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Honey. Sweet and savory.  The smooth texture dripping off the side of my bread each morning, and making my hands all sticky.  Honey used to be something I just ate every morning, now the word means so much more to me.

Honey is a sixteen year old girl who is trapped in prostitution. Just like the description, Honey is all together sweet.  When first meeting her she was very shy, and did not want to talk to us.  We luckily got the chance to meet with her outside of the brothel for english lessons.  The english lessons quickly turned into life lessons, and stories of God, and Honey began to open up to us.  

The last day of lessons we decided to throw Honey a birthday party.  We decorated the room with balloons and a Happy Birthday sign.  Coke and flowers were sitting on the ground waiting for her arrival.  Denae was holding the birthday cake and anxiously waiting to light the candles.  Honey walked up the stairs and saw what was waiting for her.  She had no idea and the look on her face was complete excitment. We sang her "Happy Birthday" and her eyes started to tear up.  Asking what was wrong, she said she was so grateful to have a party thrown for her since she would not be celebrating her birthday with her own family this year. We all hugged her and told her how grateful we are for her.  We all sat in a circle eating cake and explaining to Honey why birthdays are so important to us.  We told her that this is a day were we get to celebrate her, and celebrate God´s creation.  

Knowing this was the last time we would be meeting with Honey we asked her if there was anything specific we could be praying for her.  She told us that she really wants to go home, but the law in Thailand says if you come to work you have to stay for six months.  Honey sadly told us she has only been here for one month.  We all prayed for her and encouraged her.  We had been able to share about God with her numerous times now.  We really felt drawn to ask her if she wanted to accept Jesus into her heart.  If she too wanted a relationship with God.  Sitting there shyly and looking up with her sweet brown eyes she said yes.  "SHE SAID YES" was screaming in my head, all I could do was smile from ear to ear.  A million emotions all came rushing to me at once.  Eleanor leaned over and said "Alyssa you lead her in the salvation prayer".  I froze and thought "No, no I can´t do this I don´t know what I´m doing, I have never done this before".  The look on my face must have been obvious cause Eleanor quickly reassured me that I could.  Leading out the prayer in English, our friend translated everything I said into her native language, and Honey prayed for herself to accept Jesus.  I asked her what she was feeling she simply said "happy, I´m happy".

This day was not only a day to celebrate Honey´s earthly birthday, but now it is a day she can celebrate as the day her new life began.  Even though it was the last time we would see Honey before we left Thailand, we all know now that she is part of our family and forever our sister.  And one day we will be able to rejoice together again in heaven.

By: Alyssa Groth

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One amazing ministry that we are able to do here in Mae Sai is share Christ with girls trapped in Mae Sai´s  red-light district. Human-trafficking is a huge issue here because of the conflict in Myanmar and many parents sell their little boys and girls into the sex industry in Mae Sai and Bangkok. Yesterday afternoon Eleanor and Denae asked a few women from a brothel if they would like to learn English. This gives the young girls (13-17 years old) a chance to get out of the brothel for a while and interact with loving Christians. The girls were excited but explained that they would have to get permission from their "Boss" first. As we walked past the brothel last evening the girls saw Eleanor and giggled in excitement! Their Boss said YES! As I write Eleanor, Kylie and the other girls on our team are at a cafe teaching and ministering to the girls! Praise God! Please keep them in prayer!

Mae Sai is a really strategic location for ministry. Mae Sai is also a pretty heavy avenue for the drug trade here in East-Asia (Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand making up the ´golden-triangle´. Its really neat to be so close to so many Nations that need the Love of Christ! Last evening we had dinner literally overlooking the Myanmar Boarder. On Saturday we will drive 20-30 minutes to the Laos Boarder, cross the river by boat and spend a few hours ministering to street kids across the Laos-Thailand boarder!! We are so excited!

This Saturay before Laos we will lead a church service at the Drop in Center for the Burmese Street Kids and on Sunday we will attend a local Burmese Church!

We are absolutely LOVING THAILAND!

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We have been here in Mae Sai for about a week and we have had so many opportunities to share the love of Christ! 

