Changed by the Gospel: Reflecting on the Thailand Mission Trip

Host Hanna Eyobed sits down with her friends Nana and Camille to reflect on a life-changing mission trip to Thailand with New Culture Church. The three women share candid stories from the field, honest wrestling with faith, and the unexpected ways God met them — and changed them — through the journey.

Guests

• Naana Dampare — Current UW-Madison senior majoring in Neurobiology
• Camille Miles — UW-Madison 2024 graduate

The New Culture Church team served alongside Full Heart Church in Korat and International Christian Assembly (ICA) in Bangkok, visiting:

• Three local schools
• A youth prison
• Homeless shelters
• The Red Light District in Bangkok (prayer walk and Sealed Kids Club)
• A rural village to pray with the only known believer in the area

Hanna, Nana, and Camille reflect on a transformative mission trip to Thailand, where God's provision carried them from a leap of faith through seven months of preparation and into the field — serving incarcerated youth, children in the Red-Light District, and a lone believer in a rural village. They wrestle honestly with what faithful missions looks like: approaching communities with a servant's heart, contextualizing the Gospel with cultural humility, and navigating spiritual discernment in a Buddhist country with wisdom over boldness. Each woman left with a deeper revelation of God — Camille anchored in His sovereignty, Nana moved by His intentionality in the smallest moments, and Hanna resting in His trustworthiness to work through imperfect people — convictions deepened by the fervent, joy-rooted prayer of the Thai church they now carry home.

Key Scriptures Referenced

• Philippians 1:6 — "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion."
• Colossians 1:17 — He holds all things together.
• The Lord's Prayer — "Your kingdom come, your will be done."

Connect & Follow

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"Many Christians think that they are sent on mission to change the world through the gospel — but oftentimes, we find ourselves changed by the same gospel." — Hanna Eyobed

This episode was created by the SLBF STUDIO. Find more media resources at https://slbf.org/studio.

Produced by Daniel Johnson, Dave Conour, and Brian Beatty

Edited by Dave Conour

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:02

Hey guys, this is Hannah and I'm Walking with God. About a month ago, my home church, New Culture Church, went on a mission trip to Thailand. We got to serve at Full Hart Church in Karate and International Christian Assembly, or ICA, in Bangkok. Over the course of this trip, we were able to visit three schools, a youth prison, homeless shelters, and the Red Light District in Bangkok to pray, give out meals, and to share the good news of Jesus Christ through a fun and interactive skit. It was a life-changing experience. Many Christians think that they are sent on mission to change the world through the gospel, which is true. But oftentimes, we find ourselves changed by the same gospel and are humble witnesses of the transformative power it holds and will hold forever. I know I was changed and I learned so much about the Lord. The following conversation is with two friends of mine whom I have been serving and worshiping with for the past almost three years, Nana and Camille. We all said yes to this trip on faith and have seen the mighty work of God take place through it. Well, hey guys, it's so I'm so glad to have you all on the podcast. I cannot believe it's literally been almost a month since we've been in Thailand. Can y'all like introduce yourselves, like where y'all from and what you're up to right now?

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Hello, my name is Nana. I am originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and I'm a current senior majoring in neurobiology.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

And I'm Camille. I graduated from UW in 2024. And I work at Sauna Day right here in Madison.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

Yeah. I'm so, so happy we're having this conversation, guys. Like it's been in the making. Um, I'm just like, wow, like I want to hear about like how did you guys find out about a Thailand trip and like what drew you to coming and how did God work in that process?

SPEAKER_01 1:58

Yes, I remember seeing New Culture post something about it on Instagram. And I was like, immediately it was like probably not gonna happen for me. Probably some like far-fetched dream. Yeah. And then I think it was we went to coffee shop to plan uh New Culture College events. It was uh you, Hannah, and then Abby, and it was just like that encouragement that you both carried about the trip that really like sparked my interest about the trip and it really like solidified like this belief that I could go to Thailand.

