Hello !!
We just got back from our second Hill Tribe. Mosakee. It is a refuge hostel for orphans, widows, and the children of the hill tribe people who cannot afford to support their children on the wages they make. It was started by an amazing woman named Dteday - who was given the vision for this ministry back in the 80's. It was during a time when the child sex trade industry in Thailand was at an all time high. And her heart was just broken for the people. She knew that she had to do something, and so she prayed. She told God, "I am here. And I am available. You tell me how I can make a difference. And I will. I will do whatever you tell me to do."
This is a woman who was saved because of missionaries who came to her land in India in the early 1900s. She was a part of a tribe that were head hunters. But the entire tribe was saved. And today 80% of them are in missions globally. She is here in Thailand, and God has used her enormously. She has forged every bit of the work with prayer and totally dependence on God. Today they have 60 orphans living there, going to school, involved in sports, the arts and music - which is amazing in itself. They are in the middle of NOWHERE with electric guitars hooked up to battery operated generators! They also have a ministry to widows, widowers, and their families. Building homes for them, helping them find work, and get back on their feet. She also reaches out to the neighboring villages. Making sure that they have what THEY need.
Sean - our contact here - said that you can travel three hours in any direction from Mosakee...and you won't ever have to worry about finding your way back. Everyone knows Dteday. They say, "She is the one who prayed for my father and he was healed of cancer." "She was the one who brought water and electricity to our village." "She was the one who has done so much for our children and given them a future."
And yet, when you meet her, you would never know unless she told you. She is more concerned with what you have to say. Every time she speaks the entire room falls silent..so powerful are her words. I feel as if I have met the 'Mother Teresa' of Thailand. And I know I will be coming back here to work with her in the future. Not Forever. But God has given me some work to do here.
I would love to share just what that is, but now is not the time. Mainly..because I'm out of time. We have to get back for a team meeting. But I will tell you ALL SOON --I promise. And MAN IS IT EXCITING !!
Today we got to ride elephants bear back through the jungle !! Took some amazing pics.. It was so much FUN !!!
LOVE YOU ALL
joanna
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Update: 6/13/07 - First Tribal Adventure
Hello !!
We just got back, not long ago from our first of many adventures in the hill tribes of Thailand. This village was called Haug Da Top - a three and 1/2 hour drive, and 2 hour hike up steep mountainous terrain. The people group are called the "Karen". They live a very simple life with their huts, cattle, and crops. But it is absolutely beautiful up there. I am never seen anything like that...Our second day in, we got to help them with their vision for a coffee plantation. They had started two years ago by planted 500 coffee plants. Half of those were lost, and the other half have just started to bare fruit. Thanks to the donation of another local missionary - they were able to buy 500 more plants, that we helped them get in the ground that day. It was such an amazing experience.. and one I've always dreamed about being able to do. So that was a sweet gift from God.
As if it couldn't get any better, near the end of our planting, we heard a loud noise coming over the mountain. It was rain!! I have never heard rain before I saw it - but wow!! It was gorgeous. We grabbed our picks, tools, plants, hats, and went running for their huts for shelter. It was so incredible. I didn't stay there long though. I had to go dance in it.
Then a pastor friend showed us where there was a waterfall we could swim in. We got to hike through the rain forest, with a machete - chopping brush out of the way. At the clearing we were over looking rice fields as far as we could see. There were water buffalo munching away on different level, that looked up as we passed. All this while it was still raining!!
An incredible day..by far, one of the best I have ever lived.
We had the chance to pray for a lot of people and saw God move.Many of the young people in Haug Da Top are strong in their faith and love for God and each other. The spirit world is very real to them. And they shared many stories with us about seeing demons, and chasing them out of the village in Jesus name. Revival is breaking out in many of the hill tribes, as people are dreaming dreams and having visions of Jesus. People who didn't know who Jesus was, are getting saved, by the Spirit. They are corporately seeing visions and experiencing things like in Acts 2 - when Holy Spirit came with fire. People are getting healed and delivered. And God is blessing their crops and cattle. Only a year ago..many of them were starving to death - but now God is pouring out blessing. Like the floodgates of heaven. To hear them pray ..crying out to God with their whole heart and every bit of lung power, hour after hour. And to live with them, in those conditions, and understand more then I ever have the intensity of their need. I was moved with a desire to DO something. I know that I was there..and I was DOING SOMETHING. But more..what more can I do? I don't want to just forget what I have seen and heard and experienced.
