Looking Back

It's crazy to think that I've been home for over a week now. The day after I got home, some family friends of ours from Canada came to stay with us for a week. We went to a lot of Californian tourist attractions (places like Hollywood, the beach and Downtown Disney) that were great fun, but big culture shocks for me after being in Asia for a month! The first few days home, I missed the girls really badly and broke down in tears at the littlest things that reminded me of them. I think most of the crying had to do with jet lag, but I still get teary eyed whenever I look through pictures or tell people about my experiences. I had a great time with our friends for the week, but it wasn't until today when I finally got to debrief and spend quality time with my family after the trip. I spent most of the day creating a slideshow presentation of pictures from the trip and finished writing a song that I started in Thailand. After a month in Thailand and then a week of spending the night with friends, I'm looking forward to finally getting a long night of sleep tonight!
Let me go ahead and tell you guys about my last five days in Thailand. I'm glad you guys aren't watching me write this, because I know that I'm going to be in tears at some point while writing this letter. Okay, I think that the last day I told you guys about was Friday (the twenty-sixth,) so that would bring us back to Saturday, July twenty-seventh.
On Saturday, we started out the day by teaching English to the girls. I was actually really dreading this, because I knew that it would be the last English class I'd be teaching to the girls (although I'd be teaching the staff on Monday.) After gathering up my students, we reviewed the last three weeks of English class together and played a game to see who could get through the alphabet the fastest. After a winner was declared, I gathered the girls in a circle and got Peace to translate for me while I spoke to the girls. I explained to them that this was our last English class before I was going to leave on Wednesday. I meant for it to be a celebration, but everyone ended up crying instead. We prayed one at a time in a circle, with me ending the session. Many tears were shed as we reflected on our time together in English class. I passed around lollipops and we played UNO to celebrate the girl’s progress and success that they had made over the last three weeks. We took so many pictures that morning that my camera ended up dying within an hour. After a few hours of UNO, we had lunch before the girls all went down for a nap. Peace taught me how to play two more Thai worship songs. We had a lot of fun together! I felt even closer to Peace after this time together than I had before. That evening after worship we had a movie night with all of the girls and the older girls spent the night again afterwards (May, Natnaree, Tawan, Cream, MooMoo and Ying.) We painted toenails, watched Mr. Bean, made bracelets and played UNO. After a fun-filled evening, we closed in prayer and turned out the lights for the night. 
On Sunday we had a great church service with the girls out on the front porch. Surprisingly, I woke up during the middle of the night with another eye infection. However, this time both eyes were infected. I had a sense of peace this time, however, because I'd already been through the experience so I knew everything would be okay. That morning after church, Peace took me to the doctors and we got some stronger medicine for my eyes. After getting the meds, we ate lunch and the girls went down for nap. After some downtime, the girls got up and we played Red Light Green Light and Steal The Bacon with them. That evening we joined them for dinner and I gave them some Lei necklaces that I brought with me for the girls. They loved them and ended up wearing them mostly as crowns instead of necklaces! That evening after worship, the girls took us by surprise and washed our feet. 
When they brought in the basins and we realized what was happening, I immediately got chills. The girls divided into four rows, one for each staff member. The girls in my row that would wash my feet were Moomoo, Ern, Natigan, Pot, Chai, Pulu and Natnaree. They were all girls that I had really strong connections with over the last three weeks. Each of the staff also washed and prayed over our feet.
It was an entirely different experience, having them wash our feet instead of us washing theirs. Both were powerful, but there was just something extremely touching about receiving such a humble act of service and biblical act of love from the hands of orphans. My immediate reaction was to spring out of my seat and tell them that I should be the one washing their feet instead. At that moment, I felt God telling me to stay still and take a moment to just receive. 
The next girl to wash my feet was five-year-old Chai. She was one of the girls at the orphanage with a darker history. Despite her past, she was one of the easier girls to connect with because of her bubbly personality. However, during the entire trip, I never once got to see her softer side. That was about to change. As five-year-old Chai bent down on her knees to wash my feet, I immediately started bawling my eyes out. It was such an intensely spiritual moment. As she looked up into my eyes, I was shocked to see tears streaming down her face. I was finally seeing the softer side of Chai. We couldn't speak the same language, but I knew exactly what she was trying to communicate. She loved me so, so much. After she dried my feet, I reached down and picked her up in my arms. We both cried together and exchanged sweet simple words. However, I knew that no words could ever describe how much love I had for her and all of her 'sisters' here at the orphanage. 
Over the last few weeks, the girls had taught me so many life lessons... more lessons than I could ever teach them in English class. They taught me how to love unconditionally. They taught me how to serve others with a cheerful heart. They taught me how to stop and smell the roses and how to appreciate the little things in life. I also left Thailand with a new love and appreciation for my family (especially my relationship with my mother and father.)
On Monday, Anna and I got up early and walked the girls to school. I had fun riding the motorbike back home with Hy after she took the younger girls to their kindergarten. After getting home, we taught English to the staff and Mrs. Joyce taught sewing afterwards. For the rest of the morning, Pastor Dave had a meeting with the staff, giving us girls some downtime. After downtime we had lunch, then played a game of Steal The Bacon with the girls after they got home from school. We had worship time that evening, team bible study, and then headed off to bed.
