang Mai is going to be extremely busy and unable to meet me. After talking, they decided that it would be hard for me to enter the camps before March 17 and asked if I could accompany the rest of the team for one week in Southeast Asia. They are really encouraging me to join them as they carry Bibles and supplies to Christians in these communist countries. I myself will not be bringing anything across, but could still experience Christian life, community, and church in these other countries. The biggest obstacle in this is the cost. It will mean close to another $1000 dollars in airfare.

Though my main goal and purpose is to get to the refugee camps, this new possibility is bittersweet. I would love to be able to join others in bringing Bibles to those who have never had one. What a precious gift that I so often take for a granted. It makes me sad to have a week's time taken off of my time with the kids, but I know that God is in control and I am trusting His plan. Considering tomorrow is the day I am scheduled to get my international shots, I am amazed at God's timing. I would appreciate you prayers tonight and these next few days as I adjust to this sudden change of plans.

A Glimpse Into Another Life

I found this story on the Vision Beyond Borders newsletter and I thought it was worth sharing. If you are interested in subscribing to receive these newsletters, go to VisionBeyondBorders.com and at the bottom of the homepage is a link to sign up. 

 

The story of this young girl, pictured above, was sent to us by our contacts in Thailand. It is condensed from her full testimony. 

"This happened in a place where my parents prepared a new plantation to grow rice. A few years ago, the Burmese army came to our village and all the villagers fled. Some fled to Thailand and others to the tips of the streams behind our village. At first, we hid by a stream near our village. Later my father told us that more Burmese soldiers were patrolling near the riverside and he feared that they would find us and capture us so he took us to the border.

Mei Pya Po is located in a valley of a stream, and has no flatland. Some people plant crops on the slopes of the mountain. My parents prepared a paddy field in Ka Pler Hta with more than ten other families. We had to walk two hours from Mai Pya Po to get to the field. My father could walk without a problem, but it was a long walk for me.

One Sunday, when we finished worshiping at the midday service, I was with my parents in our house cooking dinner. My little sister was playing beside my mother. We heard gunshots and people screaming, "Pa Yaw! Pa Yaw!" (Burman! Burman!) I saw villagers fleeing. Suddenly, I saw many Burmese soldiers running down the road beside people's houses and shooting their guns. My father jumped up and ran away and my mother followed him carrying my little sister. I ran out of the house only a short distance and hid under a big tree. I looked for my parents but I did not see them. I saw Burmese soldiers running around and shooting their guns. There were many various sounds of gunfire, some sounded like avalanches from the mountains. After a long while, I heard my mother crying out. I saw one of the Burmese soldiers dragging her. In her hands, she was holding my little sister. I did not dare go and help my mother even though I saw her. I was stayed hidden under that big tree. I saw my father go try to help my mother. The soldier shot him, and he fell down. I heard my mother cry out about two more times and then I never saw her again.

The shootings continued for a while and then everything became calm. Then I saw some Burmese soldiers driving a herd of buffalo. After this, I did not see any other people. I did not dare to get out from under the tree. I did not know where the other villagers had gone. I hid under that big tree until later in the evening. Although I was hungry, I did not dare to venture out. I stayed there until dark and went to where my father lay and stayed beside him. I did know that he was dead and I was afraid to go anywhere else. The night came and I laid my head on my father's arm and slept next to him all night. The whole night I did not hear anything, except a dog that sniffed at us, so I drove it away.

 The next morning my father's chest was very could and smelled a little foul. I still stayed with him until the sun came out and then I went back to a big tree where I hid the day before. I did not know where to go because my father had died, my mother was dragged away by the Burmese soldiers, and I did not know where she had gone. I stayed under that big tree all day and became very hungry and thirsty. I hid under the tree and sometimes looked over at my father's corpse. When the evening came I heard people speaking in Karen and saw a group of four or five people inspecting my father's corpse. They spoke to each other for a while, and they buried my father. I did not know who they were, and because they also had guns I dared not go up to them. They searched around the area and later one of them saw me. By this time I knew that they were Karen soldiers. They told me to come out from under the tree and they gave me some rice. They asked me about what had happened and I told them what I had seen. Later they took me to Mai Pya Po."

Spread the Word

It is appalling to know that what is going on in Burma is being kept a secret. Will you help me spread the word? There is power in numbers and it is our duty as human beings to fight for our fellow man. There are 500,000 Karen refugees on the Thailand border alone. There are even more still hiding in Burma. The number that have already been killed is monstrous. Can we sit back and let this happen? I believe we are held responsible for the knowledge we've been given. I am honored that God has chosen me to be a part of this mission, and now I'm asking you to join with me. 

If you have not already watched the documentary on the Vision Beyond Borders website, I strongly encourage you to-- and to pass it on! 

http://www.visionbeyondborders.org/news-room/articles/the-karen-forgotten-but-not-forsaken-released.aspx

It is time to let our government and theirs know that what is going on is not ok. I've always wondered what I would do if I was alive during World War II when millions of Jews were being persecuted. Well, now I have the chance to find out, and I'm not going to sit back and do nothing. 

I'm Soaring, Flying

     The date is set. I fly out of Missoula on March 9th.  On the flight over I will be with a group of people from VBB until we reach Bangkok (Praise the Lord). Once there, they will fly on to throughout Southeast Asia while I will take my own flight to Northern Thailand so I can immediately go to help in the camps.
     I am tentatively scheduled to return on April 20th... though since my birthday is April 23rd, I asked if i could stay a few days longer. To be honest, talking of returning breaks my heart already. Even now, I feel an emotional connection and love for these children. I ask for prayer that while I am there, I will not hold back or withdraw myself in an attempt to hurt less when I leave. These children have lost everything and they deserve all the love that I can give them. With my Savior as my inspiration, I want to hold nothing back. This is His trip. May His will be done.

Prayer Requests: As this is my first time flying and the time change is great, pray the jet lag passes quickly and also that while flying there, I pay attention to what I need to do at the airports as I will be flying back alone.

Money Money Money

    I never knew that traveling could cost so much money! My naive little mind was content in believing that the only real cost was airfare and food. Those thoughts were quickly shattered! Preparation for moving to Thailand for six weeks has already done a good job at emptying my bank account. Between shots, passports, clothing, and my expenses already in play, I find myself constantly stuck thinking about the dreaded "M word." Ahh, money--just the other day I exclaimed in frustration to a friend, "I hate money! Why can't we just all go back to trading goats or something?!" Which, of course, would not actually improve my situation since I do not own any goats....

     Though it is easy to worry about how this is ever going to work out, there is always a small voice calming me and reminding me to stop thinking and have faith. I cannot restrict God or keep Him within certain bounds. To view God as caged would be to see Him incorrectly. Praise the Lord- He is in control. I can rest assured that He is guiding me through this pre-trip process and drawing me closer to Him through it. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. 

Update: Thank you so much to those that have already supported me with a financial gift! My heart is overwhelmed with the love that I feel. For those of you who are still interested in giving, you may write a check to either Vision Beyond Borders (with a note and my name) or to me. All money sent to VBB goes strictly to the airfare which is a little under $2000. If you send it to me it will go toward food/living expenses while in Thailand (which is in the area of $6-700). 

Prayer Requests: For the children in Thailand and the soldiers that are persecuting them. May the love of Jesus shine upon them so it is impossible for them not to respond. 

Also, that I can use these next five weeks wisely and prioritize my time. I would love to learn some phrases in the Karen language before I go and begin putting into practice some of the cultural differences here that would offend them there (like sitting with my legs crossed).