Noah and I (Lori) bought our tickets to Cambodia!
Why? Well, it’s been an amazing season of training others.
These friends are getting ready to travel for 2 months, one month in Cambodia
and one month in Thailand. Noah and I get the honor to visit half way through.
Noah has a giving heart. He loves Christmas because he gets to watch people’s
faces as they open his well thought out gifts. He already has been planning how
he can pack a bag full of toys for the kids in Cambodia. I will be chatting
with each person and processing the trip so far and how to see the rest of the
trip go even better. The two of us will travel with the friends with a quick
and easy hop over to Thailand where we will all meet up with Morgan, Alleyah
and Levi.
Not only that, but we get to welcome my parents Nick and
Shelia to Thailand! Some of you may know that we travel yearly to Thailand to
meet up with others and also take care of our medical care. During that time we
host a gathering. I have been overseeing the kids program for the week gathering.
Last year I found that the ages 0-12 were easy, songs, crafts, stories, etc. I
had a wonderful girl who helped work with the kids but…the teens were a
challenge for me. Maybe, because I don't have teens yet. I found out those
teens that live overseas don't just want to hang out with the big people. They
too travel to Thailand every year and want to have fun. So I started to think,
what can I do better this year? I love how things work, because as an outward
processor (I talk out my ideas) I was chatting with my Mom about these teens.
Little did I know it started an interest in her while I was sharing. My parents
have been involved in TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) since 1998. It’s an amazing
weekend put on for teens by teens, with just a little help from adults. Anyway,
the idea came up, TEC in Thailand! Yes! These teens deserve a well planned time
just for them, not mixed in with the little guys and not pushed into the adult
talks, but just for them. Being overseas, most of the teens don't get a chance
to have a youth group experience or even a group of 3rd culture kids
around them. But once a year they all get to gather, have fun, relate to each
other like no one else can. Sometimes not even us as parents can relate to
growing up in another culture. So after chats and dreaming with my parents,
they decided to give it a try. They will have about 20-30 teens from many
different cultures for one week! My Dad has already sent me the week full of
talks and fun. I am really looking forward to seeing my parents in their
element, as well as just seeing them!
So, we are getting into the holidays, but just around the
corner Jan 1st we start our travels. Please keep us in your thoughts
for safety and health. I am just going to throw it out there that if any of you
are looking for a place to give tax-deductible, year-end gifts, consider us. We
have travel costs, yearly medical check ups and a hope to have a vacation at
the end of it all in February during the Chinese New Year. We hope to stay in
warm weather while we wait for the holiday to pass and everything opens up
again. If you need more info shoot me a message!
Happy Holidays! Enjoy your Thanksgiving and all the family
and turkey!
Blessings from the Joneses!