On Tuesday, Anna and I got up early to walk the girls to school for the last time. It was really emotional for both of us, knowing that this was the last time (this summer, at least) that we’d be walking this road and holding these hands. After getting home, we taught English to the staff for the last time, Joyce taught her last sewing class and Dave had another meeting with the Sending Hope staff.
After staff meeting, our team treated the staff to lunch. We came home and some guests came over to get advice from Dave and Joyce for their orphan home that they were starting. After the guests left, Anna and I blew up balloons and wrote one girl’s name on each balloon, leaving them on the ground for the girls to discover after getting home from school. After balloons, Anna and I helped Peace on her computer.
While helping Peace, I really bonded with the younger girls. While Anna worked on the computer, I ended up wrestling, tickling, chasing and giving piggyback rides to the six younger girls (and Fii.) I especially bonded with Rachelle (who was initially standoffish with me this month,) Nowang, Pulu and Chai. Anna and I then joined the girls for dinner.
After dinner, Natnaree helped me list off the full name, nickname, hill tribe, grade and birthday of each girl at Sending Hope, while the other girls played Fruit Ninja on my phone. After writing the list, we went to worship and Anna and I gave out our cards. I gave each girl a card and a picture of my family. We then worshipped and all of us cried our eyes out.
I gave each of the older girls five verses that I thought they needed to hear. After worship, Pastor Dave preached on one of the verses that I gave May. I thought that was a God thing. After worship, we took pictures with the girls. Time flied by so fast sobbing and giving hugs, that I was shocked when Dave said that it was getting late and that we really needed to head back to the guesthouse. I gave a few more hugs, and then headed to the door. My heart broke as I closed the door and the girls looked back at me, their hearts just as broken as mine. Anna and I walked back solemnly to the guesthouse, then broke down in tears as soon as we sat down on the couch for bible study. It was a really pathetic scene, to be honest. We then had a short bible study with Pastor Dave before he asked to talk one on one with each me and Anna to debrief on the trip. I was the first to debrief and we had a great conversation, reflecting on the month and all of the life lessons I had learned while in Thailand and Cambodia.
The next day, Wednesday, God woke Anna and I up at exactly the same time, without any type of alarm. We had intended to sleep in so we wouldn’t have to see the girls and cry again with them before school, but we ended up waking up without an alarm anyway. We decided to watch the girls secretly through the window, so we could see them one last time. We each got up in our PJ’s and cracked the kitchen window so we could hear them worshipping and praying during their morning service.
I didn’t think I would be emotional. When the first girl (Nowang) left the building and started running around out front, I immediately started crying. The girls came out one by one (or some in groups) and I cried and held back tears the whole time with Anna. At one point, Pot and Ern walked outside and saw Anna and I through the window. Anna and I ducked and started sobbing. Pot and Ern were two girls that we really had connections with. When we looked back out the window, Pot and Ern pretended not to notice us. Next, May walked outside with Cream and Tawan. May saw us and we ran behind the kitchen door, trying not to cry. May ran up to the window and slipped a card through the cracks for me before walking away. I whispered I love you before she joined Cream and Tawan again. At that point, Cream and Tawan knew we were looking through the window.
Anna and I ran to the backdoor and peeked through the crack as the girls left Sending Hope International’s campus. Ern, Pot, Cream, Tawan and May looked back at us with tears in their eyes. Anna and I watched them leave for as long as we possibly could, before giving up and going back to bed, crying into our pillows. After getting up, Anna and I finished packing and taking showers before loading the truck. We then prayed with the staff and said goodbye before leaving the Sending Hope International campus for the last time this summer.
We spent the rest of the day up in Chiang Mai. We went out to lunch, out to an elephant show, out to dinner, then to the night bazaar. Even though we had a lot of fun, Anna and I were in tears the whole day thinking about the girls. Every song that came on our IPods somehow related to the girls. We even paid two dollars each at the night bazaar for an hour-long foot massage. However, the whole time all I could think about was the girls washing our feet. Anna and I teared up reflecting on our trip and discussing what we would remember about each girl.
When it finally came time to leaving Thailand, Anna and Joyce and I were on the same five-hour flight to South Korea. After landing in South Korea, I had a nine-hour layover before boarding my twelve-hour flight to Los Angeles. After over twenty-four hours of flights and layovers, I was thrilled to finally be reunited with my family. All four of the boys were a lot taller. Joshua is almost taller than me now and Grant continues to tower over me, loving every moment of it. The twins hit a growth spurt over the summer, too.
Thank you to everyone supported me financially and/or in prayer for this trip. I can’t begin to tell you how great of an experience this has been for me. I returned home as a completely different person, receiving comments from my family daily about how they can see positive differences in the woman I am now in comparison to who I was a month ago. I feel so on fire with my love for Christ and I don’t want this feeling to ever go away. On this trip, I also felt a clear calling to orphan ministry. I don’t know how God will orchestrate orphan ministry into my life, but I am excited to see what he has in store for me as he continues putting different pieces of the puzzle together daily.
Reuniting with everyone and adjusting to American life again is bittersweet. I missed my family so much while away, but now I feel like I left thirty little sisters in Thailand. Everyday I stop at least once to think about what time it is there and what the girls are doing right then. I miss them and I’m happy to be home, but I’m daily reminded that I left a piece of my heart in Asia.

