As promised, here is part two of the trip to Thailand of Maria and Simona, where you can witness God's work in unexpected places! Let the adventure begin!
After the experience in Chiang Mai, we took a coach and travelled for 5 hours to Mae Sot, where we stayed at PictureBook, a lovely guesthouse co-run by students and some Burmese locals (Mae Sot’s population, although in Thailand, is 80% Burmese) . We were welcomed by Aaron, the founder of a foundation that works in over 30 communities, and who has been living in Thailand for over 10 years. Over the weekend, on top of an adventure-ready Thai-style truck🚚, seated at the rear (obviously with no belt or any safety measure whatsoever! lol), he took us on an extraordinary and discovery tour of the city and neighbouring areas where we could fully indulge in the beauty of Thailand's wilderness and scenery.🌿🌳🐒 We even visited the border between Thailand and Myanmar, and Aaron shared with us some incredible insights and information that you won't certainly find in tourist guides. Once there, backed by breathtaking mountains ⛰️🗻 and facing the “other world” and reality beyond the river, there was a very touching moment when we were invited to pray over the refugee communities from Myanmair trapped there. These people had to leave their homes and villages because of bombings. Now, stranded in Thailand, they can't work or go to school because they lack legal rights and proper documents. They're stuck here, afraid to go back home because they might be killed. Aaron also told us the sad story of the 200 casinos built along the border in the last 3 years for money-laundering purposes, the big scale of the scammers market, the local mafia who controls the villages, and the invisible and forgotten people by the riverside.
🤓Fun fact: the visit to the local wet markets! They were selling all sorts of stuff, including grilled rats and other very weird “delicacies”! I have videos to confirm it by the way! :))
🤓🤓Another fun fact: visiting a gemstone store where you could sit on the floor with the workers and watch them sift through sapphires, rubies, and other stones for hours was incredibly fascinating. I even bought some raw stones at an incredibly cheap price!
🤓🤓🤓Last fun fact (for now!): we ate raw cane sugar which the host picked for us from the bushes!
During our time at the S.T. Foundation, we had the privilege of hosting a CHE vision seminary. The staff was welcoming and enthusiastic about our visit, and they were eager to learn more about our collaboration in the future and see how the CHE approach can benefit their work. We were able to visit a total of five different communities with them, where we had the opportunity to experience local and refugee life from an insider's perspective. The residents welcomed us into their homes and were friendly and accommodating. Although they were curious about our presence, they were not bothered and seemed intrigued. We were able to observe the foundation's staff delivering training on practical topics such as good parenting skills and money management to the residents. The training room wasn't a fancy hall with desks, chairs, whiteboards and coffee breaks stations, but a cement grey room where people were also sleeping and doing daily life - we were seated all in a circle on the floor including the oldest ones, I never had such an informal and unique class!
And lastly, we couldn't leave Thailand without visiting the famous idyllic beaches🏖️🌊🌴, experiencing some of the jungle vibes, and even riding an elephant! 🐘Check out pictures for a taster!
FUN FACTS:
🌶️🔥🥢Thai food is very healthy and spicy! I fell in love with pineapple rice, sticky rice with mango, Pad Thai goong, garlic chicken, and other dishes I cannot even name!
🍍🍌🥭Tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya, dragon fruit, coconut and of course, mangos are absolutely delicious! They have nothing to do with the flavour of imported fruit we eat here.
👟🚫It is customary to take off your shoes and leave them outside when you enter every house, some buildings, and even shops!
🌳🌴Women and children living at the border put a white "cream" on their cheeks made with Thanaka soap, taken from the trunk of a tree, to protect themselves from the sun and show they are clean and have had their shower.
👍I felt really safe! People generally do not steal, despite being in need or not.
🚖📍Taxi services are very efficient, and I met some very nice taxi drivers who went above and beyond without expecting tips or extra money, especially the young gentlemen who drove me to the airport when I was panicking about missing my flight back to the UK - even though his English very basic, we ended up talking about Jesus!
🦋Fairytale and Disney-like butterflies everywhere!
🛍️🏬🛒People love spending a huge amount of time in the malls, which are a bit different from the shopping centres we are used to here in Europe. They have gardens, salons, spas, and other entertainment inside!
🥥🌴Real coconut ice cream and real pineapple cocktails!
🫶The BIGgest memory:❤️💕
I have experienced the presence of God✨💖 and His wrapping protection in unexpected places and circumstances (i.e. while having a panic attack while riding an elephant, being on a small boat at sea under a stormy sky, and feeling fearful of being trafficked in a taxi by myself when the driver suddenly took a dark shortcut in the middle of nowhere!!). The prevalence of Buddhism in Thailand, with its golden temples, scary dragons, majestic statues, and spirit houses, has reinforced my belief that the God of the Bible is the one true God. Only Jesus 💡✨ can provide true answers to life's biggest questions, and only through Him can one experience true joy and peace. I feel blessed to know this God and be known by Him, the God who came down from heaven to die on a cross for me, the only God who gave His life for us all.🙏✝️
Things I struggled with:
📌Few Christians: As a follower of Jesus, I felt sad about the small number of Christians in Thailand. A visit to a famous temple reinforced my Christian beliefs, as it mentioned that the first Buddha couldn't find the truth and settled for a compromise, 'the middle way”. The essence of life is rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, who declared, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.'
📌Communication Dynamics: Thai people are friendly, but their cultural habit of saying 'yes' to avoid conflict can make it hard to know their true feelings. Forming genuine friendships might take a long time, as Thais may need years to reveal their real selves.
📌Black Market Sex Industry: I was saddened to discover a thriving black market sex industry in a central district of Phuket. It casts a shadow on the vibrant culture, raising concerns about the well-being of those affected.
📌Language Barriers: Communicating in English was challenging in most cases which could prevent you from having deep conversations.
👇Bottom line:👇
My trip wasn't in any way what I had anticipated and this is usually the case when it comes to mission work. I was reminded quite vividly that it's not just about the immediate “relief” or tangible results you hope to achieve or the tasks you completed, but maybe it is much more about the many encounters and random conversations in a taxi, in a farm, on the beach, whilst riding an elephant, etc..it is about sowing seeds, giving locals or missionaries hope, preparing the ground and laying the foundation for a much bigger construction whose final look you might even not be able to see in this life!
✨🌍🌟I strongly encourage everyone to take the opportunity to go on a short-term, medium-term, or long-term mission trip or volunteering program abroad. Despite any challenges, cultural shock, or difficulties you may encounter, it will undoubtedly be an enriching experience for you and your life. After all, Jesus encouraged us to be the light of the world and to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth, didn't he? So, what are you waiting for? 🌈🤗💪🌍
Grateful for the experience! 🫶
