Thailand was incredible... I say was because we are currently not there. We are now in Malaysia. We spent two weeks in Thailand running around all over the place. We started in Bangkok and took a night bus up to Chaing Mai. Unfortunately our bus had "engine" problems through the night. Turned out the reason our bus driver kept pretending to climb under the bus to "fix" it was because he and a couple buddies were going through our bags. We met other folks we had stuff taken out even with a lock on it. Thankfully, Caleb and I had all important stuff with us but they did take my pack towel... I am not sure why as it was very dirty and smelly. Caleb had his deodorant taken. We are both still puzzled at this and wondered why they took his deodorant. Maybe they walked passed him and felt awed by how good he smelled? This was not expensive deoderant. I think he got it at walgreens and we are definate he had it in his pack... his deodorant was old and used and it just strikes us that this is something they could have possibly wanted. Now, he has no deodorant which is really not a problem as he was only wearing it about once a week. If anyone has an idea why they would take these two items, please let us know.
Riding Elephants: Chaing Mai was great. We had the amazing experience of riding elephants. Feeling her enormous muscles under my butt when she took a step awed me. I felt sooo tiny on top of her neck. Also, I am surprised I did not fall off. If anyone has ever ridden a horse bare back than they can relate. This was a challenge. We also went white water rafter through the jungle, hiking, biking, rented a scooter and got massages. Great time in Chaing Mai.
We had five days in Chaing Mai and then took took a night train to Bangkok and then onto the island Ko Toa. Here we rented little dirt bikes and cruised the dirt roads around the whole island. After spending about 5 days in Ko Toa we took a night boat back to main land and then a shuttle, bus, another shuttle and another bus and found ourselves in Penang Malaysia. We spent one night there and then took an 8 hour bus to this beautiful, remote island.
We are now snorkeling and swimming, reading and playing cards on the beach. The island we are on is in the east side of Malaysia. Perhentian Islands. We snorkeled with white tip sharks and giant sea turtles.
I am thankful to be in a place that uses forks and spoons as chop sticks and I had developed an ongoing battle and long term struggle. The stains I have created on the few shirts that I have are endless as the chop sticks have not been loyal to hold the food between them until they reach my mouth. (wait, I think I have this problem with a fork as well..... hmmmm?)
All this to say we are really enjoying our time. We are learning so much about each other and also learning the beauty of truly accepting each other as we are. Something about traveling and seeing all our rawness and flaws has been beautiful. I feel so blessed to have Caleb as my husband.
Our blog updates have not been great and hopefully they will get better. We take off to Penang, Malaysia again tomorrow and then back to Thailand.
Sad; our camera broke :(
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Eden's Women's Ministry
7-29-11
Today Caleb and I had the opportunity to meet with one of the founders of Eden's Ministry which is an organization that is combating human trafficking and they are really hitting the bulls eye.
Eden's Ministry has shelters for the girls transitioning out of street life. They offer jewelry making opportunities with great salaries for the girls looking for other careers. They teach computer skills, they have English classes, dance classes, studies of the Word, youth groups and prison outreach.
In addition, some staff members go on street walks, praying for the girls, the pimps, the gang leaders and brothel managers. They have develeped incredible relationships with the brothel managers, caring for them, loving them, and forgiving them...
Through cultivating these ongoing relationships, 45 brothels have shut down in the city alone. Once the brothel closes, Eden's helps girls transition to the shelter if they choose. They also help give direction to many of the brothel managers as they seek new careers. Some have even found work in hotel managment as they clearly have business/leadership skills.
The girls in the transitional shelters go to youth group and daily Bible studies. None of them are forced or pressured to make any faith decisions but they are all required to attend. I asked the founder what major factor keeps the girls from going back to street work after their 6 months living in the care of Eden's. Her response was simple, "The Spirit" she said. The girls who genuinly recieve His love and forgiveness and find new life and hope in Him have not returned to work in the brothels. Sadly, the girls who have not yet recieved Him end up going back to brothel life".
This is such a reminder of how truly life changing it is when we find an authentic hope in Jesus Christ. There is really no other power great enough to cover the pain and heartache of this world.
