Friendship in Thailand

By Shayla

Our favorite part of being in Thailand, even more than the intriguing cultural experiences, was spending time at the children’s homes. We would pull up in the truck and before we even reached the doors, we would have children fall in step and slip their hands into ours or climb into our lap as we joined a game of Jenga on the porch.


During our visits to the boys’ or girls’ homes, we had another chance to spread the love with our Friendship bracelets, just as we had in India. Some of you have been asking about the count on friendship bracelets we have distributed thus far. We believe we have tied about 140 bracelets on tiny hands, and we look forward to many more. It has been such a blessing to leave a small mark from back home, on the caring kids we get to spend time with. Our night giving the bracelets at the girls’ home was particularly fun. They shyly chose their favorite colors, and smiled so wide as we tied it around their wrist.


We spent our last night in Thailand returning to the boy’s home we had visited on our very first night. It felt like tying the bow on the gift of our fully-packed, incredible week in Thailand. I joined Dad on the make-shift soccer field with 3 of the younger boys, playing a free for all. Who could get the ball through the bamboo goal first? It was a perfect evening, the air cooling, and the sky painted orange with a magnificent glow. I was having so much fun, being silly and carefree. We kicked the ball around, giggling with pink faces.

Soon all of us were called in for dinner. The boys lined up in front of the kitchen to sing  the special song they seen before a meal, with loud boisterous voices. In unison, the row of bows from age 5 to 17 recited a scripture verse, and then bowed their heads as one of the younger boys prayed earnestly in Thai.

All of us sat at the long table scooping the delicious food and passing smiles between bites. It was such a delight to just be  in community with them. After our meal (rice, of course, with some ground meat) and sweet watermelon, Dad and I sat with a couple of the boys playing cards. We attempted to teach them spoons, but I think it got lost in translation, so we ended up playing UNO, their preferred game, laughing every time some one had to draw four.

Chang sat across from me, playing beautiful music on his guitar. Every now and then he would play and hum along with a praise song I recognized, and we’d sing along, the Thai and English lyrics mingling together.

It was pretty incredible to be in Thailand praising God in two languages, knowing that we meant the same thing. I am so much more connected to others who love God around the world than I realize, how amazing.
As the evening was coming to a close, the boys suddenly scurried away. Mike informed us that they were going to sing us a goodbye song, which is a tradition. It was a total surprise. The four of us sat in the white plastic chairs they had lined up, and they assembled in front of us like a little choir. All 12 of them had a colorful song folder, and they sang beautifully in Thai.


The littlest one was in the front row, smiling and winking at me the  entire time. I don’t know what the song said but I cherished their form of goodbye, as Chang strummed on the guitar. The song came to a close and they ran to us with big ol’ hugs and “I love you’s.” Totally unexpected, but so incredibly sweet. It was amazing to feel so loved after only spending 2 visits together. It was apparent that these boys are in just the right place. They get an education, fun brothers, but most of all they are in a home so full of love, they can’t help but give love away. Who knew love could form so quickly, be given away so freely, and and ooze out this thickly. Boy, I feel blessed.
But that wasn’t all. The boys led us out into the dark night past the brightly lit porch. The house dad brought us 4 floating lanterns to be a symbolic way of sending us off, as we had done with the team in India at Little Flock. About 3 boys gathered around each one with us and helped light the flame. Once it caught, I followed their lead by lifting it up and down, counting to 10.

On the last lift, we pushed the lantern up into the sky and let it go. It was truly magical, I don’t think those lanterns will ever cease to be a beautiful event. I watched as each one lifted higher and higher, drifting off in different directions. That is our family, always adventuring on to the next place. I am just so grateful this place got to be one of them.
We spent the next day helping with construction on the new boys’ home underway, and then packing (and “off-loading” items to prevent another overweight baggage fiasco like we had flying to Thailand with stricter limits)…but too soon it was time to say farewell to our wonderful hosts, Mike and Margie and to all of Thailand.
We took an evening flight to Bangkok, then navigated that huuuuge airport to get to our gate where we caught a little “shut-eye” before our overnight flight. Sawadee cah Thailand, you’ve been so good to us.
Time to Adventure On.
Africa, here we come!