It's been three days since my return and my body still wants to sleep during the day and stay up during the night ( Read more... )

Now that the retreats are over, today was to be our first full day as care-free tourists in Thailand. But even with all the fun we had planned, the day was overshadowed by tragedy. One of the staff had a arranged a long-tail boat ride in the Andaman Sea for those interested. Mind you, I've never been the kind of traveler to be interested in going ( Read more... )

Tomorrow is the last official retreat day. What a mess of emotions I am right now. As volunteers, we've held the stories of these beautiful women. We've held their hands as we worshiped together. We've literally held them in our arms as they cried. I can't believe it has flown by so quickly, and yet I miss my home and my husband and feel like I've ( Read more... )

The first batch of ladies have come and gone. What a joy to meet them. We met women working with Burmese refugees in Northern Thailand, male prostitutes in Bangkok, children in the slums outside of Bangkok, women in Cambodia. You can imagine their stories are unlike any you've heard ( Read more... )

Click.

Our services to the medical/dental workers at the CMDA conference in Chiang Mai were very appreciated. Among other things, we gave haircuts to 79 women in two days, many of them living in remote areas, some of whom haven't been able to get a professional haircut in years. It may seem like a small, superficial thing, but some of the women broke into ( Read more... )

This is always the most frustrating part about traveling ( Read more... )

I know the concept of multiple todays is a bit disorienting, but so is crossing the Interntaional Date Line. The only way to describe the experience is that our day became "todays". My mind grasps the concept of time zones but my body is still trying to catch up! Nevertheless, we've arrived safely in Chiangmai and are thoroughly enjoying the ( Read more... )

In about seven hours, I'll board a plane.

About 30 hours later, I'll be in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Please pray for traveling mercies!

I feel
I am
A marionette
Exquisite (in form and function)
Suspended (by a thousand invisible strings)
I feel
I am
A caged tiger
Capable (of grace and carnage)
Reduced (to prolonged naps and scheduled feedings)
I feel
I am
An amputee
Ready (to love)
Unfit (for embracing)
And yet
I feel.
I am.