Shopping for Adoption

Today, I have a couple of favors to ask all you fabulous friends who read my blog. They're quick and easy.... ready?

#1 - Could you please pray for me? And for our whole crew here? Me, Rusty, and all our American friends in Thailand have been passing around a horrible cold. And apparently the "common cold" in Thailand is way worse than the ones in America. As of today, I think mine may be trying to turn into bronchitis. Praise the Lord I brought a methylprednisolone pack with me! I've been "down and out" for about 6 days now. I'm missing out on a lot of opportunities to serve (and a TON of work I need to do) and the end of our trip is quickly approaching. Would you please pray for COMPLETE HEALING for me? Thank you all in advance!

#2 - Will you hop over to my friend Malerie's blog and my friend Kelley's blog and check out what they have for sale? They are both adopting internationally, and they're trying to come up with creative ways to raise the money needed to bring their precious children home. And if I know you, I know you would LOVE to make a "purchase with a purpose"! Wouldn't it be great to buy something for yourself or a friend that helped put orphans into their forever families?!

Malerie and Kevin are dear friends from Auburn who are adopting from South Korea. You may know Kevin as a member of the band Rush of Fools. These two have amazing hearts for the Lord and they have been aching to be parents for years now. Will you please check out the auctions they have going on right now? They have a gorgeous book wreath and some custom photo frames up for auction right now, with all the proceeds going toward their adoption! They also have photography sessions for only a $100 fee! That is a great deal when it comes to photo shoots - perfect for a new engagement, a new baby, or just some family or friend shots! $75 from each session will help them bring their little one home!

Kelley and I met through the Miss Alabama Pageant, but she's also an Auburn Alumna. She and her husband Scott are trying to adopt their second child from China. They have the sweetest little family, and they are passionate about adoption! They currently have an adorable little boy (Carter), a beautiful little girl (Grace - adopted from China last year) and they are now adopting another little girl from China - Caroline (age 12). Because Grace was just adopted last year, they've been told that if they leave her at home for this adoption (while they go get Caroline in China) they run the risk of setting back her development, bonding, and emotional health. They know it will be best for their family to take both children with them, but it is going to be expensive!

So, this week they are selling these adorable towels! They come in different colors and there are lots of animals, shapes, and letters to choose from. You can order a personalized towel for your sweet kiddo now, and 50% of the purchase will go towards their adoption costs! But hurry - this is the last week they are for sale!

So.... what are you waiting for? Check out these great items right now! :)

10 Things You Need To Know About Burma

Hi friends! Sorry I've been MIA again - a LOT has been going on! Between the earthquake that hit last Thursday (3/24/11 - don't worry, we're all ok!) and us traveling to see the kids we help care for in the Refugee Camp things have been pretty crazy. Needless to say - we have lots to update you on in the coming days and weeks!

In the meantime, please go check out The Sound of Hope blog! I've been working non-stop for the past 4 days researching for this piece so that those of you back home will be able to understand what is happening in Burma. It is appalling that there are so few people who know about what's REALLY happening in this country. This is a modern day holocaust, and the world is standing idly by as millions of people suffer at the hands of an evil regime.

I hope this is a resource for you to help us raise awareness for this situation AND for you to understand why we are so passionate about caring for kids coming out of this country and into Thailand.

So head over to The Sound of Hope blog and read "10 Things You Need To Know About Burma". Then please help us spread the word by sharing the blog with everyone you know!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 39 - Mae Sawan Noi Waterfall

Today was a day dedicated to spending time with our Thai partners here, Pastor Banya and P. Rapee. These two are incredible - they are so full of love and JOY! Plus, they are super cute, and a lot of fun to be around. If you can't tell how much fun they are from the picture below (poses completely theirs!) then you should really check out this video. It's a bunch of clips of the two of them in action and it makes me giggle everytime!

The four of us went hiking to a waterfall today (Rapee's idea) and I was so excited! I love being in the woods (or jungle in this case) and I think waterfalls are so peaceful and beautiful! Being surrounded by nature always makes me feel more connected to God.

Plus, I was really excited to just spend time with Pastor and Rapee. Rusty just adores these people (he has known them since 2007) and they are the reason we decided to create a partnership here for The Sound of Hope. I was really looking forward to getting to just be with them - without work or video cameras or big groups of people getting in the way.

