We are in Thailand!

Hello everyone!

We have officially made it to Thailand. After another very long couple of travel days. We started out taking a 8 hour bus ride to Bangkok, then a 12 hour train ride to Chiang Mai. The train was an experience, very old, windows down, mosquitoes and bugs flying everywhere, and loud. The views were beautiful though, seeing all the greenery and vegetation. His creation is stunning. It is bittersweet to be here! We have about three and a half weeks then we head back to the states!

When here, we are staying at a coffee shop with a hostile on the top floor, called Bella Goose. The coffee shop is a ministry and has other ministries flowing from it. Their main mission is hospitality, being an organization that will meet people where they are at and be the hands and feet of Jesus. One part of this ministry is providing and equipping women and families resources and homes that have come from sex trafficking and/or other difficult home situations. So far, we have only had two days of ministry here. The first day we went to one of the homes where women and children live, a safe area for them. The team split into two groups. One group painted rooms, the other built beds and set up bedrooms, and last group cleaned the house. Then, the next day we finished up the painting job and prepared lesson and activities for children. The women get to do classes and Bible studies. While they can learn and grow, the children can then have activities to do. The Lord provided such good gifts, because I was anxious for this ministry because I knew I would not be working with children. As many of you know, children are a passion of mine. The Lord provided me to not necessarily work with children, but be able to use my skills and knowledge to create lesson plans again! I missed lesson planning, from when I taught in the states. It was cool to provide lessons and activities ranging from Bible to English/Literacy for these kids. The Lord does not need me, He will and can do it according to His will, but He chooses me to come into partnership with Him. He chooses me, His daughter, what an honor this is. I get to partner with the King of Kings! Thank you, Jesus!

The Lord has been teaching me a lot these past few weeks, all drawing me closer into deeper relationship with Him. The last couple of days in Cambodia, I started to get sick again. I have already been sick once this trip. I ended up going to the hospital, etc. The next day was our long travel day to Thailand. When I got sick again, I started to become really frustrated. I did not like being sick, but also felt like I wasn’t able to enjoy my time here, and serve the community well. It was preventing me from working and building relationships with the people here, and ultimately building His Kingdom. This past week, I got to FaceTime a friend and the Holy Spirit shared with me, through my friend, the story of Job. I since, have been studying Job and learning how God taught Job about following his attitude toward suffering. Job came out of his ordeal a better wiser man, who demonstrated patience despite the pain of his life. God tested Job’s faith and pruned his character.

Job 1:21, “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Job 36:15-16, “but those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their affliction. He who is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice of food.”
I have been learning, I have a choice with how I want to deal with my continual sickness. Either way I choose, the Lord is still good and sitting on the throne. I have a choice, do I stay mad and upset with the Lord and sit in my own pity about always being sick, or do I rely on the Lord more and praise Him still. It definitely is not easy, my flesh wants me to sit and be sad for myself, but that is not what the Lord’s heart wants. It has been so cool seeing how He works in us and grows us. He has it all, it’s in His hands! 🙌🏽

Finally, as I am nearing the end of this trip, the next “thing” is in the horizon. I will be doing CGA, starting in January in Gainesville, Georgia. CGA stands for Center for Global Action. This is a program through Adventures in Missions (World Race) and it is a discipleship and training school. I will be there for 5 months, learning how to know myself and God, lead myself, and lead others. CGA’s mission is to mobilize a generation to be passionate followers of Jesus and live out their faith whether at home, professionally, church planting, or being a missionary overseas. I am so excited for this new season in my life. These past months being able to go on these mission trips have been life changing, now I am ready to learn and be equipped with skills for future missionary work! With that being said, I am fundraising again! CGA costs $5,950. If you or someone you know would like to partner and support me in this next season, please let me know! You can donate through the link attached or Venmo:)!

https://adventuresinmissions.servicereef.com/events/adventures-in-missions-3/cga-january-2024-24cga01/donate?user=Obart99

Thank you for everyone who is praying and supporting me. I feel extremely blessed and He just shows His love through you all. Thank you!

In Christ, Liv