Wuttichai Jaisuasu (Wuut) and Gaan Yotisarn are Thai WYAM missionaries.  For about $6 a day - plus covering their share of the food, room and travel costs, I had a Thai ‘friend' travel with me to the four locations in Thailand where the September 2007 World Race teams were assigned.

with the September 2007 World Race Team

Wuut is 24 years old.  He grew up as a Buddhist.  Wuut has one semester to go before completing a communication degree from the state university in Bangkok.  It is Wuut's dream to minister with the Muslims who live in southern Thailand.

with Wuut at a Hindu Temple Ruin

Wuut and I traveled by overnight bus with team Beloved One to Buriram - where we spent four days. Roger - the host for team Beloved One, took us to a place where there are elephant shows.  Roger also took us to an ancient Hindu temple ruin.  Early the day after we got to Buriram with team Beloved One, we traveled for two hours in a very comfortable van to a community center which was completing a two day camp where English was being taught.

an Elephant Walking Over Wuut

Team Beloved One Pariticipating in the Closing Exericises

of a Two Day Camp in Learning to Speak English

Wuut and I took a train from Buriram to Sikhoraphum to spend three days with team ignite.  It was Wuut's first time to ever ride in a train.  Wuut had never visited the Buriram and Sikhoraphum regions before.  During our time in Sikhoraphum, we went with ignite to two grade schools where team ignite taught English in different classes.

A grade school near Sikhoraplum

Jeanette teaching English in a Thai Grade School

After spending time with team Beloved One and team ignite, Wuut and I returned to Bangkok. Because Wuut had to take several exams the following week, Gaan became my next ‘rent-a-friend'.  Gaan is 26 years old.  He was married about two months before we left for Ratchaburi and to spend time with team seven:eleven.  Gaan's wife left for Indonesia - for a YWAM training conference there, the day after we left for Ratchaburi.

Enjoying a Seafood Dinner with Gaan

Because Gaan was able to use one of WYAM's vehicles - a covered pickup, we were mobile.  When the hosts for team seven:eleven scheduled a work day at a pastor's home that was located about two hours away and because it would have been a really tight to fit into the host's SUV, Gaan and I headed to the nearest beach where we spent several hours enjoying an empty Gulf of Thailand beach.  We also went to two floating markets.

Gaan's Pickup That Took Ten Adults, Two Children and All Our Luggage

on a Five Hour Trip from Kanchanaburi to Bangkok

a Floating Market Near Ratchaburi

While Gaan and I were in Ratchaburi, seven:eleven taught English to some nurses at the local hospital.  After four days in Ratchaburi, Gaan and I headed for Kanchanaburi to spend time with team L.E.S.S..  On the way to Kanchanaburi, Gaan stopped at the railroad bridge which is infamously remembered as the ‘Bridge over the River Kwai'.

Team seven:eleven Fellowshipping with Their Host Couple

While with team L.E.S.S., we slept under mosquito nets in an elevated, open structure that is someday to be a house.  Team L.E.S.S. had spent some of their time at a nearby grade school - helping out with painting the school.  The day that team L.E.S.S. left in Gaan's pickup to return to Bangkok, Thailand's Princess visited this very rural school.

My Home Under The White Mosquito Netting for Four Nights in Rural Kanchanaburi

Eating a Meal with Team L.E.S.S.

The real bonus from being with each September 2007 World Race team is now being able to visualize each team as they live and as they function together as a communal family.  I was challenged by the genuine hunger that the young men and women on the September 2007 World Race have to become radical, transformed Christ-followers.  They are impassioned to have their lives used through simple presence and through their faith to have lives eternally effected in the countries where they are in during their World Race.  I was also challenged by the sacrificial commitment that Wuut and Gaan have made to be YWAM missionaries in order to pass on to their own people the Good News.

September 2007 World Race Team Leaders: (from left to right)

Mark Newland - seven:eleven

Kyle Crimi - L.E.S.S.

Heather Trimble - Beloved One

Molly Garner - ignite

Wuut with A Couple of Boys Who Live at Roger's Orphanage

Gaan on a Gulf of Thailand Beach

16 of us – from five different states, arrived in Guatemala late January 25, 2007. The following day we were joined by a young 27 year old Guatemalan doctor – Byron Saban, and his wife Judith along with Betty Merida – an Equipo SEPAL (OC International) missionary. Byron had gone with us last year on our short term dental/medical/ministry short term team. Two dentists went with us this year on our short term team – Jack Matthews and Rosalba Bandrowsky. Jack and Rosalba live in Colorado Springs. Two nurses also went with us – Val and Cheri Meister. Val lives in Colorado Springs while her daughter-in-law lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Guatemala 2007 Short Term Dental/Medical/Ministry Team

Gary's sister and husband - Jerry and Peg Baas

After a very short night’s sleep in Guatemala City, we left early by bus on Friday – January 26, for Lanquin. We stopped to eat breakfast at a Saritas – a nice restaurant with very clean bathrooms located at the turnoff to Coban. We arrived at the El Recreo Hotel in Lanquin late in the afternoon.