The place we went was kind of like a national forest - with a few signs and a marked trail. There were 7 waterfalls here (heaven to me!) and this one (above and below) was the first big one we came to. I was ooing and ahhing and snapping pictures while Rapee kept saying, "This one no good! Just wait! You must come down!" I was so excited - I couldn't imagine what else was waiting for us!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 38 - Worship at Weelapongs

Today we headed back up to Mae Sariang (about a 4 hour drive through the mountains) to spend time with Pastor Banya and Rapee (our Thai contacts). We were looking forward to hanging out and relaxing together, just the 4 of us!

But first, we wanted to visit with Rapee's brother, Weelapong and his wife Nattapong. These two run a ministry for teenagers up north. The issues these kids face are a lot like the ones teens face in America - with alcohol abuse being one of the biggest concerns. Weelapong is passionate about teaching these kids about Christ, and he specifically feels called to disciple teenage boys. We think it's a perfect ministry for him, because he is always so full of joy and ENERGY!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 35 - A walk through the village....

Today we took a walk through a village in Northern Thailand. Ray had to take some of the villagers home who'd been working at The Promised Land Project, so Rusty and I went along. We wanted to catch a glimpse of what life is like for them, and for the children who grow up there.

When I grow up, I want to be a prostitute!

Friends, please forgive me for my lack of blogging! As you can tell by the date above, I am about a month behind on my blogs. With all the traveling and work we've been doing here, it's just been difficult to keep up! But I have some great new posts to share with you in the coming weeks, if I can ever find the time to get them finished!

In the meantime, please go visit The Sound of Hope blog. We've had some problems with our website (which is why it's still not finished yet - there's a lot more info coming!) but this week I've been working to update our blog. Today I wrote a blog about an issue I've really been broken about - child prostitution & sex trafficking.

So please, please hop over to The Sound of Hope blog and check out "When I grow up, I want to be a prostitute!" I'd love to see you comment there and share our blogs with your friends!

Thanks again for your continued support and prayers while we are serving in Thailand! You guys are the best!

The Promised Land Project (UPDATE!)

For two days we've been back at The Promised Land Project getting video and photos of the work that's being done. It is so exciting to see visible progress being made on the land! I can't wait for the day when the home is finished and this land is full of the laughter of children!

This will be a place of OPPORTUNITY..... PEACE..... RESCUE.... LOVE..... EMPOWERMENT......

HOPE.

And did I mention how breathtakingly beautiful this place is at sunset?!

Check out the video below for an update on what's happening with The Promised Land Project! 

(and please ignore how sweaty I look.... we are in tropical Thailand and bangs are not working in this heat! haha! ;)

Promised Land Project - Real Time update from Thailand 2/24/11 from The Sound of Hope on Vimeo.

To give your tax-deductible donation, CLICK HERE!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 33 - Remember Nhu

Day 33. Where has the time gone?!? I can't believe our trip is already 1/3 of the way over!

Today, on Day 33, we visited two of the girl's homes that are run by an organization called Remember Nhu.

I've heard lots of good things about this organization, starting with the incredible story of how it was created. Today it was truly a blessing to see it first hand! The main home we went to was clean, cool, and built on beautiful, peaceful grounds. It was full of laughter and smiles - proof that these girls are protected and loved here. Which is a big deal considering what their lives COULD have looked like.

Most of these girls came from high mountain villages in Thailand - places of extreme poverty and desperation. They were at risk of being sold as child prostitutes and slaves. They were at risk of drug trafficking, drug addiction, and a number of other horrors that are common in poverty stricken areas.

The little girl in the brown is only 5 years old. Her name is Maile. The leaders of Remember Nhu found her wandering around, alone, in a village. Her parents were both in prison for drugs. No one was caring for her. No one wanted her. When I looked into her sweet little face I just couldn't believe it! How could this precious child be unwanted - tossed out into the street to fend for herself!?

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 27 - Tiger Kingdom

Our 27th day in Thailand was Valentine's Day. I had no idea how we were celebrating, until Rusty surprised me with an INCREDIBLE trip to the Tiger Kingdom!!!

Doing my best Vanna White ;)

I was beside myself with excitement! If you know me at all, then you know I love AUBURN, and I think Tigers are the most beautiful animals. Well today I got a chance to not just look at them up close, but to pet them, cuddle with them, and lay on them!

How to post a comment...

