I have now been in Thailand one week. So much has happened.
I was blessed to spend the weekend with an amazing family who has lived here for a while. It was refreshing to be around a family with younger kids. We spent the weekend hanging out, eating good food, watching American movies and TV shows, and going to church.
Riding in the truck
The boy loves his 8 baht McDonald's Ice Cream Cone! ($1 USD is about 35 baht so these cones are about a quarter!)
At the Night Bazaar
Something that has helped me through this first week has been finding as many familiar things as I can in a foreign land. People might have different opinions on how to adapt to a new culture. Some might think it's necessary to totally jump in and do everything the locals do in order to adjust. While I want to honor the culture, I have found it helpful to get excited about little things like watching American movies and shows, eating pizza, decorating my room with things from the US, and playing board games with friends. These things are so refreshing and help me be up for adventure when I am adjusting to a new culture, instead of constantly being bombarded with new things 24/7.
I mentioned decorating/setting up my room... here are a few pictures :)
The mat was here already... notice the colors (hint, green and gold)
Finding creative ways hang my scarves, couldn't leave home without good ol' BU
some of my favorite books from home... choosing which books to bring was so hard!!
My desk with Baylor Bear :)
My bed with my Baylor t-shirt blanket... it's like I brought a lot of Baylor stuff or something.
Another thing that has been such a huge blessing here has been the community. I live in a neighborhood that is set up like a little grid (kind of like a gated community in the states except it has one street down the middle with about 6 or so streets that branch off on the right and left). What's cool is that so far I know families from 6 houses in this little neighborhood and every house is no very far. It is the perfect set up for community! There are families from the school as well as other faring (foreigners) and locals. I am looking forward to meeting more of my Thai neighbors as I see them and learn more Thai.
5 of us got together last night to play Ticket to Ride
The experiences I have had and the people I have been with have made my heart so full this past week. But I think what has filled me up even more is realizing what I get to do. For one, where I work is absolutely beautiful.
This is the view outside the music room
Today we had our first day of new teacher orientation and it was such a blessing. I love the heart and vision of this school. I love that this school values community and family- not just between the teachers but also between the students and their families. Some people might not be comfortable with those boundaries- but it is how I grew up and it is how I thrive. I love that I get to be friends with parents and have relationships with students outside of school. Here we are encouraged to invest in these kids well and be open about our lives. We are encouraged to ask for help and be as creative as possible.
It is a great community and I truly feel blessed that God has brought such a good fit for me. I will say this over and over again, but thanks to those of you who continue to pray and give to make all of this possible- as someone said to me this weekend, "Here, you truly have the opportunity to impact nations."
Just in case you've ever wondered what one would do as they make a big move like this, I'd thought I'd give you a glimpse into what the first 48 hours were like.
Monday Morning, August 10
Arrived at the airport with 2 suitcases, 4 crates, a guitar, and 2 carryons. My flight was delayed 7 hours because of the typhoon in Taiwan so I had to work with the airline to get some flights rescheduled.
They were able to check my bags all the way to Chiang Rai, what a blessing to not have to get them until I get there! (for those of you unfamiliar with international travel, it is not uncommon to have to collect your bags during a layover and recheck them again).
Said goodbye to mom and dad. This was hard. Please continue to pray for our family as we are separated for the next few years!
Got on the plane and was blessed with a window seat and an empty seat between myself and another guy traveling to Thailand who was from Austin (it was nice to have someone who was friendly and spoke English sitting close by!)
I was in the air for 15.5 hours!! I slept off and on, watched some Disney movies and Star Trek (some of my favorites), and enjoyed the Hello Kitty plane!
Tuesday Afternoon, August 11
Because of the time change, we landed in Taipei, Taiwan on Tuesday afternoon. I had an unexpected 10 hour layover so I decided to get out and see parts of Taiwan! It was nice to just be outside and stretch my legs. I also made a friend and we were able to go out and see the city together.
At the big Taipei night market
Delicious, fresh pineapple. The fruit here in this part of Asia is AMAZING
Sites from the bus ride into town
Interesting art in the metro station... I read a sign and I think it was supposed to depict taking the time to be whimsical in the midst of every day life... interesting
Wednesday Morning, August 12th
After several flights and layovers, I finally made it to Chiang Rai! All of my bags made it except one which I was pleased about (it was also the bag that had the least important stuff in it). I connected with one of the families from our team and we headed to their house so I could have time to shower and freshen up.
I had a challenging day ahead due to the fact that I was very tired from not having a normal nights sleep in almost 3 days, but I knew I would need to stay up until bedtime to help my body adjust to the time change (we're 12 hours ahead!). The family did a very good job of helping me stay awake.
