Heading for the Hills

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:19

Today we headed up to visit one of the hill tribes from which some of the girls we raised. The tribal leader's wife took us on a tour of the entire village, including one home and the village common areas. It was such a contrast from our lives in the U.S. Take a look:

IMG_0103

20190312_094624

20190312_102433

IMG_0099

IMG_0107

IMG_0106

The homes are generally single rooms and are made of bamboo strips so that air can easily pass through the house and keep it cool. The homes are elevated from the ground and pigs and chickens often live under the house. We also stopped to see a newer church that was built for the Christians in the village.

While many of the tribesman are Christian, there still exists some Buddhist cultural influence. The house we visited had a "Spirit house", which is a designated area in the house that is used almost like an alter, to present offerings to the spirit in the house. In the photo below, the Spirit House is in the corner to the right. It's never opened because it's reserved for the Spirit of the house.

This evening we also spent time with the girls once again. Sharing our stories and listening to them share theirs - or at least what we could interpret! It can be frustrating not understanding each other, but everyone seems to still be able to communicate, even without a shared language. Some of the girls graduated from the middle school today and we were lucky enough to be there to share their accomplishments. In Thailand, its only mandatory to go to school through the 6th grade, so each year these girls go to school past 6th grade means a greater opportunity for a successful future.