Rock Your Socks

When I first came to Thailand in July of 2024, I had only planned to come for 1 year as an intern through New International. At the end of the 2024-25 school year, I felt the Lord telling me that my time in Thailand was not yet up, and committed to serve another year as an intern (this 2025-26 school year). As I have prayed throughout this school year, God has continued to provide for me here in Chiang Mai in so many ways. Not only has he provided, but the Lord has also grown my heart for the country of Thailand, and the families that I support through accessible education.

It brings me incredible joy to see unity in diversity every single day. It is my heart to encourage families and students impacted by disability or facing unique needs that they are essential and important members of the body of Christ, filled with purpose. Through my role, I love getting to provide support to families both at GIS and through other local organizations.

During the 3rd week of March, our school had an Inclusion & Awareness week, with the theme of “Unity in Diversity.” This week focused on recognizing that all students are different, but purposefully made and an important part of the school community. Students decorated puzzle pieces, read “God Made Me Unique” in several classrooms, mismatched sock colorings were displayed, middle school technology students designed bulletin boards, high school psychology students made posters about various diagnosis, and the school community “rocked their socks” to both celebrate World Down Syndrome Awareness Day, and as a visual reminder of our theme verse “just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12

One of my favorite moments from this year was getting to share in the elementary and middle school chapels. When I reached out to the elementary chapel leader, I realized I had gotten the dates mixed up, and would need to come in and share a week earlier than I had originally planned. This was no mix up for God though! The longer chapel message that had already been planned was to read “You are Special” by Max Lucado, all about the intentional crafting of the Wemmicks by the woodcrafter, Eli! How cool is that! :) Almost better than what I could’ve came up with on my own - imagine that. I pray that students and staff alike walked away from this week with a greater appreciation for those around them, and for the value they bring.