Team Thailand arrived home on Friday, July 17th, but here is their final report:
Day 14 Thailand
It’s a narrow street, with vendor stalls, just past a square across from a massive university campus. A small sign hangs above the simple doorway that says ‘Passport Cafe’. We maneuvered our way into the small cafe and the street noise was shut out. Over the soft strains of worship music the smell of fresh ground coffee greeted us. We were offered a beverage of choice and invited to view the ‘gallery’ – a series of remarkable photos from the South of Thailand. It did not take long for us to realize what draws students and other passerbys into the cafe. There is a feeling of hope that floods the small storefront space, a sense that one’s imaginations just might come true. Imagine a redeemed generation seeking to restore a nation to the plans and purposes of God. This is the vision of global workers Peter and Cavell Dove and their Imagine Thailand team. Through unique and strategic uiniversity campus ministry, they are looking to reach an influential strata of society with the good news.In monarchal Thailand the gospel has not been fully embraced since it arrived over 400 years ago. Since the King and his family did not accept it, it did not reach the people – so the spread of the gospel and disciple making has been hindered much by the class system and government control.
Imagine Thailand seeks to impact a generation to bring change to their nation at four different levels. We had the opportunity to see just one level of impact in action and hear about the other opportunities.
The Dove’s and their team have received incredible favour over the past few years. There is an urgent sense that the window of opportunity to be intricately involved in the universities is only for a season. Pray that favour, provision and personnel will continue to fill their storehouses of resources.
We finally had a few hours of down time in Bangkok. The sun came out for a few hours and as evening came we headed to the famous Night Market. Lots of walking and lots of tourists. It was a worthwhile experience to see this feature of Bangkok.
This email will be the final email from Team Thailand. Hailey is flying out a day ahead of the rest of the team and will take the communication device with her. Sandra does not have a device to email from, therefore you will not hear from the team again until you see them on the other end. We hope that you have enjoyed the adventure with us!
Thanks for all of your prayers throughout our journey!
Team Thailand
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Day 12
A doorman with white gloves and a crisp uniform greeted us upon arrival at our hotel in Bangkok. Our brief flight on Thai Airways flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok, was with favour as the airline allowed us an extra bag and did not charge us for any of our overweight luggage.Peter and Sandra McIntosh, Regional Directors for South East Asia, met us at the airport and made sure that we all got taxis that knew where to go.Our accommodation is within walking distance of one of the largest malls in Asia. They would make good money on renting golf carts to get around! This is where we met our global workers for a group dinner at a restaurant in the mall. It was the first time in a year that some of them have seen each other. So there was lots to catch up on around the table. We all got to hear about the various ministries of the Thailand field team. All very creative, strategic and fruitful opportunities. The gifts that were presented from Canada were received with much thanks and appreciation. Included in the gifts were quilts made by the Cree women of northern Canada.Tomorrow will be an early day as we must first go by taxi to the Sky Train station and then on to a local church for a Bible study for the women of Night Light. The women we will meet have all come out of a life of sex trafficking. We will then visit the ministry center where the women are provided a home and job training to make a viable living.Please pray for safety, wisdom and discernment during our ministry time in Bangkok. Our final days will be full and hopefully fruitful.Thanks for your prayers=====
Day 11
A full day of ministry for our final day in Chiang Mai Province. Our team ministered in 3 different churches Sunday AM and then did an afternoon teaching session for a gathering of women representing 15 different churches.One of our team members was able to visit two of the Child Care Plus children that she sponsors this morning at the community she ministered in. What an incredible gift to see the difference sponsoring a child for $30 per month can make to a child, a family and a community. If you don’t already sponsor a child you will after you see our photos!!!We were all a bit sad to say goodbye to the friends we have made in the north. They have all been exceptionally welcoming and generous to us. We were all presented with very precious gifts from the church and believing community as a thank for our ministry among them. Tonight is our last night in the infamous minitel and the lizards, spiders and ants don’t bother us anymore. Our accommodations have been simple, sufficient and a far cry nicer than many of the homes we have seen and been in. We are looking forward to some of the amenities that Bangkok will offer, but will have fond memories of the minitel.We must now pack our bags and try to ensure that we are not overweight. Every team member brought a second bag with supplies and gifts, so we are going back lighter. But domestic flights only allow one bag that is 20 kilos and we have all shopped!!! We also knew we would more than likely have 1 extra team bag with items that need to get to Bangkok. Pray that we will have favour and not have to pay overweight charges and be allowed the extra bag.Our flights from Chiang Mai to Bangkok are now confirmed and we even have our tickets. One of the churches we ministered in this morning was near the airport. On the way back to Ban Swaen a team member was able to run into the booking office of Thai airlines in the domestic terminal and confirm that we are all on the same flight. PLT for that!We are off tomorrow to Bangkok to meet our global workers there and visit the various ministries that they are involved in. Pray for travelling mercies and momentum for the final few days of our trip.Day 10High school ministry, rest, ministry preparation time, northern Thai cuisine and a final visit with our hostess PAOC missionary Cavell Rowsell filled the day. Part of our team ministered to the high school students of the Abundant Blessing Home. The rest of us had the morning for Sunday ministry preparation and the final sort of items to stay in Chiang Mai and items to go on to Bangkok.We enjoyed a great dinner of authentic Thai cuisine and a visit in the home of our hostess. We were able to speak words of encouragement and blessing, as well as present some very special gifts from Canada. Cavell has had severe back pain since our arrival, yet has managed to be with our team throughout the majority of our ministry. Pray that God will heal her and fully restore her health.We are all surprised at how quickly the time has gone by. Each day blurs into the other and we will soon depart for Bangkok on Monday morning.
