Saturday, 3/1

Goodmorning from Chiang Mai!

After a short sleep (we arrived in Thailand around 1am) the Team is up and moving around. With breakfast and our first meeting behind us, we are preparing for a day of planning, meeting people, and checking out local sites for the week.

More to follow later, but the Team is off for the day. Pictures have been hard to upload this morning, but we will try again tonight.

Hope everyone is enjoying the winter weather back in the states - we're looking at a high of 83 degrees today...

- Team Thailand

Greetings from Korea

2/29 @ 6:43pm (korea)

Not much new to report other than the blessings of safe and 'incident free' travel thus far. Below are just a few of the moments already caught on the trip:

Kim enjoying her delicious seaweed soup on the flight to Incheon...

Kevin ready to get off the plane after the 14 hour flight from Chicago to Incheon...
Kim and Kari on the flight to Incheon... (not pictured are the sweet teel booties that they gave us to wear on the flight).

Teresa smiling after watching the movie Enchanted 7.5 times on the flight to Korea...

Team Thailand (minus Pastor Lyall) at the Incheon Airport in Seoul, Korea...
Peter and LaNae getting ready for landing...
Kevin, Storm, and Kari staying out of trouble at O'Hare...

chicago o'hare

2/28 @ 10:35am (cst)

The Team has arrived at Chicago O'hare and ready to board. In true Pastor Lyall fashion we left Peoria on-time (+ or - 5 minutes) and arrived at the airport on-time. We were blessed to be able to make it quickly through security and are now waiting to board our flight. Thanks to everyone who made it out to BBC this morning to wish us off!

Thailand Team picture prior to leaving BBC @ 5:30am today.

LaNae excited to be at O'Hare.

LaNae, Peter, and Kevin waiting to board the plane for Incheon.

Storm finally calling his credit card company to let them know he will be out of the country.

Kari and Teresa enjoying the last few minutes of America.

วันพรุ่งนี้ (tomorrow)

That's right, tomorrow. Tomorrow is the beginning of something we've been working towards and praying about for a long time. Tomorrow is when the Team will make our way up to Chicago to catch our flight to Chiang Mai via Seoul, Korea. The Team is asking for prayers for safe travel and we trust that the Lord will have His hand in the decisions that are made which would effect our trip.

Below is our itinerary for tomorrow (วันพรุ่งนี้ ):

2/28 @ 5:30am - Depart BBC enroute to Chicago O'Hare
2/28 @ 11:30am - Take off from Chicago O'Hare enroute to Seoul
2/29 @ 4:30pm - Arrive at Seoul Incheon
2/29 @ 8:40pm - Take off from Seoul Incheon enroute to Chiang Mai
3/1 @ 12:35am - Arrive at Chiang Mai!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Last Official Team Meeting

A few quick snapshots of the team at Sunday's meeting. Team Thailand won't meet together again until the trip begins on Thursday morning...

Peter and LaNae discussing some ideas with the team.

Our Team Leader, Pastor Lyall, taking a quick power nap during the meeting. Or he was taking notes. You decide.

Teresa and Kim listening attentively as Storm shares some very thought-provoking and enlightening ideas during the meeting.

T minus 3 days...

The Thailand Team is less than three days from being on their way to Chiang Mai and we could not be more excited! Sunday morning we met for our last official group meeting before we see each other again Thursday morning to begin our over 24 hour trek to the other side of the world. It was a very exciting time as we made some final preparations and discussed some of what we'd be doing in the first few hours of being in Chiang Mai. It has just been awesome to see God's divine intervention shape and develop the plan over the last few months, and we can't wait to meet the missionary families and kids in which we will be spending this time.

We are sad to report that Joel and Ginny Smith will not be able to make the trip and we ask for continued prayer for Ginny's health. Although we are all sad they will not be able to go, we know that their thoughts and prayers will be with us, just as our thoughts and prayers will be with them.

7.5 days and counting!

Eight days from today – one week from tomorrow – 180 hours – 10,800 minutes – 648,000 seconds – we are on our way! On our way to a foreign country, to growing closer together as a team, to meeting some great missionaries, to forming friendships with youth from across the world, to helping out wherever it is needed, and to having an AWESOME experience! Life is still continuing on as normal although occasionally we look at each other and say something like, “We leave in just over a week; can you believe it?” The other person generally replies with something to the effect of, “Time has flown by so fast! I can’t believe it is almost here!”

Time really has flown. Last week one team member found an email that another team member had sent before Christmas. “11 weeks to go!” (yes – we have been in countdown mode for a long time.) The last nine weeks have flown and it feels like we only blinked our eyes. But we are definitely more equipped and prepared than we were two months ago. The Lord has yet again worked in His mysterious way to raise up a team that complements each other’s skills and abilities. This past Sunday we had a team work day. Pastor Lyall (aka “Chef Lyall”) provided lunch for the team (an assortment of options – all delicious!) and we got to work. Objective for the day: complete journals and organize thoughts. (yes, we did pause to take a few pictures.) Proofreading, coping, printing, laminating, binding, sorting, and other tasks – all at the same time!

