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Next stop...Well, I am not totally sure!

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Hopefully this will act as a way for all my family and friends to keep up with me as I walk this path God has laid before me to Thailand. I am currently in the process of getting everything set up and established for the trip including insurance, visas, fund raising and all of those little ins and outs and seem mundane. All of that isn't influencing my excitment level however! I am having trouble distinguishing the excitment and the nervousness, but I am trying to lean fully on my King in this time and trust him with all of it.



So, not terribly interesting but here is my first newsletter that I have written with some details and information about what is going on! Hope you enjoy it, and I would love feedback. I covet your prayers and love you all.

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October 6, 2009

Dear Friends and Family,
I know that it has been a few months since you’ve heard from me. I am so thankful for all of your prayers and gifts during my year in New Orleans. It was an amazing time for me, and I will never forget a moment of it, or all of the things I learned, the people who I met and influenced my life and hopefully I was a blessing to.

Since leaving New Orleans I have been living at home with my Mom, Dad and sister. I have been spending lots of quality time with them. I have also been working, 2 jobs actually. My first job is working for the YMCA doing before and after school care at Moore Elementary school in Winston-Salem, NC. I am really loving working with the kids, and helping them with their homework. I have also been working at Border’s bookstore, which is sort of ironic since I spent a good deal of time at a Border’s in New Orleans on my Sabbath days. Both jobs are great, and I love them.

In my last letter I wrote to you, I told you of an opportunity that I was applying for with the organization Word Made Flesh (WMF). I applied with them for a Servant Team position that I thought would place me in India. Once I got back to NC I had a phone interview with WMF, and waited a while to hear something back from them. Last week I heard from them, with the news that they would like to offer me the position of Intern in Thailand. Wow. I was so surprised and overwhelmed by this jump in the process. I had originally been interested in WMF in a full time capacity, and when I researched that I found that in order to be eligible for that I would first need to complete a Servant team course.

It all still feels a little surreal to me at this point. Right now the game plan is to leave for Thailand on December 20th so I will have Christmas in Thailand, and I will be there for about 7 months. I will be moving to Bangkok, which is the capital city of Thailand as well as the biggest city. I will be living and working with one other intern, though I have yet to learn her name, I am excited about the chance to make a new friend and live in intentional community once again. My primary ministry will be to a couple of women who will be living with us. They are both recovering victims of the human trafficking that is rampant in this part of the world. I will also be assisting the permanent WMF staff members in any way that they may need me.
Right now I am praying about the financial aspects of this journey, and I am fully relying on God to supply all that I need.

I am not worried because I am His daughter and as the Perfect Father, I am secure in the knowledge that He can take care of me. Through my prayers I have determined that he has given all of you as a community, even if we all don’t live in a cramped 2 bedroom apartment, you are my brothers and sisters, and as you are all taking part in this mission to Thailand with me, I feel confident in asking you to support me financially. I am not going to ask you to however, I am simply going to let you know of my need, and trust that God will move in your hearts to share what He has given to you with me. Of course the first logical step in a ministry in Thailand is getting to Thailand, and so the need right now is $2,000. While that sounds like a large lump, realistically it looks like 100 of you to sharing $20 with me, now that doesn’t really seem all that crazy! The overall amount that I will need for the duration of my internship is $7,000, but the smaller picture is $2,000. I am hoping to have this amount raised as soon as possible so as to purchase the ticket. If you feel lead, then I thank you so much, and you can fill out the enclosed flyer and send a check, or if you would rather you can give your donation to me and I can send it in for you.

I am so very excited, and so amazed that God has seen fit to bless me in this way that I get to travel and to share His love with people who have yet to experience it. The love of God is my most valuable possession, and I can think of no better thing to do with something that holds so much value than to give it away. I am blessed also that you are all my family to share in this with me and to surround me with your love, your prayers and your support. I love you all.
Blessings and Peace,
Meredith