A few pics from past week!

 Part of the compound-school/church buildings

 Visiting some kids that come to the children's ministry

 View from right outside the compound. Sand... lots of sand

Another place we were visiting called Diecinueve de Julio

 Saturday morning Joyas Preciosas-Children's ministry

 Children's ministry Saturday afternoon with different group of kids

 Helping in the K-4 classroom!

 One of my favorite parts of the day- 6pm when all the lights come on around the city

Practicing for the musical!

School

I have lots of it! You know, even though I'm down to two subjects (3 if you count the few wikipedia webistes I have to go to to finish economics) before I finish highschool. But yet it seems harder than times when I had 7 subjects! A. The AP spanish test I'm studying for is going to be... tough to say the least. Second, math is not my favorite. But, alas we learn from the tough things in life. I'm learning! The tedious things in life reveal our character. Mine is being tested hah. 

Today, I was able to teach in the classroom for a little bit! The main English teacher was not feeling well so I taught some four year olds for a little over an hour :) Definitely different than when you are just there to entertain the kids. I'm hoping to go visit one of the older classrooms later... I was just thinking today, I've never been into a "regular school classroom" (of older kids) while it is actually class hours. I should probably do that before I decide to teach :) 

I'll upload some pictures in a bit! 

Prayers would be especially appreciated for:

Patience

Extended alone time with God

Servant's heart

Prioritizing/scheduling well

The Evangelical musical that we will be performing on Friday!

Thank you for praying!

So what does my heart look like?

Today, I had the opportunity to sit down and share the gospel "full-out" with three girls. Two of the girls wanted Jesus to clean their hearts "hoy" (today). So they prayed with me after we had talked for  for about 30 minutes. God knows their hearts!  The third girl I shared with one-on-one. We had been talking, she was asking me to say things in English, sing in English etc She then asked me about the bracelets I was wearing (bracelets that have the wordless book colors on them). So, I told her that the bracelets told a story. She wanted me to tell her the story. We went and sat down and I began telling her the greatest story in the world, the gospel. For a seven year old girl, she was asking lots of good, solid questions! Anyways, I told her what all the bracelets represented (a gold crown for heaven, a black fruit representing sin, a red cross representing salvation, a green flower representing growing and christ and a white (clean) heart representing a "cleaned from sin heart") I love it when a child is interacting with the story and asking lots of questions. And one of the best questions to hear from a child is one along the lines of, "So what does my heart look like?" She asked me the question after seeing the white heart. Boom. I'll take that opportunity! I told her that I didn't know whether her heart was the dirty one or the clean one  but that "the Bible says if we believe in Jesus as our savior and ask Him to forgive us our sins, He cleans our heart." Child like, earnest faith. Earnest questioning. I love it. I think I'll be seeing that little girl again, but I pray she will go home and think hard.

Later today, we will be doing another bible club. It is called "Joyas Preciosas," which means precious jewels. Ah, I love this kind of work. Over-excitement is perfectly acceptable with kids. Over-expression is great when talking with  kids. Joking around and saying crazy things works well in building relationships with kids. Kids want to talk; kids want to tell stories, kids want somebody to play and laugh with. But the most exhilarating thing is when you look into the eyes of a kid who "gets it." Who realizes, " I am a sinner and cannot do anything to solve me problem.... BUT Jesus died on the cross, in my place." Ah what a glorious privilege we have as Christians to share the gospel with others... with children. 

We had one club last night, one this morning, one this afternoon, and then later today I will go to church group for 18-24 yr olds or something like that. 

So far, I've been working in the school with the k-3 and k-4 year olds, and will continue I believe the whole time I'm here. Then, certain nights of the week, I'll be visiting various kids from the various bible clubs at their houses. Weekends hold a lot of children's ministry. 

I'm very excited about the time I have here! Cannot wait to see what else will happen! God gives joy.

Gracias por sus oraciones! (Thank you for your prayers)

En Peru

Well, estoy aqui! I'm here! My plane ride went well and I arrived in Lima around midnight monday night.  I was met at the airport by 4 missionaries with World Reach (I just instinctively typed Campus Outreach... hah.. maybe thats not funny to you but it was to me. While I'm on this tangent I'm just going to go ahead and say that I have actually accidentally spoken in Thai while I've been here. Geez, I can't get the languages right wherever I go! My english is already messing up too.) Okay back on track. I was met at the airport and taken back to the compound which is about 45 minutes from the airport. Even though it was nighttime, the drive was pretty. We drove by the coast. I'm hoping I get a chance to go see the beach in the daytime sometime while I'm here.

Yesterday, I learned my way around the compound, and enjoyed hearing kids laughing, shouting and talking during school hours :) I am so excited to be around kids for the five weeks I am here! The compound is very nice. Mrs. Eva Barrientos described it as a little piece of heaven. Indeed, it is, both spiritually and physically! Green grass, nicely maintained buildings... It is so nice!

Today, I went to the school and helped out/sat in on k-3 and k-4 classes. The kids are precious. I was also introduced to all the other classrooms in the school. They have k-3 through 5th grade here. There is an average of probably about 18 or so kids in each class. I think I'm going to be working with the k-3 and k-4 classes most of the time while I'm here... possibly every day. I'm really looking forward to that.

I also met with the director of the church's children's ministry. We talked about that ministry, which I also will be spending lots of time with. It sounds similar to a good news club. They have various locations in the surrounding area. She told me that I will be sharing the gospel with the new kids that come to the club! I have no quarrel with that idea.

