Fire works and elephant skits

Happy 2014 from Thailand! We lit giant paper lanterns and set off loads of fireworks with the girls. We also had a talent show where a few friends and I did an elephant skit (video to come soon). We had a dance party, ate snacks and just had the best day ever. 2014 is looking pretty great so far!

2014 Here we comeeee

Today during English Class we went over future tense and "New Years Resolutions". We talked about good/bad habits and setting goals. I go by "Mali" here becuase it's easier to say than "Moriah". It means "flower" in Thai. 

Tomorrow (New Years Eve here) we have a field day planned and a talent show. (a friend and I have an epic skit planned--video to come soon) Then at midnight we will set off lanterns to bring in the new year. 

Click to watch our 12 Days of Christmas Skit

Our New Years resolutions! 

Bangkok and Elephant rides

Here are some photos I have taken while being here. My students have the next two days off from school because of New Years but we will still have English class and bible studies. They are progressing well and becoming more confident in their conversational skills. So far we have worked on: parts of speech, conditional and conversational Enlgish. They are quick to laugh and a lot of fun to teach.

Pictures taken while on our prayer walk in Bangkok

At the Elephant camp: An elephant painting an elephant!

Elephants can do anything 

Adventures on our day off

Today my team and I enjoyed some free time and had the opportunity to go ride elephants! There was also oxen riding, an elephant show and yummy food. Afterwards we went to the mega mall and looked around (and ate more yummy food). Tomorrow we lead the Sunday service and hang out with the kids. There is no school/bible studies Monday through Wednesday so we will be doing a lot of fun activities with the kids.

Merry Christmas from Thailand!

Today half of our group went to a prison in Chaing Mai to preach the Gospel. I presented a message with a translator to about 200 inmates. I spoke about the personal relationship God wants to have with us and our original design. On Christmas we went talapia fishing in the pond with the kids and ate what we caught. Later we had a Christmas program filled with skits the kids created. Our group sang a song and preformed a funny interpretation of the 12 days of christmas. It's been a crazy first week here in Thailand and I can't wait to see what God has planned for us next week. We have already built strong relationships with the kids and I love teaching them English. They have already shown a lot of progress in their conversation skills and vocabulary. Hopefully I can add a video of our preformence.

Pictures from the top: 1. christmas breakfast 2. building the grills for our bbq. 3. fishing with bamboo poles. 4. a drawing made by some of the children. its a unicorn-elephant-fish 5. my nails painted by a girl named 
Nay. She wrote in thai 
"you are pretty". 

Abba House

My team and I made it safely to Chaing Mai! We started working at Abba House on Monday (I'm one day ahead now). We teach bible studies, lead sermons, do prison ministry and teach English. I teach a group of 14-16 year old girls, they are really eager to learn and great students. We have been emersed in Thai culture and we are loving it. Our amazing translator has been teaching us how to cook Thai food; which is my new favorite. We lesson plan, pray and worship as a team in the morning then teach and deciple in the afternoon/evening. Tomorrow for Christmas we will go fishing with the kids and eat what we catch. We also bought them little toys for a gift exchange. More updates to come soon as I have more adventures. Merry Christmas Eve from Thailand. <3

Made it alive!

Good morning from YWAM Bangkok! We arrived very early this morning with ALL of our bags (It was a Christmas miricle). Today I have cultural orientation and I can't wait to learn more about the beautiful culture here. I'm in love with the food and I can eat all of it because hey rarely use wheat (!). More updates soon!

On my way!

The day has come! We will have two layovers in Honolulu and Seoul, South Korea then finally off to Bangkok. We will spend three days at the YWAM base in Bangkok for cultural orientation then take a bus up to Chaing Mai. We will be working there for 3 1/2 weeks at Abba house; a rehabilitation center for trafficking victims. Then we fly to Cambodia for mor missions work (tbd exact details) love you all and keep us in your prayers!

Saying Good Bye: Love Feast

It's been a crazy three months in Kona, Hawaii at the University of the Nations. As a way of saying good bye we had a fancy dinner and danced a lot. I am going to miss all the friends I have made here and I can't wait to hear the amazing stories from India/Nepal/Uganda/South Africa. It's been a journey getting to this point with visa's being denied, last minute team members, vaccination papers misplaced and all of our funds coming in. But we made it. I could not ask for a better team and I know God will do great things through us.

My roomies at Love Feast. 

