Meet the Thai Dorm Team

Hello friends and family,

We are so excited to finally have contact with you and we look forward to keeping you updated as our summer progresses. So far during orientation we have bathed from buckets, washed our clothes by hand, dominated nearly every team building activity, studied Scripture together, and started founding these relationships that are sure to last a life time. Our team is comprised of two different groups going to teach English in Thai schools. At this time we are still unsure about specific details of our assignments, but we are all eager to get started! Here is a quick introduction to our Thai Dorm teams:

 Thai Dorm: Tribal

Haley: The Haitian Gone Asian
Haley is the team leader for the Thai Tribal Dorm. She goes to Mississippi State University and studies Elementary Education. In addition to wrangling children, Haley enjoys intense tennis matches, taking long strolls through campus, and sinking her teeth into a fresh, crisp dill pickle.

Liz: The Disney Princess
Liz studies at Troy University, emphasizing English and Teaching English as a Second Language. When she's not singing to small animals, Princess Liz likes to paint, write, read, listen to music, and speak Mandarin Chinese.

Thai Dorm: Government

Mo: The Peanut Butter Lover
Mo attends Baylor University where she spends her days dissecting different languages as a linguist. Apart from this she also loves to bury her nose in a good book, catch a quick nap, and climb rocks like a pro.

Alyssa: The Rice Enthusiast
Alyssa is the leader for the Thai Government Dorm and is a student at Columbus State Community College and spends her time learning about Early Childhood Development and Education. When Alyssa's not cooped up in a classroom, she enjoys to be outside, watching movies, or eating ice cream.

Abby: The Golden Lioness
Abby is an English Education major at Lee University. Surprisingly she is able to do activities outside of her reading for school. If you catch her on the rare homework-free weekend you can find her hiking through the mountains or swimming in the Tennessee creeks.


We all are experiencing excitement, nerves, and mixed feelings as we begin this journey. Please be praying for the following:

• To delight in the Lord daily
• Team unity
• Guidance for our leaders
• Good health for all teammates

Thank you all and we will keep in touch!

Play Ball!

     Greeting from C and T ! Together we form the the Pearl Island team that is seeking to engage an UPG in Southeast Asia. Throughout our endeavor, we ask for lifting up. Lift us up in boldness to proclaim the truth in both deed and word. We thank you in advance for your support to see the Father's kingdom come on Earth as it is in Heaven! 1 Corinthians 15:1-5   

Say Farewell to the Gospel Globetrotters

From Left to Right: 1st Row: Bekah, Deanna, Allison, Chloe, Allyson 2nd Row: Rachael, Austin, Jadon, Kason, Carson

"Missions exists because worship doesn't."  -John Piper

Our goal this summer is to introduce the hope and truth of the gospel to the people we meet in the Philippines. The end goal is for all nations to bow before the throne of God in worship, and missions will be no more. As we spend our summer working toward these goals, pray for our health, safety, and unity as we trek through the Bicol region. As we use healthcare to provide physical and spiritual healing and play basketball to build relationships, pray that the people of the Philippines will be open to the true word of God.

Team Leaders:
Austin
Austin is from Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and is studying Biology at Mississippi College. A fun fact about him is that he was a Boy Scout for one day. His favorite Bible verse is Romans 10:14-15.

Kason
Kason is from Austin, Texas. He is majoring in Computer Science at the University of Texas (hook em'). A fun fact about Kason is that he collected gum wrappers in high school. His favorite Bible verse is Acts 20:24.

Team Members: Allison
Allison is from Huntsville, Alabama. She attends The University of Alabama (Roll Tide) where she studies Nursing. She likes hiking and taking family vacations. A fun fact about her is that she has not drank soda or tea in seven years. Her favorite Bible verse is Colossians 1:28-29.

Bekah
Bekah is from right outside of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She is studying Biology on the pre-physician's assistant track at Mississippi College. Her newfound hobby is hiking when she has free time. A fun fact about her is that she is fluent in sign language, and she can also lick her elbow. Her favorite Bible verse is Romans 8:38-39.

