Thank you for praying and supporting the thailand mission trip!
On this page you will find some of our stories, some pictures and maybe even a few videos.
DAY 3
We arrived in Chiang Mai around 12:30pm on Tuesday. We were picked up at the airport and driven around the Old City of Chiang Mai. They shared a little about the town and the people. After a little bit of touring, we got checked in to our lodging, apartment-like housing for visiting missions team. |
DAY 4 - Morning
We went to a church outside Chiang Mai for a presentation about ELM Ministries. ELM stands for Education. Life. Mothers. The pastor at the church invited the community to come for the presentation where the team shared about how God created us and how babies grow from conception to birth. We passed around fetal models representing different stages for them to see. Then another team member shared about an opportunity for women to make ornaments to earn extra money to help support their families, and the Pastor gave a Gospel presentation. |
It was so amazing to watch the people as the fetal models were passed around. The amazement that was being expressed and how so many of people were taking pictures of them was so great to see. When they were asked how many of them had heard this information about life in the womb before, none of them had. When I found out that many of the people that gathered there that day, do not attend church I was amazed. Seeing that pastor's passion for reaching his community for Christ was so encouraging and motivating.
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DAY 4 - Evening
We went on a visit to the home of migrant construction workers from Myanmar. A family of at least 10 adults plus children live together in a 5 room house. One of the couples are Christian while the rest of the household are Buddhist. A group from the couple's church go at least once a month to visit with the family and share Christ with their family and friends. The family prepared a great dinner for all of us to share together. |
It was obvious how important it was for the couple who knows Christ to make sure that those they are close to know him too. They are basically bringing church into their home to their unchurched family and friends once a month to make sure they have an opportunity to come to know Christ. It was also very clear that they don't make a lot of money, but they still went to much effort to share the little they had with one another and with those from their church and us as we came to visit them. They been told many times by their pastor and the missionaries that a meal is not necessary, but they still choose to serve in this way.
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DAY 5
We started out the day helping the ELM Team prepare some materials for a training on Saturday. Then we were invited to join a monthly pastors prayer meeting at a local Chiang Mai church. Around 50 pastors, missionaries & other leaders were gathered to prayer for one another and the nation. Later, we went with an ELM Team Leader to what is believed to be the oldest market in Chiang Mai so she could pick up some supplies for the training. (We may have picked up a few things too.) We finished the day being taken to a local market and getting to attend a Thai cooking class. |
DAY 6
Friday morning started by prayer walking with the ELM Team in an area of Chiang Mai between two red-light districts. They are praying for God's leading for a property for a pregnancy center location. The house pictured is abandoned and they are trying to reach out to the owner. In the afternoon, we drove up Doi Sutep (a mountain on the edge of the city) and prayed over Chiang Mai. We visited a Buddist temple on Doi Sutep as well and prayed for the lost visiting that temple and others like it each day. In the evening, we were blessed to have dinner with the ELM Team leaders from all over Thailand. Some of the leaders are Thailand natives and others are other missionaries from the United States serving in Chiang Mai, Bangkok and southern Thailand. Mona shared a devotional with the team, and we were able to bless them with an evangelism tool to use in their ministries and some candy from the U.S. that they can't find in Thailand. (They were very thankful for the EvangeCubes, but they were VERY excited about the candy!) |
It was such a joy to get to meet these ladies. It was also a pleasure watching many of them meet one another and share their stories. During Mona's devotional, she spoke about how we are better together and not doing life in isolation. That really seemed to hit home with many of the women. Please pray for this important ministry on the front lines of the pro-life movement in Thailand, and for the women who at many times can feel alone in their ministries and overwhelmed.
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DAY 7
On Saturday we got to be a part of the Second Annual ELM Life Support Training. There were almost 50 people in attendance from all over Thailand. Some were existing ELM Team members and many were people coming to learn about ELM and how they might be able to be a part of equipping and empowering women in their areas to choose life. A presentation was given on life in the womb, a care team leader shared her own powerful testimony of choosing life, presentations were given on many aspects of their ministry, and Mona also shared about the importance of sharing LOVE with those in difficult circumstances. |
Much like the night before, it was so powerful seeing a community of believers from diverse backgrounds come together, meet one another, exchange stories and encourage one another. People from ministry backgrounds, healthcare backgrounds, education and social work backgrounds all recognizing the importance of choosing life, educating others about life, caring for those in need, and most importantly sharing Christ with those who don't know Him. Hearing so many powerful stories, seeing the impact of passing around the fetal monitors, and seeing the connections being made, it is obvious that God is doing and is preparing people for a great work in Thailand!
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DAY 10
On Tuesday we went with Tim Dunham to some more Family Connection Foundations ministry sites. We started the day at Coni's Place a home for adoptable children with medical needs. The we went next door to Bella Goose Cafe which is a ministry partner with Coni's Place. The we got to go to another children's home ministry in the area and meet with the house moms. After lunch with the Dunhams, we went to the Hug Project ministry which has partnered with police and government in Thailand to help victims of child abuse. |