WOW!!!

Guam was great, but we left with some good options and a few ideas but not feeling certain about any of them. We planned to go to Chiang Mai and settle down and try to help YWAM in any way we could. But, we had 1 last person to talk to first. We set up a meeting with Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) at their Bangkok office.

We arrived in Bangkok on Monday afternoon (March 10) and went to the OMF office to stay for 1 night. We really expected to meet with OMF in the morning and then to head on our way to Chiang Mai and help with YWAM. But, while in our meeting we saw many intriguing things, and so we went to Lopburi to see a little more. We sat at a bus stop for 2 hours with 2 big bags waiting for a bus to a small town to meet people we had never met. Jonathan almost lost it, thinking Ashley was crazy to think we would ever find anything in Lopburi. But, we made it, and the first person we called in Lopburi was so excited to meet us they offered to pick us up and give us a tour. After seeing the Youth House, Thai Language Center and talking with many wonderful people in Lopburi, we decided to continue on to Nakhon Sawan to learn more. Jonathan was still weary, thinking that we were wasting ours and their time and would most likely go to Chiang Mai as planned.

In Nakhon Sawan, we met Johnny and Ann McClean, the pioneers of a college ministry (similar to Intervarsity/Campus Outreach) that has spread to three towns in Central Thailand. We immediately felt at home and stayed up until midnight talking with them about everything, the good and the bad of them, us, OMF, and Central Thailand. We were impressed at the way everything was organized and strategically set up to share about Jesus’ love with the students of Central Thailand. We were excited when we learned that they had a program that would encourage us to further our language study, disciple us, help us disciple others and still give us opportunities to see other ministries. It seemed too good to be true so we asked for more information about the specific program we’d be doing. We spent the next morning praying, talking, and just being amazed at how this seemed perfect for us.

So, the Big News is, we’re headed to Lopburi for the next 9 months. We will study Thai at the best language school. We will be a part of OMF’s "Trained to Serve" program to train us to lead student ministries. We will help Off and Pheung, a thai couple who are leading the Youth House student ministry in Lopburi. We will get to develop relationships with students through playing basketball, running, teaching English, or any other way we can. The Youth House will organize several events to invite our friends to and guide us as we try to share about Jesus with those who are interested. We are very excited about this next step. We are sure that God led us to meet these people and opened many doors for us to convince us that this is where He wants us for now. We are truly amazed at His guidance for us. He is always faithful and always on time, even if it is at the last second.


Amima's Wedding
After traveling from Guam to Bangkok, to Northern Bangkok, to Lopburi, to Nakhon Sawan in 4 days and meeting with 10 people, we set off to go to a little village near the Burma border to go to Amima's Wedding. We took an overnight bus, another bus, a songthaew, and then each rode on the back of a motorcycle to a little Lisu village where Amima lives. We got to watch as the entire village came together to prepare for the wedding by building tables and benches out of bamboo, chopping firewood, butchering a 220 pound pig, cooking enough rice for many people, and decorating the house and church. It was a very interesting experience. We wish we capture Lisu culture and send it home in some way, but it would be impossible. Their dress, smiles, laughter, intelligence, and history is all so intriguing. We met several people who speak 5 languages fluently. Several people who recently came from Burma with nothing and have managed to survive and thrive.
The wedding was long and involved 3 sermons and a couple songs. The church was packed and even the windows were full of people looking in on the ceremony. The couple exchanged 2 simple gold rings, and walked out. In many ways, it was similar to an american wedding. After, we all walked to their house and had a big feast. We had alot of good food, and got to talk with several friends from DTS who had come as well.
It was bittersweet, as we enjoyed seeing our friends but it was also hard to tell them we were moving far away. We had all hoped we would end up living near each other. But, they were very encouraging to us to follow where God was leading us and to come back to visit them as much as possible.

What Now?
Now, we have a few more bus and train rides to see Art and Ponglak and Somkit in Chiang Rai and then to move our things to Lopburi. We are excited to settle down in one place for awhile. Luckily, bus rides in Thailand are very cheap. Please keep us in your prayers the next few days that we won't lose anything and that we will find a place to call home in Lopburi.