Journals: Each youth we will be working with will be given a journal with information to use during the conference. It has been a joy for us to put these journals together; we know that these journals will be part of the memory from the week – something to use to look back on what we studies, what we did, who we met, and other details. (These journals are standard for teams that go from our church – each journal is personalized to the team.) To find out what is actually in them… well, you will just have to wait and see!

Prayer Requests:
Attitudes – that we will continue to remember that all this is for the glory of One who is so worthy of it. We want to make Him the primary focus of the entire trip and not get caught up in details and ourselves.
Ginny Smith – having back problems and isn’t able to sit for long periods of time. (this doesn’t work well with our plane rides.)
Health – the flu is running rampant here and has hit a portion of our team in various stages. Pray for recovery for those who are and have been sick and that no one else will catch it.
Final Preparations – we have one more meeting as a team and several tasks still to accomplish. Pray for calm as we finalize details together and for each individual as he or she packs and prepares to travel.

Below are some pictures of the team this past weekend while they prepared the journals.

Teresa is making copies of the journal for everyone.
Kim is laminating the journal covers and organizing the pages.
Kevin is helping the team by blocking the doorway until all journals are finished.

Team Bios

Lyall Sutton - Our Fearless Leader
Ready for anything and always on the go, Pastor Lyall is the Senior Associate Pastor at Bethany Baptist Church and our team leader. In the week after the Thailand conference, Pastor Lyall will celebrate his 50th year on this earth and 26 years of marriage to his wife Sheila. Lyall and Sheila have two children: Megan is 23 and works in Peoria; Ben is 21 and in his final semester at Moody Bible Institute. In his free time, Pastor Lyall enjoys traveling, cooking, biking, skiing, and spending time with his family.

His favorite memory is of his ministry sabbatical when he and his family spent five weeks touring Europe and visiting missionaries in Slovenia, Austria and Czech Republic.

If you are looking for a high energy, positive person to start your day off right, go find Pastor Lyall. He’s sure to greet you with a smile, positive words, and a crazy idea for the day.

Kim Turner – Team Medic
Kim is a 22 year old nurse at OSF St. Francis working in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. When she isn’t working or sleeping, Kim likes to hang out with family and friends, walk her dog, read, scrapbook, and of course, shop! If she gets hungry, Kim looks for chips and salsa or goldfish crackers.

One of Kim’s favorite memories is on a missions trip to South Africa. “It really impacted me spiritually and also allowed me to make really close friendships with ‘the South Africa girls.’”

If you aren’t feeling well or we see blood, we’ll send you to Kim. She will get you feeling better (or at least give you a band-aid).

Kevin Gustafson – The Multi-Media Computer Guy
Kevin is creeping up on 30 years old (he still has two and half years to go) and works as a Computer Programmer at Caterpillar. In his free time, Kevin enjoys hanging out with friends. When Kevin is in the mood to snack, he reaches for a box of Cheese-Its.

One of Kevin’s favorite memories is of a missions trip he took to Ecuador. The trip “opened up my eyes to God’s work and love for people all over the world.”

If you need something done, just ask Kevin. He is always willing to help out where needed.

Kari Rabenhorst – The Scheduler
Kari is a quarter of a century old and proud of it. She works as a ministry coordinator at Bethany Baptist Church under Pastor Lyall. In her free time away from the church, she loves to hang out with friends and play games; play softball, Frisbee, tennis, or generally any sport; or read a good book. If she is shopping for a snack, her current picks are peanut M & Ms, cheddar Chex mix, and water.

Kari has many fond memories of time with her family but will always remember their various snowmobiling trips together. It’s always great family time and generally includes an adventure (ex: ran out of gas, fouled a spark plug, took a wrong trail, stuck on the other side of town, ran in to a tree, etc.). “When we hit the trails, something generally goes wrong – but we know that God is in control and the outcome is a great memory!”

If you aren’t sure where you are supposed to be or what your options are for activities, check with Kari. She likely has the whole schedule in her head! Or if you are bored, she is usually up for playing a game or making one up.

Team Bios

Joel & Ginny Smith - The Nurturing Couple
Pastor Joel and Ginny Smith have been married 25 years and are still going strong. (To find out their ages, you’ll have to ask them yourself.) They have three kids: Philip (a freshman in college); Evan (a sophomore in high school); and Kirsten (an eighth grader). Joel is the Pastor of Biblical Counseling at Bethany Baptist Church and Ginny is a homemaker. In his spare time, Joel likes to read, work on home projects, and when the weather is nice, play golf or tennis. Ginny enjoys reading and playing the piano.

Joel and Ginny both have fond memories of their vacations together and with their families. Joel’s favorite was the family trip to Florida while Ginny’s favorite was their 25th anniversary trip to Wisconsin.

