ZOE Work Day

Today was exactly what I think everyone needed after the past three fulfilling yet exhausting outreach days. We took the morning to sleep in, then went to ZOE and listened to a devotional by Carol, one of the co-founders of ZOE. Afterward, they sent us off to a work project on the ZOE campus for a couple of hours. My group helped dig and flatten out a drainage trench that would catch and store water during heavy rains. As sweaty and tiring as it was, it was super fun to be the hands and feet of God, working together to create something that would benefit ZOE. We ate lunch at ZOE and then spent about thirty minutes in our small groups, encouraging each other with words of praise. I loved this time because it was such a great way to encourage someone and say something that’s been on your heart, especially if you might have been too shy to say it without a dedicated time (which is something I have been trying to work on). We traveled back to our hotel and spent about two and a half hours swimming and relaxing. We then traveled back to ZOE for a prayer night with all the ZOE kids and ZLT students. The prayer night was truly unlike anything I have ever experienced, and I feel like everyone will agree that there was such a presence of God in that room. We completed the night with a quick hour-long debrief, and Dave may or may not have gotten emotional.

God moved in so many ways today, but there were a few that really impacted my heart. First, during the work project, Jesse asked if I had taken a break and explained how we can worship when we work just as much as when we rest, so there is no good in overexerting yourself. That stuck out as an encouragement to me and hopefully to you. Second, the prayer night was such an incredibly deep and powerful time for all of us. As soon as we entered, the kids and staff were already there praying as we all sat down. It took me a minute to realize what was happening, but within the first five minutes, two ZOE girls just held my hands and started praying Thai style (everyone prays at the same time). Also, a little girl went one by one to each of the girls on our team, sat there, held our hands, and prayed. I was praying to feel and meet God that night, and one of the translators came to pray for me and asked what I wanted prayer for, so I said to meet God. She was praying in Thai, but the weight I felt from that prayer was almost like I was hearing her words and understood what she was getting at. Finally, to end the night, our amazing worship boys led us in gratitude, which was crazy because I had just said earlier in the day that I hoped they would play it. Even though everyone was tired and maybe out of it, something just clicks when it starts, and everyone gets so immersed, and it is so beautiful to see and hear. Dave also left us with the encouragement to leave behind the old self and put on a new self. We all answered the questions, “What do you want to leave behind in Thailand that you WILL NOT step foot with on the plane?” and “What is the new self that you will be taking back with you?”

Please be praying for us as we bathe in our new selves and that we would live those out, and that we could forget our old selves, and they would not be shown any more light.

-Maya Kim

P.S. We don’t have any photos from today, as we were on ZOE’s campus for most of the day.