 We're taking a break in our regularly schedule program to bring you a little "how to" blog ;)

I've gotten quite a few emails and facebook messages recently from some of my faithful readers about being unable to post comments on this blog. I hate that you guys are having trouble, so I thought I'd see if I could point out a few things that might help you!

I know this blog is different from my old blog, and the comment forum may seem a little confusing. So, when you want to post a comment, simply scroll down to the bottom of the blog post. You will see some words in orange at the very bottom that will say "3 comments" or "0 comments" etc. Just click on those.

Now you will see a box appear that looks like this:

This is where you will type your comment. It can be as short or as long as you'd like! When you get ready to post your comment, you will need to choose your "profile" to post from. So just click on the drop- down menu where it says "comment as"....

And you'll see all your options! Now, if you don't know what any of the first options are (Google Account (which is your gmail or blogspot info), LiveJournal, WordPress, TypePad, AIM, or OPENID) then just don't worry about them (b/c you probably don't have any of those profiles!) You can simply choose one of the last two options: NAME/URL or ANONYMOUS.

For NAME/URL it will give you a place to write your name and your URL (which is the link to your website, blog, etc). If you don't have a blog or website, you can simply choose ANONYMOUS. I will just ask that you please, please list your name (first and last) so that I know who is commenting (other wise I won't know which "Sarah" or "John" or "Jessica" it is! :)

After that, all you have to do is click POST COMMENT and TA-DA! You're done!

I hope that helps any of you who've been having trouble. Sorry I haven't posted these instructions before - I know all those "profile options" can be confusing. Hope to hear from some of you soon - I sure do miss your comments!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 24 - GCM Reunion

Today we met up with some friends for coffee. The special thing about that is, these were more of my college friends from AUBURN! It just happened that my sweet friend Katie B. (who lives in Hong Kong) was here for the same ELIC conference Biscuet was attending. And she brought her fiance Maik too! We also got to meet a super fun girl named Jennifer who teaches English in China (she's originally from Marietta, GA).

Even though we were half a world away, I felt like I was right back in a coffee shop in Auburn, AL. Katie, Biscuet and I were all a part of Grace Campus Ministries together, so it was fun to be back together again catching up! We talked about life and heard all about their work in China & Hong Kong. It was incredible to think what was once just a little campus ministry in Auburn, AL (that only about 50 people attended when we all met!) had grown so much, done so much, and impacted lives around the world. Here we were in Thailand talking about our work in Hong Kong, China, Thailand, India, and Swaziland.... it was truly incredible!

Left to Right - Ericka, Katie, Jennifer, Biscuet, Maik, & Rusty

We also really enjoyed getting to know Maik and hearing more about his & Katie's love story (they are getting married in May in Hong Kong!) He is a great guy with some really HILARIOUS stories - the kind of stories that make you laugh until your sides hurt and your cheeks ache! (and all the quiet Thai people in the room stare at you - haha!) I can't remember the last time I laughed like that!

Me & Katie B. - I can't believe it's been 8 years since we met and were in small groups together, and 2 years since we all worshiped together at Encounter! I'm sure if you told us that we would meet our husbands in Africa and Hong Kong (and both end up serving overseas) back when we were at Auburn, we would've thought you were crazy!

It was truly a blessing to hang out with these friends here - to share, to laugh, and to be encouraged! Thanks guys for a fun afternoon! We pray God blesses your ministries abundantly! Katie & Maik - CONGRATULATIONS! We are so happy for you!!!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 23 - Learning Thai

Suwadee Kha! Today we started Thai lessons! We'll be taking lessons in conversational Thai once a week while we are here.  We've also downloaded some podcasts from iTunes to help us learn faster and bought a book....

 

Here we are with our teacher Jai (or Khruu Jai in Thai! :) I am so glad she's patient, because Thai is very difficult. There are 5 tones, and quite a few vowels and consonant sounds that are not in English! We laugh a lot at ourselves during our lessons (while we try to pronounce the words correctly)....

 

If you could pray that we pick this language up quickly we would appreciate it. The language barrier is very frustrating when we want to be able to talk to these precious people so badly! Khawp Khun Kha!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 22 - Meet Francisco Santiago III

We definitely had our own plans and work to do when we came to Thailand, but we also wanted to be open to any needs or opportunities to serve that God placed in our path while we were here. Well today, an awesome opportunity presented itself and we were so happy to be a part of it!

