thailand... here i come!

hey everyone. sorry about the lack of communication, i took one week off of the internet and then i've used it only on limited things afterwards.

anyways, so my week off the internet went rather well. it was really intense as the speaker was Mark Parker, and although that name doesn't ring any bells, i believe that he is the representative for YWAM in New Zealand. anyways, he is in his 50s and has more eneregy then i do! he was so amazing... he was speaking on the topic of "Lordship". basically the focus was on God that week, and how mighty he is and how much we should do for him. it was just really eye opening, and amazing to see different things that God wanted me to give up for him this week, so i would be totally focused on his mission for my life.

speaking about life missions, my travel itinerary wasn't working to go to South America. I would have had to paid an extra 500NZ$ just to go as far down as central america, and then i would have had to make my own travel plans to go any farther down into south america, bringing extra costs. so, i was really seeking what i should be doing, asking God, and looking at my own intrests. the whole south america thing wasn't sitting right with me lately anyways, and so i was open to whatever. i began to have this large impression that i should go to Thailand afterwards. so, i prayed about it, and recieved this overwhelming peace about it. so, as of now, my plans are to travel back to thailand after our outreach (at my own expense, which is fine as i would have been paying around the same amount anyways anywhere else i had to travel due to the limited milage on the around the world ticket). i will be going there for 6 months... so it's going to be quite a commitment... but i have a peace about it. so, unless God says anything different, that's where i'll be going!

other details, we finish school on the 20th of sept. then i will be traveling to jordan on the 22nd (we'll hopefully go on a camel caravan!) and staying there for 5 days. almost everyone from our school is going there after we're finished. then i will hopefully be going to egypt to see the pyramids. i am quite excited for that! the reason i say hopefully is because this is overland travel, and so things could be flexible depending on all the variables of travel. after that i will be traveling back to Amman, Jordan and then flying out to thailand. i'll probably just relax for just over a week to catch my breath. after that i am open to ideas. i'm looking into contacts out there right now as a couple of my friends have either been to thailand or know some people out there right now. and, if anyone has some other info regarding thailand, or has any contacts, i would be more than happy to hear them! hopefully i will be able to work with people regarding helping children either get out of the sex trade (or child trafficing), or work in preventing kids getting into the trade in the first place. as an outreach team we will be going to thailand, and we will be working with a company called "Children of the Golden Triangle." they are a Christian organization that works to prevent children getting into the sex trade industry. they do this by taking them out of risk situations, which children would be picked up off the street and traded into thailands sex industry. this sex industry is a huge problem with thailand, as their main tourism income is based on this demand. children are taken for the trade for various reasons, but can range from ages of 8 until 18... so it's pretty intense.

anyways, i'll update you more when things get a little more settled. but, i am here and doing rahter well.