Now we will be going to another tribe the day after tomorrow. This time to work with an Indian woman who started an orphanage up in the mountains. Please pray for us as we go. But also remember the people in Haug Da Top...that God would be near to them.Continuing to blessing their crops, and their village with food and clothing. With clean water. That the coffee we planted will take root, and be fruitful - bringing in prosperity for their families and future. They are such giving people. What little they had..they still insisted that they cook for us while we were there (though we had brought food of our own). And as we left they gave us peppers and rice.
They have left a mark in me that I am still searching to fully grasp. They LIVE like Jesus..though many of them have never, and will never be able to read or write. God has written his law on their hearts in such an amazing way. I will never forget them. And I sincerely hope that someday I will be able to go back.
I will try to write again in a week or so. We will be in the next village from Saturday through the following Friday.
I love you all - and am praying for you ---
joanna
We just got back, not long ago from our first of many adventures in the hill tribes of Thailand. This village was called Haug Da Top - a three and 1/2 hour drive, and 2 hour hike up steep mountainous terrain. The people group are called the "Karen". They live a very simple life with their huts, cattle, and crops. But it is absolutely beautiful up there. I am never seen anything like that...Our second day in, we got to help them with their vision for a coffee plantation. They had started two years ago by planted 500 coffee plants. Half of those were lost, and the other half have just started to bare fruit. Thanks to the donation of another local missionary - they were able to buy 500 more plants, that we helped them get in the ground that day. It was such an amazing experience.. and one I've always dreamed about being able to do. So that was a sweet gift from God.
As if it couldn't get any better, near the end of our planting, we heard a loud noise coming over the mountain. It was rain!! I have never heard rain before I saw it - but wow!! It was gorgeous. We grabbed our picks, tools, plants, hats, and went running for their huts for shelter. It was so incredible. I didn't stay there long though. I had to go dance in it.
Then a pastor friend showed us where there was a waterfall we could swim in. We got to hike through the rain forest, with a machete - chopping brush out of the way. At the clearing we were over looking rice fields as far as we could see. There were water buffalo munching away on different level, that looked up as we passed. All this while it was still raining!!
An incredible day..by far, one of the best I have ever lived.
We had the chance to pray for a lot of people and saw God move.Many of the young people in Haug Da Top are strong in their faith and love for God and each other. The spirit world is very real to them. And they shared many stories with us about seeing demons, and chasing them out of the village in Jesus name. Revival is breaking out in many of the hill tribes, as people are dreaming dreams and having visions of Jesus. People who didn't know who Jesus was, are getting saved, by the Spirit. They are corporately seeing visions and experiencing things like in Acts 2 - when Holy Spirit came with fire. People are getting healed and delivered. And God is blessing their crops and cattle. Only a year ago..many of them were starving to death - but now God is pouring out blessing. Like the floodgates of heaven. To hear them pray ..crying out to God with their whole heart and every bit of lung power, hour after hour. And to live with them, in those conditions, and understand more then I ever have the intensity of their need. I was moved with a desire to DO something. I know that I was there..and I was DOING SOMETHING. But more..what more can I do? I don't want to just forget what I have seen and heard and experienced.
Now we will be going to another tribe the day after tomorrow. This time to work with an Indian woman who started an orphanage up in the mountains. Please pray for us as we go. But also remember the people in Haug Da Top...that God would be near to them.Continuing to blessing their crops, and their village with food and clothing. With clean water. That the coffee we planted will take root, and be fruitful - bringing in prosperity for their families and future. They are such giving people. What little they had..they still insisted that they cook for us while we were there (though we had brought food of our own). And as we left they gave us peppers and rice.
They have left a mark in me that I am still searching to fully grasp. They LIVE like Jesus..though many of them have never, and will never be able to read or write. God has written his law on their hearts in such an amazing way. I will never forget them. And I sincerely hope that someday I will be able to go back.
I will try to write again in a week or so. We will be in the next village from Saturday through the following Friday.
I love you all - and am praying for you ---
joanna
Monday, June 11, 2007
Update: June 10, 2007 - 5:51 PM
We are heading out for the hill tribes today. It's 6 in the morning here. We will be driving for three hours and hiking for one, and then we will be out there for about three days. That is the only amount of time since it is all the water and supplies we can carry at one time, with our equipment and everything else. I've been taking lots of pics and will be getting them onto a cd when I get back to Chang Mai here. We drove to Chang Mai the day before yesterday.