Meet my good friend Franscisco Santiago III (or Frank, as I call him :) Frank has been doing mission work for 4 or 5 years now, and he's been serving in Thailand for the past 2 years.

Frank is seriously one of the best guys I know. I can speak about him with some certainty, considering I led a team to South Africa with him! There are few things that will bring you closer to someone (you aren't dating) than leading a team of young people together. We had to work together, make decisions about the team's safety together, lead ministry together and handle finances together... it was pretty much like being married with 12 kids for a month! And other than my husband Rusty, there is no one I'd rather lead a team with again! He is going to make an amazing husband and father someday (and ladies, he's single! ;)

Frank is a true "man's man" - strong, passionate, adventurous, and a great leader. He is a man of high character.  He loves the Lord and is committed to seeing His Kingdom come in the nations! The only problem is - Frank has never had the financial support he needs to do the ministry he is called to. He's also never had any kind of support video - which is the best way to share his vision and passion with people. So, Rusty and I took an afternoon to shoot this video for him, in hopes that God will use it to get the support Frank needs to continue his ministry!

Please check it out below! There is a lot of interesting information about Thailand that will help you understand more about our heart for the country (as well as Frank's). Frank is actually in the US right now for a sabbatical (and to raise support to return to Thailand), so if you are interested in hearing more from him (or having him share with your church) please let me know! I'd be glad to put you in touch!

Francisco Santiago III Support Video from Rusty Jackson on Vimeo.

Frank - thanks for letting us make this video for you.  
It was a blessing to be a part of what you're doing in Thailand!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 21 - Dinner with Friends

One thing that is so great about being in Thailand is the awesome community of friends we have here. We love hanging out with Ray & Candace Ward and our good friend Mark, and we're really enjoying meeting new friends too!

This week we got together for dinner at the Wards and it was SO much fun! We got to meet a friend of theirs named Jasmine from Australia, got to know Charity better, and we also got to introduce them to our friend Frank who's been serving in Bangkok for the past two years!

 Left to right - Mark, Rusty, Ericka, Charity, Frank, Jasmine, Candace. 

(in the picture below you can also see Ray and their little girl Maile!)

We had a great time together eating delicious food, telling stories, and just enjoying a fun night! Candace is an amazing cook and Charity is a wonderful baker - we had the most scrumptious chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for dessert! It is such a blessing being able to share our lives with these people!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 20 - Driving Across Thailand

On February 7th, we drove across Thailand.

I know, I know, that sounds crazy - but we did! Well - most of Thailand anyway. You can see our route on the map below. We drove from Pattaya (A) where Sam lives to Chiang Mai (B) where we live!

Considering how much we've traveled (both internationally and with our drives from Michigan to Alabama to Arkansas so much in the past 2 years) we thought it would be a breeze. We expected to have about a 700 kilometer trip, that would take us approximately 9 hours.

Oh boy, were we ever WRONG!

As usual (with most everything overseas) our "easy" trip turned into quite the adventure. Check out the video below to see the highlights!

Thai Road Trip from Rusty Jackson on Vimeo.

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 19 - The Hilton & Hanging out with Sam

Our 2nd day in Pattaya we moved to The Hilton (as I mentioned yesterday - it was the Chinese New Year so most hotels were only available for one night - if at all!) At this point we have stayed at three different hotels in Pattaya: The Holiday Inn, The Dusit D2, and The Hilton. While they were all beautiful, with delicious restaurants and great service - we have agreed that The Hilton is definitely our favorite!!!

Check out the pictures below to see why!

The Lobby - I was obsessed with this ceiling treatment! Isn't it gorgeous??? Similar to the idea behind the decor at the Dusit D2 - the "theme" for this decor was also ocean/outdoors and there was a lot of asian influence. This ceiling installation was fabric - it looked like something similar to a muslin, but it could've been silk (I couldn't quite get close enough to tell!) It would've been the most beautiful place for some bridal portraits! (good thing I didn't know about this hotel or I might have wanted a location wedding! ;) I also loved the crystal lamps and light fixtures that were everywhere!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 18 - War Eagle Moments & Interior Design

On our 18th day in Thailand (Feb. 5th) we found ourselves back in the Chiang Mai airport on our way back to Pattaya. We were headed down to visit Sam again, and to pick up his Honda City (like a Honda Civic) that he is so graciously letting us borrow for our time in Thailand!

