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Thai Life in the Eyes of AngelaServing with YWAM Thailand October 23 October Update!!I think last month I shared with you what a typical week looks like for me here….well typical weeks all can change in a flash when one gets bite by a mosquito that is carrying dengue fever! Dengue fever is common in the tropicals and only way to treat it…is to let it run its course taking anywhere from 2 – 6 weeks! After unknowingly getting bite by one of these lovely creatures, I was having a combination of hot flashes, severe body aches, low appetite, and chills for couple days. I went to clinic and was diagnosed with a ‘cold’ and after 3 days of not feeling better, went to hospital with these symptoms and having a morning of hemorrhaging. After they did blood work, I was diagnosed with dengue hemo fever that can be fatal if not treated within 7 days of having it! My WBC cells and platelets were really low and was hemorrhaging from my stomach lining a bit….typically your platelets should be between 300,000-400,000 and mine were only 50,000. Was humbling experience to be really weak and have someone bathe me and take care of all my needs. I was in the hospital for one week followed by another week of bed rest. I just went to the doctor on Friday for blood work and my blood counts are back to normal! Praise God!
Right before my dengue fever episode, I was having a ½ day retreat with God and now see God was preparing me for some extra rest. I was prompted over and over by the Holy Spirit that day to read Matthew 28:18-20 (when Jesus says “Come to you all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest…take my yoke upon you and learn from it. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’) Its familiar verse about resting in Jesus and giving Him burdens that can weigh us down. Sometimes I don’t even realize what burdens are weighing my heart down and when I need to just rest in Jesus and rest from my rhythm of life. His timing was perfect with bringing about rest in my life when I am too driven to give myself rest that my body needs. It was actually so good to have rest! Thank you all who were praying for me through this. I really felt the grace and peace of God and felt the love of my family of God here. I received many visitors in the hospitals, flowers, my Thai roommate who stayed with me every night, and even McDonalds when I was sick of hospital food J I feel so loved to feel your nearness in prayers even though miles away.
Praises · Language Study: I had a pre-test evaluation for language and barely passed. Finally I see the light at end of tunnel of formal study. I am studying with group of 4 other missionaries preparing to take the Grade 6 Thai Government Language Test on December 1st. I have been busting my butt studying and still am the ‘turtle’ in the class…its humbling to be the turtle in learning…but thank God nonetheless for being able to study w/ this really good teacher.
August 26 Sept UpdateHebrews 2:1 We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. This word was shared at our YWAM Thailand conference in August and really spoke to me about not drifting from the God’s promises in the Bible as well as the personal promises & prophecies. Being here and experiencing many different ministries (village outreaches, slum work, mercy, etc), my heart is attracted to many ministries. But this month I feel like the Lord is calling be back to not drift from specific things that has put in my heart for Thailand. As well as not drift from the teaching of the Lord and standing firm on the Word rather than drifting into emotion or circumstances that can leave me to wander. What I am up to? My typical week: Mon, Wed, Fri: a.m. help in YWAM Project LIFE mercy office & afternoon go to Thai tutor w/Becky Tues & Thurs: do homework/study Thai 4-5 hours, go to YWAM staff meeting & Kids Club meeting on Thurs Sat: have Kids Club at slum in mornings, afternoons study 4-5 hours Sun: go to Thai or international church & hang out with friends What I do in free time? Go to Starbucks with friends, walk around market with Thai friends, go to park, watch movies, check out new things in Bangkok, play badminton, go running, check new food shops with friends (recently Lebanese & India) Praises · Language Study: In middle of August started back up studying with YWAM gal, Becky, with a new teacher that is top notch. I have new refreshment and loving it! Its lot more homework & she is tough, but learning a lot. For next 6 weeks, we have heavy focus on read/write & she will evaluate us at end of Sept to see if we are at level to take the Thai gov’t language test.