After our time asking questions we had the blessing of helping the girls package the beautiful jewelry. The girls were great and warmly welcomed Caleb and me. Some of the girls were already out of street life and living at Eden's. Some of the girls were simply around checking out Eden's Ministry and would go back to the streets that evening.
After 4-5 hours of jewelry packaging, Caleb and I took the group out to eat. We had so much fun laughing, and taking pictures. After dinner, we said goodbye to the girls who had to hurry off to their night jobs.... I lingered as I hugged them goodbye, not wanting to let go, knowing what their night entailed.
The other girls invited us to Friday night youth group. We joined gladly and had a great time singing, praising and playing games. Seeing these girls with joyful smiles as they raised their hands in praise was beautiful... knowing what Christ has saved them from and seeing their new hope in Him humbled me deeply
Hearing many of their stories was incredible. I felt RAGE, tenderness, heartache and compassion as I heard what events came to happen that left the girls where they were/are. No one chooses a life of prostitution with a right mind, they are either sold into this lifestyle or they have been abused/mistreated so bad that they feel there is no other life for them.
May we all remember that freedom is given in Christ Jesus alone. There is no other power great enough to heal our hurts and tend to our broken hearts.
Praise God for the lives of these treasures. Praise God for their stories. Praise God for the hope of a new future and new freedom.
Today Caleb and I had the opportunity to meet with one of the founders of Eden's Ministry which is an organization that is combating human trafficking and they are really hitting the bulls eye.
Eden's Ministry has shelters for the girls transitioning out of street life. They offer jewelry making opportunities with great salaries for the girls looking for other careers. They teach computer skills, they have English classes, dance classes, studies of the Word, youth groups and prison outreach.
In addition, some staff members go on street walks, praying for the girls, the pimps, the gang leaders and brothel managers. They have develeped incredible relationships with the brothel managers, caring for them, loving them, and forgiving them...
Through cultivating these ongoing relationships, 45 brothels have shut down in the city alone. Once the brothel closes, Eden's helps girls transition to the shelter if they choose. They also help give direction to many of the brothel managers as they seek new careers. Some have even found work in hotel managment as they clearly have business/leadership skills.
The girls in the transitional shelters go to youth group and daily Bible studies. None of them are forced or pressured to make any faith decisions but they are all required to attend. I asked the founder what major factor keeps the girls from going back to street work after their 6 months living in the care of Eden's. Her response was simple, "The Spirit" she said. The girls who genuinly recieve His love and forgiveness and find new life and hope in Him have not returned to work in the brothels. Sadly, the girls who have not yet recieved Him end up going back to brothel life".
This is such a reminder of how truly life changing it is when we find an authentic hope in Jesus Christ. There is really no other power great enough to cover the pain and heartache of this world.
After our time asking questions we had the blessing of helping the girls package the beautiful jewelry. The girls were great and warmly welcomed Caleb and me. Some of the girls were already out of street life and living at Eden's. Some of the girls were simply around checking out Eden's Ministry and would go back to the streets that evening.
After 4-5 hours of jewelry packaging, Caleb and I took the group out to eat. We had so much fun laughing, and taking pictures. After dinner, we said goodbye to the girls who had to hurry off to their night jobs.... I lingered as I hugged them goodbye, not wanting to let go, knowing what their night entailed.
The other girls invited us to Friday night youth group. We joined gladly and had a great time singing, praising and playing games. Seeing these girls with joyful smiles as they raised their hands in praise was beautiful... knowing what Christ has saved them from and seeing their new hope in Him humbled me deeply
Hearing many of their stories was incredible. I felt RAGE, tenderness, heartache and compassion as I heard what events came to happen that left the girls where they were/are. No one chooses a life of prostitution with a right mind, they are either sold into this lifestyle or they have been abused/mistreated so bad that they feel there is no other life for them.
May we all remember that freedom is given in Christ Jesus alone. There is no other power great enough to heal our hurts and tend to our broken hearts.
Praise God for the lives of these treasures. Praise God for their stories. Praise God for the hope of a new future and new freedom.
Train ride: 29 hours long
7-5-11
29 hour long train ride from Beijin to Guelin. We had hoped to buy a sleeper bed on the short/fast train but it was sold out. The only seats left were hard seats.
