Travels with Eliza
Last week Eliza and I accompanied the REACH team on their visa-renewal trip. We went into Laos and spent a couple of days with some friends there. We participated in a team worship service, prayed in their city and hung out at an English teaching center - helping those students who were bold enough to approach us practice their English. Following that we crossed back into Thailand and spent some time with workers from the Brethren in Christ Church who are living in northeastern Thailand. We were able to meet some of the university students they are working with (including Piak - the young man who lived in Bangkok for a while). And we visited the newly-opened fish farm that one of the team members has started.
Eliza was a good traveling companion and especially enjoyed making herself at home in the hotel rooms where we stayed. (These were very basic rooms but it didn't take much to impress her!) We enjoyed the train trip, the slightly cooler weather and the foods that we don't get in Bangkok (French bread!) But the real highlight was spending time with others who are actively engaged in a variety of ministries. We were encouraged by their dedication and by how God is working in and through them. Here are some pictures (excuse the cell-phone quality)...
Breakfast in Laos
A friendly girl we met in a temple during our walk around the city.
Our friends recently opened a ceramic water filter factory. Eliza is checking out one of the kilns.
Here are the flower-pot-like water filters
The highlight of the trip for Eliza was spending a day with Julia. They were born just one day apart and they had a great time playing dolls, laughing, and painting their nails.
And one last picture of pretty Eliza.
-Tom