SPEAKER_00 2:30

For me, I remember the Sunday that I was first announced, and then Josh, our tech person, had me put Instagram posts together. I was like, oh, shout out Josh. Shout out Josh. And I was like, oh, this sounds really cool. Like, I hope whoever goes like has a good time. And so yeah, I put the post together and was like reposting it, like for other people to see. And then one Sunday, Abby was just like, oh, we're having a information meeting, like you should come check it out. And I was like, okay, like why not? And so from there I got all the information and then I just kept feeling closer and closer to like, wait, this could actually happen. Am I maybe committing to going before I like actually know what I'm doing?

SPEAKER_02 3:10

And here we are. So crazy. No, I feel similarly 100%, especially with like what you were saying, Nana. Just like Abby Sawtek. What a go. Love you, girl. She just like her mention of it, I was like, wow, again, that sounds cool for someone else. You know, like they're gonna eat that up, you know. But then I was like, okay, let me actually consider it. And I've always like loved traveling. And I know that both of you guys also love to travel. And I was like, this this could be a cool opportunity to travel and to like, you know, kind of serve God. Cause I've been on other like study abroad or like experiences of that nature, where I'm like, it was great, but it wasn't fulfilling necessarily, especially as a Christian. I was like, okay, this is fun and like I'm learning a lot, but um, I feel like the way that Abby presented it and also just like what the trip is all about, um, which is like serving people and loving people and preaching the gospel. And I'm just curious, as you all said yes, like how did you feel like God was putting his hand on it and like blessing you and and moving in that way? Because I think that it happened differently for a lot of people on the trip too.

SPEAKER_00 4:10

I know when I committed to going after that meeting and I was again starting to take the opportunity seriously. I was like, okay, I don't have the money to go right now, and I don't know like what it would take for me to get there. So I think there was like a good, was it a year before? Or at least like June. Yeah, so it was a while. Seven months. Seven months. Whoa. That's a big gap of time to like process things. I was just as time progressed, I was like, okay, like this is really gonna happen. So it was a mixture of taking action and also like laying it all before the Lord because I was like, okay, like I really physically right here and right now, like I don't know how I'm gonna get there. And it came through per usual with financially and also really just preparing my heart and individual conversations with friends that were encouraging and just like receiving those words of confirmation. I was like, oh wait, like I really don't have to be prepared. It's really just like my yes. That's so real. Yeah. Like that's all he needs. Like he's the one that's got it all figured out.

SPEAKER_01 5:17

So before I went on this trip, I felt like I faced a lot of feelings of like unworthiness surrounding me going on this trip. I was just telling God, like, what do I know about missions trip? What do I know about being a missionary? But I saw God's hand in the community he placed around me. You, Camilo, you, Hannah, like the conversations that we were having leading up to this trip, it strengthened me in the armor of God and like in that belief that like, you know, I'm a child of God and like I can shed his light throughout the world. And so that community and that support was so pivotal for me. And I'm so like grateful for New Culture for providing that space. Like even like the monthly meetings leading beforehand.

SPEAKER_02 5:58

Going to Abby's house and having Thai food.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Yes, I actually was not at the meeting. I'm like still waiting on her to make Thai food for me. I guess me personally. But you don't really realize how much community building is happening before the trip. And it may seem like, oh, we're just meeting. It's like a necessary sometimes, but no, it is so necessary. And it's so essential to, you know, see each other's faces. So it like it becomes tangible and real.

SPEAKER_02 6:23

Yeah. Cause I feel like we've all had conversations where it's like, is this really happening? We're going on this trip and like we're going to these meetings. And Abby's like, yes, we're gonna do this thing. And she's such a go-getter where I'm like, whoa, whoa, yeah, we're gonna go. But I feel like for a lot of us, it wasn't real till we were there. Um, but like leading up like those last couple of days or like weeks, even like what were your guys' expectations of the trip? Like you had talked about like feeling unworthy or just like having these like fears come up for you. But what were some of like both the positive and negative kind of expectations that you had coming in of yourself and also of what God was gonna do? It's kind of a big question.

