End of a phase...

Well, today marks my last day in Thailand. Tomorrow my team and I get on a plane and fly for more than 24 hours, back to Vancouver, B.C. for two weeks of debrief. As I sort through the mess of emotions I am feeling currently, and anticipate the approaching jet lag, I would appreciate your prayers one more time.
We said our goodbyes last night to TLC, Team 2000 and the community we have been a part of for the last seven months. It was hard, leaving these people, not knowing if we would ever see them again. Pray that God will continue to move in that incredible place, and our friends would keep growing in their relationships with him. Pray for my friend Wow, probably my closest Thai friend, that as our team leaves, she would find friends to provide her with the support she needs, despite very difficult family circumstances.
We begin debrief phase the next morning after our flight. Pray that despite rather intense jet lage we will be able to process this experience, and learn to apply all the ways God has shaped us here at home.
Pray for safety as we and all the other TREKers (Panama, Germany, Mexico and Burkina Faso) fly home from our various locations.
Praise God for the way that our team has had closure in this last week, and for all the ways that we have learned and been shaped this year.
I look foreward to seeing all of you as I return to Canada.
Thanks for your prayer and support.

I should be sleeping...

Well, it's about midnight here, and I'm just finishing up some prep work for a church camp our team leaves for tomorrow morning. Our team has had one week to plan a complete children's program for the kids of 4 churches in our area, who do not speak our language...and as I pull together the last details before I join my team in sleep, I was suddenly inspired to write here.

I've come to this point in my TREK experience, that I thought I would never reach, and yet has come far too quickly...the end. In two weeks I will board a plane and leave life as I have known it for the last seven months. I will re-enter my own culture, reacquaint myself with friends and family, and "get back to real life." That prospect both scares and thrills me. I'm not sure how I'll say goodbye to this incredible place, full of people I have come to know and love and look up to, how I'll take everything God has taught me and started to shape in me, and learn to apply it at home, how I'll even process this whole experience.

I would like to ask as our team ends our time here, that you will intercede for us, that we will end well.

The next two weeks will be busy. As I already said church camp begins tomorrow morning, and runs for the weekend. We will be doing the children's program, and our theme is the persecuted church, because we realized believers in all the countries surrounding Thailand experience persecution (not to mention some in Thailand). One lesson I am teaching is about praying for believer's around the world. I feel especially passionate about this lesson. Please pray that the kids will know the impact of their prayers around the world. Pray that as these children begin to intercede for the nations around them, that God will move powerfully, and that their faith will grow. Pray that as many, non Christians (including a few friends of mine, and our one student from English class and her family) come to church camp they will meet Jesus, and know the freedom that comes from relationship with him. Pray that this camp will have an eternal impact, and that it will be fun!

After we get back from church camp we will begin to plan a children's program for the MBMSI Thailand missionary retreat. All the MBMSI missionaries will be meeting for a four day retreat, and we are up for childcare. Pray that this will be a time of refreshment for the adults, and a time of fun for the kids. Pray that our team will have time to say our good byes to friends admist the planning.

And that brings us to our last week here- packing, wrapping up ministries, and final good byes (and probably a lot of tears). I appreciate so much your prayers for our team, as we go through this final stage of TREK.

Well, it seems like one of those times that an update is in order.
Yesterday was my hardest day in Thailand so far. My team mate, room mate, friend and ministry partner Fauna returned to America. Because of complications with her Father's health she discerned it was best for her to be with her family at this time. It was an incredibly hard good bye. Please pray for Fauna and her family as they walk through this incredibly difficult time.

(to the left: a picture of Fauna's farewell at TLC)

After dropping Fauna off at the airport the reality of what her leaving meant for our team hit me. Our team has been functioning almost as 2 teams within a team. Fauna and I doing our main ministry in Bang Saen and Diana and Michelle focusing on ministry in Ang Sila. Therefore, I've spent pretty much 24 hours a day with Fauna for the last 6.5 months. Her leaving means essentially every part of my life will change. Our team had a meeting about what ministry would look like for me now that I am alone. Please pray for our team as we continue to seek God about what our last month of ministry will look like one team member short.
Another major change that happened yesterday was that my entire life was packed up into suitcases, bins and garbage bags and dumped at the church. We decided it wasn't good for me to live in my apartment alone, and to get my deposit back, I had to move out immediately. So, with the help of my team, Carmen (one of our missionary hosts) and 2 Thai friends we cleared out in less than an hour.

So, I will end with a request for prayer. Our whole team is in a time of transition, but any change that occurs will directly effect me. Please pray that as we decide on living arrangements, ministry roles and as we relearn how to function as a team, God will give us clarity about what to do, and that we will have an abundance of grace for one another.
As always, thank you so much for your continual support and prayers! I am so grateful.