Please pray for our Sunday AM ministry in 3 different churches, followed by an afternoon women’s gathering. Also pray for our flights from Chiang Mai to Bangkok on Monday AM. There have been numerous changes by the airline and we need final flight confirmation that our entire team will be on the same flight.
Day 9
Elephants, crater roads, witch doctors and mountain villages filled our day. With an early departure from our “mini-tel” with a local pastor as our driver we set off to visit two mountain villages.
Our first stop was to ride the elephants at the base of the mountains. A one hour ride for fun through the elephant trek before the long ride through the mountains. Sandra Gill the consumate hostess drew laughs from the elephant trainers as she peeled bananas before feeding the elephants. We quickly learned that they eat it skin, stem and all – very greedily. The elephant ride was bumpy, but an experience!
But the bumps of the elephant ride did nothing to prepare us for the 3 hour ride up into the mountains. The holes in the road could not even be called “pot holes” as we’ve never seen pots that big! Despite the skill of our driver it was the ultimate off roading experience while on a road! At times it was just sticky, gooey red clay mud. Other times there were just cement tracks to drive on. Slowly and with extreme jostling we trekked up the mountain through breathtaking vistas and amazing views of hillside farming.
We eventually reached a Monk village nestled in a mountain top. We stopped by the pre-school that had been started by a church in Ban Swaen and later taken over by the government. All the children of school age live at the Abundant Love Home in order to go to school in town. So it was odd to be in a village with only young children. We were the first group of foreigners to ever visit the pre-school and we were a hit! A $10 bubble gun from Superstore provided thousands of tiny bubbles for the children to chase in the school yard. Balloons hats were made for all and every child received a small toy. The joy on their faces to just have our attention and be with them was priceless. We were also able to present the pre-school director with some supplies for the school – which is very basic, but well run. He was most appreciative and thankful for our visit.
We then moved up the road to the church plant and met the pastor. She is a young woman from a northern city who God has called as a missionary to the hilltribe. She lives in virtual isolation in a small room at the back of the church which consists of a simple roof with supports. No walls, just open, with a cement floor. The church plant is 2 years old, one of 6 churches that our pastor guide has planted in the last 20 years.
Our words of encouragement and simple gifts for the missionary church planter brought her to tears. She had never had foreign visitors, much less a team of women from Canada lay hands on her and pray for her.
We then headed back down the mountain, up a few more, over a valley – but not before waving good bye to the witch doctor – who we didn’t know was the witch doctor! The Keren village was our next stop where we saw the church plant, a result of Child Care Plus sponsorship in the village. We were able to hear about the ministry in the village from one of the church leaders and to pray with him. The bundle of school supplies we left behind was most appreciated.
Lunch was eaten late, but was it ever good! A shed at the side of the road offered noodles and soup prepared fresh. All 8 of our group ate a full meal for $10! When we left a generous tip the proprietess was overwhelmed.
It was a race to get cleaned up and ready for an evening service at the Ban Swaen church. Hailey Armoogan was asked to share about Israel and it was most appropriate with it being Friday night, the beginning of Sabbath.
Just as she finished and the pastor came to conclude the service the power went out. Good thing the Shabbat candles were lit! The lack of electricity didn’t slow anything down and it was quite incredible to hear a roar of voices praying for the peace of Jerusalem from Ban Swaen, Thailand!
A full day – with lots that challenged, inspired and encouraged us. We are looking foward to a lighter day tomorrow.