SPEAKER_00 7:01

I tried to have little to no expectations and really just like on that same like basis of like, he's the provider. So like let me just say yes and show up and have like an open heart. I don't know if an empty heart is the best way to describe it, but like a willingness and just like a yes spirit to like do and just show up and be like, okay, like we're gonna, I'm like down to dance on stage or whatever, whatever it may be. Just like saying yes, and so preparing myself just to say yes and to just show up and to just like be in the midst is what I tried to focus on. Instead of like the logistics and things like that, really just like I knew I was gonna have you guys, and I knew like our group was going. I loved like our new culture. It's a good life. It's a good group. Like it's like I know I'm gonna be good because like we're we're coming on like good foundations and yeah, like coming for the right reasons. So I knew like standing upon that, even like having no clue of like what we're gonna do until like the weeks before, like that didn't even matter because like we're going together.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:06

One team. We were lit.

SPEAKER_02 8:08

We were in that, and it was like a young group too. So like a lot of us had built so much history together and like yeah, but how about you, Nana? What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 8:15

Yes, so before Christ, a few years ago, if you would have told me I was going on a mission trip, I probably would have been because my um understanding of mission strips were was very tainted, yeah, especially prior to coming to Christ. I kind of carried myself with the understanding that mission trip was like a way to like yes, change people, but also like force people.

SPEAKER_04 8:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

And throughout this mission trip, I learned understood like human connection and love. And like being in a place of service is probably one of the main foundations of a mission trip. You're not coming to necessarily change, but you're coming to serve. And then through that service, people change, if that makes sense. So I think that was such like a God moment because in that he softened my heart and my understanding of mission trips as well.

SPEAKER_02 9:04

Yeah. Yeah. And we had like men, like we have talked about this before, like even before going, but like, yeah, mission trips, especially it can be a bit of a touchy subject. But um, do you want to get into why you don't necessarily or you had different emotions coming into the trip about missions? If you want to touch on that.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

Yeah, I think just history in general. Yeah. And I kind of had this idea of missions. People are coming in with a lack of cultural understanding. People are coming in with a lack of cultural context. And they're coming into these communities and into these spaces they don't understand and are not equipped to necessarily aid them in the way that they feel like they're aiding them. Yeah. And so that was kind of like my previous experience with mission strips and like growing up in schools and like going to Catholic schools. It was like, we're gonna do a mission strip in this random place in Africa, but we're not learning about the people in these spaces. We're not learning about their stories. We're just kind of spitting the same similar narrative out, right? If that makes sense. So I just didn't want to be a part of that process, but I also wanted to come in with my own cultural understanding and with like that love of like, I want to understand you and meet you as like a person and not just, you know, I know better than you and I'm going to change you.

SPEAKER_02 10:24

Yeah. No, I love your like your heart when you're saying that. Cause I always think about, or I guess more recently, I've been thinking about just like the letters that Paul writes in um the New Testament, like to the Corinthians, to like Philippians and um Ephesians and Ephesus and all these things. And like he has to accommodate culturally to them um with the way that he writes about Jesus and about the gospel in order for it to make sense to them, which we learned about too, like going into Thailand and learning that like if you want to like preach the gospel, you can't just talk about John 3.16, because like they have a different understanding of love and different understanding of eternity and different understanding of suffering and all these things. So I think that that's a great point to bring up as a preface for this conversation. So that's amazing. Thank you for sharing that. Um, but another question for you, Nana. Like going into um this country that is a Buddhist country, like, what was it like learning about Buddhism for you?

