Hello From Thailand!

Our week in Cambodia went by faster than I ever thought possible! On Saturday, Anna Minnear and I led worship at the student center again and Dave Atkins preached. Anna and I had some fun window shopping at the market that afternoon before meeting with a sponsor of Sending Hope International that evening. We both enjoyed riding a tuk-tuk (basically a motorcycle with a wagon attached to it) for the very first time on Saturday as well!

On Sunday, we went to church! The owner of the guesthouse that we were staying in is also a church-planter. We went to his church on Sunday and had an amazing time! It gave me chills, listening to everyone singing one song, but in different languages. Anna and I had the opportunity to lead two worship songs for the church, as well. It was a wonderful experience! We had so much fun. 

After church, we went to visit one of the orphanages that the Atkins started eleven years ago. A lot of the children at this orphanage were older, because the orphanage had been founded so many years ago. This year, five of them will be going to college! It was so inspiring, meeting college aged orphans who had benefited so greatly from Dave and Joyce's ministry. The bond between the kids in that orphanage was very strong and the love between them was immense. Anna and I had a great time singing songs, riding bicycles, telling stories and braiding hair with the girls. After spending the afternoon at the orphanage, we took a tuk-tuk back to the guesthouse, ate dinner, then had a nice, long night of sleep.

On Monday, our team had the privilege of helping out at a local school for students aged 2-15. We sang songs for the kids, played games and taught a bit of english. Everyone had a lot of fun especially playing duck-duck-goose and doing the hand gestures to the song we sang called "Every Move I Make." After volunteering at the school, we went to an indoor market and then to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Tuol Sleng was the place where the Cambodians were tortured before being marched off to the Killing Fields. The remainder of our day was very solemn, as we reflected on the dark history of Cambodia.

On Tuesday, we left Cambodia. After two one-hour plane rides, we arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, then drove an hour and a half to get to Sending Hope International's Thailand orphanage. Upon arriving, we were greeted by thirty beaming, innocent little faces. My arms were sore and my lips were salty after giving over thirty hugs and kissing thirty sweaty little foreheads. They each pressed beautiful homemade, hand-drawn cards into my hands. I read each one aloud, choking back tears. They wrote simple things, such as "I pray for you everyday," and, "I love you so much," but they each beamed with pride, as if they were presenting a novel to me. The connection I felt with the girls was immediate.

That night, we gathered together for the girl's nightly worship service. I was truthfully not prepared for what I was about to experience. When these girls praised God, there voices were so loud that it was overwhelming. They raised their arms in worship, danced around the room, hugged each other, prayed, laughed, cried and praised God during that worship service in a way that I had never seen before. It was just so pure and innocent. Some of them yelled and were completely off pitch, but they were the most beautiful worshipers I'd ever seen or listened to. I couldn't help but sob my eyes out the whole service! After the worship, the girls had the opportunity to stand up and share a bible passage or a memory verse. A few of them shared and then it was time for bed. We all gave many more hugs and many more salty kisses, then said goodnight.

Today (Wednesday,) we relaxed, settled into our campus guesthouse, went to the market to buy groceries and played outdoor games with the girls after they got home from school. I also gave them some miniature stuffed animals that a family from my church donated to the orphanage. They LOVED them! We ended the evening with another nightly worship service. This time, Anna and I finished the service with a couple songs (Father Abraham and Hallelujah, Praise He The Lord.) The girls had a great time singing the songs with us and we had a fantastic time praising God with them.

I look forward to keeping you all updated as the trip continues! We have three weeks here in Thailand. Please continue praying for my health and please pray that I can share the love of Christ with these girls as I interact with them on a daily basis. We have many things planned for the following weeks, such as teaching english to the staff and girls and ministering to the Hill Tribes. Please continue to keep me in your prayers! 

In His Service,
Hannah Boyd
Philippians 1:21