In His Service,
Hannah Megan Boyd
Philippians 1:21

One Week Left

Less then a week left here in Thailand! It breaks my heart just thinking about it. The last week has been absolutely beautiful. The girls had a five day weekend (because of a Buddhist holiday) and our team had a great time loving on and developing relationships with the girls the entire time.
Friday was the start of the five day weekend. I taught english to the girls that morning, then went into town with Peace to get medicine for my eye. We also did a little window shopping and got some fried chicken at the food market. We got home in time to have dinner and then the nightly worship service with the girls. After worship, we had everybody over to the guesthouse for movie night! We watched two episodes of Mr. Bean and I gave the girls some smarties that I brought from the USA. After the movie, the younger girls went home to bed, but the six older girls got to stay and spend the night with Anna and I as a reward for everything they do for the orphanage. The older girls are very good about keeping up with their chores, helping out whenever there's a need, taking care of the younger kids, doing laundry and helping with meals. Anna and I really enjoyed having a girls night with them, saying thank you for everything they do here. We played UNO, Twister and Fruit Ninja (yes, that's a game on my cell phone.... but they loved it! Haha!)
On Saturday, we taught english again to the girls and played UNO after class. Who knew UNO would be such a hit?  We played it all morning until I had to take the cards away so they would eat lunch! After lunch, the girls had a nap and our team had some time to journal and dig into the word.  When the girls got up, Anna and I played a game with them (Steal The Bacon.) Once we wrapped up game time, it was already dusk and Pastor Dave decided that we'd have another campfire! I gave them all glowsticks, which they loved waving in the air and wearing as bracelets. We had a worship time around the campfire and the girls performed a few dances to worship songs that they rehearsed. At the end of the night, we gave hugs and kisses, then the girls headed off to bed.
On Sunday, the girls wore their tribal dresses to church! They were absolutely beautiful! Anna and I played a couple songs, then I gave my testimony to the girls. I was a bit nervous before hand, but I wasn't nervous at all while giving it. In fact, I really felt a peace about it and the girls really enjoyed hearing about how I came to know Christ. That afternoon, some family friends of ours who are missionaries in India came to visit me here at the orphanage. They happened to be visiting Thailand the same time as me. We had a great time of fellowship together for a few hours before they had to head back up into Chiang Mai. Later in the afternoon I gave the girls spinning tops, which they had a lot of fun with! That evening the girls did scripture sword drills before worship. After worship I  gave thirty more sweaty kisses and hugs before everyone went to bed for the night.
On Monday morning, Anna and I decided to combine our english classes and play some english games with the girls instead. We played Steal the Bacon, but used english fruit titles instead of numbers. We also taught our classes how to play Red Light Green Light, which was by far the favorite game of the month so far! After dismissing our classes, we ate lunch and then the girls settled down for nap time. Once the girls were up and awake, we surprised them by taking them out swimming again! They were thrilled. It ended up raining while we were swimming (but no thunder,) which was actually really fun! I taught two of the girls (Nonylee and Lee) how to back flip. After swimming, our team went into town with Peace for an authentic Thai dinner, which was delicious! Later that day Anna and I brushed up on our kickball skills and taught the girls how to play. We ended the day with the nightly worship service and then team bible study.
On Tuesday, we taught english to the girls, then made Faith Necklaces that were donated to the orphanage from a family that goes to my church. Faith Necklaces are necklaces that explain the process of salvation based off of the color of the beads in the necklace (example: the red bead stands for Jesus' blood when he died for our sins and the white bead stands for our purity in Christ when we accept his gift of forgiveness.) While making the necklaces, I had the opportunity to share the gospel with all of the girls. They all were wide-eyed and listening to me with enthusiasm. I told them that they could use the necklaces as conversation starters to share the gospel with their friends and they were all very excited about the idea. After making the necklaces, we all gathered together and dedicated one of the buildings here to Dave Atkins' mentors. After a busy morning, we drove to Chiang Rai to get groceries at Big C (the Thai version of Walmart.) We ate dinner at Big C before rushing home to get back in time for the nightly worship service! Little did we know that they would be spending most of their time that night studying new songs, so we didn't miss out on much. However, we got back just in time to sing the last song with them and end the night with a game. The game was a lot like Hot Potato, but with baby powder. Whoever was holding the baby powder when the music stopped got to put baby powder on someone else's face. Of course, one of the first girls to get the powder pied me in the face! When I got the baby powder, I took the opportunity to get some good Christian revenge and pied that girl back in the face. ;) At the end of the game, Peace turned out all the lights and we all had to pie each other in the face. In one moment of utter chaos, the lights went out and all thirty of the girls attacked Anna and I with baby powder. I reached out and smeared my baby powder onto the closest victim I could find! We ended the night with powdery hugs and kisses before washing up and heading off to bed.
