My Dear Friends,
It feels like so much longer then just one week - that I was last able to write you. We left Chang Mai on Saturday night and traveled to Pua, a smaller town 5 hours north (l believe... Haven't seen a map for a while). We arrived there at 4:am in the morning, only to find out that our contact thought we were coming the next day. So we slept on the side walk for a few hours with our luggage..while we waited to find out what was going on. Ironically - it was one of the best sleeps I've ever had.
We stayed in a guest house for one day while our leaders got information about the next hill tribe. That was Sunday...Monday morning we all piled into the back of the Pastor's friend's truck and traveled another 3 1/2 hours north. It was some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen here in Thailand!!
In Baobgea, the hill tribe, we stayed in a bamboo hut on stilts ..and I got the experience of sleeping in a mosquito net for the first time!! There were a lot of friendly people and animals. I had one small cow that was especially fond of me - and followed me everywhere I went. Even the squatty (potty).
God moved in some crazy amazing ways. 31 people made first time commitments to follow Jesus. All were children and teenagers. Two women's backs were healed. Something with the spine - as we felt it move back into place while we were laying our hand on it! One woman's eyes were healed..and she regained clear vision ...as well as the redness and puffiness went away immediately!!! That same woman's appendix was healed...not sure what the total problem was with it, but she told Ja, our translator, that she has had terrible pain for a long time - some months - and that pain totally left her that night.
Two mothers brought their children to the church - with high fevers... We prayed and immediately the fevers left and they stopped crying. The One boy was just a small 10 month old.
We worked in the village school teaching English, and in the evenings held church services and visited the sick in their homes. I was blown away by these people's faith. They just expected God to do whatever we prayed. And He did. They told us, "We are so glad you have come. We know that your God is the way. He is our God too. We believe Him..not in man..but in Him."
This weekend we had the opportunity to host an "English Camp" at one of the government schools. This was challenging in a lot of ways - as they did not know that we were coming to also share the gospel. And the school was VERY Buddhist. Every morning and every night loud sirens would sound and the kids would line up and chant to Buddha. It broke my heart and was very discouraging ..because we would tell them about God's love - and then watch them go and bow to a statue made of gold. Literally.
Even through the opposition...God was there...and moved on the kids' hearts. No one got saved..that I know of. But they loved us, and we loved them, and we got a lot of their addresses..and will keep in touch. I believe that through a continued friendship..and more watering of those seeds that were planted...their eyes will be opened. I got attached to some of them though, and it was hard to leave.
Now we are in another small town. Staying at the Pastor's home. We will have tomorrow off - so I will have more time to write a few personal notes to you.
Tuesday - we will be leaving to go to our last hill tribe. This one is three hours north - in another direction. The Pastor says that these people have NEVER HEARD OF JESUS and NEVER SEEN A WHITE PERSON. So we are headed into way new territory. Please remember us in your prayers. He says that they have just been introduced to 'clothes'. As many of them still wear loin cloths...or something. This is what I imagined when I first heard that we were staying in hill tribes - but it has not been the case..until now.
Terry and Janean got terrible news this past week. They lost their first little grand daughter at birth. So they will be leaving our team for 6 days - as we go to this new spot. And have left Jono and Me in charge....and I would appreciate your prayers for that. That God would give us grace for communication in Thai..and wisdom to be good leaders, and for safety. Also pray for Terry and Janean. As they go to Australia to see their son and daughter in law - for the memorial service.
More later - I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL. MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU !!!
- joanna
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