2014 was a pretty wild year for me. I spent my first year as a full time Missionary living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I worked in partnership with Lighthouse in Action as the Volunteer Coordinator. Most of my job consisted of training all of the volunteers that came through the ministry, coordinating their outreach schedule, and disciplining and counseling those volunteers.
This was an invaluable experience. I got to spend a lot of time meeting new people and helping them along the way in their walk. It gave me a ton of experience in living in a foreign country, how to take care of myself both physically and spiritually, and helping grow a ministry.
Through meeting all these people, God allowed me to meet so many people that would become a part of the CODE Family. I was able to meet Zach and Hailey, Will, Kaleigh, Helena, Gil and Michika– and these are just the ones that have committed to serve with us right now! Who knows who else I met in my first year on the mission field that will one day become part of CODE?!
I was also able to make an amazing friend and ministry partner in Emmi, who allowed me to support her dream and grow her ministry while gaining the skills and experience I needed to mature in my walk.
I am really sad that I am no longer able to live full time in Thailand, but I will forever remember my experience there and the many amazing people I met. I can’t wait to go back and visit and meet some more amazing people and encourage and love on all my old friends.
This experience just continues to confirm my belief that God really does have it figured out. Without my help last year, the ministry in Thailand would have struggled, and without my experience in Thailand last year, CODE would not be where it is today and would not be set up for the success it is set up for today.
I do not know where this group of people that God has placed in this ministry will take us! But I am excited to see what the future holds and I know that as long as we continue to place Christ at the center of everything we do, then we will be successful and continue to grow and change the lives of people all over the world!