It is safe to say that I'm not the person I was when I first came to YWAM. Each week we reflect on what we have learned from the week. In our journals we write one thing we learned about God that week, here they are:
1): He values the individual.
2) He is Compassionate
3) God is the creator of all things good: He wants us to be joyful and have fun (He is also hilarious)
4) He is relatable: Jesus went through every trial and temptation that we have to face. He is also infinite: my problems are easy for Him to take care of
5) God shapes my destiny and gives me the desires of my heart
6) He cares about the little things (like laundry money and what color to dye my hair)
7) My Gog is soft and slow to anger.
8) God is Love: selfless radical passionate love. He has been pursuing my heart from the time I was born. He wants us to love others in this way as well :)
9) God likes to show us how cool he is: through big or small wonders
10) His love can transform lives
11) God can make anything bad situation work for His glory.
Those are just a few things I have learned about God in my time here. I have learned about spiritual discipline, relationships, worship, the nature and character of God, His heart for us, love and evangelism. I have cried, laughed, hugged, danced and ate salad every. single. day (twice a day). I know that I will continually look back on this experience and see how much it has shaped the rest of my life.

This will be my last blog post from Hawaii--Next stop Bangkok! Please pray for save travels and for the people I will be working with.

2 more days!!

Only two more days until I leave for Thailand and Cambodia! This is an illustration done by my teammate Hannah S. It represents my team as 13 lights going to these nations to spread the good news! I have had such an amazing experience here at YWAM Kona and I'm sad to leave my new home. Many of my friends have already left and will be leaving today for their outreaches around the world. So excited to see what God has in store for my team!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Hawaii

Monday morning worship

Christafari came to Kona to jam with us :D they are a Christian reggae group that tours around the world spreading the gospel.

Gospel Marathon

Over the weekend a group of us read through all 4 gospels and discussed them. It took a total of 12 hours and 4 cups of coffee. All and all an amazing experience :) 

Update: Teaching ESL

Our first two weeks in Thailand will be spent in Chaing Rai working with a human trafficking rehabilitation center. While there we will lead devotionals and teach English. My team and I will be working with a non-profit called "Abba House" ("Father House"). I'm so excited to plan lessons again and put together three separate English as a Second Language classes. Because of my previous experience teaching in South Africa I'm able to teach my team how to teach English effectively. I learned so much during my time in the Kalahari and I'm excited to see how this experience will be different. We will have three English level groups including small children to young adults. This is not only a great ministry opportunity but also a skill many need/want to continue their education. We are still working out the plan for the rest of our time there and where we will be staying but the doors are opening. (Praise the Lord)  

Teaching in the Kalahari, 2012

V4V Thailand/Cambodia: MEET THE TEAM

THAIPANTS

Please support my mission trip to Cambodia/Thailand by buying a pair of these awesome pants! Email me with size, color and your mailing address (moribakker@gmail.com). They are only 25$ (Shipping inluded) Help me fight human trafficking in these nations! HIT THE PAYPAL BUTTON UP TOP :)

YOU COULD BE THIS FABULOUS

Evangelism and spiritual discipline

This week we had author Danny Lehman talk to us about evangleism in different cultures and spiritual disciplines. It was amazing to hear his stories and learn how we can be better disciples.

Team Thailand/Cambodia! 

SEND ME TO THAI-BODIA

This month we are reminded to give thanks for all that we have. I am so thankful to be here in Kona; learning about God and training for my trip to Thailand/Cambodia. I am also thankful for all that I have learned and the wonderful people I have met. Next Thursday the remaining outreach fees for my mission trip are due. I still need to raise $1,500 to help fight human trafficking and other injustices in these nations. 

I have already seen God provide in amazing ways and I know that the money will come in. I would really appreciate your help in anyway; weather that is through prayer, words of encouragement or financial support. Not everyone can go out to the nations to be a missionary but anyone can help support missions. 

Thanks in advance and God Bless

Fill out an online UofN Payment: https://apply.uofn.edu/OnlineAppDocs/OnlinePayment.cfm 

(Moriah Bakker Voice for the Voiceless DTS)

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Send Cash/Checks to: 

Moriah Bakker 

11416 21st PL

Lake Stevens WA

98298 

  

Email me: moribakker@gmail.com with any questions 

Thailand and Cambodia Outreach

Here are some more details about my mission trip to Thailand and Cambodia! 

I will leave Kona on the 18th of December and arrive in Bangkok, THAILAND the next day. Most of our work is centered on Chaing Rai, which is in the North; once there we will connect with the local nonprofits. My team and I will spend a month in Chaing Rai working with AIDS Orphans (Through "Home of the Open Heart) and untouched people groups (The Shan Project). Afterwards we will travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia where we will spend two months working with at risk women and children of Sex Trafficking. 

I have a team of 13 amazing photographers, videographers, journalists and artists. I’m so excited to travel, minister, create and have adventures with these people and see what God will do in these beautiful nations. 

I have been able to raise about half of the funds needed for my mission trip but I still need the other half. E-mail me for any details about how you can donate moribakker@gmail.com. Donate through The University of the Nations Kona, write a check to UofN or press the PayPal button! Thank-you so much for your support, letters, prayer and love :)