KEITH IRWIN

TAMYRA CALLISON

My trip to Thailand last year was the hardest thing I had ever done, physically and mentally. This year I was going prepared. I thought. This trip was totally different and nothing went as planned. The plans we did make fell through before we could act on them. I became the observer. With the assurance of people praying back home for the success of this trip, I was able to sort of step back and observe God’s workings. I’m sure I would have been frazzled not knowing what the next step was, without prayer warriors at home. It was interesting watching God work. Never could so many things go wrong, with so much prayer behind it, without it being God working in our lives. God obviously was saying STOP. You forgot ME in this plan. It is not about you and what you can do. It is about ME. It took a lot to get our attention as we tend to be a stubborn group, but we did get it when we realized that 4 of us were sitting at the motel while those helping us were out helping in whatever way they could.

So even though things didn’t go as we planned, they went exactly how God planned, and I feel each of us grew in our faith, our obedience and patience. It seems it is only when we are in a vulnerable situation (like a foreign speaking country) or a big family crisis that we allow Him to get our attention. We tend to try to control things ourselves when we have more choices, sources etc, so we fend for ourselves instead of turning to and trusting God totally.

It was awesome to see God work. My prayer for 8 months was that God would show each of us a miracle so powerful that it couldn’t be anything else but Him. We saw MIRACLES!

-Patti was saved.
-The safety net we were under the whole time, when there was fighting around us and after we left.
-The way God got the attention of our busy professionals
-The way we were thrust into strangers’ lives and built such a strong bond that only could be built with God as the core.

It was so cool to witness this. I’m not sure if anyone else witnessed their miracles, but I sure got my share. I thank God for my miracles and I thank those of you who prayed so diligently. Knowing we were under His protection, allowed me to enjoy the trip in a totally different way.

Sue Geiger

 SUE GEIGER

The mission trip almost feels like a dream now that we are home. A heartwarming, yet heart breaking dream.

I worked with the medical team. I stayed busy traveling and setting up and moving the clinic from place to place. I was kind of overwhelmed with the compassion I had for many “orphan” children we helped. Imagine being only 7 years old and pretty much on your own. This little girl warmed my heart with her smile and acceptance of her situation. She lived at the Freedom House with many other children who were either without parents or their parents were still in Burma. The day she came into the clinic all by herself and left with vitamins, antibiotics for the respiratory infection she was experiencing, cream to heal a sore on her foot, new socks and flip flops and then walked away all alone to continue living the only life she has probably ever known, really hit home to my heart. I saw her sitting in the front row with the children at the Sunday service, still coughing, but singing right along with the others and when our eyes met, the smiles we exchanged just lit up her beautiful eyes. I was so happy we could make even a small difference in her life, if only for just a little while.

As we were saying our good byes, the students said, “Please don’t forget us.” All I could say in return was that I would be praying for their success in education and life every day and even though we were physically leaving, I hoped they would experience the grace of God’s love always and know that a part of our heart would remain with them, even if we could not.

We truly believe that it was because of the prayers that we were able to overcome all of the obstacles that were thrown in our paths and led us to those precious young people in Nai Soi.

Patti Wright

PATTI WRIGHT 

What a truly life changing experience this mission trip was to me. It opened my eyes to new cultures and ways of life. I am unable to put into words the touching and emotional experiences that I had, but would not have wanted to change anything about the trip.

The people of Burma were so welcoming even under their horrific circumstances that they have endured. It brought great joy to my heart to see them happy and that they allowed us to share in their lives briefly. I am beginning to see that God works thru people who love Him and not just a select few.

While listening to a talk at the church in Nai Soi, I came to realize that He has blessed us with free will and choices and the ability to forgive.


I would like to add that Patti gave her life to God in Nai Soi and was baptized in the river that runs through that camp. PTL!~BL

DR. PAT CALLISON

This trip started out with all of my dental equipment, except my dental chair, being confiscated in Chiang Mai. It was a very frustrating and angering experience. We went to the Karen State, Burma first with the Karen Burmese Liberation Army guiding and protecting us. On the way there, I was able to buy syringes, needles and gauze from pharmacies. I also bought some screwdrivers to use for extractions with modification by filing. I was able to pick up 5 forceps left by another dentist and I convinced an ER doctor to sell me some anesthetic. Without that, I could not have done anything. We were able to set up a clinic at a temporary sanctuary for refugees who were driven from their homes while being guarded by the DKBA and KNLA in surrounding fields. We were able to accomplish a goal I’d had for 5-6 years to go to Burma in defiance of evil dictators and bring some relief to a ravaged people who only ask for the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness which I believe God wants for all individuals.

