The Big Transition

This month comes along with quite an update!  It’s a bit lengthy - but if you’ve been following my journey, I urge you to read through to the end to understand the steps of this past month.  Thank you! 

At the beginning of February I could feel a big transition coming in my work with the kids.  That’s really the only way I know to describe it - I could feel the transition, as I saw circumstances change and doors close in Thailand.  

The people who were working alongside me with the kids were on short term teams that were leaving the country.

The place in the red light district that I would meet with the kids to play games and teach english was no longer an option for us to meet at.

I found that the kids were coming to meet with me in the red light - but they weren’t always even selling flowers.  They were just coming to see me.  Which is great! And I loved spending time with them, but I wanted them OUT of the red light district.  I didn’t want them coming there even when they didn’t have to work, just to see me.

At the beginning of February I took three days off with the intention to rest, and to listen.  I needed God to give me direction on what was best to do for the kids.  I wanted to serve them the BEST I was able to.  I knew that, that solution didn’t necessarily mean me working with them every day.

During those three days of rest and prayer I was asking a lot of questions.  

How long was I supposed to be in Thailand?
Should I be starting a program for the kids?
Or would it be better to connect them with an already existing organization?
How could I BEST serve them?
What was my next step?

Back in December when I had been in a time of prayer I felt God leading that I was in a season of learning and that the big picture, longterm I would be based in the US with short term trips to Thailand, along with a few other countries.  My season of learning was learning how to interact with the kids.  Learning what was important to learn in the language, about surrounding organizations, about the culture, the country.  Once I was able to learn those, amongst other things I would be free to leave Thailand.  

In the beginning of February as I prayed through my next step I felt like I was supposed to connect the kids to an already existing organization instead of trying to start something for them.  I didn’t have people to work with me, I’m not fluent in Thai - I just knew it wouldn’t be the best solution.  I found a great organization that works specifically with boys in danger of being trafficked - or boys who are being trafficked.  

When I contacted them to see if the boys I worked with would be a good fit, I found out that they had all shown up there earlier in the week, and were already connected.  God had taken care of that :)  

Now that the big question had been answered, I began praying through timing.  I felt the leading that my time of learning was over, and to go back to the US.

I had a lot of feelings about this answer.  I was really surprised.  I had bought a one way plane ticket to Thailand because I knew that God was asking me to go there, but I didn't’ know how long He was asking me to stay for.   I got a one year visa, so I figured I would be there one year - but from the beginning my attitude had always been that I would stay in Thailand until He asked me to go somewhere else.

I knew that Thailand was a longterm place for me to work.  But it turned out longterm was looking different than I had originally thought.  I wasn’t going to be living there longterm - but Thailand was a longterm contact I would be doing short term trips with.  Going back consistently, continually to pour into the same people, work with the same kids, to show the love of Jesus in the same area... 

Honestly it brought me a lot of joy! I’ve said since I left Michigan that I was leaving behind the best thing that had ever happened to me - and it brought me a lot of joy to think about going back to that.  To so many people who are SO close to my heart. Having the opportunity to go back to a job that I love (which I’m so grateful for!) with the flexibility to take time off and travel back to Thailand when God leads.  It made me happy to think about being comfortable again.  Maybe even sleeping through the night, with no threat of karaoke keeping me awake at all hours.  

My heart was saddened to think about leaving the kids - but knowing that they were connected to a great organization in the city gave me a peace. Knowing that by being obedient to where God was asking me to go, ultimately was going to serve them the best.

The transition from that point was very fast.  I prayed through it with some people.  I talked through it with some people.  I told the people I was working with, and the kids that I would be leaving.  I found out after making the decision that the kids were actually going to be heading back into the hill tribes for summer (March-April) and rainy season (May-August) and wouldn’t be in Chiang Mai for me to work with soon.  They would be back to work during high tourist season (end of October - beginning of February.) I packed, and I headed back to Michigan.  

Leaving Thailand I wasn’t running from anything.  I wasn’t running to anything.  I left with my heart in a great place, on a wonderful note with all of my friends there.  I was able to spend two weeks with my kids after they knew I was leaving, and my last night in the red light district we played, laughed and I walked away looking around at my kids who all had big smiles on their faces.  

I told each of them before I left in Thai, “When I go back home to America I’m going to miss you a lot! I love you a lot, and I want to see you when I come back here!”

Each of the kids nodded their heads in understand, with big smiles on their faces and responded, “I want to see you too!”  The youngest of the boys called my name as I walked away, “Pii Joy!” I looked back and he blew me a kiss with a big smile.

I would say my time in Thailand was successful.

The thought of going back to that place brings me so much joy! The thought of me getting to live in a place I love, surrounded by people whom I love SO much here in Michigan also gives me a lot of joy.

I am so grateful for the season I am coming out of EVEN if a lot of it was really hard.  I wish I had learned to have a better attitude earlier in the game while I was there on the days when things were really difficult, but I know that when I left I was leaving a place I enjoyed and am excited to go back to.

For those of you who financially donated to the work I was doing while I was in Thailand, what was left of those financial contributions are currently in my PayPal account, and they will stay there to be utilized when I go back to Thailand to work with the kids.  My plan at the moment is to be back in Thailand each year some time in the window of high tourist season which is the end of October - beginning of February.  At this point, I don’t know how long these trips will be, but will keep you updated.

I know some of you had shown interest in donating financially toward the work I was doing - if you are still wanting to do that I WILL be going back to Thailand and the money donated to my PayPal will be utilized only for the missions work I do.  You may donate at any time by clicking here.

If you have ANY questions about anything you are more than welcome to contact me! 

I plan on keeping you all up to date on what develops from here on out, and thank you so much for your support as I was in Thailand, and continued support as I’m here :)