After students have breakfast, spend time with the Lord, and attend our daily team time, we break into our two morning ministry groups. One group goes to an Orphanage that houses about 14 Burmese and Thai children. Here the team plays with the kids, teaches them Bible stories, and teaches them songs. It is such an honor to serve these kids and to see them radiate God´s joy! 

The other half of the team goes to the "Drop on Center" which is a ministry for Burmese street-kids who have crossed the Myanmar /Thailand boarder (which is within walking distance). There are about 20 children who come here daily to escape the pressures of living on the street- begging, huffing glue, human trafficking, and gangs. This group does arts and crafts with the kids, teaches them about the nature and character of God, and plays with them. 

After 2pm or so, each team returns to our dorm. We rest for a few hours and then prepare for evening ministry. Each night there are opportunities for sports ministries, and evangelism. At 5:15 every day about 30 Burmese men gather to play soccer in a rocky dirt field. The long term workers here named Brandon and Aum Fox  (http://brandonandaum.com/ ) have been cultivating relationships with these Burmese men for a while now. Our guys and Evelyn really enjoy playing Soccer with these men and have had opportunities to share the love of Christ and even were able to pray with some men! 

After Soccer is the evening Basketball ministry. Brandon volunteers to coach a local Thai high-school Basketball team. This is another avenue Brandon is using to share his life with the people of Mae Sai. Our group has loved playing with the teens here and are even playing in a tournament this Tuesday evening against some of the local teams!

We are seeing God do so much here!

After a 15 hour sleeper- bus ride from north East Asia to our departure city, one 3 hour flight to Thailand, and one 14-hour night bus ride,  we are finally in Mae Sai, Thailand for the second half of our outreach!

We´re absolutely loving it! We are within sight of the Myanmar border and have been ministering to a Burmese, Thai and Chinese Church this weekend. We have been teaching English to children in the afternoon and again teaching adults in the evening. Starting next week we will be doing sports ministry.  There is so much ministry to be done here. 

This past weekend, we lead a church service at a -in center for Burmese and Thai street kids. Afterwards,  we had our last day of English camp at the church, which has been an outreach to the strong Buddhist communities nearby. Normally, the parents won´t let the kids go to church, but they are allowing their kids to go to this English/Chinese camp. Praise the Lord! Please pray these kids get a taste of Christ! 

This church has really given us open doors, not only with their youth, but also the Sunday morning service time. We´ve been able to do our dramas, share testimonies and even a teaching! We´re just praising God for all that He has been doing through our team! Please continue to pray for more opportunities to minister to the Thai people and the Burmese refugees nearby. More updates & photos to come!

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Happy Easter from East Asia!

Yesterday we had an AMAZING DAY. We held an Easter celebration in a city park next to a lake and invited a few of our Asian friends to learn more about the holiday. We visited with our friends, threw the Frisbee, and enjoyed some Asian snacks. After a bit we circled up and explained to them the full story of God´s creation, our situation, and THE Solution. After we shared about the awesomeness of Jesus´ resurrection, we taught them the song, "You came from Heaven to earth". We taught them the importance of the phrase, "He is ´back´ and "He is back indeed!" It was so encouraging to hear them repeat the phrase and to hear God´s story openly shared! Many of them said, "This is the first time I have ever heard this story!"

Not only were we able to openly share about God´s plan with 4 friends, but we also welcomed in a new member to the family! While we snacked and chatted a girl named Rachel (not her real name) began asking questions about God. A few of the girls began sharing more and before they knew it, she was saying that she wanted to accept God!!!!!!!!!!  They made sure she knew what she was committing to and prayed with her to accept the greatest gift ever!!! HOW EXCITING! 

The team is hitting it off with making friends. Every day they go out it seems like they are meeting someone new and leading them closer to God!  Tonight about 7 Asians are getting together with our local friends and watching the Passion of the Christ to continue to celebrate the holiday. Please pray it goes well! 

God has truly been at work in this country and among these people. Thanks for your prayers, they are truly being felt here in East Asia. Can´t wait to share with you next time as God continues to move here! 

For more photos from the Asia team, click here!