Progress!

Yay! Pharm apps are well on its way.. In celebration of my first submission, enjoy this cute clip.

Settled in.

No more jet lag! I've settled into the regular pace of life again, but with a new perspective on life. New confidence in my identity in Christ, new trust in God, and new desire to serve others, I'm ready to live for God!

Since I came back, I've been chillin' doing my pharmacy apps, and I've been job searching. Thanks to God I found one.

I also went to Mexico for a day to serve God's children. Yay! Here are some pictures.

Back from Thailand

I have bad jet lag

Up since 3 in the morning

Instead I write here

My Thailand medical mission trip was a step of faith that I know God had to force me to go. He closed all my job leads, changed my family and Kevin's hearts to let me go, and even provided supporters to get me to Thailand. What more can I say, God really wanted me to go out of my comfort zone. I'm glad I did.

Being in Thailand, I thought that I would adjust well since Indonesia is very similar to Thailand. Both countries have spicy cuisine, both have very humid weather, both countries aren't the cleanest places, and both have similar cultures. I thought I would feel like home in Thailand, but God proved me wrong the first night when I mistakenly ate a green chili pepper, thinking it was a green bean. God forced me to be out of my comfort zone again. He did so so I can give everything to Him, even my body, when I thought I had control over it. Luckily, I recovered by the time our team traveled to the island and started our clinic week.

To say our trip focused solely on clinicals is a lie because God had other plans. He showed us the relationships that have been fostered since Newsong came to the island 5 years ago. Coming to a 100% Muslim island was hard 5 years ago, but God has changed their hearts because many came to seek blessings from the American doctors, some gave us sweet gifts, and some invited us over to their humbled homes. We came to show God's love through our actions medically, but the people of Koh Yao showed their love back to us by cooking for us during Ramadan. For those of you who don't know what Ramadan is, it's a period of time when the Muslim people don't eat or drink during daylight hours. It's amazing how these people were willing to cook for us, knowing that they couldn't eat for themselves.

Through these people, God showed us what he has been doing on the island. For example, the imam, a religious leader on the island, came to the clinic and our hotel a few times to visit us. He even invited us to his house so he can show off his monkeys he trained. Knowing that the imam was so eager to see us is a sign that God is definitely working in him. Another occasion, the driver who drove us around the island, invited us to his house where he cooked a seafood feast for us. Another woman came to drop off coconut snacks called baubin, literally translated as, " damn crazy," because they are so good. Instances such as these showed that God uses these people to show us his love too.

Though I learned how to prescribe in Thai and give medical advice to the patients in Thai, I mostly learned to live faithfully for God. The funny thing is, a lot of people thought I was Thai and spoke to me with all kinds of Thai. One phrase I learned to say often was, " phoot Thai Mai dai, ka." It means " I can't speak Thai."

I can go on and on and on about my experience in Thailand, but so few words can fully express the life there. Though Thai food will never be the same, Thailand and the people of Koh Yao will always be in my heart.

Update of my summer so far..

It's been a month since I posted last. Back in June, I went to Indonesia for a family vacation. Here are some pictures to show all my amazing adventures.

at Indonesia.. We went white water rafting and scuba diving..

 Ate good foods.. Yum!

 Went site seeing all over Jakarta, Jogja, and Bali..

Petted a lot of animals..

Watched a traditional Balinese dance called Kecak..

  

 Went shopping...

 went to the beach a lot..

And of course, Hung out with family!

Next month... more pharmacy applications and my Medical Missions trip to Thailand! yay! to be continued on that chapter of my life..

My journey of the Thailand trip

The start of it all

Came flowing from the consult

(Newsong) flow consult

To go or not go

Why can't I hear Your answer

Worry less pray more

No jobs, no callbacks

God closed all my doors for now

He gave me missions

Two choices came up

to Africa or Thailand

Doubts and fear crept up

God decided it

By cancelling Africa

So the choice was made.

Yay! I got the go

Thailand here I come to grow

Take a step of faith

Now: Bought the ticket

Flying closer to my dream

Thanks for the support!

Too much tea..

Can't sleep. So this is what I do to entertain myself. Write haikus, go on Facebook, post here... But i don't sleep.

Here's my haiku for today.

Wide awake at 3

Got to stop drinking tea at night

This is what I get

Here's a few grad pics.

Last Skittens Small Group

I'm grateful to have met these amazing people this year. Thanks to my leaders Jon and Elaine, I have learned what true brotherly and sisterly love in Christ looks like.

Attached by the string

Good, faithful friends we will be

Yay! Skittens for life!