SPEAKER_01 11:17

Yes. So I kind of I w did a little bit of research about Buddhism before. Yeah. And uh my like understanding was like they believe a lot in reincarnation and kind of this idea that like I remember when Brandon and his and Rachel, amazing people, um, they came to New Culture in August and they kind of explained that um a lot of them don't believe that if like they're in a bad place in life that they can get they don't have the self-belief or the faith to get out of it because they believe like that their life is cursed, right? So kind of going into Thailand, I kind of knew that it was going to be um more so not necessarily like you know how like Christianity is more based on relationship and like you know, this connection to our faith and like that love. When I went to Thailand, it was more about detachment. Yeah. And in that detachment, I think you it was represented in a lot of rituals, right? You have to, I don't know, do certain actions this amount of times, or you have to stop this amount of times in order for these gods or these principles to know you and to bless you. And I saw and a lot of that in Thailand, and that just changed my perspective on my own relationship with God. Yeah. Because I serve a God who is constantly there, regardless of my own actions. Like my faith is yes, it's dependent on my own like effort and sacrifice and obedience, but he is consistently there, there no matter like my own actions, if that makes sense. No, 100%.

SPEAKER_02 13:09

Like, even the desire, like I always I always just thank God for this, but even the desire to love God comes from God, like you said, like he is the one working through us and in us. And I feel like Camille, like you really like were very I have I've told you this, but you were like such an anchor to me when we were in Thailand because of the way that you just like were so solid in your trust of God. So, like in your experience, like what was it like having to be in this place where like darkness kind of surrounded, but making sure that like you were focused on you know our God who's who's who's real and who's true um in that place.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

Yeah, right. I always think about like um the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and God's sovereignty, and there's like literally nowhere that we could go that He isn't and like actually really believing that and like walking in that truth. And so, like I believe in encountering the Lord from the pureness of your heart, like literally in your room or like in your car and like across countries. And so that's just like the foundation that I hold true to because literally whenever you need help, like just call on him, he's there. Literally from anywhere. And so, like, specifically with traveling, that's something that I just hold on to is like that's true, and I believe in my heart that he's greater than any like principality or yeah, you know, authorities on this earth. And so holding on to that truth, it just gives me like that anchor. And literally anywhere you go, anything you do, like he's there as a foundation, and also like the authority. So it's like a humility and a power at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

Yes. No, I love I love that you bring this up because I'm thinking also about when we were um told not to rebuke anything when we were there. Do you want to explain that?

SPEAKER_01 15:02

Yes. Because the excellent, I remember like this was definitely like a topic that was like talked about a lot in our group. Yeah. And it's something that we got into, but also like I feel like some people were confused about it. But the way that um one of the pastors, Rachel, explained it, was um, I love this analogy or metaphor. So when you go to a different country, let's say you're going to like, you're, you know, you're just leaving America, you're going to a different country. You know not to drink the tap water because you are not used to the different, let's say, like bacteria or whatever may contaminants that may be in the water. In the same sense, spiritually, we live in a different spiritual culture environment in the United States, right? So going into Thailand, we want to be conscious and aware of, we want to be conscious and aware of the spiritual climate that we were stepping into and the principalities and the powers that we may not necessarily be used to in the United States. Yeah. So being cautious of what we are praying against and kind of also what we may be exposing ourselves to.

SPEAKER_02 16:17

Being like the blood of Jesus. Because my mom was like immediately like, oh my gosh, I rebuke. And I was like, wait, hold up.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

I don't know what I'm rebuking right now. I think also within that, it was like my own pride. I'm like, I can rebuke anything. What do you mean? Like, you know, immediately we have authority. We have authority. But yeah, I really did like that analogy. Yeah. Yeah. What did you guys think when she said that?

SPEAKER_02 16:38

I was offended. Me too. I was like, whoa, you want, but like, she was so right. Cause I don't know what I'm talking about. And there were moments where it was like, this is really deep right now. I could feel this in my chest. But like, yeah, what did you think?

SPEAKER_00 16:51

Like another analogy is like sports like home game versus away games. Like, because in America, like Christianity is a Christian nation. So like we are like, this is our home turf, you know? And so when we cheer on Christianity here, like we're already, we already have the upper hand. But there, like, we're the minority, or like it's our, you know, we're the away game. So it's like we're still fighting the good fight. The enemy has like a stronghold, is the word that she used to describe. And so it's like a game, like actual war, yeah, literal warfare. I think of it that way because it's it exists and it's real, and it's like you can't just like try to like start something with the away team when you don't know like their tactics. Yeah. Even though like I believe the authority of the Lord is greater, period. But yeah, it was very, very real because we were downtown one day, like with the homeless ministry, like afterwards, and we were walking around and there was um some idol worship going on like right next to us while she she was explaining everything. And I was like, okay, like we're really like this is really happening. Yeah. And it's like publicly celebrated in the same way that you know, we have just different things going on church.

