Ready, set, Sawadee Khah?

Here we are! In Thailand. It's been a crazy last 3 months in New Zealand while we completed our "lecture phase" of the Justice DTS. And we're expecting just as amazing of a time these next 3 months of outreach in Thailand.

We are a group of 8 drawn together by the drive and determination to fight for hope, for love, for happiness, for freedom for those without.

     

        We arrived in the largest airport in the world- Bangkok Airport, on Dec. 15, 12 hours after we had departed from what had been our home for the last 3 months- Auckland, NZ. We finally met up with our YWAM contacts and took our first steps outside into the HUMID as all get out air of Thailand. After being driven to the National Thailand YWAM base (open air in the back of a pick-up truck going 70 mph on the free way anyone?), getting some much needed sleep, having some of our first Thailand grocery shopping experiences, and taking some much needed showers, we had our YWAM orientation, where we learned all about the different ministries and contacts YWAM has going on in Thailand. But, we already knew who our contacts were and where we were heading SOOO we jumped on a 12 hr. overnight bus ride to the touristy, beautiful island of Phuket. Around 9am we arrived at what would be our home for the next 3 months...SHE- Self-Help and Empowerment. We quickly discovered that Phuket is MUCH prettier, greener, and happier than Bangkok. Over the next 3 months we will be working along side the girls here, helping them with their new lives and jobs, as well as, heading down to a part of Phuket called Patong, a tourist-infested section of town with 200+ bars on the one tiny street of Bangla road alone. In this blog are our adventures, our discoveries, successes, struggles, and accounts of how lives (ours and others) were changed over this time.

       But, without further ado, may I have the pleasure of introducing to you the lovely members of our Team Thailand: 

 

Josie Smith, our lovely leader.

Born in: South Africa

Lives in: Auckland, New Zealand

Interesting fact: She's been part
of YWAM for 10+ years.

                                                                         

   

Lauren Lee LaPierre
Born and lives in: Long Beach, CA. USA
Age: 23
Interesting fact: Has a major in
sociology and just got her nose
pierced!

                                           

  Sam Tindall  Born in: Minneapolis, MN
  Lives in: Lindstrom, MN
  Age: 23
  Interesting fact: Went to
  school for screen-writing.                                            
  Loves to film things.

Becca Floyd
Born and lives in: Virginia
Age: 22
Interesting fact: Absolutely loves dogs
and she can make a noise that sounds
exactly like a chicken.






 Stephanie Grey
 Lives and born in:
 Gainsville, FL. USA
 Age: 20
 Interesting fact: Has a
 "little man" that lives in her
  mouth. Loves to tell all
  her crazy stories.                                                                              
                                          
  


Amy Archer
Born and lives in: Truckee, CA. USA
Age: 19
Interesting fact: Graduated high
school at 16. Loves photography                                  
and trying to learn Thai.                                                                      



 
Rachel Benningfield

Born and lives in: 

Peoria, IL. USA

Age: 18

Interesting fact: After
seeing her with her dark

brown hair, you would 

never guess she's actually
a natural blonde.

 

Robert Lee

Born in: Silverspring, MD. USA

Lives in: Rockville, MD. USA

Age: 18

Interesting fact: His middle name is 

Bruce, meaning we, in fact, have 

Bruce Lee on our team. He also has

a very nice camera.

            And that's our team folks. Please be praying God does amazing things during these 3 months