10. Malaria Medicine
People who take doxy end up with burning flesh from the sun: awesome
9. 24 hour camp fire
because we had to literally prepare and make all of our food, we always seemed to have a campfire going so we could cook
8. shower in the river (no explanation needed)
7. 115 degrees during the day, seeing your breath by the time it was dark
6. Africa = BO
5. KLIM
powdered milk that someone cleverly thought the call KLIM (milk backwards)
4. 4x6ft mobil homes
our tents came in handy as we set them up and took them down at least 4 times during the month
3. naked worship
don't be too shocked....it just means that we didn't have instruments or an assigned person to do worship, anyone started a song when they were feeling lead to
2. corn field
nature was our best friend this month, so naturally going to the bathroom meant in the field. When one of the guys was pooping in a corn field, an old lady started throwing rocks at him to get him out of there!
1. electric slide performed to "Trading My Sorrows" :big hit with the African's, they LOVED it!
Here are the top ten reason I love Lo//as 10. Date nights each night we would go out to dinner with one of our team members to get to know them better
9. Chicken sandwhiches at least once, sometimes twice a day, we would head off to what we called the sandwhich shop to get their delicious chicken sandwhich which was usually accompanied by a fruit smoothie or iced coffee
8. Birthdays we each had a day that we called our 'birthday' where we would tell our story and get to choose where we ate
7. mentos not just the freshmaker---also the lifesaver of ASIA
6. tuk tuk drivers always asking you in you needed a ride, immediately followed by asking if you wanted to buy some drugs 5. wood stove
not just for cooking--also used for drying our clothes when we took them to the laundry. who needs the fresh smell of soap when you can have the smoke smell on your clothes? 4. 8 to 1 room
yes, we had 8 people sleeping in one single room with three beds and one bathroom. It was tight. 3. Syndrome's hair styles
When Matt's hair is pulled up it stays like that and he looks like syndrom from the movie The Incredibles. I took some pictures of his incredible hair styles that he displayed for us one night on facebook...check them out if you haven't. 2.Child Expansion
if you are a mission//ary in Lo// a you have at least 7 children....so if you want a big family, apparently that is the place to do it! 1. Bathroom duty
At one point there were 4 of us sick having diarreha at the same time....all in one room, with only one bathroom, lets just say it wasn't pleasant but we survived!
Be ONE with Christ. You hear so often to be like Jesus-but that is not what He is striving for. That is not why God created us. He brought us here to be with Him. When we finally realize why we are here and what the Lord wants from us, our hearts should be in the right place-with God, ONE with Him.
Before starting this race, I had only heard of dreams, visions, and interpretations. Now, five months later, God has used all three of these things in my life to show me how to pray and prepare my heart for all kinds of things, including for other people. It is really incredible to see the Lord use these new gifts to bring Glory to His name and Kingdom.
Dreams can be both powerful and scary. There is a lot to dreams and it is a huge way the Holy Spirit speaks through a person. I have had 6 dreams in the past 8 days-some are a little freaky, but have been interpreted for good.
This morning I was mystified by the spirit. As we worshiped in the bush at Jaco and Maria's house, the wind was blowing all around me. The spirit came through the wind and twirled around with me. He took me to his own place and there I just laughed and danced around with Him. He played with me for a while and I was filled with the joy of a child. The sounds coming out my mouth were like a child's laugh. It was an incredible experience in so many ways.
It's that time....time to head to a new continent. First, we spend time in the Carribean: Dominican Republic and Haiti. Then we went to southeast Asia and hit Cambodia, Thailand, and La//os. We leave again on June 1st to head to Mozambique where we will be tenting and doing work with orphanages and evangelism, including showing the Jesus Film in the bush. I am sure there is a lot more that I don't know about yet, but that is what I know thus far. I am so excited to be heading back to Africa! I can't wait to see the counrty, experience the great, loving people, and to be where my heart has always been lead!
Please stay in touch as it is SO encouraging to hear from you and to know what is going on in your lives as well!
Please pray for travels, safety, and team dynamics as well as refreshment of our bodies and spirits.
Posted in Just for Fun by Ashli Hanna on 5/19/2009
Top Ten reasons I love Thailand
10. Rice
Worldwide staple food...no different in Asia
9. M&Ms
You can find them by the plenty-but they are expensive
8. Flowers
There are always pretty Hawaiian flowers on the ground perfect for putting behind your ear
7. Street elephants
Yes, you could go out on the street and see a baby elephant walking around
6. 7/11
Every corner, where you can always pick up breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack
5. Iced Coffee
For someone who never liked coffee, iced coffees in Asia became a new obsession
4. Zip Lining
You might never think swinging from tree to tree like George of the Jungle is fun, but it certainly is!
3. Thai Circus
Out last night we stumbled across a circus in the middle of the street. At one point, a man and his 2 year old son climbed to the top of a three story poll, and he proceeded to let go of him with only his one foot attached to a bungee rope
2. Water festival
For 3-5 days, all the Thai people stand outside their houses with water prepared to drench anyone that comes by. It is to celebrate the New Year. You won't be dry often during that time-good thing it is hot!
1. 7 baht ice cream My favorite thing about food options in Chaing Mai was that we could walk to McDonalds and you could get an ice cream cone that tasted just like at home for 7 baht....that's less than 25 cents!
