I finally got to meet Esther Hoagland in person. Her family are long time North Way missionaries here in Thailand and I have heard about them for quite some time. I also met three other lovely ladies.
The place they chose for prayer walking was amazing. It was a former airport and its runway was being used for an upcoming carnival and many vendors were there setting up rides, booths, etc. It was a large stretch of road with lots going on. So we prayed as a group and then split into two groups and we walked up and down half the runway and prayed. We prayed for the safety of the workers, that the families would be able to earn a good income, that the attendees would be safe and especially that children would be protected from traffickers and other harmful situations. What a privilege to pray for those people and this country!
We then went to lunch at an outdoor restaurant and had delicious food! Susie took me to the market - similar to the Russian Market in Phnom Penh but smaller. There I had the most delicious pineapple ever! I have never tasted such a sweet pineapple in the states.
By 2pm it was time to get me home and get me working on the reason I came - to help Bill with the accounting.
For those of you reading this blog who don't know Bill and Susie or what they do here in Thailand, they run a ministry for high school and college students. High School is not free in Thailand and some parents cannot afford to pay tuition for their child to attend high school. Bill and Susie built two homes for these students (one boys home and one girls home) and they find sponsors for them. The kids live in the dorms during the school session.
It is wonderful to see the relationships Bill and Susie have with these kids. The kids love them. They come to get hugs before going to school and they get good night hugs before bed. It is precious.
Speaking of precious, I had an opportunity Tuesday evening to spend time with one of the college aged girls. She is studying Accounting! Bill had arranged for me to help her and demonstrate some accounting principles. The challenge was translation. She knew little English and of course I don't know Thai so several folks had to help translate.
More time was spent with translation than accounting so I was unsure if the time was helpful to her or not. But I love how God works. He only asks us to be obedient. We simply need to do what He asks of us and leave the results to Him - and trust me, His results are better than anything we can produce. I had a great time with her but I wondered if the time was profitable. I went to bed afterwards and the next morning Bill told me that my time with her had caused her to get excited and to open up about her dreams for her future. She and Bill had a father/daughter type conversation unlike any they had had before and it was extremely meaningful for both of them. Somehow, God had used a clunky accounting lesson to spark a young girl to open up to Bill and all parties were blessed. I love when God starts our simple steps of obedience and does wonders with them.
It just amazes me that God can use something like accounting to further His kingdom. So grateful for this journey.
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