Goodbye Thailand 🇹🇭

When I first heard that I would be spending four months in Thailand, I thought it was too much time. But now, as I pack my bags and say my goodbyes, it feels like I’m leaving home. Thailand has exceeded all my expectations. I prayed that God would make Thailand feel like home, and not only did He do that, but He also gave me a family and best friends here. I’ve loved hiking Doi Inthanon and Doi Saket, taking in the stunning waterfalls along the way.

When I signed up for a mission trip to Thailand, I thought I would spend most of my time connecting with Thai people. But God had something more in store—He brought the world to us. We’ve had the privilege of meeting and becoming close friends with many people from Myanmar. Myanmar has been in civil war since 2021, and many students have sought refuge in Thai schools. Most of them speak almost fluent English, which made it easy to bond and hear their stories. These students have become some of my favorite people, and I pray that one day, when their country is at peace again, I can visit Myanmar and see the land of the people I’ve come to love.

In our final two weeks in Thailand, God gave us a glimpse of what would unfold after we left. After a week full of spending time with the Myanmar students, we invited them to church. At first, they weren’t very excited, but they agreed to think about it—just so they wouldn’t disappoint us. Little did we know, the next morning, when we thought they wouldn’t come, we received a message: “Have you all left for church yet? Please wait for us, we’re coming!” That was one of my favorite messages I received from them. So, we all piled into the car—Christians, Buddhists, and a Muslim—and went to church together. The following Sunday, our AIA family invited the same group of students to a different church, and they all went. Afterward, they met us at a Sunday market, helping us pass out leaflets about how to get to know Jesus personally. It was so beautiful to see God working in their lives, bit by bit.

Words cannot fully express the love I have for Thailand or the gratitude I feel for how God turned a trip that almost didn’t happen into one I will never forget. I’ve loved learning about Thai culture, where life is taken one step at a time—things happen when they happen, and if it’s not the right moment, you wait for a better one. This mindset has helped me learn to depend more on God’s timing rather than my own. When we were renewing our visas and no one knew what would happen, I was at peace because it gave me a chance to trust God with our stay in Thailand.

My time in Thailand has taught me so much, and I pray that when I return to America, I won’t let the busyness of life overshadow what I’ve learned about myself, God, and the new habits I’ve formed that I don’t want to forget. Living in Thailand has shown me the heart of a humble servant—not serving because it’s expected, but serving because I genuinely want to take care of the people around me. As Matthew 20:28 says, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” For the Thai people, it didn’t matter if they knew you or not—they were ready to help however they could. We’d be trying to park, and a man walking by would stop to direct us and make sure we parked safely. On another occasion, when the hood of our car overheated in the hot weather, three dads immediately came over to help, doing their best to solve the problem with the little English they knew. Most of all, the AIA family we’ve worked with has shown me the ultimate servant’s heart. They have served us so well and loved us as their own children. Saying goodbye to them at the airport was the hardest part. I’m so thankful God connected us with them because without our relationship with the AIA family, our time in Thailand would have been very different. I will miss my new friends and family dearly, and I pray that God will provide another opportunity for me to return and see them again.

Prayer requests:

- Please pray for our health and a smooth transition as we move from Thailand to Croatia.

- Pray for our friends who have shown interest in learning more about Jesus, that they would continue to seek Him.

-pray for the AIA Thailand staff as they continue to raise support.

-pray for AIA Myanmar staff as they continue to Put there trust in God for safety and financial support in this time of war in their country.