We arrived at the airport early that morning (around 7am), and I'd picked out an Auburn shirt to wear that day. We hadn't been in line to check in for 30 seconds when I heard.... "Excuse me, but, did you by any chance go to Auburn?" I turned around to find 4 guys (one in an Auburn hat) standing together in line beside me. Here I was with members of the Auburn family, thousands of miles away from Auburn! But wait - these weren't just random members of the Auburn family! One of the faces looked familiar!!!

100 Days in Thailand :: Squatty Potty 101 (and other potties around the world)

Okay friends.... remember when I promised to be honest and vulnerable with you? And when I said I'd be sure to share every detail of my experience in Thailand with you? Well, what I have to tell you today is, rather..... embarrassing. It's one of those disgusting things you swear you'll never tell anyone. (Someone remind me, WHY did I promise to share all these details on my blog?!) That's right, it's time for me to tell you all about my personal experience with Squatty Potties. (Oh boy... I am SO going to regret this!)

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 16 - A Biscuet & A Dragon

Since we're getting settled into life in Chiang Mai (we moved into our apartment yesterday! YAY!) I'm going to start skipping some "blogging days" - meaning my blog might go from day 13 to day 16, or I might blog about a specific topic in Thailand, instead of about my day. The main reason for that is, simply put, some of my days here are kind of boring! And I don't think you want to read a blog about me sitting at home hand washing my laundry, now do you? (nope, I didn't think so ;)

So, anyway.... today we're moving on to Day 16 in Thailand! (which was February 3rd in case you were wondering.)

Today was a day I've been looking forward to for at least a couple of months. A while back I commented on my friend Biscuet's blog (who lives and works in China) something along the lines of, "hey - if you're in Thailand any the next few months let me know!" I was half-joking, because, as I said before - Biscuet lives in China! So imagine my surprise when I got an email a few hours later that said, "I'll actually be in Chiang Mai, Thailand for 6 weeks in Jan/Feb for a work conference! Let's get together!"

We're not meant to walk alone....

I'm feeling better today.

Not physically better.... no - I was sick again tonight - but emotionally better. Not because I prayed the perfect prayer, or because God swooped down to heal me.... but because since I posted this blog last night, people have been there for me.

People have commented or emailed me to say they are praying. My friends here asked me how I was doing and really listened when I answered. They've encouraged me and told me I don't have to go through this alone. And some of the sweetest, most beautiful women from back home have written me personal messages to let me know that they too have been through (or are going through) similar issues!

I would never wish this sickness on anyone, but it is comforting to know that there are women out there who really understand how I feel. There's a strength that comes from knowing you are not alone.

Sick of being sick.

I am sick.

Imagine the worst stomach virus you've ever had. The kind you pray to be rid of as soon as possible. The kind that only lasts a few days because your body can't handle much more than that. Now imagine having it for 10+ months.

Tonight I was the sickest I can ever remember being.... and what I really want to do is just curl up in a ball in bed and never get up again. I feel defeated. I want to QUIT. And I definitely don't want to write another blog about it all.... because I'm TIRED of talking about how sick I am... and I'm tired of having to be vulnerable... and it's embarrassing to have intimate health details out on the internet.

And part of me tells me I should share what I'm going through with you all because you have been SO faithful to pray for me in the past (and I need that kind of prayer!) And part of me doesn't want to share.... because my faith isn't so strong right now. I feel doubtful.... doubtful that your prayers will work, because they haven't worked yet..... and, well.... to be honest, I am tired of praying about this.

What's a Hullabahoo?

Okay - so this post has nothing to do with our time in Thailand, but remember how I said this blog would be a place for more personal posts about likes, interesting things, experiences, etc? Well - today I HAD to share this with you!

For those of you who don't know, I am OBSESSED with the show GLEE. After 4 years in High School Show Choir, 2 years in the Alabama All-State Show Choir and 2 years in AU Singers, it's easy to see why I adore all things show choir, glee club, musical, etc. I can sing along to almost every song the GLEE cast performs AND tell you what group I performed it with "back in the day" ;) I would give my right arm to perform with the AU Singers again - those were some of the best times of my life!

