Friday, April 29, 2011

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.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

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??!!!!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

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

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

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