SPEAKER_04 18:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:09

Kind of adding on to that, I think sometimes we can go in so focused on the enemy, you know, like so focused on the darkness. And this was something that was like reiterated to me, and something I didn't even realize. Like, and I think that's also a tactic of the enemy, right? He wants you to feel like everything is so hopeless, right?

SPEAKER_04 18:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:29

So instead of necessarily praying against like this, that, or whatever, let's just focus on like raising the name of God high and just like raising his power because he has the power to do all the things above and beyond, you know. So just give him that power, you know? Just lay it, you know, out and trust that to be and trust. Yeah, it really is a trust actu exercise. Yeah. Sometimes God's like, I got it, I got it.

SPEAKER_04 18:59

I'm gonna protect you, you're gonna make your money.

SPEAKER_01 19:02

But like, stop picking fights. Like, we're on the right hand. Yes, yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:07

Um, but you kind of touched on like a little bit of like what we did in Thailand, and I kind of wanted to ask more of like what was your guys' like favorite parts of our actual like the things that we did. It was a very busy what week and a half that we had. Um, so I'm just curious, like, what were your favorite parts that of like our serving and just being able to love on people while we were there?

SPEAKER_00 19:27

Where do I start?

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Yeah, no, it was so full and beautiful. Oh my goodness. One of my favorite parts was the youth prison. And it was one of my favorite parts because I walked in with all these preconceived notions about what I was walking into and the people that I was meeting.

SPEAKER_04 19:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:47

Um, I think we, or at least I attach like, like, I feel like in the past, when you think of like someone in youth prison, they're like, you're like, oh, they've made mistakes. You know, they're probably there because of bad past choices. I did not really know what to expect walking in.

SPEAKER_04 20:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:04

And when we sat down, I'll never forget when they did that performance, that shark dude, dude, yeah, they were baby shark. And like, I feel like God just communicated to me like these are children who need guidance and love and support. Yeah. And that was such like a great eye-opening moment for me. Yeah. Because there's so many people uh in Thailand in this world that like we attach I don't know, that we've given up on. Like society has given up on them. People look down upon them just because of like maybe the spaces they hold within their society.

SPEAKER_04 20:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:44

But at the end of the day, people are there and people are kind of in these positions because of a lack of support and a lack of maybe like love and care that they experienced in their youth or whenever. And I feel like God was telling me in that space, like, I've sent you to be that love and to be that care and to be that attention for those people.

SPEAKER_00 21:05

For me, I I think one of the top experiences was the Sealed Kids Club. And that was one of our last. Explain like what that is. Oh, yes. So um it's like an organization that's put together by the International Christian Assembly Church of Taiwan. And um they host it in one of the streets in the red light district in Bangkok, and they have like a group of kids that regularly attend, and then nightly they just hand out like pamphlets like for kids to come join. So it's literally a kids' club, as it implies. They have activities, like casual worship for kids, snacks, things like that. Um, just as a place for kids to be welcomed into the presence of the Lord in a very fun and casual way while their parents or guardians. Are working in the market in the district at night. So it's a really beautiful way of just like letting kids be kids.

SPEAKER_02 22:08

Yeah, getting them out of that space for a second. I think it was like a bi-weekly program on Saturdays, right? Okay. I think so. I think so. Or a monthly program. You got it. Yeah. Yeah. You got that. But pretty consistent. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:21

Yeah. I just remember I was, I feel like we all were collectively like pretty tired at that point in the trip. Like it was closer to the end of the trip than the beginning. And so just for us all to come together and really just like love on the children and like dance with them, facilitate games, and just like literally love them and just show up for them in the midst of like so much darkness and so much just like noise and like a lack of safety. And it was it really felt like a seal, like a bubble of like the Lord's love and protection and provision in the midst of a lot of darkness.