Thank you for your prayers. I miss you a lot . I have many stories to share - and will later.
love you - joanna
PS: Pray for team unity, and gratefulness for small things..as it is very very hot and humid here..and difficult at times.
Thank you for your prayers. I miss you a lot . I have many stories to share - and will later.
love you - joanna
PS: Pray for team unity, and gratefulness for small things..as it is very very hot and humid here..and difficult at times.
Update: June 7, 2007 - 5:52 AM
I am writing to let you know that I am here safely. I was really tired when I arrived because I hadn't slept at all on any of the flights. It was a 13 hour flight from San Fran to Taipai, and a six hour flight from Taipai to Bankok. We had a 5 hour lay over in Taipai. A two hour lay over in San Fran and about a 3 hour lay over in Salt Lake. So it was a long day or so. It was Wednesday night when we got here. The weather outside of the airport felt like we were walking through lotion..the air is so balmy. It smells like inscense everywhere we go. The culture is beautiful. The buildings and taxis and people are so colorful and sweet. I am learning things about the culture that are hard for me, like not making eye contact with men and smiling - because it is an invite. This is hard...
Pray that God gives me the gift of Thai - for communicating. I NEED LANGUAGE.
But yes, it is gorgeous here. I love it. And I am doing well.
This is all the time I have. Thank you for you prayers. I am really happy to be here. I am tempted to live in a foreign country - I love it !!
Kiss and hug everyone for me. - I miss you
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Leaving for Thailand
There's been a lot that has happened to bring us to this moment. But I can finally say that I am READY to leave for Thailand. Our team will be leaving the base at 2 pm Monday (tomorrow) for the Kalispell airport. About a half hours drive from here. We have a group of nine lead by Terry and Janean Hilliard from Florida. There are 4 guys and three girls - Chad from Idaho, Jon Hanson from Montana, Jon Lundsford from California, and Jason from New Jersey, Emily from North Dakota, Jaala from Colorado, and Myself.
We have a long trip ahead of us. Our flight leaves at 4pm to Salt Lake, from there we fly to San Fransisco, then Taiwan -where we'll say goodbye to team Taiwan, and continue on to Bankok - Thailand. It'll be mid-day Wednesday for us there, but sometime Tuesday for you here..when we arrive. We'll be in Bankok for 3 days for orientation. During this time we will be briefed on the culture, language, etc. Saturday (Friday for you) we will be taking a bus from Bankok and traveling 8 hours north to Chang Rai - where we will be for the next two weeks ministering at the University. After that will be spending two weeks in the hill tribes on the Loas/ Burmese boarder. Then two weeks in Chang Mai working at the smoothie shop run by local YWAM missionaries. After that we will go back to the hill tribes for two more weeks. And then have a little break for about 3 days, to pray about what God would have us do, for the last part of our time there. We could revisit one of the places we've been ministering at, or we could go somewhere else. I will keep you posted.
When I am in Chang Rai and Chang Mai I will have access to a computer, so I will keep in touch then. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Your encouraging words are a comfort to me.
Please know that my love and prayers are with you!!
Love Sincerely,
Joanna
We have a long trip ahead of us. Our flight leaves at 4pm to Salt Lake, from there we fly to San Fransisco, then Taiwan -where we'll say goodbye to team Taiwan, and continue on to Bankok - Thailand. It'll be mid-day Wednesday for us there, but sometime Tuesday for you here..when we arrive. We'll be in Bankok for 3 days for orientation. During this time we will be briefed on the culture, language, etc. Saturday (Friday for you) we will be taking a bus from Bankok and traveling 8 hours north to Chang Rai - where we will be for the next two weeks ministering at the University. After that will be spending two weeks in the hill tribes on the Loas/ Burmese boarder. Then two weeks in Chang Mai working at the smoothie shop run by local YWAM missionaries. After that we will go back to the hill tribes for two more weeks. And then have a little break for about 3 days, to pray about what God would have us do, for the last part of our time there. We could revisit one of the places we've been ministering at, or we could go somewhere else. I will keep you posted.
When I am in Chang Rai and Chang Mai I will have access to a computer, so I will keep in touch then. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Your encouraging words are a comfort to me.
Please know that my love and prayers are with you!!
Love Sincerely,
Joanna
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