Monday, February 21, 2011

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

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

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.

Monday, February 7, 2011

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. 


Young girl whose family was murdered in Burma 

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! 

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.

Friday, February 4, 2011

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).