Mark in Chiang Mai
at a e students s e in h C h Hilary wit w Year celebration e Chinese N
Friends in Thai culture class enjoy making and eating Thai food and drinks
Meeting new friends from Southeast Asia in Siem Reap during AoF5 misison trip
Church family durin g a potluck meal before going to the orphanage
Students pose with Let’s Start Talking teachers after the Va lentine’s Day party
to Chiang while on a trip Smiling together k. ol brea Rai during scho
Making Connections With New Friends Three months of 2011 are over, but there is still more to come during this year. It was a slow start due to my university studies in Thai language and culture. During the month of March things have really picked up and friendships are growing deeper and God is moving in my life as well as the lives of my new friends. During the month of January and February we had a group from the Midwest come to teach English through the Let’s Start Talking (LST) program. The group of four
was able to teach the book of Luke to thirty students one-on-one for six weeks. Not only was it enriching to the students, but it also allowed us to meet new students who have been eager to study the Word. While the group was teaching I continued my studies and kept growing relationships with my friends in class as well as before and after studying with the LST group. God has opened many doors for me to be able to join these classes to learn Thai quickly and reach out to those in my class. After the LST
group left I have continued to teach some of guys going through the book of Acts. I’ve found that I am learning quite a bit myself while I am teaching them. During March we had a break from school so I was able to travel with my classmates and bond even more. We rode elephants, climbed caves, went to the zoo, and enjoyed an afternoon at the lake. I was also able to attend Angkor of Faith 5 (AoF5)(more on back). This year has allowed relationships to grow and become closer and closer.
Youth Join to Reach Kids
BY HILARY CROWDER with all of their hearts that they were “tradAngkor of Faith??? What is that? That’s ing their sorrow for the joy of the Lord!” The Team from Thailand was in charge what most people say when you tell them that I went to Angkor of Faith 5 (AoF5) of several activities during the week. One big this year. AoF started in March 2007 with project was the Hygiene Day. We gave out groups from Thailand, Singapore, Japan, packages with toothbrushes, combs and nail and Malaysia coming together to reach clippers. We also washed and combed the out to the children who sell on the streets kids’ hair to get rid of lice. It was exhaustof Siem Reap. These kids sell postcards ing but so rewarding. The next day we also and bracelets at Angkor Wat, one of the planned “The Amazing Race.” We changed it ancient wonders of the world. Many to the Amazing Grace and challenged every t a ee y befor a r p o of them do not attend school but group to put into action the theme for the t ady tting re of our parties e g n sell everyday so they can provide for week: “Word + Action = Life”. We gave each e r Child ing one their families. They talk to tourists in group a word that they were then supposed ing dur English so they speak very well and it is easy to put into action and give life to the city. to get to know them once they realize you Every group came back with amazing stories are not going to buy anything and really just of things they had found to do to give life. Some people chopped wood, helped cook, want to love them. This year for AoF5 we had about 90 par- help hang mosquito nets, and my group sang worship songs on the street ticipants who were serving corners. The best part was around 100 kids. There was that we were able to include a good mix of young people the kids in our service and from churches all over Asia teach them about serving including: Malaysia, China, others. The Philippines, Singapore, The last night of AoF Korea, Japan, and Thailand. Thank God for relationships with was a crazy time with each There is something very spemy Chinese classmates and pray international group dresscial and uplifting about comthat God to continues to open ing together with so many different people ing up crazy and each doing a skit. It was a their hearts. great time having fun with everyone! I pray for the purpose of serving others. Pray for my Chinese classmate The first day we arrived before everyone the relationships that started with the youth Soowa that he will come to learn else but there were already kids waiting for from other countries as well as the kids from more about the Gospel. us at the guest house. They remembered us Siem Reap will continue in the future and Thank God for this opportunity to from our trip in December and were really bless each of us. The opportunity to share serve here in Thailand excited to spend a whole week with us. They our faith with the children and to be in felPray for God to open and close had participated in the other 4 AoFs and lowship with other believers with different doors for my future. Pray for disbackgrounds was a blessing that will help knew that it was going to be a great week. cernment as well, that I can congrow the kingdom of God On Sunday everyone from the other tinue to bless God’s people where in Asia. countries arrived and the fun began. They ever I go. brought lots and lots of donations to an orphanage and a village nearby. We spent a while sorting everything and getting to know people from other places. Everyone was put into an international group with people from all the other countries. It was kind of scary at first, but we quickly became friends as we served and studied together. We had lessons everyday from Romans 12 and then singing practice to learn new songs and eventually record them. Every day we would have a party for the Facebook: facebook.com/markinchiangmai kids where we made lunch and hung out Blog: with them for several hours sharing the Hilary a markinchiangmai.wordpress.com nd I po love of Christ. We also all learned praise sing Videos: songs together that have fun motions. Samee a with Pizza, Re youtube.com/markydoug xar, and t Angko r Wat It was such a joy to watch the kids sing
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