Carson aka Shamgar (See Judges 3:31)
Carson is from Tyler, Texas. He attends Texas Tech where he is studying Exercise and Sports Science on the pre-physician's assistant track. He enjoys rock climbing and being outside. He is most excited about getting a haircut from a Filipino barber. His favorite Bible verse is Psalm 34:22

Chloe
Chloe is from Houston, Texas and is studying Nursing at Mary Bardin Baylor. A fun fact about Chloe is that she is not actually from America, but is from Canada, where she lived for the first 11 years of her life. She likes to spend her time by the lake. Her favorite Bible verse is Psalm 119:9-11

Deanna
Deanna is from Greeneville, Tennessee and studies Nursing at Belmont University. She enjoys reading and watching Netflix (just finished Arrested Development). A fun fact about Deanna is that The Band Perry's dad was her pediatrician. Her favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Jadon
Jadon is from Landover, Maryland. He is studying missions at Faith Theological Seminary. He enjoys playing basketball. A fun fact about him is that he has visited all 48 states in the continental U.S. His favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 3:5-6.

Rachael
Rachael is from Culleoka, Tennessee where she lives on a sheep farm. She is majoring in animal science on the pre-vet track at the University of Tennessee at Martin. She spends many of her mornings running. A fun fact is that she is allergic to mammal meat. Her favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 27:19.

Mentor: Allyson Johnson
Allyson went on the same Nehemiah Teams trip to the Bicol region two years ago (parents, be comforted. She came back alive and with all four limbs). She attended college at the University of North Alabama and the University of Alabama in Huntsville and is now a nurse practitioner in Florence, Alabama. A fun fact is that the animal she is most afraid of is a cow. Her favorite Bible verse is Hebrews 10:12.

Commitment Night

I need Him... I need you.

Monday night candlelight commitment time

Team sharing during their commitment time

A Day in Their Clothes

A Day in Their Clothes

         A Sudanese daughter. A mother from Eritrea. A Burmese man. An Ethiopian woman. Each of us was assigned a new identity and nationality shortly after arriving in Nashville for job specific training. The first step was to make it through a mock interview to receive permission to come to America. After several failures, we were finally granted consent to come. However, that was not all. Each team member spent the night in the home of a refugee family. These families fed us ethnic foods and spoke their native language. The next day began with a language lesson taught completely in Swahili, and each member was given a bus pass and told to navigate through the Nashville while wearing various ethnic clothing.  Because the buses ran slow, we only rode it once and walked everywhere else. By the time we reached our final destination, we wanted nothing more than to sit and sleep.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t very excited at the beginning of the simulation. I thought it would be enough to simply “know” what the refugees go through. I couldn’t have been farther from the truth. It’s true when people say you must walk in their shoes to understand where they come from. While I will never truly be able to understand everything these precious people have experienced, my eyes were opened to just a small portion of their world. While I am already homesick, I will be home in two months. These refugees will most likely never be able to go home. 

The P52-Nashville team asks that you pray for God to use us in making America a place the nations can call a new home.

Bonjour from the Abidjan Students Team!

Lee (left), Hailey (middle), Carley (right)

Team members

Carley - Florence, AL
University of North Alabama

Hailey - Atlanta, GA
Charleston Southern University

Lee - Hernando, MS
Southern Methodist University

 

• Pray that God would create white-hot worshipers of himself in Abidjan.
• Pray that local believers would be encouraged by the sure, sovereign coming of God's kingdom. 
• Pray that we would boldly share the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit with all gentleness and respect.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Meet the English Center Team

(L to R)

Shelby:

College: University of Texas at Austin

Major: Human Development & Family Sciences

Caleb: 

College: Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK 

Major: General Business

Samuel:

College: Auburn University 

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Kristen:

College: Texas A&M University- Commerce

Major: Liberal Studies with an concentration in photography

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We have had a great time at orientation. Our time was filled with bucket baths, sleeping on the floor, team building, and tons of useful teaching. We are so excited to hop on the plane and head to the field in less than 24 hours.  Please be lifting us up as we take our two day journey consisting of four flights to get to Southeast Asia. Also pray that we can adjust well during the first few days on the field and that jet lag and culture shock would not distract us from doing what the Father has planed. And most importantly that God would be working in the hearts of the people we will meet and preparing them to hear the Good News. 

Here with our mentor Jordan. He has served in the city we are going to twice and it was great to receive advice and hear first hand stories from someone who has gone on this trip before.