I thought you might enjoy this video Anna asked me to throw together after she got baptized in Thailand on the Island. It is a really great testimony...and you all have been there throughout the journey, and I wanted you to see the after effects to! The Lord is at work mightily in her life!
Also, for those that didn't know, she got her passport stolen. The embassy said it would take two weeks to get here and that it would be here on the 26th. We had train tickets already purchased to leave on the 24th. We prayed as a team, and the Lord told us to TRUST him with everything. So we didn't change anything. Today we got a call from the embassy...her passport is in a week early! PRAISE THE LORD for his goodness and faithfulness! He is so good to us...even more so when we just listen to His voice which has been our main focus this month!
Who knows if you get tired of videos or not, however, I feel that
videos do the best job showing you what is going on. This video isn't
really to show you what is going on, it is just something funny we did
while traveling. Be sure to spot Matt in the background through the
entire thing....then check out his website and consider financially
supporting him. After seeing this video, who could resist?
Wednesday, April 29 could very well be the most incredible day of my 23 years. The day was easy going, filled with fun in the sun that was just relaxing; on a beautiful island that was refreshing and filled by the Lord- to rest and have fun. The dark night sky filled with the sounds of a guitar and 54 voices being raised in praise to the Lord. Slowly people began to fade out and head to their beds for the night. Several stayed though, looking out into the ocean, seeing a storm brew in the distance.
The lightning was brilliant, filling the sky with color. As we watched and talked, one of the guys walked by playing his guitar and singing- he headed out onto the dock. We could hear him playing and singing whatever God put on his heart from a distance. It was getting late, so several of us decided to turn in. As we got back to the house, we began to hear a few single raindrops. All of a sudden there was a significant downpour of rain.
Two of us ran back out to the beach where we stood in awe, soaking wet in the rain, hearing the waves crashing and the guitar playing a ways off; seeing the lightning light up the sky above us. As I looked out by the dock, and huge lightning bold struck and brightened the sky as if it were day. At that moment, the silhouettes of four worshipping souls were seen out on the dock. Two of them had their arms open wide, spinning in circles, with their heads lifted high. There were another two at the very edge of the dock, one playing his guitar, the other just standing, looking up into the heavens.
It was quite possibly the most incredible image I have ever seen.
My heart skipped a beat and there were no words or thoughts that came to my head. Only a stillness that I felt deep in my bones and being awestruck by the Lord's greatness and control over the six of us. We ran out onto the dock and as we made it to the end, we began shaking because of how cold the rainwater was. It didn't matter to us though. We twirled and danced, hugged and worshiped there together. I sat down next to the guitar, and just listened. Still I could not think of words, but just sat in adoration.
Then there were arms around me, hugging me in a way that spread love throughout my entire body. She and I sat there, as the storm raged around us, seeing the brilliant sky, hearing the Lord roars of thunder, listening the heart of our brother, and then everyone began to sing the song God was playing in each of his or her hearts. Six voices rising to the Lord, all different words, but all to the ONE Glorious King. As shouts and praises were lifted, thunder would crack with certain words spoken. God was more present in that moment than I have ever felt before. As we hugged each other and walked away, I knew I would never forget that night.
My month in Thailand consisted mostly of praying. Worshiping in prayer in the mornings as a group, prayer for a few hours in the morning, prayer walking sometimes in the afternoon, and covering the bar area in prayer in the evenings when all the other women were out building relationships. Therefore, I don't have a ton of pictures of "ministry" but I do have some pictures you may enjoy :)
My two little prayer warriors...Jenni Rose and Jenn
Jenni Rose and me on an elephant (just thought I would write it out for those who couldn't tell this....)
This is the cutest women ever that we bought flower necklaces from on the street. There were 10 baht a piece which is about 30 cents.
Our month in Thailand has been simply amazing though. It was for sure the hardest month I have had thus far, but it is also the best month I have had too. I have learned a whole lot in this month...it feels like milestones everyday. One of the biggest things I have learned is what the body of Christ really is suppose to look like, and how it is suppose to work together. There has definitely been some people who has served as the body of Christ in my life, and whom have done well with that. But this was so much more than that. There was literally this understanding with one another, and a sense of everyone bringing to the table what the Lord had. There was a complete trust and so much more than words can describe. Where one person didn't have all the words to say or didn't have everything that was needed, another stepped up into that bring their wisdom from the Lord and their gifts. It was simply incredible to see, be a part of, and understand more.
At the beginning of this month, I got the new Kari Jobe CD on itunes. I
was listening to it, and the song "My Beloved" started playing. The
first time I listened to it, the song brought tears to my eyes. I knew
this was going to be my song for the month. It is such a beautiful song
full of God's truth and love for each of his children. It fits so
perfectly with the ministry we have been doing this month. So I got the
idea to put all of the women in our squad in a picture slide show with
the song. I hope you enjoy it. I have been using it to pray for each of
them, and you can do the same!!!! Blessings!
**the really quality pictures are from Hollis whom I worked on the videos with in Cambodia. She is a very talented photographer along with many other things--must give credit where credit is due. I am sure you can tell which pictures are from her camera compared to my handheld Cannon.**