Hard seats: Bench seating, usually there are 3 people per bench but in our situation there were usually 4 people. (lack of seating) The seats are hard and the back support is strait up. Each bench faces another so you are forced to stain awkwardly at other travelers. I really wish I spoke Chinese. There was a half size fold down table rests in the center. The aisles are packed with people, standing or sitting as they scramble to find room that will allow a bit of comfort for the long journey. The aisles are so packed that the idea of going to the bathroom feels like a battle.
The Bathroom: A tiny closet with a hole in the wall. The smell was so strong that I had to hold my breath upon entering. There was many poop smuges or terds on the floor... you can imagine trying to go in a small hole on a moving train... many people miss the hole.
The Windows on the train were bolted shut to ensure the air condition is used, there was so many people, if felt like the air was not even on. Many people were smoking despite the non smoking signs EVERYWHERE.
The first 10 hours we sat across from a wonderful Chinese family. They were so friendly and enjoyed our card games. We taught them phase ten and played for nearly 3 hours. They taught us a fun Chinese card game and we played for another hour.
This family had an earlier stop and since they left, the trip had been much more difficult. There was a constant battle for leg space. We spent most of the 29 hours sitting up, wide awake. It seemed like the easier choice as the lights were left on and the conversations loud. The two men across from us slurped noodles at 3:00am.
In the end, I feel truly blessed by this experience. My whole life I have been thankfully spoiled with having the beauty and stillness of His creation at my fingertips. Finding solitude and stillness has never been hard. This experience challenged me to reach deep inside myself and find inner peace when outer peace was not present. I learned so much more about the art and discipline of quieting my mind and soul in the midst of chaos. His presence was truly powerful during this time as I needed a calmness that I lacked on my own.
Praise God that He uses some of the more challenging experiences in life to teach us what we often need the most.
29 hour long train ride from Beijin to Guelin. We had hoped to buy a sleeper bed on the short/fast train but it was sold out. The only seats left were hard seats.
Hard seats: Bench seating, usually there are 3 people per bench but in our situation there were usually 4 people. (lack of seating) The seats are hard and the back support is strait up. Each bench faces another so you are forced to stain awkwardly at other travelers. I really wish I spoke Chinese. There was a half size fold down table rests in the center. The aisles are packed with people, standing or sitting as they scramble to find room that will allow a bit of comfort for the long journey. The aisles are so packed that the idea of going to the bathroom feels like a battle.
The Bathroom: A tiny closet with a hole in the wall. The smell was so strong that I had to hold my breath upon entering. There was many poop smuges or terds on the floor... you can imagine trying to go in a small hole on a moving train... many people miss the hole.
The Windows on the train were bolted shut to ensure the air condition is used, there was so many people, if felt like the air was not even on. Many people were smoking despite the non smoking signs EVERYWHERE.
The first 10 hours we sat across from a wonderful Chinese family. They were so friendly and enjoyed our card games. We taught them phase ten and played for nearly 3 hours. They taught us a fun Chinese card game and we played for another hour.
This family had an earlier stop and since they left, the trip had been much more difficult. There was a constant battle for leg space. We spent most of the 29 hours sitting up, wide awake. It seemed like the easier choice as the lights were left on and the conversations loud. The two men across from us slurped noodles at 3:00am.
In the end, I feel truly blessed by this experience. My whole life I have been thankfully spoiled with having the beauty and stillness of His creation at my fingertips. Finding solitude and stillness has never been hard. This experience challenged me to reach deep inside myself and find inner peace when outer peace was not present. I learned so much more about the art and discipline of quieting my mind and soul in the midst of chaos. His presence was truly powerful during this time as I needed a calmness that I lacked on my own.
Praise God that He uses some of the more challenging experiences in life to teach us what we often need the most.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
I ATE A SCORPION!!!
BEIJING CHINA
(KB post)
Week one: So, I know I grew up in a city but I am totally not accustomed to city life... what a difference between low key, slower pace Grand Rapids and Denver to Beijing. WOW!! Yesterday, just getting off the subway I was pretty much carried off as two big men on either side of me were thankfully moving in the same direction. I still am not sure if my feet were actually touching the ground as I stumbled off the subway. I have been thankful for my years spent playing basketball as boxing out and elbow throwing has defiantly come in handy when transporting on the train.
