Greeting from Bangkok!!!

After weeks of planning, we are finally here! I just got back from a nice Thai breakfast with Barbara and Carl. He explained to us that today we are going into the heart of Bangkok, to see the culture of this city, before heading up to Chaing Mai by overnight train.

Before Barbara and Carl joined me in the restaurant this morning, I read my Bible and wrote in my prayer journal some of the things that she and I had been discussing in our travels yesterday. I wrote: "As I sit back and observe the people around me, I am more aware that there are so many people here, beautiful Thai people, who You love. There are so many things going on in their lives and hearts and I feel there is no way I can even ask them to know. All of my usual methods of loving people by encouraging them through words seems impossible, Lord. So give me eyes to see these people as You do, and to read their eyes and body language, and to learn to love without a spoken word. That is hard for a verbally expressive person like me. Please give me the eyes to see it and the heart, grave, strength, and gentleness to do it."

So our journey has truly begun! And we are eager to serve and love. We will need God's Spirit so much to help us on this journey. We want to be people who watch and listen and respond in compassion and service. Please pray that for us! And please pray that God helps us in processing the things we are going to see. For instance, today we may be traveling into the brothel district of Bangkok. We are so thankful that God is going with us.

What an adventure ahead...and we are only at the beginning. But we are both so humbled and thankful for the amazing privilege of being here! Today we are clinging to 1 Thessalonians 5:24: "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass."

And our hearts resinate with verse 25, as well: "Brethren, pray for us."