OH...yeah...I came back from Thailand.

In case you were wondering, "Did Alicia love Thailand so much she stayed?" I hate to break the news to you, but, I did not get to stay. Unfortunately, it's just how the rules go friends So, I am back in the Lone Star state, I have been for a little over a month. Many, many things have happened in this past monthish but that is for my next blog. Titled "The pedal is to the metal!" Gosh! So much happened since my last post about Thailand, where to even start?! Let's just do the last three weeks.

We continued to go the village and the last Tuesday we were there we got to give "care packages" to the poorest families in the village. The children that we did bible studies with decided they wanted to perform a Thai christian children song with the dominantly Buddhist village they live amongst. The lady who had been letting us hold the bible studies in her house (who is also a Christian) ended up sharing her testimony with the village as well.
I would say that the last month was the month that we were just so invested in our new friends that we had made from the universities. We just kept inviting them to everything that we did like go to the movies, go to the children's home, walking street, our goodbye party, sticky waterfalls. I loved getting to do life with Net, Tide, and Aung this summer that we built a trust with them that we could deepen our relationship and connect them to the Baan Kanoon. On the night before out last day we went walking street with them and they had bought us each gifts, Aung wrote us little notes of encouragements and favorite memories with us, and Net even started to cry and didn't want to say goodbye.

We got to go the children's home "The House of Blessing" and just love on those kids there. Not only did we get to go as the "Texas Team" but with other missionaries from Texas, Georgia, Journeymen, Baan Kanoon leaders. I loved this day mostly because I remember looking around and seeing everyone from these different teams, different lives, different languages just using their gifts the Lord made them with whether that was making bracelets, playing games, talking, singing and dancing. Everyone working together for the glory of God- what a glimpse of heaven!

We also did our last Saturday of bible study/ hanging out with the people who live in the slums. The adult bible study lasted a bit longer than usual this Saturday because they had grown much more attentive to the sharing of the Gospel that Sa had with them! The children, Kati, and I after our bible study got to play games and take pictures (they lovelove those so much) with the language barrier that was probably the best way to share the Gospel with them to do the things they love WITH them.

We got to ride elephants and climb up and down the "sticky waterfall". Yes, it was as awesome as it sounds!!

Sawadee Ka to Texas Team! Our last week the Baan Kanoon threw a going away party for us. We had all of the people that we met and built relationships with come and hang out with us, eat, and even have a "Q & A". My favorite part was not only having our friends there, but, they shared how we impacted their lives, how they saw God in us. It was such an encouragement!

Words will never be able to describe how much this summer changed my life. I will never be able to thank God for sending me to Thailand, for growing me, for using me to fulfill what he had for me to do to glorify him this summer. I grew in my faith, in my walk with God, my love for him. I came home to so much encouragement, friends and family that were eager to hear what God did this summer! If I have the chance to go back, I will take it in a heartbeat! I have fallen in love with Thailand and the people there! I learned more about God and his character (His faithfulness, His sovereignty, His mercy, His love) especially when everything that I was used to and clung to was 'stripped' away. I am grateful to God for his plan for my life, I could honestly leave and replay the summer saying "I fulfilled the purpose He had for me and He is definitely working in Thailand!" "Amazing!" and Awesome!" will never amount to how...the lasting relationships, the memories...my. life. was. changed.