From Thighland to Thailand

February 21, 2017

God is testing our faith in Him.  Regardless of whether we have our bins going with us or not,  we are on our way to Isuta Village this am.  We are determined to make an impact either way and perhaps this journey will have less emphasis on numbers (as it should), but rather effort in how and who we touch.

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

So here we go:

Luka and his team have coordinated our trek, however, only one man has been there before.  We will be traveling in a caravan of seven 4 x 4 trucks along a tortuous route (red line) on the crest of the mountain range from Chiang Mai traveling west for about 6 plus hours toward the Thailand-Myanmar border near a town called Mae Sam Laep.  There, we will have to cross a river on a cattle barge to a remote village of Isuta, which will take an hour,  and set up camp and clinic in a church.  We will see (or not) what available electric supplies and lighting that we will have.  This will truly be a camping adventure.  I anticipate that this trip will help with my recent weight loss plans.  Our only contact to the outside world will be through a satellite phone hotspot, courtesy of Lester Lowe.  I don’t know how efficient downloading will be so this blog may go dark for several days.  If it is longer than a week, please have Richard send the marines using code name: R.A.M.B.O.  (Rescue American Medical Baptist Opportunists).  There will be other military present but I am not sure from whom they are supposed to be protecting us.

I will update you when I can, but in the meantime your thoughts and prayers will be appreciated so that we can make this trip productive, if not, spiritual.  I have no doubt that this experience will have an impact on the natives, but on the team members as well.  Below are a few who had the day off:

“Do or do not, there is no try,”  Yoda.

We will do our best, after all, that is what we are asked of us.

Mark