In order to help me stay awake, we did the following activities around town:
go to the mall to have lunch and set up my iPhone. SIM cards here are relatively inexpensive and I want to thank the individual back home who graciously donated their old iPhone so I could have a good phone... you know who you are :)
I had my first Big C experience. Big C is a store that is very much like Walmart. It was neat to be able to go around and see what kinds of things I will be able to get here. There are actually a lot of things here similar to what we would get in the states so I will not be lacking :)
We went by the school where I will be teaching and then to my neighborhood to see my townhouse. It is a cute little neighborhood and several other Farang (westerners) and teachers from school live there. I was able to meet a few of my neighbors, including a couple who just moved here last week to teach at the school. I think we will connect well since we are both so new and learning everything for the first time.
Then we went back to the house to have dinner and then I finally got to go to sleep and slept a good 12 hours!
driving around Chiang Rai
That's what it looked like for the first 48 hours! Over the next several days I will be visiting other places around town, purchasing a bike, staying with another missionary family over the weekend, and moving into my townhouse before orientation starts next Wednesday.
Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers. This is certainly an adventure and it still blows my mind to think that this will be my home for the next 2 years (it still feels like a "trip").
Blessings,
Kassie
*If you are ever wondering if you can still give, the answer as of now is absolutely yes. Please contact me for more information.
First, I want to say that THIS IS MY LAST #THAILANDTUESDAY IN THE STATES!!! Next Tuesday I will actually be in Thailand!
Second, I've been thinking a lot this past week about various ways I have seen God provide in extravagant ways. Up until several years ago, I never really found myself needing to trust God to provide. I knew He was providing, but it came mostly through my parents. But there comes a point (hopefully) when parents help you depend less and less on them in that area.
The first time I experienced this was a mission trip I took my last year at Baylor. This was the first time I remember my parents saying about something this big, "You can do this, but we aren't going to bail you out." That was good for me because it meant that I had to trust God to bail me out. That semester I encountered amazing provision (some of that probably coming from people reading this blog!). My favorite story, though, was after I had reached my goal I had this desire to get a little extra cash for things I wanted to take on the tip and for souvenirs. So I prayed. I just asked God to provide about $250 for me to get these things. No joke, the next morning I got a call about 7:30 am from our Director of Bands at Baylor asking me if I would be interested in going to Abilene Christian University to play the contrabassoon (if you don't know what that is, please do yourself a favor and look it up) for a concert. They were going to pay me, you guessed it, $250. Not only did God provide, but he did it in a fun way- I was invited to go do something I loved. It was above and beyond anything I expected.
Another fun story was when I was doing my discipleship training school. I had tuition due for the school that I did not have. I started to pray and ask God what He would have me do for this. His answer? He wanted me to watch Him provide and trust Him. To me this is a key part in the process of trusting God for provision. Not only do we trust that He will provide, but we partner with Him to see what part we are to play in the provision. The Old Testament is filled with stories of battles that the Israelites one. We look at those stories and see how God delivered them in amazing ways. But if you notice, God also gave them very specific instructions each time.
Walk around this wall...
Hold up your arms...
Take the loot...
Don't take the loot...
Take only 300 men...
God miraculously won the battle each time, but He didn't just ask His people to sit back and watch Him do it. He invited them into the process and each time His instructions looked a little different. Why? I think because He was testing their obedience and faith.
Sometimes God opens doors of provision for us through jobs. Other times He might use people. And other times it just seems nearly impossible how it happened. The important thing is asking Him what part you are to play. During the training school I did not want to assume that God's provision would look the way I thought it would. Once I prayed, I got a strong sense that this was a time where I was supposed to just wait on Him. I thought at times, should I get another job? sell some stuff? anything? But I kept sensing that God wanted me to wait this time and stand in faith. And do you know what happened? A week or so before the deadline it was announced in front of our class that someone had anonymously donated $3,000 to me which covered the rest of my tuition AND part of my spring outreach. It was incredible and such a testament.
I think what I love about those stories is that there was a process of connecting with God each time. Standing on the promise of God each time boosts my faith and makes me depend on Him more and more. Imagine if I just knew God would magically provide everything like a genie. I wouldn't need to reach out to Him for any of my needs, I would just know it would be there. He promises provision and to do above and beyond what we can ask or think. But we so miss out on an amazing encounter with God if we don't take the time to seek Him through the process to see what our part is to play in that.
Hopefully my stories boost your faith. I also want to say that as of yesterday I have reached my financial goal that we set for before I leave!! This is amazing!! Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. I do still have a little bit to raise once I'm there so if you ever wonder if you can still give, the answer is absolutely yes.
Until the next #ThailandTuesday that will actually be from Thailand...