On Wednesday morning, I walked the girls to school. Later that morning once the rest of our team and the staff were awake, we took a rode trip to one of the Karen hill tribe villages. This was the same village that Hy (one of the staff members) was raised in. At the village, we were invited into Hy's home for corn and tea. The home was just a shack made of wood and sticks. I was afraid that I would fall through the floor (the house was elevated about five feet in the air and the floor was made of sticks.) We ended up playing some worship songs for Hy's close family and friends, which was a very powerful experience. One of the staff members, Peace, also played a couple songs for everybody. After music and tea, we went and walked around the village. A couple of the highlights were praying for an ill elderly lady, eating suspicious ice cream, meeting Hy's family and getting licked by water buffalo's. After exploring the village, we went back to Hy's home and were invited in for lunch. The lunch was an authentic Karen tribal dish that consisted of fried rice, spicy chicken, corn and eggs. After lunch, we thanked our hosts and prepared for the road trip back home. Anna and I sat in the back of the truck and had a great time of worship and prayer, reflecting on our first hill tribe experience.
Once home, Anna and I painted Za-za, Lee and Esther's toenails. We then ate dinner and played Red Light Green Light and Steal The Bacon with the girls. After games, we had our nightly worship service. This night, the worship was especially powerful. Everybody was especially energetic, doing all of the hand motions, praising God and giggling the whole way through. The girls sang so loud that our ears were throbbing! We all ended up in tears as the Holy Spirit moved through the room. It was the most intense worship experience of my life! At one point, I held Gang and Mii's hands while Earn hugged me, all of us worshiping and praising God. I leaned forward and kissed Earn's head, soaking her hair with tears. Suddenly an intense peace filled my heart. There was so much love in that room. I had to stop singing for a moment, just to breathe and soak it all in. There was no way to soak up all of the love without giving some back in return. I reached down and kissed Earn's cheeks while holding the hands beside me just a little tighter. I have absolutely no words to describe how beautiful the worship was that night. There was just so much love!
On Thursday, we started the day off by teaching english to the staff. After having some time to journal and eat lunch, Anna and I worked together to finish all of our painting jobs around the house. After two weeks of painting the guesthouse walls (and floor cement,) we finally finished! That afternoon after the girls got back from school, we taught them how to play Capture the Flag and had fun painting a few more sets of toenails. We ended the day with worship and then team bible study.
On Friday morning I got up early to walk the girls to school. This morning, I decided to let ten year old May use my camera on the way to school. She had a lot of fun taking random pictures... especially silly pictures of herself, like always. I walked to school holding Bebe's hand. She kept laughing and asking me questions like, "Hannah eat Banana?" I'd smile and say yes before she proceeded by asking, "Hannah eat Thailand?" I'd laugh and tickle her. "No, Bebe! I don't eat Thailand!" Then we both would giggle as she continued asking me silly questions all the way to school.
After walking the girls to school, Anna and I taught english to the staff. I focused on teaching them different parts of the body and different types of illnesses. After english, Joyce taught the staff how to sew again. While Joyce was teaching sewing, Anna and I started making our cards for the girls. At the end of our trip, we want to give each girl a card from each of us. We had fun starting that project yesterday and each of us finished making ten cards. After making cards and eating lunch, Anna and I washed the windows and started cleaning the grout on the front porch. Before cleaning it, the grout was a deep shade of red from all of the clay that gets tracked in from outside. It has been fun doing a job that gives instant gratification! Once the girls got home from school, we played outside with them on the swing set.  After about an hour of playing outside, we headed back inside for worship.
