Experiences Make Us Who We Are

We are made up of our experiences. They shape our views on everything around us. But sharing experiences with your children takes it to a new level. We have seen that with all of our children, but living internationally with Isabella has been different.

While visiting our missionary friends in Chiang Mai, Thailand over spring break of her

sophomore year, we all felt God calling us to do more. We began considering the possibility and what it would look like. Isabella’s endorsement was imperative. Moving to Thailand in the middle of high school is not for most teenagers. And she has a few friends who would agree wholeheartedly with that. Isabella loves languages & other cultures so when the possibility came up, she was much more interested than I would have been. They say missionary kids (MKs) are better at forming friendships quickly since they deal with so much change in their lives. Isabella definitely felt that as she showed up the first day of her junior year at Grace International School on the other side of the world.

She quickly jumped in and started signing up for different clubs and groups. She joined a prayer club that prayed during lunch once a week. Because of her passion for music, she tried

out for the Music Club & Worship Team. She joined a group, Night Bazaar Evangelism, that goes to the night markets and sing worship music while other students talk to tourists, vendors, and others. She has been the first person to tell someone about Jesus - is there anything more powerful than that? Even though Earth Mission brought us here, watching Isabella find her place in her own ministries is amazing.

Within a few months we quickly realized that our one year commitment needed to be expanded to two to allow her to complete high school here (as well as letting us complete projects we were working on). Her senior year brought lots of leadership opportunities in the same things she had been involved with her junior year. She joined the Core Team that plans the weekly worship service for students. As a senior she became a mentor to the younger

students in Music Club. She also performed a solo of The Blessing in the choir concert (one of my favorites). She had the opportunity to take an art class (which hadn’t been possible since grade school). Her artistic side has been cultivated by a wonderful teacher in her painting class. Her favorite medium is skin markers on her left hand. Her doodling has turned into beautiful creations. Watching her as lead singer on worship team has been one of my favorite memories

from our time here. Seeing how God is using her gifts to bring others closer to Him is incredible.

During our time here Danny and I have had opportunities to travel to Burma to help at the Raintree Clinic. It is a life changing experience seeing how the Karen people live in a war zone but yet continue to live in community with each other. It is also very difficult living conditions due to the location in the middle of the jungle. As well as the constant threat of bombings - whenever planes fly overhead, you have to listen for altitude changes (that suggest a threat of bombing) to decide if you need to jump in the trenches. We have talked to her about RTC and shown her pictures and videos. But nothing compares to experiencing it for yourself.

In February an opportunity arose that she could possibly go in with me when I went to help

with final exams. But there was an increase in bombings in the area. We prayed and talked about it with her, and she still wanted to go. We were only able to go for 6 days but she will carry those memories for the rest of her life. With limited resources we go to bed and get up with the sun. Despite the bombing risks, I sleep deeper there than at home. During our time there Isabella was able to talk with students who are only a few years older than her. She volunteered to sing at the worship service. And she joined in karaoke with a favorite of the Karen people, Country Roads by John Denver! And while we were there no planes flew over - prayers answered!

I credit my mother with my passion for travel and exploring other cultures so I’ve always wanted to share that with my own children. She also encouraged us to find opportunities to serve no matter where we were. Luckily Danny is just as adventurous and servant hearted.

Visiting places helps broaden our minds to realize how many different ways there are to do the same basic activities in life - eating, sleeping, working, playing. But also shows us that we have more in common than we realize.

So… after 2 years of living in Thailand with our youngest, Isabella, we will be moving back to Kentucky in June. We will be reunited with our 3 older children (which has been the hardest part of being gone). But we will never forget all that we have learned and experienced here.

 My encouragement to all is share the world with your children - expose them to cultures outside their own. They are our future. The more we learn to appreciate our differences, the more unity we can have. And the more we will look like heaven!

-Jeanne