I learned 3 lessons during this mission trip.

1. If you are on a mission and it’s started by following God’s will, He will help open doors, remove obstacles, provide tools and straighten the path for you to accomplish the tasks required. He wants you to obey His request.

2. We worked in a Buddhist temple. What a welcome gesture of goodwill from one faith to another. I think that interaction could only enhance the image the Buddhist have of who Christians are, about the love and concern Christians can show to suffering people and perhaps encourage them to investigate our faith more.

3. My friend Patti finally and joyfully accepted Jesus as her Savior. I am so happy that she has a friend, a guide and a helpmate, Jesus, and the assurance of joyful existence for eternity under His care.

I believe the prayers of those from our church were fundamental in powering the success of my mission to Burma and the other missions of the Clare team. I would encourage all, when called by God to minister to the lost, the pained, the broken hearted, those suffering, those oppressed and near hopelessness, to step up and out of your comfort zone to help, here or abroad, to make their life easier. It will change you and bring you joy.

LYDIA STUTZMAN 

The highlight of our mission trip for me was being with the Bible School students and hearing them worship, sing and dance. They expressed their love of God through their talents and they were doing it to glorify Him. I watched them each time they shared with us with tears running down my cheeks. It was great!

We really enjoyed working with them as we started to build the kitchen for them and they seemed to enjoy it as well and did a great job.

I am so grateful for the financial support and prayers from our church. It means so much to know that people are praying for you when you are 10,000 miles from home.

LORRAINE KOEHN

Our first week we spent in Nai Soi administering medical care to 167 people. We saw people of all ages; from 6 months to 80. Only one woman was 80 and she still climbed the mountains.

The next week we traveled 5 hours to a small village called Hoy Sai where there were 128 people in need of medical care. We saw hypertension, diabetes, colds/allergies, skin conditions, UTI’s, stomach problems, backaches and arthritis. The team encircled the people before we left, praying for wellness and protection for them all. It was an unbelievable moment with God.

Our last clinic was ministering to the “Sewer People”. These people had built their ‘homes’ on stilts over the raw sewage that flowed 8 inches beneath them. The smell was unbearable, yet they had nowhere else to live. We set up our medical clinic in a church that was comparable to our storage units. We saw as many people as we could in 7 hours.

The 2 weeks were full of laughter and tears, time with God praying over people and watching God at work everywhere. For me, it was a time of drawing closer to my Creator and renewing my faith.

Larry Kleinhardt

LARRY KLEINHARDT

When we first got to Nai Soi, my first thought was WOW…people really live this way. From raised Bamboo huts to sponge baths with cold water--and mind ya, I am talking COLD water, no hot water.

When we first stepped out of our truck to meet these people, I was somewhat scared, but about as scared as they were of us. By the time it was time to leave and go home, there were tears of sadness. We made many good friends with these kids that they didn’t want me to leave, and I really didn’t want to leave them either.

I even had our police that protected us cry with me when it was time to go. He even handcuffed me to a chair so I couldn’t leave.

Thanks my Lord for a life changing experience.



I wanted to add to Larry’s experience that he was a major hit with the students and to our policeman. They called him CRAZY and they were magically drawn to Larry. Larry had a huge heart for them, always had a smile for them and was a very good listener. ~BL

KIM GEIGER

Kim is a man of few words and simply said the trip was a great experience…an experience of a lifetime. Kim was on the construction team and was able to bond with the Bible school students. He also said he cares less if he ever eats a grain of rice again!

JIM IRWIN

……Near the beginning of our stay, the students presented to us a program of music, praise and worship, dance, acrobatics and drama. The skits and drama illustrated the problems of alcoholism and addictions, domestic violence and broken families, which are present within their society. These are the same issues we have to deal with in our own lives! The Karenni students prepared and presented this program to neighboring villages as well as an outreach.

