Three weeks to go!

I am really looking forward to my first short-term mission trip. With three weeks to go, I feel comfortable with where everything is at. The fundraising is going really well and I'm looking forward to Saturday's Swan Valley Wine Tour. It looks like I will have a full bus of 24 people, if not I'll have 23. It should be a fantastic day and hopefully the weather won't be as hot as this weekend.
I am currently waiting on an order for some custom made wrist bands. I have been assured these will be made and posted to me well before I depart for Thailand, so these should arrive this week. After chatting to a Christian friend, it occurred to me how important it is that the gifts I have for kids in the village need to have a message. So rather than hand out caps, or t-shirts, or toys, I opted for the wristbands. I have ordered 11 medium size bands, all royal blue with red writing which resemble the colours of the Thai flag. On one side of each wristband, are the words 'Jesus Loves You' and on the other side 'God Is Love'. I think this is a really important message and I am sure someone will translate the message to the Thai kids.
In the First Letter of John, there is a passage that reads: “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him”.
I'd  love to hear that one day, one (or preferably many) of these children will still have the wristband as a token and will come to know God, and to know the love Jesus has for his people.
Thailand is a beautiful place, although my experience of Thailand only reaches as far as Phuket. I still remember the Boxing Day Tsunami and how it triggered me to write a song about it. To then speak to people who had lost loved ones in that terrible event really touched me. To be able to come back to this wonderful country and to help people, not only by being involved in a building project, but to spread the word of God, is quite an honour indeed!
Below are the lyrics I wrote and had put into a song within weeks of the Boxing Day Tsunami. I hope you enjoy reading this:

 

HERO

1^st Verse

Victim of nature, symbol of hope

Childhood survivor, seven-years-old

For three weeks he fended, all on his own

Fate had left him with no home

Swept away in minutes

Thousands lost their lives

And still we pray that after this day

The world will be alright

Chorus

You’re a hero, inspired by fight you showed

A hero, the type that brings us hope

Many have been just like this child you’ll see

A hero, thankfully

2^nd Verse

Crying for help but no ones around

Wondering if he’d ever be found

Still they kept searching, never lost faith

So many heroes took their place

Out amongst the rubble

In a quest for life

And rescuers on a desperate search

Working day and night

Chorus

They are heroes, inspired by fight they showed

They are heroes, because of them we have hope

Many have been just like that child you’ll see

A hero, thankfully

Bridge

Minutes turn into hours and hours turn into days

And as the world watches over, feeling helpless

We give and we pray

Hope for a better day

Chorus

You’re a hero, inspired by fight you showed

A hero, the type that brings us hope

Many have been just like this child you’ll see

A hero, thankfully

Hero…just hold on yes, just hold on yes, hold on..

© 2005-2011 Dunstan / Dimitrijevic / Latukefu / Tippins

Vocal arrangement by Jonah Latukefu