So far this year I decided to move to Thailand, have been raising support, moved twice and am about to move again, graduated from Baylor with my Masters in Social Work, and have continued to teach lessons and babysit for work.
I don't say all that to try and brag. There is just a lot to do.
In the midst of doing a lot, our focus can become too narrow. We start thinking our days are supposed to be filled with endless activity and to-do lists. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing necessarily wrong with the things we fill our days with. I don't know if it's just me but I can often forget why I am doing those things in the first place.
This past Sunday at church I was sent out and prayed over during our services.
Now, I'm gonna get real with you. This summer I haven't been so faithful about being in church every Sunday or spending set aside time with God every single day. And that's OK, I mean, I'm not trying to be legalistic by saying going to church every week is your indicator of how you are doing spiritually. But I've been busy. There is a lot to do.
This past Sunday we also sang the Elevation Worship version of "Blessed Assurance." It has the same text as the original hymn, but with an added bridge.
"Oh what a Savior
Wonderful Jesus
Death could not hold You
You are victorious
Praise to the risen King"
It just repeats that over and over. Simple. Profound. Truth.
What an amazing reminder.
We talk about mission often; we have a job to do. But I think we sometimes forget that before we were given a mission, God had a mission.
Jesus.
We have been rescued, redeemed, loved. And it came with a price. It has taken me years to even begin to scratch the surface of what that price meant. I think as I was growing up I heard that Jesus died for me so much that I almost felt like it was His duty to die for me. But as I've gotten older, I've realized how much I really don't deserve it- how much the world really doesn't deserve it.
But scratching the surface on that reality is what begins to spark a fire in me about sharing that reality with others. It doesn't have to be our duty or to-do list. It can be our joy and delight.
As I prepare to go, I want to keep this at the forefront of my mind. And it's something I hope you will remember as well. You don't have to go far away to understand this reality and share it with others. It can happen anytime, any place, and with anyone.
Be encouraged today, friends. We have a Savior, Wonderful Jesus. Death could not hold Him and He is victorious.
The number of years the Israelites wandered in the desert.
The number of days Jesus fasted and prayed.
The number of days until I move to Thailand.
It's getting so close.
I have my passport, visa, and ticket.
I still need to pack and finish support raising.
In the midst of so many things, there is such a temptation to focus on all the things to do and completely forget the things God wants to do- right now. God isn't waiting for me to get to Thailand. He has something for me today. And you know way, He has something for you today too. I'm remembered of these Jon Foreman lyrics, "Why do I worry? Why do I freak out? God knows what I need, He knows what I need."
Thank You God that you meet us where we are everyday. Thank You for your provisions in our lives. Thank You for the sweetness of Your friendship today.
Take time today to pause and pay attention to who God is and what He is doing. He is more than we could ever ask or think and He is enough for us.
I have some important information regarding where I am in the process of going to Thailand.
1. I leave on August 10!
2. We are currently deciding on whether or not I can fully commit to 2 full years at this time. Why are we deciding this? Because so far I do not have the funds (one time gifts and monthly commitments) to stay for 2 years. My sending organization asks that all funds be either committed or in the account before I go. As it is right now I am getting close to having enough to go for one full year (78% of what I need). I am at about 40% for two full years. We are also looking into if there is a possibility for me to go for one year and continue to raise support during the first year for the second year. The deadline for making this decision is 3 weeks from today.
Here is how you can pray/respond:
pray that God's will would be done for how long I am supposed to stay in Thailand for this first time around (I might want to go longer... which is another process with my sending organization).
Pray for full provision
Pray about jumping in with the financial support team... even if you aren't in a place now but think you might want to in January or next summer, please communicate that with me.
Also... I am picking these up today to send out! If you don't think I have your address and you want one, please email me (klight@quikmail.org).
I wanted to share a video with all of you that some of the folks in Thailand made for me. It gives you a glimpse of what the school feels like and what the students are like. I think it is so cool to hear where all of these students are from and what their families are doing... and I get an opportunity to teach here and I'm sure they will teach me a lot as well!
To be honest, I don't like asking for money. I feel like people must be tired of hearing about it. But this is the season I am in- a season of raising a support team. I believe in what God has called me to do and everyone is invited to invest in some way (prayer, encouragement, finances, etc). The question now is, would you seriously pray about investing financially? In order to fulfill a 2 year commitment, I still need about $23,000 (about $1,000/month). Here's the thing, every bit matters, even if it is $5 or $100 a month or a one time gift.
I'm leaving in 54 days. Will you respond to this invitation?
Even if you can't give now but think you might be able to in the next 2 years then please, let me know. I can count that in toward my total!
As always, thank you all for the love and support many of you have shown. If we haven't connected yet, I would love to! Feel free to email me.