SPEAKER_04 23:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

And so for me, even to bear witness to that was so beautiful. Like I was there as like I was leading a game with Ashley fairly like we tried. Oh yeah. It was tough because we had a translator and it yeah, it was kind of like head, shoulders, knees, and toes, but with a partner, it was it was hard.

unknown 23:22

We made it work.

SPEAKER_00 23:24

Anyways, yeah, we all just like showed up and it was a really beautiful time making the bracelets with them and just yeah, making our way through.

SPEAKER_02 23:34

Yeah. It was like, yeah, like honestly, both of what you guys said was amazing. Like just being able to love on people, especially those who are kind of forgotten about, especially with the kids. Like, you know, when you're in the red light district, you don't see the kids. Like they're kind of hiding under, like, I don't know, tables and stuff like that, or they're playing with their friends in the corner somewhere while like all of this unfortunate um things are happening in around them and don't really have any attention on them at all. Then also with the the students who I mean the kids who are in prison, yeah, they're kind of forgotten about and people kind of just judge them and stuff like that. But just being able to show up was really beautiful. I think one of the most impactful things for me was going to um on when we were on our way back from Karate to Bangkok for the end of our trip, um, we had stopped at this village to see this wonderful older lady um who was the only believer in her village, probably like in like a hundred mile radius or something like that. Um, and we just got to pray with, like, pray for her and just sing with her and just fill her house with praise. And that was just such a crazy moment. It felt so like acts. Like I felt I'm here in like biblical times, like, okay, y'all, like we're gonna lock in. Cause like being like, like y'all are talking about, like, we're in this place where like this is not a Christian country by any means. Like, this is and this is just crazy that we're able to do these things and that God is moving in this way and that he's showing up. Um, but kind of moving further, like I'm just curious, because y'all definitely have come in like having an image and understanding of God in a certain way, but how did you like um meet him in a different way? Or like what's like a different characteristic that just like popped out to you when you were there um that you want to share about?

SPEAKER_00 25:12

It's a big question.

SPEAKER_02 25:13

It is a big question. I can start. Um but um I feel like I came in very overwhelmed, kind of also feeling kind of unworthy of this. That's only makes sense looking back, but like unworthy of the experience. Like I there's other Christians who are more qualified to go do this. Um, and I feel like also going into this country that's like less than 1% Christian, I just felt like wow, it's a lot of work to be done, you know? And I think that at times we as believers have this idea that we actually have the capacity to save people when we do not have that capacity. We have the capacity to carry the gospel wherever we go and to like love people as tr as Christ did um and to have his like fullness dwell in us, but like it's Christ Himself who changes people. And um it was really encouraging to see the miracles that took place, just like us like being able to like love on people and also um seeing believers of all different like backgrounds and how they pray and all these things. And I was like, it's not just me having to go and finish the work that Christ started. Like if like Philippians 1.6 said like that um Jesus Christ, like he'll finish the work that he began and like he will not, he will not just like leave it unfinished, you know? And I think that so I began to just like realize that the like attribute that I have in my mind is just like he's trustworthy. He's so trustworthy and he's also so powerful. And I think that before in past seasons, I saw him as like he's my father, he's so nice and cuddly and great and awesome, which is true. Um, but the duality of God is that he's like so many things. He's he's just full of wonder, like you just keep learning more. And I think that just being able to trust him with the mission, it's his mission, you know, we're just part of it. And he's he's honestly so kind to even let us be part of it. But um, yeah, like using imperfect people to do his perfect will. So that's that's what I would say. Big answer. But yeah, if there are any like attributes that y'all feel like you learned about from the Lord.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

Something that I'm always amazed by is just the sovereignty of God's will and his kingdom to come. Like if you really think about it, if you really think about it, like I want to clap, but I get with the mic. You can't if you really think about the fullness of his kingdom to come. Like we say that in the Lord's Prayer, and like when we pray, like your will be done. But seeing the darkness that exists like in other places, like he's going to redeem and restore and bring forth life. Like his kingdom will come.

