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.