During the last half of March, a United Methodist mission team from Kansas consisting of 9 members with servant hearts, came to serve at Blessing Home and at the Growing Together Church in Sattahip. Eight of the nine team members were seasoned veterans who have served all over the world. The first two days, the Kansas mission team served at Blessing Home, first by helping to care for the children on the first day and on the second day they took the children to the zoo. It has been about 2 and a half years since the Blessing Home children have been taken on a field trip. This means that almost all of the 50 children who went to the zoo went away from Pattaya for the first time. The children of Blessing Home usually never venture farther than a half mile from their homes. The Kansas mission team were not shy at all with the kids, they just jumped in there and played with them and took great care of them. It brought great joy to the lives of these children to have this mission team serve them. After serving at Blessing Home for two days, the mission team went to do two construction projects at Growing Together Church in Sattahip. One project was to finish the block fence around the church. This was heavy concrete and block work. The second project was to paint and tile the outdoor kitchen at the church and build a series of sinks for washing dishes. When mission teams are hosted with us, we love to have Thai team members and American team members work side-by-side. By the end of the week, friendships are formed and it is these bonds that are most important. What a sweet fellowship that was shared! We hope that the Kansas mission team will come back again.  |
| The Kansas Mission Team takes a break on the final day. In the background is the outdoor kitchen that they helped to paint and lay floor tile. |
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| Three team members working hard to lay floor tile in the outdoor kitchen. In tropical climates, outdoor kitchens are a necessity, so you don't heat up the rest of the building. |
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| The Kansas Mission Team worked together with members of the Growing Together Church in Sattahip to build a block fence and complete the outdoor kitchen. The best part about mission trips are the relationships that are formed. |
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| The Kansas Mission Team gave Pastor Banya this beautiful Wheat Cross as a symbol of their state. |