Biggest ADVENTURE SO FAR: I ATE A SCORPION!!
Alright so for those of you know me, you know that once in a while I might throw an exaggeration into a story in order to enhance the excitement, purely for the readers enjoyment and not at all for my bragging rights (haha! Right!!) SO, the real truth to the story of eating a scorpion....
Caleb and I were walking around part of Beijing that is older and more traditional in style. People were selling a wide variation of foods on the street that gave a spicy aroma. It was very crowded and very hot. Everywhere we turned someone was encouraging us to enter their shop. I actually heard a nice young lady with broken English say "Hello, I love you, come into my shop...." Wow, they really know how to pierce the heart of an American girl. Anyway, the most unique looking food with such different smells filled the air. ... we came across a stand that had live scorpions on a sick. YES; they were still wiggling all around. (poison somehow taken out). Me being the smooth, low-key person that I am, approached the stand with a bit of "freaking out". I quickly explained to Caleb through squeals and laughs; "I WOULD NEVER EAT THAT!!!". Next thing I knew I was hyped up on living the experience and wanting to try it all... SO, Caleb asked if I wanted a stick and I agreed that I would eat one scorpion on the stick and he would eat two...(they do cook the scorpions) In the end I ate part of the head and three legs and Caleb ate two full scorpions and the rest of the one I could not finish.
UGH- I copped out - But, my goal for the rest of the trip is to BUCK UP A LITTLE and take it all. WAIT AND SEE - next time I will eat it all!
Next post will prob. not be for a while as blog access is very limited and special access required...
Thursday, June 23, 2011
EVE OF OUR TRIP
First BLOG entry I have ever made... please keep low expectations and know that it will get more exciting. Here is a quick update about what has been going on with us this past month. Caleb and I sadly moved away from Colorado, a home we have come to love so much. We had to leave a lot of great friends, my brother, and the mountains.... but adventure calls us onward. We started the journey with a 47 hour drive from Colorado to Florida in a Penske 18 footer. There was a bit of excitement in those first few hours; great music and lot of stories.... but when we rounded out on hour 40 hour mark we definitely felt the length of the journey.
When the big drive was over we met Mom and Dad Halulko and spent some time soaking up the sun in Florida. Since then, we have been up in Northern Michigan getting a little bit of Cherry land before we hit the road again... Also, there is definitely something to be said about living up tradition.... bathing in the lake has been a long time tradition for summer time.... THIS SUMMER: 55 degree weather and 59 degree water.... do we get award points for holding that tradition?
When the big drive was over we met Mom and Dad Halulko and spent some time soaking up the sun in Florida. Since then, we have been up in Northern Michigan getting a little bit of Cherry land before we hit the road again... Also, there is definitely something to be said about living up tradition.... bathing in the lake has been a long time tradition for summer time.... THIS SUMMER: 55 degree weather and 59 degree water.... do we get award points for holding that tradition?
And now we find ourselves on the eve of our trip through Asia. We are both filled with a little bit of fear of the unknown and curiosity of what is yet to discover. One quote I often think about is from Nickel Creek; "Only the curious have something to find".
What will we find on this trip? Will we find more adventure, more challenge, maybe we will find some stubborn areas of our hearts that have resisted God's leading? Whatever it is that we find, we pray that His Spirit will work and move.
Tomorrow at 12:15 pm we leave from Chicago to fly directly to Beijing. We will spend two weeks in Beijing and then take about 3 more weeks traveling through China. After 5 weeks in China we will spend a month in Thailand followed by 3 weeks in Cambodia. Then after Cambodia we will surf in up in Bali, Indonesia for a couple weeks and end our trip in India for nearly 2 months. Wow!
"Now give me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in. And He led them forth by the right way. "In this place I will give peace," says the Lord of hosts. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be you wherever you go."
A LOT MORE TO COME! We hope to post at weekly.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Packed and Ready to Go....
Less than 2 days before we leave the US! We are packed and taking off for Chicago tomorrow. We are thrilled and ready to begin the adventure! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
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