Missions in Asia
After three months of preparation at the University of the Nations, Meredith and I embarked on the "outreach phase" of the Crossroads Discipleship Training School. The target: Southeast Asia. Our team consisted of approximately 80 adults and 20 children (whose parents were students in CDTS). We flew from Kona to Tokyo and then on to Bangkok, Thailand. From Bangkok, we traveled by train to Chiang Mai, which is in the northern part of the country. Our final destination was Jing Hong, China, in the southern province of Yunnan. The total mission lasted eight weeks - three spent in Thailand and five in China.
It would be an understatement to say that life is a little different in this part of the world. It definitely took a while for our "Western eyes" to adjust to the culture, the sights, sounds, and smells. But, the initial shock soon wore off, and our team was ready to begin the Lord's work. Collaborating with local churches, our work was manifold, including the following: construction, teaching English, providing medical care, leading worship services, visiting orphanages, meeting with local missionaries, street evangelism, and other activities.