Riding the Bus

Eating Breakfast at Saritas

On Saturday – January 27, dental and medical clinics were setup in the church of one of the men who is studying in the P.E.B. ( Programa de Educaciσn ) – the Bible education program that has been ongoing in Lanquin. Everyone had their times filled in one or another with either the clinics or with kids activities.

Pulling Teeth

Medical Clinics

On Sunday – January 28, we participated in the church activities in the morning. In the afternoon, we went to Champey – a nearby scenic river, to walk around and to enjoy the sights.

Abbe, Val and Cheri at Champey

More of Champey

On Monday and Tuesday – January 29-30, we had more clinics and more kids activities. On Monday, we had the clinics in the same church that we had the clinics on Saturday. On Tuesday, we went by bus to a community of about 800 people – where we set up the dental and the medical clinics and where we had several kids activities. There are purportedly about 35,000 people living in the Lanquin area. There are just four small churches in Lanquin and four small preaching points in communities outside Lanquin. We were able to encourage the seven P.E.B. students while we were in the Lanquin area.

Community Outside Lanquin

On Wednesday – January 31, we made the long trip out of Lanquin all the way to Santa Clara. When we got to Santa Clara, we found that one of the hotels where we were supposed to stay had already closed and the other hotel only had three rooms. The rooms in the second hotel were on the second floor. In order to get to the three rooms – serviced by one bathroom and one shower, would have meant going through an attic type opening. Even though it was already late, we decided that our only option for a good night’s sleep was to head for a hotel in San Juan. To get to San Juan, we had to go down a steep, winding road that has seventeen switchbacks.

Medical Clinic in Santa Clara

The following morning – Thursday – February 1, we went back up the winding road to Santa Clara to have dental and medical clinics and kids activities in a church located in Santa Clara. A number of years ago, Tim and Amy had worked on the church. Even before Tim and Amy were in Santa Clara – where they have a Compassion Child, I had joined a work team to work on the same church.

Judith and Dr. Byran Saban Doing an Extension Bible Course Together Overlooking Lake Atitlan

On Friday – February 2, we set up clinics and had kids activities in the church of a San Pedro P.E.B. graduate who is the pastor of a San Pablo church. That evening, we went by bus to a nice San Pedro Hotel that is located right on Lake Atitlan.

Murray the Stuffed Donkey Making Sure that Jack Does Everything Correctly

On Saturday – February 3, we set up clinics and had kids activities at a school of about 200 kids that is located right across the street from the hotel where we had stayed the prior two nights.

On the Boat to San Lucas

On Sunday – February 4, we took a boat from San Pedro to Santiago Atitlan. We walked to the area where about 800 people were killed in a mudslide caused by hurricane Stan a year and a half earlier. We then walked through the Santiago market and through the artesian shops on the street leading back to the lake and to our boat. We stayed the night in a really nice San Lucas hotel.

Eating in San Lucas

On Monday – February 5, we went to Antigua. Once in Antigua, we connected with both of AIM’s World Race squads. The two squads were staying almost directly across the street in a church from the hotel where we stay when we are in Antigua. The next couple of days were to be a downtime for all of us. We were given the chance to interact some with the World Racers. We did tour Las Capuchinas ruins with our team. We were able to meet up with a couple of the OC International missionaries on Tuesday evening for dinner together at don Rodrigos.

January 2007 World Race Teams Camping at the Lutheran Center in Antigua

On Wednesday – February 7, we went to the Guatemala City airport to say goodbye to the team. We then went back to Antigua – where we were able to connect periodically with the World Racers. After spending a couple of nights at El Antono – the nice hotel where we were staying, we had to move over to where three of the World Race squad A teams were staying – the Lutheran Retreat Center. We went with two of the teams on Saturday – February 10, to Panajachel and Lake Atitlan. Both teams went on the boat to San Juan – where one of the teams is staying at the same hotel where our dental/medical/ministry short term team stayed and where they are helping out at the same school where we had clinics and where we had kids activities. We returned with the other team to Panajachel. After connecting them with the pastor of a church in Panajachel, we stayed the night at another hotel – Rancho Grande, where we have enjoyed staying at over the years.

World Race Team Eating a Meal

On Sunday – February 11, we took a mini van back from Panajachel to Antigua and then from Antigua to Guatemala City. We met up with Hector and Patty – who had traveled to Antigua several days earlier to take most of our luggage to Guatemala City – so that we would not have to haul the luggage with us to Panajachel. We treated Hector and Patty to a dinner in Antigua when they picked up our luggage. When we met up with Hector and Patty again, we went with them and their family to a Pizza Hut. We spent our last night in Guatemala City with Sula Crabb – an OC missionary living in Guatemala.

With Hector and Patty

Our time in Guatemala went very well again this year. We are very thankful for those who were willing to leave behind their amenities in the U.S. to enjoy the fascinating beauty that Guatemala offers. Everyone invariably finds the Guatemalans to be very hospitable and appreciative of our being there. We were inspired by the World Racers. Thank you for your prayers.