 

Before the AU Singers Fall Show - 2003

 

Getting ready to perform on The Today Show in NYC - 2003

With my partner & dear friend Evan after Spring Show 2004

So anyway - when we planned our trip to Thailand, one of the things I was sad about was missing out on GLEE. Last week when all my friends on facebook were posting quotes from the latest episode as their status update, I posted how sad I was to be missing it. Well - it just so happened that some of my friends had suggestions for online ways to watch GLEE overseas (hulu & tv.com won't play in Thailand) and after about 5 tries I finally found one that worked!!! Thank you tv-links.eu!

While we were watching The Warblers perform their "silly love songs" the other night, I had a sudden flashback to an amazing group called The Virginia Hullabahoos. An old friend introduced them to me one night in college (actually, after an AU Singers formal) and I fell in love. Their voices are beyond incredible, and what they can do as an a cappella group will absolutely amaze you!

So, after much searching, I finally found the song that introduced me to the Hullabahoos on that night about 7 years ago. It is by far the best arrangement of "Wonderful Tonight" I've ever heard, and the lead on this song has the most gorgeous voice! So check out this video (and be sure to listen all the way through). The Warblers have nothing on these guys!!!

The Promised Land Project

I am SO excited to share more with you today about The Promised Land project, one of the projects we are partnered with here in Thailand!

The Promised Land project all started with the dream of a Thai-Karen couple, Panya and his wife Rapee. Located near the border of Burma, The Promised Land Children's Home will be a place where children are rescued from desperate situations such as poverty, abandonment, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, or being forced to fight as child soldiers.

Approximately 7 acres of land has been purchased, which will allow The Promised Land to become much more than just a children’s home. The Promised Land will be a safe environment where children will be given love, stability, shelter, mentoring and an education. At The Promised Land, marginalized children will have a safe place to learn real life skills such as farming, fishing, raising livestock and other agricultural training. The agricultural products that will be developed will allow The Promised Land to become self-sustaining once the buildings are built and children are settled in.

This model of holistic care and self sustainability will EMPOWER the children as they grow older. It will give them the skills they need to provide for themselves and their families AND the opportunities they need to become leaders in their country!

As I mentioned in my last blog, we got an opportunity to visit the land recently, and it is truly INCREDIBLE!

It looks like paradise....

... but there are a lot of other reasons why this piece of land is so special! 

The first is its location - it is located approximately 20 miles from the Bur/ma border (read why that it important here). That means it's strategically located to help rescue not only Thai children, but also Burmese/Karen children. It's also located near schools so the children will receive a great education!

This land is also special because the soil is SO fertile. They are already growing crops of rice and soybeans and will be able to have 4 to 5 crops a year! This produce can help feed the children AND be sold in the market to help cover other costs of running the Children's Home.

 Soybean plants

There is also a fish pond (it's not yet filled or stocked - that's part of what we're raising money for!) which will also provide food and fish to sell in the market. And the land is right near a river, so irrigation will never be a problem!

One of the most incredible things to me though, was what is already growing and flourishing on the land. This piece of land has an ABUNDANT supply of fruit trees and edible plants that can be used for food and medicine! 

There are banana trees....

Jackfruit trees....

Coconut palms
(which are rare up north and can be used for food OR to make pressed coconut oil
- which can be sold for a high price in the market!)

 And sweet, edible bamboo...  

....just to name a few! I can't imagine a more perfect place to start a Children's Home!

This project is overseen by our partners in Thailand - which are the Thai-Karen couple Panya & Rapee and an American couple, Ray & Candace Ward, who have served in Thailand for 10 years. To find out more about them (and The Promised Land Project), check out the video below!

Promised Land Project (Thailand Trip Update) from Rusty Jackson on Vimeo.

To give a donation today, please CLICK HERE!

An overall estimated 3,000,000 Thai Baht (approximately $100,000 USD) will be needed to see this project fully become a reality. Any amount you can donate will help bring HOPE and OPPORTUNITY to orphans and vulnerable children from Bur/ma and Thailand for generations to come!

100 Days in Thailand :: Day 13 & 14 - Mae Sariang

On January 31st, we headed out to Mae Sariang, a district in Northern Thailand, near the Bur/ma border. You can see Mae Sariang on this map where it says "Mae Hong Son".

There were many reasons for this trip. The main reason was for us to see The Promised Land project, which is one of the projects we are partnered with for The Sound of Hope. I'll share more about this project tomorrow with a post specifically about it (and a video we made while on the land!) This place looks like PARADISE. I can't wait to tell you more about our work here!