Pray for the high school ministry in the morning. That the team will be effective and discerning. Pray for rest and preparation for Sunday ministry. Pray that we will speak the Word with boldness.
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DAY 8 (July 9)
A cross between a 5O’s diner and a hippie healthy all natural foods cafe, our lunch spot for today seemed to be in the heart of expatriate Chiang Mai. We found it a little odd to see so many Caucasians, Starbucks and English writing. The proprietor of the cafe was very curious about who we were and why we were in the area. Everyone we meet is generally quite interested in why we are here. Chiang Mai city seems quite sprawling, but the ancient walled city packs a lot of life and activity into one seemingly small place.For the first time we saw a “Wat”. (temple) up close. We walked freely onto the temple grounds and around the areas of worship. The great detail and time that is invested into the idols and temples of worship is remarkable, as well as the devotion of worshippers.Our visit to the Agape Home for HIV/AIDS orphans was brief, but impacting. The facilities and grounds of the home give witness to the greatness of God’s abundance and favour.We were able to share a short teaching and word of encouragement with the children, followed by balloon animal hats and face painting. Avis Rideout took a few moments to share with us briefly her life and ministry journey. She challenged us all to not miss the things that God calls us to.Our evening was spent in the “Night Market” of Chiang Mai city. For the first time we encountered Western tourists enmass and discovered we are very good bargainers. Having already been to one market in the north, we already had an idea of what prices were good. The market is huge and very overwhelming. We have now officially had the full market experience of Thailand.Tomorrow will be an early start at 7AM. We will be trekking into the mountain villages in the afternoon and then ministering in the evening at a local congregation and the Abundant Love home.Pray for safety during Friday’s travels and great opportunities to bless people in the villages. Also, please pray for our two ministry times in the evening.Thanks for your prayers—– DAY #6 (July 7th) There is great diversity in what is considered to be kids party food. Fish balls and fried hot dogs smothered in sweet chili sauce with fruit on the side was the party food this evening at the Abundant Love home. Eaten with great delight, before bed and following a full day with our team, all 100 children had a memorable day. Our first day of camp was a full day. Due to the past few days of rain we needed to keep the children indoors for the morning and out of the standing water and mud. Our 4 rotating stations went quickly and soon it was lunch time. Once the rain stops the earth seems to be able to absorb the water fairly quickly. By the afternoon we were able to use the outside field for games, while doing animal balloon hats and face painting inside. Our theme for today was “God keeps His promises” and the children seemed to engage every activity well. Our translators did an excellent job and we are becoming adept at speaking phrases and short sentences while keeping our train of thought.
Tomorrow will be another full day with the children. It has not been overly humid and we have had no lack of access to bottled water. We are exhausted after a full 13 hour day. Pray for strength and energy for Wednesday! We are doing well with being flexible and adaptable – pray that it continues. We are thankful that everyone seems healthy and whole and well adjusted. Continue to pray for health and safety as we travel and are exposed to numerous things unfamiliar to us.
Thanks for your prayers!
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Day #4 (July 5)
Squat toilets, perpetual rain, near misses with oncoming traffic and a 10 hour nauseating drive from Nong Khai to Chiang Mai marked the official end of the “honeymoon” period of our trip. Today, for the first time, there were no eager exclamations of “I love Thailand!”
Despite the rain and heavy fog, there were breathtaking views of mountain ranges and rice paddies. Wholly unprepared for the steep winding roads through the mountains, we sat on edge through the entire trip. Thailand is equipped with excellent rest station stops, so we were grateful for the respite they offered.
We arrived at our accommodations just outside of Chiang Mai city close to 9PM. Bare rooms, lizards in showers, ants that look like they are on steroids running through the bathroom and a bird living in my fan unit has welcomed us to the real Thailand. A place where fast food is all rice derivatives and we are fairly isolated.
Sandra Gill our team leader is not feeling well, as well as a few others following our long drive. Pray for health, strength, another level of acclimation and adaptability. Sandra has yet to receive her missing luggage, but it is apparently now at the Chiang Mai airport. Pray that it can be easily retrieved. Tomorrow will be a huge prep day for the 2 day camp we will be doing Tuesday and Wednesday at the Abundant Love School (100 students). Pray that we will be able to get all necessary supplies and that preparation will go well.
Thanks for your prayers!
DAY #3 (July 4)
Exuberant is the only word that can describe the faith of the Laotian women. Our final morning of the conference was a challenge to “flourish in the courts of God” wherever He has planted them. Some of the women attempt to flourish in their witness in very difficult circumstances and in isolation. The encouragement, teaching and ministry they received was soaked up as much needed nourishment for their souls. At the end of the conference we were able to present each woman with a small gift and pray for them. In return the women presented each team member from Canada with beautiful handmade Thai silk scarves.
