Memorable Moment #8: Thailand

Being on staff at a larger church gave Nate and I many opportunities to serve on mission trips. When our church was asked to lead a week long camp for Ms and MKs in Thailand, we jumped on it. It was a wonderful week full of leading students and families that were hungry for worship. We went almost three years ago and are still talking about it. I know that this was a trip that we will never forget and something I will always be thankful we got to experience.

I learned that I was terrified to fly over the ocean for 17 hours. It probably wouldn't have been as bad if Nate had been with me, but he was there for a week before me and a week after me. I didn't get out of my seat in any of the four flights there or back. It was crazy.... but I am glad that I had Gina with me so I didn't have a panic attack.

This is where we stayed. We really ruffed it. haha. It was a nice resort on the Indian Ocean. It was kinda like Mexico in that we were told not to drink the water, or eat anything that had been washed in it and not cooked. So I brushed my teeth with bottled water, but ate salad for every meal.... and ended up getting a parasite.

We liked "Sa Wa Di Ca" Ronald.

We had a few afternoons to go look around, and some of us decided to go ride the elephants. This was one of the greatest things that I have ever done. It was so much fun. I can remember Nate and I thinking how nuts it was that we were riding an elephant in Thailand. Definitely a great memory with some great people!

There were also little baby elephants, that were people's pets, on the beach.

One of my favorite pictures of Nate leading worship for all the families. All the MKs were on stage with him. It is beautiful to watch families that have given everything to follow Christ worshipping in a way they only get to do once a year.

Weird chips.

Our one taste of American food while we were there.

Shopping in "Mike Mall." We thought all the manikins were funny.

Nate broke his nose while we were there. That was an adventure too. He went down a water slide in a cannonball.... and when he hit the water his knee hit his nose. Ouch. We went to the emergency room and all the little Thai nurses were laughing at us and we couldn't understand anything. What a mess. Good news was he didn't have to have it reset.

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Overall, it was one amazing trip.