by Ashlyn Wright| Summer 2024 |
The main work-related focus of my trip to Thailand was teaching English at local schools. However, we also helped bridge people to the local churches and worked alongside the Kranuan church members, assisting with everyday work. In Chiang Mai, we taught young children English for a few days at various schools with the help of some local Christians. Our original plan was to volunteer for a week-long English Bible camp for Karen people, but it was unfortunately canceled due to our host’s health issues. Instead, we got to build connections with some girls from the area, who would come to the church we were staying at to hang out with us and practice their English. It was amazing to hear they kept returning every night, even for Wednesday fellowship, after we left!
My team was also blessed to accompany three amazing missionaries with their work in Siem Reap, Cambodia! There, we taught English at schools while two of the missionaries trained the teachers. In Kranuan, we taught English for three weeks at the local K-9 school with the assistance of some of the church members. Two nights a week, we also taught English at the church we were working with. We were blessed to see some of the learners grow more connected to the church, with two of them even showing up for church on our last Sunday morning! One even told me she wanted to find Jesus again. We also helped church members cook, farm, and work on the building they were constructing. Finally, in Bangkok, we got to travel with some of the church members to a school located outside the city, where we helped them with the English day they had planned.
One lesson I learned this summer was that God is working even in the moments that feel like nothing is happening. Missionaries in Thailand told my team that the process of bringing Thais to Christ is a long one. As a result, it seemed like my team wasn’t making any progress in this area. However, in the end, we were able to see how God was stirring the hearts of some of the people we were with this summer! I also learned that God works through simple conversations with strangers. Our first host told us stories and showed how seemingly insignificant introductions to strangers can blossom into lifelong friendships. After spending time with him, I’m encouraged to reach out to strangers and share with them God’s love.
This summer, I was most influenced by the actions of the local Christians we were blessed to meet. Their demonstrations of community, especially within the churches, have inspired me to be more intentional about building a family-like community that eats, works, and worships together. Additionally, I have also been touched by their generosity. They never stopped showing love to us, whether it was opening their homes, cooking, sharing their life stories, or other ways they shared their time and money with us. Starting on this trip, I have noticed how I am motivated by their actions to be more generous. Not only have I been blessed by the things I’ve experienced and the people I’ve met on this trip, but I have also been blessed by the ways this trip has made me grow spiritually.