If you have a dilemma or just need to talk, Joel and Ginny are both great listeners. In fact, Joel is a trained professional.

Peter & LaNae Huang – The Newlyweds
Peter and LaNae have been married a year and a half and are loving life together. Peter is 32 years old and works as a Mechanical Engineer for Caterpillar. LaNae is 30 years old and works as a physical therapist for Professional Therapy Services. Both Peter and LaNae enjoy spending time with each other and outdoors.

Peter also enjoys playing tennis and working out. If he is hungry, Peter reaches for Gardetto’s snack mix and any Asian rice cracker mix. LaNae enjoys reading, working out, playing softball, and listening to music. When she is hungry, she goes for cheese and crackers or Sun Chips.

Peter and LaNae happen to share their favorite memory – their wedding day. Peter remembers seeing his wife in her wedding dress for the first time. And although it rained that day, he remembers it stopping just in time for pictures. LaNae remembers the day as being exciting and working out perfectly. She “praises God for making our wedding day so special.”

If you are feeling antsy and need to get some energy out, look for Peter or LaNae. Both are very athletic and enjoy physical activity – especially outdoors!

Teresa Forsberg – The Game Player
Teresa is three years past her 25th birthday and is the ultimate game player – it’s part of her job! Teresa is a counselor who works for the Children’s Home and often does play therapy with her clients. Teresa has mastered the game of Uno and actually owns 5 different Uno games. In her free time, she loves to read, hang out with friends, and (of course) play games. If Teresa is looking for a snack, she heads towards Reese’s Pieces, hot chocolate, taffy, or chips and salsa.

One of Teresa’s most memorable events was when she made the decision of what graduate school to attend. Her decision resulted in her moving to Texas – 4 states and 14 hours away from all of her family and friends. However, it was a time of growth both spiritually and as a young adult. Teresa said, “God taught me much through that time.”

If you are a bit bored and looking for something to do, find Teresa. Chances are good that she will be up for a game of Uno, Skip-bo, Settlers, Carcasonne, or you name it! She is also a great listener and is often up for just sitting and chatting.

Storm Huse – The Army Guy
Storm is 29 and 17 months old and works as an Operations Supervisor for Caterpillar, Inc. Before working at Caterpillar, Storm served in the Army from 2000 – 2006. Storm is engaged to be married in April and enjoys spending the majority of his free time with his fiancée Katie. With the free time he has left, Storm enjoys running and restoring his old jeep wrangler. If Storm is looking for snack food, he heads for chips and salsa or jalapeno chips. However, if he is at work, Storm is all about the twizzlers.

One of Storm’s favorite moments was when he first joined the Army and was learning to jump out of planes. He says it’s hard to explain the combination of excitement and nervousness he felt the first time the door opened up and the instructor told his group to go, but he knew God was with him every step (or jump) of the way. Storm said, “God really blessed me by putting a fellow Christian next to me in my group. Scott and I would pray together before each jump and God kept us safe and injury free every time. And those were some fun times!”

If you are looking for someone to throw a football or Frisbee around with, or even just hang out and play a favorite board game, go find Storm. He’s always up for anything!

Only Three Weeks!?!

Yep – only three weeks and everything will come rushing together. Our team will be on a plane relaxing as we fly half way around the world. All of the details will be in place, everything will be perfectly planned, all of our flights will be on time, and each visit with customs will go smoothly. Yeah sure….

Then we will wake up from the nap we happened to slip in while we wait for our first flight to board and realize that yes, we were dreaming and nope – the details aren’t all set and our flights won’t all be on time; we will be tired and slightly cranky as we spend over a day traveling; we will remember things that didn’t get packed and make a list of the details we need to work out on our first day in Chiang Mai (after a fairly sleepless night). Then, we will realize that we aren’t alone on this adventure; the One who holds the world in His hand is guiding us (and has been guiding us) as we prepare and travel and prepare some more. We’ll begin our first day in Chiang Mai (yep – the one that starts at 12:35 am when we arrive) by bowing in prayer to the One who knows exactly how our week will go. After our reminder that this is not our week, but His, we will begin our final preparations, knowing that He is ultimately in control.

Back to where we started… only three weeks left?!? But there’s still so much to do!

For those who are just meeting our team for the first time, don’t worry – we are all mature and responsible adults – very capable of working with 28 young people for four days. (okay, so at first glance those might not be the characteristics that first spring to mind; strange, crazy, odd – those might be better… but we promise we are full of energy and ready to serve!) We are very EXCITED to meet the youth we will be working with and can’t wait to spend the week together. We’ve got some great things planned and we looking forward to a great week as we embark on a couple adventures and dive into the Word.

Nope, the details aren’t all in place yet but they are coming together! We have a fantastic team who are all ready to work with the youth and help out at the conference however we are able.

We would love to begin meeting some of you who we will get to hang out with at the conference. Please post and say hi or shoot us an email!

Less than three weeks to go… then let the games begin!