Working hand to hand with these men and women passing bucket upon bucket of sand, stone, water and concrete touched everyone’s heart, spirit and faith. The Holy Spirit was indeed at work.

I formed a special bond with a young man who played the keyboard. He was 22 and had at one time been involved in growing and selling opium in Burma. He had made money, but always had to pay off road guards, police, soldier, etc to run his business. He left that life to go to the Bible School in Nai Soi. He wants to become a pastor to minister to his people. He will be going back to Burma once he has finished School, which he does not want to do, but feels he has to in order to continue his music ministry. The school had a keyboard that he played during services, but during the week, he would practice diligently on a keyboard that made no noise. He wanted music to be his ministry and was doing the best he could to improve his skills, practicing patiently and silently.

This young man came to me late one night and wanted me to help him learn English. We spent an hour several nights reading to one another and sharing our lives with each other.

My son Keith who has been in Thailand for the past 1-½ years serving with a Christian organization called Youth with a Mission (YWAM), joined us on our mission trip. It was a tremendous pleasure to work and live with him while watching him relate to the Karenni people, the Thai people and all of the people from our mission group. He treat all with respect, love, honesty and fairness while expecting the same from them. I am truly thankful for this time to see how he has grown and developed as a man, a leader, counselor, musician and a missionary for Christ.

All of the material work may not have been completed, but a lot of spiritual journeys were energized and jump-started. Hopefully, with God’s grace and love, I can pass it on as I continue my journey.

Donna Gray

DONNA GRAY

I am very grateful for the experience of the Thailand trip. In the midst of some logistical chaos, I was blessed with many opportunities to see God at work among the Burmese refugees, our mission team and within my own heart.

I was on the medical team. We saw so many orphans the first day, that it broke my heart. There was one child, especially, that haunted me. She was 7 years old and had come by herself from the camp (1-½ hour walk away) with a nasty case of bronchitis. She was so sick, so little and so alone. It was very difficult, both as a pharmacy tech and as a mom, to let her walk away with her little bag of medicine.

Sometimes the patients needed more than what we could provide in our clinic. As a team, we were led to pray over many of these patients. As we prepared to leave the second village, we were able to gather all of the school children and many of the adults of the village together. We formed a circle around them and prayed for the whole village, for their health, their salvation and the witness they would be to the surrounding villages. It was a powerful experience.

On a personal level, this trip was a journey of letting go of my illusion of control and letting God work His will. From finances to family support, through daily or hourly changes in plans, personality differences and culture shock, He has been faithful.

BRENDA LAYFIELD


My Thailand journey began when I was a teenager when God spoke to me in a missionary meeting to do mission work for Him. It took me over 30+ years to answer that call. When I said "Yes God, I'm ready to go", my world opened up. I had no idea where Thailand was, but I was going.

Our original plans were to hike 15 miles to a village to build a church and those plans fell through. I was disappointed because the challenge of the hike was removed. It made me step back though and re-evaluate why I was going on this trip. It was not for the hiking challenge , but to do God's will. I thank God He took that plan out for us. That hike would have been a killer. Next we were to build orphange huts, but that plan was pulled out from under us too when we arrived in Thailand. While another plan was being formed, I was able to wash the Karreni's hair and clip nails which gave me 1:1 connection with them.

On Saturday evening, we heard some beautiful singing coming from the chapel. I could hardly wait for the church service on Sunday. I was up all night that night sick and one of my eyes had swollen shut. I felt satan was trying to keep from that service. I was going though. Before the service, we met together and sang and prayed. We sang a song called Use Me Here .

(I tell myself I want to know Your will, O Lord. Still I confess I've had plans of my own. But from now on I plan to listen to Your will and to obey. No matter what the future holds, I'm gonna live for You today. Use me here, where I am. I'm not going to pray anymore that you'll change Your plans. Despite my fear, I place my life in Your hands. The future can wait, tomorrow might be too late, so Jesus use me here. )

After that circle of prayer, we attended one of the most uplifting services I've ever been to. God cracked open a wall that day that I had been building around myself for several years. Being obedient to God is freeing and healing and letting God take total control of my life is exhilarating.