The worship that night was great, but not nearly as powerful as the activity that proceeded it. After the worship service, the girls sat down and Pastor Dave stood up to speak. He decided to speak on John 13 from the passage where Jesus washes the disciples feet. He explained to the girls that we were about to wash their feet, just like Jesus washed the disciple's feet. After reading and discussing the passage, the girls divided into four rows, one row for each team member. The people in my row were staff member Peace, staff member Hy, then May, Natnaree, Za-za, Earn, Lee, Mimi, Samo and Natigan. The first feet I washed were Peace's feet. Peace is the leader of most activities here at the orphanage, so for her, this was an especially touching act of love and service. While washing her feet, all I could think about was just how much I had learned from Peace on this trip. The way she loves on, leads, and disciples the girls here at the orphanage is extremely inspiring. On top of her love for the kids, Peace lead me and the girls into a few of the most intimate and inspiring worship services I'd ever experienced this month. I dried her feet and hugged her before she returned back to her seat.
The next feet I washed were staff member Hy's. She was the first staff member I connected with here, being twenty years old and the closest to my age. I taught english to her everyday and got to visit her village just a few days prior. Even though I'd only known her for three weeks, we already had inside jokes and a tight friendship between us. I choked up, realizing just how much I was going to miss her.
After Peace and Hy, I began washing the girls feet. The first feet I washed were little Natigan's, followed by Lee, then Mimi, then Earn. Earn was one of the newer girls here at the orphanage, being adopted only two months ago. I looked into her innocent, smiling face and whispered,  "I love you." She bowed her head, trying to hide the tears.
The next feet I washed were Za-za's. She was the first girl I connected with here at the orphanage. She'd follow me wherever I went, asking me questions and begging to use my camera at any given opportunity. We learned to use hand gestures and smiles to communicate instead of words. After Za-za, I washed Samo's feet. She is one of the most knowledgeable girls here at the orphanage. She can whiz through the alphabet faster than I can! After Samo, I washed eleven year old Natnaree's feet.
Natnaree is like a little Asian version of me. She is one of the six older girls and they all look to her for advice, though she isn't the oldest. She is very good with the children and very smart as well. When trying to speak to the girls, I've learned to get Natnaree to translate for me. She is also quite the little worship leader with a powerful little voice and very skilled on the guitar. Plus, her smile is the sweetest thing ever! Anyway, I put her feet in the bucket after she sat down and began washing. It was all I could do not to break down in tears, realizing how much I loved this little girl and how little time I had left with her. After drying her feet, I hugged her and told her that I loved her before she sat down.
The last feet I washed where May's. For the last week and a half, May and I have become especially close. She reminds me a lot of my eleven year old brother, Joshua. She's has an adorable sense of humor and the gives the sweetest hugs. During worship, I've learned to watch her to learn the hand motions. Whenever we sing a new song, she's already turned to me, giggling, with the hand motions ready. As I washed her feet, I looked up at her and she smiled bashfully, hiding back tears. It took everything in me not to cry. After drying her feet, we hugged and cried together before Pastor Dave gathered everyone together to pray and close the service. After prayer, we each gave thirty more sweaty, teary eyed kisses and said goodnight.. Peace approached me afterwards and thanked me. I immediately started crying and thanked her for being such a great role model for me on this trip. We both hugged and cried together before saying goodnight. After saying goodnight to the girls, we had team bible study and reflected on the service together. before finally heading off to bed.
The last month has been a time of tremendous spiritual growth for me. With only five days remaining, I find myself getting choked up every time I kiss a cheek and every time I hug one of them in my arms. Please pray for me, that I will be able to enjoy the remaining five days here without too many tears! I am looking forward to seeing my friends and family again, but not looking forward to leaving all of the relationships I've made here in Thailand. Please pray for safe travels, in case I don't get to update you guys again before I leave. I am hoping to send out one more update before leaving, but I am not sure if I will get to use the computer again before then! I have an eight hour layover in South Korea, so please pray that I stay safe and don't go crazy waiting in that airport! Also, thank you for all of the prayers you all have sent my way from the last updates. After getting medicine (a five day dosage) for my eye, it was completely healed within three days! Thank you guys so much!
I look forward to keeping you guys updated as the trip continues.
In His Service,
Hannah Boyd
Philippians 1:21

