I Finally Made it to Thailand! Yippee Skippy!

sa wat dee!!!! In other words....Hello! Yes, I did make it to Thailand, safe and sound! Thank you so much for all of you that kept me in your prayers and thoughts the past 2-3 days of traveling! That's right! Portland to Los Angeles to Taipei, Taiwan, Bangkok, Thailand to Pattaya :) I even traveled on a donkey! Just Kidding! I arrived at 4:30 in the morning and had to be ready for work at 7 so I didn't even bother going to sleep. I'm exhausted but needless to say, I'm thrilled and in awe of every step I take. I feel as I've already been on a whirlwind journey meeting crazy people, kind people and people who have no idea what I'm talking about! I love learning about this culture first hand. These people are so polite and welcoming!

In the LAX airport I immediately made a new friend named Alanna who just so happened to also be from San Diego, she had just graduated from USD and decided to go backpacking with a friend for 2 months. We clicked and bonded immediately! Occasionally, I have "long weekends" off (Fri/Sat-Sun) so we plan on getting in touch and backpacking together one of my long weekends. I felt very blessed to meet someone right away I felt comfortable with and liked very much! This helped ease my nerves that I was wrestling with that morning and night before at the hotel. My Tita Christy spent the night with me at a hotel in LA and dropped me off at the airport the next morning. I was so happy I got to see her before I left. Felt like forever, but it really wasn't ;) Tried to not cry but it was a bittersweet moment, as were all my other goodbyes. I felt overwhelmed by love and this alone brought tears of joy and thankfulness to my heart & eyes. Being sent off by so many people who care about me and love me is truly a blessing.

10 hours into the plane ride I had the "Oh my gosh, what am I doing"? moment! I just thought to myself "Woah, there is no turning back now! Alright God"! Lately I have been feeling distracted from the Lords voice and began to feel discouraged by this. I asked others to pray for the Holy Spirit and at that moment prayed and asked God to just speak to me. I opened the bible after a powerful realization of selfless love to Proverbs 4...

Proverbs 4

Wisdom Is Supreme

 ¹ Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction;
       pay attention and gain understanding.

 ² I give you sound learning,
       so do not forsake my teaching.

 ³ When I was a boy in my father's house,
       still tender, and an only child of my mother,

 ⁴ he taught me and said,
       "Lay hold of my words with all your heart;
       keep my commands and you will live.

 ⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;
       do not forget my words or swerve from them.

 ⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
       love her, and she will watch over you.

 ⁷ Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom.
       Though it cost all you have, ^a]">[a] get understanding.

 ⁸ Esteem her, and she will exalt you;
       embrace her, and she will honor you.

 ⁹ She will set a garland of grace on your head
       and present you with a crown of splendor."

 ¹⁰ Listen, my son, accept what I say,
       and the years of your life will be many.

 ¹¹ I guide you in the way of wisdom
       and lead you along straight paths.

 ¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
       when you run, you will not stumble.

 ¹³ Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
       guard it well, for it is your life.

 ¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
       or walk in the way of evil men.

 ¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it;
       turn from it and go on your way.

 ¹⁶ For they cannot sleep till they do evil;
       they are robbed of slumber till they make someone fall.

 ¹⁷ They eat the bread of wickedness
       and drink the wine of violence.

 ¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn,
       shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

 ¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
       they do not know what makes them stumble.

 ²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say;
       listen closely to my words.

 ²¹ Do not let them out of your sight,
       keep them within your heart;

 ²² for they are life to those who find them
       and health to a man's whole body.

 ²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
       for it is the wellspring of life.

 ²⁴ Put away perversity from your mouth;
       keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

 ²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead,
       fix your gaze directly before you.

 ²⁶ Make level ^b]">[b] paths for your feet
       and take only ways that are firm.

 ²⁷ Do not swerve to the right or the left;
       keep your foot from evil.

At that moment I felt compelled and knew that the Lord was with me on this journey and would not forsake me! All my comfort came from this. His voice.

After that 14 hour flight and layover in Taipei I finally landed in Bangkok another 3 1/2 hours later. People were walking up to me and anxiously asking me if they could take pictures with me. I asked if it was because I was from America and they just nodded their heads in a mixture of surety and confusion! My mother told me this might happen, I guess I just figured that I blended in more since I died my hair back from blonde to dark. I finally get through.. immigrations and see a short, dark man with a sign with my name on it. He speaks no English but I follow him. I'm in awe of my surroundings and lightning the ride back! Nobody seemed to even noticed the raging lightning! hmmm.

We finally reach the compound in Pattaya where the manager of the hotel the volunteers now stays in shows me to me room! It's little and old but I'm still thankful. Only a few minutes ago I finally figured out how to flush the toilet! No button! Just a bucket of water! I was looking all over the place for one of those buttons last night! Well, this morning :) There are no designated showers either. Just a bathroom with a drain and a hand held shower head. You shower in the middle of the bathroom. Next to your toilet! That was interesting! I have a little tiny balcony and this compound is beautiful!I thanked the lord for my safety and wisdom that day as I had already had a few encounters and got ready to move along again.

This morning I was greeting by a lovely old man named Wayne, who has been volunteering at Father Ray for 16 years. He hugs me right away and makes me a plate for breakfast, shows me how to bow to others in greeting, thanking and respectand shows me all around the compound on his little wobble! He calls everyone brother, sister, cousin, uncle, grandma and so fourth. We head over to the Day Care center and there are the cutest children in uniforms being dropped off by their parents on mopeds and bowing with their little hands every time I look at them. He then shows me the library! Ahhhhhhhh! It's beautiful! old Thai classics and resources galore! I'm in heaven even after lugging 10 other books over here! I signed up to take a Thai beginner course at the library every Friday! I'm determined to come back fluent!

I feel as if this journey began a long time ago. God has been showing me through the love and support and reaching out of my friends and family how beautiful this world is. I've felt humbled and choked up more than I can count! I thank you all for your support! It's 9:40 Thursday morning here! We are 14 hours ahead but already I feel overwhelmed and blessed by these people, this culture, this opportunity and everyone in my life. God is Love.