Thailand 2017: Falling in Love with ZOE

A place where broken children become whole through the love of Jesus and lonely children become part of a family. Where hope is restored and hurts healed. Where a new chance at life blooms. Where laughter echoes through open air hallways and smiles grow. It's a beautiful place of beautiful people, and it's a place that I fell in love with.

It's ZOE International. 

PC: ZOE

From stepping onto the plane August 15 to stepping off on August 27, I went on a short term mission trip to Thailand through ZOE International. When I left for the trip, I had no idea what to expect, and all I really knew about ZOE was that they work to prevent child trafficking, rescue children, and help them through the restoration process. I had heard about it through one of their missionary couples who spoke twice at the church I started attending a couple of years ago. 

I was not prepared for all that ZOE is: children so happy, loved and at home that you would never know their past; amazing Thai staff whose heart are for those children and for the lost; selfless  missionaries whose goal is to one day be no longer needed there; incredible ministry school students whose heart is to learn to better share Jesus; a family that welcomes all who enter their home. 

While with ZOE we got to learn of their vision, dreams, and what they do. We were enthusiastically welcomed by the ZOE family and we prayed with them, worshipped with them, played games with them, and ate and fellowshipped with them. We shared culture with them, taught them English, and painted rooms for them. We did village and school outreaches with them and joined them in prayer over the red light district. 

We learned to take off our shoes outside and to speak a few Thai phrases as best we could. We tasted new food and were introduced to new fruits. We got to struggle through conversation with them, trying to get points across language barriers because we wanted to get to know them better. 

ZOE is hope and a new chance to many people and many children, and so much more. While all of that is true for me and our team, there is more to what ZOE is. 

ZOE is the ministry school students learning our team song, "This is Amazing Grace," and singing it to us in Thai towards the end of our trip. 

ZOE is one of the ministry school students asking each of us to write our name and then beside it, our dream, so that she can pray for us and for our dream. 

ZOE is walking through a long "love tunnel" of the ZOE family who are all waiting to "wai" you in respect and thanks, high-five you, take your hand in thanks, repeatedly thank you and say "God bless you," or hug you like they don't want to let go.

ZOE is the love of Christ being shown daily in Thailand and around the world.

PC: ZOE (Cole, to be exact: he really wanted to take this picture)

For more information on ZOE and how you can get involved, visit their website here.