Change Of Plans

Hello, Hello!

I am writing you from a lovely air-conditioned coffee shop in Thailand. I am drinking a matcha latte and listening to some music on WiFi that actually works (amazing right?).

I would like to take you back to a little over a week ago when my squad and I were traveling from Africa to Thailand. We flew out of the airport in Accra, Ghana, for a 5 ish hour flight to Ethiopia where we had a short layover before our flight to Bangkok, another layover, and then our final destination of Chiang Mai.

We got into the Ethiopian Airport on schedule, about 9 pm local time, but somewhere around 6 pm where we had been and 1 in the morning where we would be going. Already exhausted from a long day of travel we snacked quietly and dozed off in airport chairs, our pillows and backpacks piled around us. About an hour before we boarded the SQL’s (squad leaders) got us together for a meeting.

The news was that the air pollution in Chiang Mai had reached dangerous levels and that we would instead be staying in Bangkok.

People back at AIM HQ were working hard to find a place where we could stay once we got there. No one was sure whether we would still be having all squad month this month, whether we would be staying in Bangkok for the duration or going elsewhere, whether we would be partnering with hosts, anything. One of the SQL’s shared that the Lord was laying on her heart the importance of prayer during this time of uncertainty. She encouraged us with the following words [paraphrased]: “You hold the power of prayer. Through prayer God can make this be all squad month, He can get rid of the air pollution in Chiang Mai, God can do anything! Whatever is weighing on your heart in this, pray it! God answers prayers!” 

We had a little time to process and then we were on the plane to our new final destination of Bangkok. As we flew into this space of uncertainty I thought a lot about this and asked myself (and the Lord) what my hopes were for this upcoming month and what my prayers should be. I prayed for the Lord to sustain and encourage leadership and people at AIM who were scrambling to find a place for us to stay once we arrived in Bangkok in the next 10 hours. I prayed that we would still be able to have all squad month (we have a truly amazing squad and I deeply desire to get to know all of them as well as I can). As I thought about and prayed for those who were looking hard for a place for us, I prayed that they would find one. As I was praying this, I realized the truth of something I had been thinking about a lot recently, even preaching and speaking over people. As encouragement for people I had encountered in ministry I had been continually returning to this verse: “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:3).

This verse was spoken in the context of Jesus ascending to heaven and preparing a place for us in his heavenly kingdom. We have a seat at his table and one day we will all sit together at the Lord’s great feast. Sharing these beautiful truths with those who are discouraged and downtrodden gets in my bones. My heart pumps faster and I can feel the joy coursing through me as I look forward to sitting across from this very person at the Lord’s table. To be able to eat with them, to share a conversation in the same language (or even speak our own languages and understand with perfect clarity) brings me so much joy and anticipation.

As I settled in for a long flight and tried to find a position I could maybe fall asleep in, all of this came flooding into my mind, paired with a new realization from something else I had been meditating and preaching on: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

I now had my prayer: “Lord, I know that you go to prepare a place for us above. Please go before us and prepare a place for us here and now.” I prayed that God would prepare a perfect place for the whole squad in Bangkok (within our modest lodging budget). I was reminded with a strong conviction that we don’t have to wait for heaven for the Lord’s promises to be fulfilled. He desires that His kingdom come here on earth. We just have to step out in faith and ask for it.

Eight hours later we arrived in Bangkok. After a few more hours of leadership and logistics planning prepping and organizing while the rest of us napped on the airport floor, we got into vans (with air conditioning and plenty of room for the team and all our stuff), and headed to our hostel.

It took my breath away. We walked through a little gate into a beautiful courtyard with hammocks, trees and enchanting lights. We have two floors in the hostel entirely to ourselves. They are two large rooms full of bunk beds with room for the whole squad. We have AC, wifi, even free tea and coffee. The Lord provided above and beyond what I had imagined when I asked him to prepare a place for us. Once again I am reminded of God’s love and goodness. He cares about every detail and he loves to give us good gifts. Everything matters to him, down to the smallest detail of my favorite tea being at the free coffee bar. We are right on the water, and there is even a little sitting room above the front desk for us to meet for prayer in the mornings.

God. Answers. Prayers. 

We are still having all squad month, and since we do not have a host, the teams are doing ATL (Ask the Lord), where we pray and listen for what he wants us to do here. My team has been doing prayer walks around the city praying for the shrines and temples to be replaced by life and truth. It’s clear that the Lord has us here for a reason and I cannot wait to see what he has in store.

I would love for you to join us in prayer for Thailand and for the squad.

Prayers for the squad: Wisdom and discernment in ATL. Funding for those who are still underfunded. Healing for all those who are feeling sick in any way. Unity and joy.

Prayers for Thailand: Healing over the city and the people in it- human trafficking, pollution, spiritual and physical healing (more specifically there is a homeless man down the road from our hostel who is blind in his left eye. More on this later). Salvation for the people of Thailand- only 0.7% of Thailand is Christian. We are praying that the Lord reveals himself to the people in dreams. He has done it before and he can do it again. Pray the words truth, life, and revival.

Thank you all so so much for all your prayers and support. I am thrilled to announce that I am 99% funded!! I would not be here without you all and I just want to say a huge thank you to each and every one of you.

Much Love and God Bless!

-Hattie