For the next two months we will continue to live in Chiang Mai, two blocks               from the red light district. The street is full of bars where women, children, and ladyboys can be purchased as easily as a bottle of beer.  It’s sad that we live right around the corner from such a dark place; yet being so close brings home how real it is. In the low season (right now), there are 5,000 people ‘working’ in the red light district; during high season that number increases to 20,000. Our team goes into the bars with the goal of building...

Hello world. Well here we are, the last night in Chiang Mai. It's day 54 of this journey, and is all I can say is wow. In that 3 letter word comes along memories, laughter, pain, revelations, new things that have been learned, joy, peace. All things. You think of it, it probably happened. I can't even begin to describe what these last 54 days of my life have looked like, I still can't comprehend all that has happened. Here is what I do know.. I know that I watched God answer my prayers as He broke my heart for what breaks His. I befriended women working in the bars even men who were...

I’m just going to be honest. I have no desire to go to Africa. I mean, if the Lord were to call and then drag me there then maybe I would.  But all real and great missionaries go to Africa, right? Well probably… I have a few friends who have done missions in Africa within the past few years, including my three leaders here in Thailand. And from what I’ve heard it’s SO hard, but that it’s so good. It is such a stretch physically and materially from the life most of us know in America, let alone emotionally and spiritually draining because of all the starving...

There's a song by Chris Tomlin called "God of This City". Maybe you've heard it. Well It was originally "written" by an Irish band called Bluetree. I put "written" in quotation marks because they never technically wrote it. But I'll get to that later.  Since I've been here in Thailand we have gotten the chance to go into bars in the red light district to reach out to the girls that work there. These girls are often prostitutes and are being trafficked or at risk of being trafficked. We have mostly gotten to go during the day, which is a...

Waking up to the light being turned on without warning to “Cover your eyes!” can be the worst way to wake up. Perhaps it’s easier to relate to the squinty-eyed, “Agghhh, it’s SO BRIGHT!” feeling by remembering how it feels to take your sunglasses off on a bright day… or perhaps switching on the light during a mid-night bathroom trip, or when the theater lights come on at the end of a movie… I think you get my point. The light HURTS your eyes and for a moment, you are blinded. Light is a beautiful thing. It quenches darkness and no amount...

Note: I realize this blog is pretty long, but it's worth it if you'll hang in there with me!    It’s happened before-just a little stomach flu or food poisoning…nothing to worry about. Little did I know that this seemingly harmless sickness was the beginning of a three day escapade in the hospital, followed by a yet to be determined amount of days resting at our guesthouse. Skipping the medical details (you’re welcome), suddenly Alys, Sarah, and I were walking to the main road to flag down a tuk-tuk in order to take us to the ER, where they took my vitals,...