Hannah says that the fireflies are brighter here in Thailand. I think she’s right. Last night the power went out for a while, so we all headed outside to watch the lighting and wait for the thunderstorm. I love thunderstorms! There is just something about the amazing power behind the rain, lightening, and thunder that makes me want to run around and dance in it as if I was an eight year old on a warm summer night. Supposedly we are in the raining season, however, with the storm last night there was no rain. Only fireflies. But it was still a great show.

Each morning, for the past three days we have been going to Thai language class. It’s a difficult language to learn due to the fact that it’s a tonal language. Our teacher, Khun Quan, is very kind, helpful, and I’m really enjoying getting to know her. I’m also starting to realize just how small this world is: she showed us a picture of her “American friends” and one of the guys in the photo is a guy from Wheaton College who was in Thailand with SMP last summer. Weird. Another student at the school is a Wheaton grad. I guess it is true that you can go almost anywhere in the world and meet a Wheaton grad. Although I find myself struggling to learn Thai (and I thought Spanish was hard) I also see the importance of being able to communicate with the Thai people I’m interacting with each day. Dr. Arnold and Dr. Howell often mention the importance of knowing how to communicate and I am now seeing first hand just how important it is. I am grateful for the grace and sense of humor my teacher brings into the class each day.

In the afternoons we have been visiting various ministries in Chiang Mai, trying to see how God is working and where our gifts can meet needs. We have visited different orphanages and each time we hear a child’s story of hardship and pain my heart goes out to them. The questions are building up in my heart and mind about pain, God allowing suffering, the role of the Church, and the actions we Christians should be taking about the injustices in this world. I’m excited to get into a weekly schedule of working with different organizations and ministries.

Yesterday, we met up with a Thai woman who runs a ministry that teaches English to girls in a nearby urban slum. There are two girls who are having trouble learning English and the woman was praying for someone to come work one-on-one with these girls. I really felt lead to help these girls. They are so beautiful and I know that being able to speak English can open doors for them to be able to obtain better jobs, possibly helping them out of the poverty they live in. However, I feel completely inadequate. Please pray that as I begin working with them I will be able to think of creative ways for them to stay interested and motivated.

Thanks for all of your prayers! I hope you are all daily seeing the grace and love of Christ. More to come soon. Until then, blessings!

After 63 hours of travel, Hannah and I have finally arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand. That's right, 63 hours. When we were almost to the Pacific Ocean, the captain on our United flight announced that instead of continuing on to Tokyo we were going to spend the night in San Francisco due to the plane engine falling out...or something like that. So, Hannah and I found ourselves spending the night in a very tacky hotel room in California. Vaca in Cali! (As we say it on Water Polo). We tried to convince our friend Paul to drive up from the LA area but he was certain that it would take him all night to drive up north, and by that time we would have been back on the airplane. So, the next morning we were heading over the Pacific Ocean, than on a plane to Bangkok. We than met Hannah's mom in the Bangkok airport and spent the night in an amazing hotel in the city. Than today, Sunday, we flew a short plane ride to Chiang Mai, which will be our home for the next 2 1/2 months.

It's been really great being able to talk with her parents about life here and to start to get a glimpse into this culture. We were able to go to church this evening. The Veldts attend an international English speaking church. It's a place they can go to in order to be fed and rejuvenated for their ministry. We than traveled to the Night Bazaar, a huge outside market where there are lines and lines of vendors selling everything from food to jewelry.

It is interesting noticing the little immediate differences between cultures. Such as the food, the way they drive on the opposite side of the road than in the states, the way there are motorcycles everywhere. I know that there are so many other parts to this culture than I can read about in books or notice from living one day here. I’m excited to learn these things and to ask questions about different ways of life and issues faced here everyday.

Tomorrow, Hannah and I begin language classes which should be helpful. I’ll right more soon. Thanks for all of your prayers. Please pray that as we visit the orphanage House of Love tomorrow we would be able to see what God has for us to help with and learn from during our short time here. Let me know how I can be praying for all of you as well. Blessings.

It's hard to know where to start when writing this. Looking back on this past semester, it's amazing for me to see how evident God's hand was, and is, in me embarking on this adventure. I am going to be spending 76 days or about 11 weeks in Thailand. Until recently I never thought I would be spending my summer in Southeast Asia, let alone Thailand. After attending Urbana, a youth missions conference, over Christmas break I knew I both desired and needed to use this summer as a sort of "stepping stone" for continuing to discover the Lord's path for my life. After seemingly failed attempts to connect with missionaries supported by my church, my friend Hannah suggested I come to Thailand with her for the summer. Her parents are missionaries there, working at a Christian school. So, after many emails and much prayer we bought our plane tickets to Thailand.

We will be living with Hannah's family in Chiang Mai, a large city in the North. In the mornings we are planning on taking language classes in order to try and learn Thai. Our afternoons will be filled with helping out at an orphanage. We are still unsure of many of the details regarding our exact activities, however I know it will all become clear. I'm trying this new thing where I don't worry over things I can't control. I'm excited to see what God wants to teach me through the Thai culture, the missionaries we will be working along side, the Thai people I'll come into contact with, and the opportunity to become involved in a local church.

Through out my time there, I desire to always remember to be a learner. To listen first, rather that being quick to offer my input or advice. If my Anthropology classes have taught me nothing else, they have taught me the importance of entering a new cultural setting ready to listen. I desire to seek whether working overseas in full-time ministry is something I can see myself loving and something God wants for my life. And I desire to more fully learn about the Thai culture in order to better understand the people I'll be meeting.

This entire road leading to Thailand and recent past disappointments have taught me that we have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. I'm ready to see what He has to teach me about Himself and His world through this adventure. I'm waiting in anticipation.