DAVID DICKEY


I was impressed with the students from the Bible school, that they could leave their families to go study God's word for 4 years without knowing if their families would still be alive or moved when they returned.

Being on the construction team, I was worried about what to tell people when they asked what we built. With all of the changes, not much got built, which is what God wanted in the first place.

We are so blessed to live in a country where we are free.

CHRISTINE SIAN


Most everyone has heard about all of the problems that our group faced and all of the road blocks. I felt truly empty inside for the first 4-5 days because we were going to meet the orphans or actually see proof that we constructed something.

In the meantime, while building their kitchen, we had excellent opportunity to interact and get to know the Bible school students. The "kids" turned out to be the biggest blessing of the trip for me. They exhibited such deep and unwavering faith and were so kind and appreciative that we were there with them. What we may have done for them does not compare to what the did for me. They showed me what real, honest faith in God looks like and they demonstrated it everyday despite what they go through or what they still may go through. Their problems in Burma are bigger than anything we will ever see in America and they still demonstrate abundant love, generosity and trust in God in spite of it all. They sang and performed and you could see that they were singing for God. They have an incredible thirst to learn as much as they can, whether it's English or more about God and His word. To them, education is very important. We encouraged them and they strengthened us.

I enjoyed those "kids" so much and saw their needs. When I returned home, I could not stop thinking about them. I am now planning to return to them in Sept. for at least a year to teach them English and to live with them.

BRENT DUFFETT


....plans were coming together and the budget was in place. We were good to go!..Jan. 5th. We arrived in Chiang Mai and made it to the hotel around midnight. There was 24 of us total. We had close to 60 luggage bags all spread around the lobby...we were tired from 24 hours of travel and I then got the word that the Thai had shut down Mae La Oon due to an outbreak of fighting in Burma across the border. The change had happened while we were in the air.

I can't tell you how deflated, upset and frustrated I was. All of that planning..........for nothing. What were we going to do now? I had all of the construction workers ready to build orphanages and now it wasn't going to happen! Where were going to go? What were we going to do? Do we have money left to do anything? Question after question kept popping into my mind.

Since being home, people have asked if the trip was a success. Given all the previous information, I immediately said YES! It would have been easy to be discouraged or question if the trip was worth it. A big lesson learned, or at least refreshed in our minds, was no matter how hard you want to have control over things....we are NOT in control. God is.

Instead of working all day on a building, the construction team got to know the Bible school students and also some of the refugees from the camp. They were able to offer a hug, a shoulder, an ear and encouragement to them.

We were able to start a new kitchen facility in Nai Soi and indirectly we were able to provide the materials for the orphanages. The impact we had on those students will follow them for the rest of their lives and the buildings will eventually rot and fall apart.
Was there stress? Yup! Anger? Yup! Frustration? Yup! Was there laughter? Yup! Happiness? Yup! Fellowship? Yup! Was God's love shared by all? Yup! Was the trip successful?? ABSOLUTELY!!

DR. BRENDA HARSHMAN


God began the call early in the trip...While on the 14 hour airplane ride, I was called to care for a 20 year old girl who was having difficulty breathing. I knew we needed help from the ONE TRUE GREAT PHYSICIAN, GOD! I asked if we could pray for her, and she said with a big smile, "Yes, Please do". We were able to find a steroid inhaler for her. A few hours later, a 50 year old woman was writhing in pain on the galley floor from severe bladder spasms. We again asked if we could pray for her and she said yes. She was able to return to her seat afterwards.

When Sunday came, I gave my testimony. I had a translator that I had never met. As I struggled through the difficult times of my childhood, my voice began to break but God gave me the courage to continue and then my translator began to cry. When all was said and done, she said that she experienced the same pain as I in her childhood. She said she was asked to translate as a last minute thing and she felt God had brought her to hear my testimony.

We saw 318 patients, worked hard and learned a lot about trusting God when the plan was out of our comfort zones. God taught me a lot and revealed even more. this may have been a pivotal point of transformation for me and a revelation of what God is doing in my life.

2011 TAILAND MISSION TEAM