I'm really looking forward to spending lots of time with these kids.  In addition to the kids ministry, the school, and stuff at church, I'm also hoping to work some with the pre-natal care clinic here on compound and also possibly teach soccer to school girls during PE.

I think I will be "doing" more here in Peru than in Thailand, but I pray that I will still be able to observe just as much as I did in Thailand! I pray that I won't hyper-focus (which is my tendency) and forget to keep observing and taking in what God is doing around me ( and in me!)

Thank you for prayers! I'll put up some pictures soon.

PS- My spanish is definitely useful but I decided sometimes it is more frustrating when I know the  language but don't know how to say something then when I don't know how to speak the language at all. Argh grammar...

Terry to... Thaiperu?

So... when I originally made this blog, it was to record observations, experiences, lessons etc that God would be teaching me during this "vision semester" of exploring various ministries. The first trip was to Thailand (hence the name of the blog terrytothailand...) But, the second opportunity that God opened up was a trip to Lima, Peru! So, here I am writing my first blog post about the trip to Peru.

I didn't really want to create a whole new blog so I just kept the same name... But, if you are reading this, realize that I am NOT in Thailand anymore. I am sitting at my kitchen table in the US of A. Tomorrow, I set sail... (or pile on a plane) for Lima, Peru.

I'll be staying on compound with some World Reach missionaries, helping at a school, practicing spanish, and observing the culture and ministry! I pray that God continues working on my heart as He already has in huge ways this semester. God was so faithful to reveal so many things while I was in Thailand and while I've been home processing the trip. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to go to another place and compare and contrast.

Ultimately, this blog is for prayer! Maybe it's selfish. But, I'll take all the prayer that I can get. God was so faithful to answer prayers while I was in Thailand, both yours and mine. So, to those of you who were praying for the trip, thank you.  I continue to ask for prayers as I'm in Lima! I cannot wait to see how God will expand on what He has been teaching me this year so far. The lessons are numerous, but are so exciting.  My mind is running like crazy as I continue processing what God has been teaching me, is teaching me and will teach me. God is so good. To Him be the glory!

Farewell Bangkok! Hello airplane

So I'm in the Bangkok airport and I'm about to board my plane. I cannot believe that I am about to exit the Kingdom of Thailand! As we were driving to the airport in the wee hours of the morning (it is 4:42 am right now and we had to leave at 1:30), I was looking out the car window enjoying the city lights :) It was very surreal thinking about being in Bangkok. I think coming to Bangkok for another day was a good way to close the trip. I spent my last day in Thailand with the same people who introduced me to thailand when I first arrived. It was great seeing them all again. Yesterday morning, I said goodbye to  Khon Kaen and headed for Bangkok. Now I'm headed for Tokyo then onto Atlanta and then home. Travel time will be about 24 hours with me arriving home monday night! I'm running on under 5 hours of sleep from the past two nights, and I'm not expecting to sleep "fitfully" on the plane either! Hah hopefully it will help me get over jet lag faster once I actually get back in the states.

I'm looking forward to the plane ride though because of the opportunites it presents for time  alone with God, relaxing and then of course one of my favorite hobbies: just thinking. I'm hoping to do a lot of journaling! So, I'm back to one of my original prayer requests, that God would use the journey! That I would be wise in the time I have by myself.

Random thought I've been having the whole trip... I think traveling alone really helps show us how small we really are. I've traveled alone in the states before, but this is the farthest and longest period of time I have traveled by myself. It is a humbling thought being somewhere where you know absolutely nobody and where you can't even speak the language. I love connections and I love finding connections. But there are some places where you just hit dead ends! The coolest thing.. I'm never actually alone while traveling. Psalm 139 talks about us not being able to escape God's presence.. an awe inspiring thought but also such a comforting thought! God is always my companion when traveling. I can comment to him about the cute little kid with the suitcase, the food the flight attendent just served, and about the movie I just watched. I am never alone. Common Christian truth, but cool thought in relation to traveling. So, I'm looking forward to this next period of "alone time" I have with my God and King traveling around the world! Here we go!

Winding down already?

So, my trip is winding down... Crazy to believe that I've already been here almost 5 weeks. It certainly doesn't feel like that long, but at the same time, it feels like I've been here for much longer! Time plays tricks on the mind... Anyways, I'm starting to say goodbye to some people here in Khon Kaen since I am leaving Sunday morning before church. Wednesday was the last soccer clinic with the kids, and it went well.

 I have two full days left in Khon Kaen and then I will head off to Bangkok Sunday, and then leave Bangkok early monday morning. In Bangkok, I'm hoping to see most of the people that I spent my first week in Thailand with. Looking forward to hanging out with them again!

Today was a really chill day. I stayed at the house for most of the day, ate lunch out with Pi Blaa (Christian lady who owns a bookstore here) and then went to the church for the Thai Summer Project kick off.  Thai summer project is where some of the college students involved in Campus Outreach here come together for a month and do bible classes, fellowship with each other and work in the Khon Kaen area. Its the equivalent of what Campus Outreach calls "Summer Beach Project" in the states.

Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to having a day of prayer. From 8-2 or so, I'm going out with Katie Hamlett and we will just be reading the word, praying, journaling. I'm excited about just spending a big chunk of time with the Lord and having a lot of journaling time (which I always seem to be lacking) I've gone through 3 pens already while here just from running out of ink!

I'll try to write at least one more time before I leave. God has been so faithful this trip to teach me. I pray that it will stick and that I'll be able to apply the lessons into practical steps back home. Thank you for your prayers!