Football, Friendship, Fellowship, and Service

The service projects are in full swing as we finished the primer for the wall and started painting it. The team also started cleaning another area that they will paint next week that surrounds the football arena. It is so much fun to see them working and having such a good time together. Most afternoons the children arrive around 4pm to play football. Our team has the opportunity to spend some time practicing and playing with the kids and building relationships. On Fridays, there is a girls' team that comes to play football but they spend time first doing a devotional each week. This week, our girls got to participate. They learned each other's names and Kenna P gave a devotion about being patient in friendships. She did a great job of making it applicable to each one of us who listened. Her example was getting frustrated with a friend while playing football if they are not as good as you are. She reminded us that we need to remember to not let the frustration ruin the friendship and we must remember that someday it may be us that is not as good at something, and we would like to have that friend come alongside us and encourage us. We shared a meal together with the staff and players before heading into a corporate time of worship. Our team got to share a song and a drama which the Thai people loved. Afterwards we prayed together and came back to where we are staying. Saturday is a busy day here. There are a lot of children that come to practice and play football. Our team served by cleaning up the facility and hanging out with the kids that we had met earlier in the week. The girls especially had fun remembering the names of the girls they had met on Friday. It was fun to see them interact and build relationships. Callie B and Monika F got to help do some baking and cooking for the cafe. The missionaries here are from Brazil, and they have some traditional foods that they prepare each week to sell in the cafe. They had fun working alongside the staff here. Saturday evening, we got to go to a mall in Chiang Rai. Some of the team opted to eat dinner there and try some traditional Thai food. They loved it! Our plan had been to go to the Night Bazaar, but the rain halted those plans. We will try to get there another time to experience more of the cultural food and souvenirs.

Sunday the team got to attend a Lahu church which is located near where we are staying. They are from the villages nearby. They were able to share with the church through song and drama. They also got to enjoy a meal together afterwards and meet some of the church members. Sunday afternoon we practiced our memory verses through our first memory verse quiz. This is an activity that we love to work on as it helps us to memorize the thirty-three verses we will learn this summer. Once a week we do an official review and quiz for fun to see how well they have hidden God's Word in their hearts. They had a blast this week and are looking forward to improving each week. Tonight, we were asked to do a full presentation for the church service that is held each week at the arena. The team lead a fun worship song that they learned a Boot Camp and then performed the Colors drama with an explanation at the end by Ben K. Josiah E gave a short message on Mark 4:35-41, and then the team closed with a song while they took their offering.

We spend time in the evenings listening to one of the team members share a devotional. Some of our leaders shared first and yesterday we started working through team members with Ezra E. going last night and Hannah G tonight. It is such a blessing to hear from the team what the Lord is teaching each one and to see how He uses that to encourage the team.

Ezra E. God is so good! We’ve been experiencing so many blessings here in Chiang Rai- A very nice facility, fun, loving and open to the gospel kids at the football arena, godly missionaries, a safe and enjoyable time at the mall and at church, delicious food, his love and blessing are abounding, love y’all!

Hannah G. What a party people! I’m having an amazing time here in Thailand, playing soccer and interacting with all the kids and the food is positively splendiferous! I miss you guys sooooo much and I can’t wait to see you!

Laurelyn V. Hey, everything here is great. We’ve been playing with some of the kids here. Yesterday we spent like two hours with them, teaching them songs and games. We made balloon animals, swords and flowers. Love y’all.

Ben K. Hey guys, I'm having a great time in Thailand. The people and food here are amazing. I'm sad I missed the Fourth of July but coming here is totally worth it. Love you guys.

Callie B. Thailand has been an amazing experience! I've gotten to know the Thai people and I've been enjoying the time here!

Monika F. Hi everyone, I'm having an amazing time in Thailand. I've been enjoying playing soccer and interacting with the people that live here. God has been teaching me so much already and I can't wait to tell you more about it.

Esther Y. Hello everyone, I am having a very good time. We have been playing with the kids and doing our presentation and much more. We are having so much fun. God bless!