Following our final meal at the Emmanuel Conference Centre, we were transported via truck flatbed to the Nong Chai market along the Mae Kong river. It was quite remarkable to simply look across the river into Laos. For us buying quality local goods were quite inexpensive. A few women from the Thai leadership were our guides through the market and very much enjoyed watching us take pleasure in their culture.
We crossed another cultural border as we ate at a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. We were greeted at the restaurant entrance by a baby elephant ‘busking’ for food. For about eighty cents one could buy a bag of sugar cane sticks to feed him. His agile trunk eagerly snatched the cane from one of our team member’s hand and he bobbed his head in thanks after each treat. At the end of his little snack he even collected the empty plastic bag, deposited it in the garbage and bowed! Better trained than many people I know!
Tomorrow morning we will leave Nong Khai for a 13 hour drive to Chiang Mai. The highways are very good and our van will be comfortable. Pray for traveling mercies, rest and ongoing team momentum as we transition the children’s ministry at the Abundant Love School starting Tuesday AM.
With blessings from Nong Khai,
Team Thailand
DAY #2 (July 3)
Today was a full day of ministry at the Laotian Women’s Conference. We shared 3 seminars and Thai leadership team shared another two. The women are extremely diligent in not wanting to miss a thing. Everyone on our team participated in teaching, which was stretching with a translator. We took some time to build relationship and have some fun by playing “Are you smarter that a Canadian?” Like Canada, they too have the original TV program “Are you smarter than a 5th Grader”, but in Thailand it’s 4th Grader. It was interesting to see the Laotian Women’s competitive streak come out! They were all into the game and even though we tried to not necessarily win – they kept trying to help us and give us the answers! Even when we guessed we ended up being right! They enjoyed learning a bit about Canada and thoroughly loved seeing any photos of Canada.
We were given a brief 2 hour rest between the close of the afternoon sessions and the start of the evening service. The Women’s Ministry Dept. in Canada provided many clothing gifts for the women, which were very much appreciated. We were provided again with a wonderful Thai dinner meal at the conference center, followed by the evening service. They have amazing instrumentalists and worship leaders. Although they were singing in Thai, we could sing along as they were well known English songs. The worship leader wore a traditional Thai outfit which was very regal. She wore it specifically because we were worshipping and welcoming the King of Kings. We hope to bring just a piece of their passion, fervour and openness to God and His moving back with us!
We just finished a late night work bee assembling some farewell gifts for the ladies as they head home tomorrow afternoon. Pray for their safety as they return to Laos. We will have the afternoon off tomorrow – our first bit of down time since arriving. Keep us in your prayers as we conclude the conference Saturday morning.
Thanks for your prayers, Team Thailand
Day 1 Thailand
It is finally the end of our official first day in Thailand. The day actually started for me at 4:30AM on June 30. I flew from Vancouver to LA, met up with the rest of the team and continued onto Tokyo, switched planes and went onto Bangkok. Of 14 checked pieces of luggage only 1 was lost – the personal effects of our team leader! It got left behind in LA. Good thing she actually packed a spare set of clothes in her carry-on. Following some moments of anxiousness when there was no one to meet us in Bangkok, it all got worked out and we started the 10 hour overnight drive from Bangkok to Nong Khai on the northern border. Fortunately the van was very comfortable and we were able to sleep. I did wake up on a number of occasions when the driver made sudden stops. In fact, he managed to do the drive in 6 hours!
Our accommodations in Nong Khai are close to the ministry center where the conference is being held. Just a short 5-10 min. drive in the flatbed of the pastor’s truck. As I was the only lucid team member I started the conference off with a seminar on shaping the next generation. The women attending the conference are from Laos. They are underground cell church leaders, recognized church leaders, wives serving with their husbands in ministry and lay leaders. For those of you at the BCYD office who helped me make the 140 flower pens – they were a hit! The ladies were so hungry for all we had to share from the Word. So generous in the lunch they shared with us. So attentive and welcoming. The evening session of worship, the Word and prayer was powerful. We could worship in English to the Thai translated songs. Sandra Gill shared a great message and there was a huge response to prayer. It was exciting to see our two 17-year-old team members boldly praying for women.
By the end of the evening we were all wiped out – just trying to push through until hitting our beds. I am hoping to sleep through the night. If I can do that I will have pretty much turned over to the new time zone. Tomorrow will be a full day – so pray that we will have strength, energy and Holy Spirit power!
Thanks for your prayers!