SPEAKER_04 27:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:54

And just he has so much grace in the midst of it right now. It's like we see these like we see things now, and it's just like, Lord, like it's how it's so dark or it's so hard, and it's like there's so much to be done, but he has so much grace upon us and the yeah, grace and mercy right now, and his will. Talking really fast. Sorry. No, you're good. But his kingdom like is to come, and I think that's something that was affirmed through the trip. 1000 percent. I don't have to worry because he holds it all in his hands.

SPEAKER_02 28:31

That's in the Bible, y'all. That's Colossians.

SPEAKER_01 28:35

He held it all together. For me, one thing that changed about my perspective or just my relationship with God, yeah, was seeing how intentional he was throughout this trip. I feel like before going on a strip, I feel like my capacity to understand miracles and love was in extremes. Like if this person doesn't change, like immediately, if this person's not saved, then God, you're not doing it. You're not doing enough, right? If like I feel like I would hold these standards for like my faith. And if it didn't reach that standard, it would be this disappointment. But God showed me that like love exists in often like the littlest, smallest ways. Yeah, in the cup games that we played, in like the candy that we handed out to other people, in the ways that like even like children, they're like their faces lit up when they saw us like giving attention in detail. So also like transitioning back into like the states, like making sure that I'm carrying that intentionality with other people, you know. Like we often talk about like preaching the gospel and like going on the streets, but it's really in our every single day lives. Yeah. How are we treating people? Are we smiling at strangers? Do we like pay attention like to the small details of our friends and how we're showing up every single day in the world? And like that's how God shows up in our lives, even if we're not like cognizant and aware of it. He is so intentional about the small details and he knows every little thing about you. And that's something that God showed me on this trip. Like, he knows me, he knows us. And even throughout this trip, he changed me as well.

SPEAKER_02 30:21

That's so good. That was so beautiful. I love how you said that. Like he sees every little thing, and that is how he treats us as his children. Like, isn't that he's just like, oh, this part doesn't matter to God, just sleep under the rug. But it's like, no, he actually cares about everything, like he restores everything. But I wanna pivot a little bit because you're talking about every little thing, and just talk about the way that the people that we met um in the Thai churches were praying. And like and we've talked about this a lot, but like specifically towards like Camille, like how when you were viewing prayer and seeing like art, what a woman of God. Um, and just like how has your experience of prayer been, how have you seen like received like revelation about prayer, and also like how, like, what were some instances where you were like, wow, like this is I need to pray like this, or like, wow, like what I like what would you what were you taking away from the prayer that you just kind of saw when we were there?

SPEAKER_00 31:19

I remember one of our last mornings, um, we were at the ICA church, and Brandon was inviting us into prayer just to pray openly, like for our church here in Madison and for ICA church and for all of the different areas of ministry that we were a part of. And after we had some really deep prayer, it was beautiful. And afterwards, he's like, when you go back home, like you just prayed for your families back home. And when you go back home, pray just as fervently for um our church and our ministry here. And so, just again, like God's sovereignty and his omnipresence is always just like so beautiful to me because through prayer, like we literally can commune with him and intercede for our friends and for ministries, like actually across the oceans. Yeah. And I think that's so beautiful. Just like that outpour of he hears us and like he's just there, like really in the midst, like so truly.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

No, I I love that. I was also gonna, I was just thinking also about like, like literally, we would pray all the time. It was like every two seconds. All right, y'all, let's pray. And I was like, wow, like I wouldn't have thought to pray before going to like go like hang out with a couple of kids for a couple hours. Like, you know what I mean? I wouldn't have thought that. But the way that they were like, okay, let's just pray like God, did you just speak to them even through our actions, like, and just really reliant? They were so reliant. And I think the the lie that was in my head was like, oh, well, they're reliant on God because He's just like not as um, or they're not in this like Christian country, so they they need him more. No. I was like, they rely on God because they understand how good God is and how and it's just like more apparent to them because of how real the darkness is over there. There is darkness in America, but we're just I think that we're just more blind to it and it hides a lot easier. But I was like, I need to pray like this too. I need to pray like this because they were praying about every everything. So yeah, I totally agree, Camille. Um, and then Nana. When we were in that red light district, I want you to kind of go through like what that experience was like for you. Um, it's a bit more of a pivot. I keep saying pivot. A lot of content to get through. So much happened on this trip. Um, so I wanted to share your experience and what that was like for your heart, and just yeah.