Prayer Requests · Pay: I mentioned this young woman that I was reaching out too and that she had read the bible. I have tried to phone her these past weeks and she hasn’t phone back. Pray that the Holy Spirit to minister to her. · YWAM Asia Pacific Conference: August 30-Sept 3 is YWAM Regional Conference that is held in Thailand this year. Its all SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand coming to share on what God’s doing in our mission, share stories, seek God, and worship. Pray for safe travels, sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
July 29 August 07 UpdateWhat a fun month I had with having a month break from language study. The 1st week of month I was wedding coordinator for Thai friend’s wedding. It turned out beautiful and God provided everything! The 2nd week I flew to the NE Thailand to visit my friend Kim and do a visa run to Laos with her. Was good to connect with her and we had bunch of fun together; planting rice, seeing her community, and sharing & praying together. The 3rd week I went with YWAM Thai team down to the South to do a Youth-English Camp. My friend Daow has a vision from God to start a ministry there in her hometown, where there are no churches or Christians. So, 8 Thais and I went to do youth camp at her childhood school for about 70 kids. It was a blast but draining too! A hightlight was eating fish/seafood every day and last day before we came back we went a boat tour & went swimming at a national park that had a big waterfall. This past week I have been reviewing language materials and helping out in our national office for our staff conference next week. All 200 YWAM Thailand staff will be gathering for our bi-annual conference August 1-4 to worship, praying and seek God about what He wants us to be doing in next years. Excited to be encouraged by guest speaker that is coming and to meet/learn from others that I haven’t met yet.
Praises
Prayer Requests· YWAM National Conference: August 1-4th all of our staff will be meeting to seek God, worship Him, and pray. Pray for safe travels, sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and obedience to carry out what He lays on our hearts.
WAit on the Lord, Be of Good Courage, And He shall strength my heart, Wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalms 27:14 June 02 Happy Summer - June 2007Happy Start of Summer!! I have been here almost a year with summer weather year round, so it weird to think of finally being summer for you! Last month's highlight for me was going with 10 Thais YWAMers to small village in the Central Region to encourage a small church. The pastor and his 5 church members had been praying for many years that the Lord would send them others to help them; we were the 1st answer to that prayer. The Lord was giving us scriptures, pictures, and encouragement for our brothers and sisters there, as well as I was asked to share a teaching. Getting outside of my Bangkok walls & getting taste of beautiful adventures of Thailand village life was life giving. From drawing fresh fish from the river, sleeping under a mosquito net, walking through corn fields, eating fresh duck & pig intestines, it all was a blast to build r-ships, praying/encouraging the church, and take in goodness of God. YWAM is planning to send teams to support them in future and I believe that a lot of was accomplished in the spiritual realm during our time there.
The week before I probably one of my hardest weeks. I was wiped out and so emotionally not myself. Frustrations with my hard drive crashing and taking so many hours to get it revived, frustrations in daily living, absorbed in negative thoughts, and I didn’t want to go to that small church. I see now more clearly the weak areas in my life that enemy likes to attack and that he often attacks before there is spiritual victory, such as all that God did on our visit to this church. That church had been praying for years…and I am sure the enemy didn’t want them to be encouraged and supported.
As I have been praying into the plans God has for me here after language study, I have been encouraged this month by the fact that God is entirely good & 100% fully committed to us. Sometimes I think that God may withhold His best, but such a lie. He has the best in mind for me right where I am, I am His daughter and He has sacred holy purposes for each of His children. He is 100% committed to those purposes & will clearly show it in the right timing. He provides for all of my needs and He continues to remind me to keep walking on water in faith with my eyes fixed on Him.
Praises
Prayer Requests
May 06 May UpdateI got back to Thailand the middle of last month with it being more quiet than normal because of the Thai New Year called Songkran. Many Thai leave the city to go back to their villages for the 3-4 day holiday. The Thai New Year starts in April and interestingly they use a different calendar than us, their calendar year started on year that Budda died (543 years BC). So, its actually 2550 in Thailand! It is quite a holiday indeed; a big water fight like I have never seen before! In past, Thais would go to the elders to ask a blessing/cleansing on each other. But now days people are on streets throwing water on any passing guest, dancing and drinking. I went one of these days with some coworkers to ‘play Songkran’. We rented a pickup truck, had huge buckets of water, and hit the streets spraying water on each other. Was fun time! Thou, the focus has changed from the roots it had. Reminded me of how our holidays have evolved, how focus of Christmas has turned into Santa Claus and Easter has turned its focus to bunnies.
I turned 30 last month & the Lord blessed me with sweet treasures throughout the day. I visited a Thai friend that had just moved, met a new friend, Pai, on the bus (see prayer below) & some friends came over with a DQ ice cream cake & made Mexican. I have been back in language study the past two weeks and plan to study through June and then take a month off before I start intensive study with new teacher for gov’t test.
Praises
Prayer Requests
And where is the place of My rest? But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of contrite spirit and who trembles at My word. Is 66:1-2
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