I'm a high-school graduate! What?!

     Well, I am officially a high-school graduate and I am so proud to say that I was home-schooled through all twelve of those years! I doubled up my schoolwork during my last year of high-school and ended up graduating in three years instead of four! So, technically it's been eleven years, not twelve. :) But, anyway, now I'm a year ahead and just super excited to see what God has in store for this next season of my life! 

My favorite cap and gown picture!

Me with my brothers!
Left to right: James, Joshua, Me, Grant and Ethan.

Me with my family and my grandparents.
Top row: Joshua, G'ma Sharon, G'pa Bill and Grant.
Bottom row: James, Mom, Me, Dad and Ethan.

My daddy bought my mom and I roses!
I am so privileged to say that I was educated and discipled by such an admirable woman. There were afternoons when we wanted to give up (I'm thinking of tears over math pages,) but there were so many more beautiful moments that made everything worthwhile. I couldn't feel more proud of my mom and dad for sacrificing such a big portion of their lives to home-school my brothers and I. My mom's a Proverbs 31 woman! I wanna' be like her when I grow up!

 

     The graduation ceremony was beautiful and the whole day ended up being really special and memorable. We went over to my friend's house after the ceremony and had a fun evening with close family friends!

     My parents have also offered to take me and a friend out to Palm Springs this weekend as a graduation gift. I was SO blessed and shocked when my dad told me! So, this weekend my dad has the boys at home while the girls are out vacationing in Palm Springs. I almost want to stay home just to see what happens when the girls of the house are gone. 

     Watch... we'll come back and they'll all have Mohawks. ;)

In His Service,

~Hannah Boyd

Philippians 1:21