SPEAKER_01 33:51

Yeah, that red light district was eye-opening, humbling, all the things. We so the members of ICA Church, they typically do a prayer walk through the red light districts, um, I think weekly or monthly. And I remember kind of walking in and I kind of was just like, eh, it's just some, you know, some streets, no one's even there. And immediately as I was walking through the streets, like I could feel like a lot of like the spiritual oppression. So many emotions and feelings were stirred up for me. And I think during that time, I was just so caught up in like my own anger. God, like, how can you allow this to happen to people? Like, why is this happening to people? Yeah, how can people do this? And I remember we were in a group, it was like a group of five of us were praying, and someone in the group said, It's so easy to look up and point fingers at other people, yeah, and to uh blame others, but that doesn't solve the issue. But I think like a lot of sin can be addressed through grace and like understanding and also just prayer. Yeah. And that was something that was very eye-opening for me. Um, and that's something that really convicted me because I was in that space of like a lot of judgment as well.

SPEAKER_02 35:15

Yeah. Yeah. It was very difficult. Did you have a similar experience, Camille?

SPEAKER_00 35:20

I remember just really like needing to put on the armor of God, like truly, because yeah, I was very heavy. Like immediately when we walked through like the alleyway, I like felt like something like an invitation of like we really aren't like we're really not welcome here. Not even that we're not supposed to be here, but like God's light and like, yeah, light in and of itself, like was not welcome there. And so it was just like pushing through, and really just like in my head, I was just like singing like worship songs, like had to do something, bro. And but again, it's like that much more edifying to the Lord because it's like he literally like he trusts us enough to be here right now, and he's given us enough power and authority, so like we should stand on that, and yeah, he's just greater. All it goes back to like his will, like it's not too late, even though we're there in the midst and we see all that darkness, like he's working it all out. Um, we just are in the midst of it. Quite literally in the middle. It's quite literally in the midst of the darkness.

SPEAKER_02 36:26

No, but I was really glad that we were all together for that to be praying together and just praying for each other. Um, but as we kind of like wrap up, I'm just curious. I know we've kind of touched on it a little bit throughout this conversation, but what are things that you've implemented into your daily life that have stemmed from the f like the fruit just of that time being in Thailand?

SPEAKER_01 36:47

For me, it's been definitely prayer, implementing more prayer. Remember, I before I went to Thailand, like even and I were having a conversation in Thailand, and we were saying, like, sometimes we'll say, like, oh, I'll pray for you, and then it's just like it just never happens. But also like that, that intentionality with prayer, but also carrying myself with so much more awareness. I think when you kind of look at things on the surface, you can be so unaware of what's going on, like behind. So for me, it's really called me to confront like some of my own sin and some of my own like battles I may be facing as well. And so that has been amazing.

SPEAKER_00 37:27

I would just say, like, just being in community, I just love y'all. Like, I loved our group. Like, that's what made the trip. Well, that's really what made it all possible. Because like we couldn't, I feel like everyone that was there was there on purpose.

SPEAKER_04 37:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:42

And so now, like being back home, I just I'm so thankful to have had like a group that made it so meaningful and to continue to be a part of like a community that like we will literally remember Thailand.

SPEAKER_02 37:55

No, I I totally agree. And I'm just so grateful that y'all were able to come and chat about this because like the way that God moved was beyond me. I know we all are like gonna be sitting with this for a while, but I'm just so grateful that y'all were able to come on and just thank you for being here. This is Hannah, and I'm walking with God.