I'm off!!

After a wonderful, prayerful sendoff at church this morning, I'm about to hit the road. First stop, JFK Airport in New York City. Then, I'll take to the skies and head to Anchorage, Taiwan and finally Bangkok.

Well, until I'm in Thailand...take care and enjoy life's daily blessings! The Lord is faithful!

Packing = Chaos = My Least Favorite Part of Any Move

My visa has arrived!!! That's a major praise report, so thank you to all who prayed. With my visa in hand, I'm all set to go...well, after I pack up a year's-worth of clothes and personal items in two suitcases and a carry-on. Yipes! I better get busy!

19 Days

September has begun, so I guess a countdown to Thailand is fitting. Only 19 days until I board my flight to Thailand, although technically 21 days until I actually arrive.

After running all over Camp Hill and Harrisburg, I was able to get everything together and sent out for my Visa application this morning. (Thanks Mom for being a great chauffeur!) With that task completed, I definitely feel less anxious about the other details I have to attend to in the next few weeks.

Last night I was actually getting pretty anxious about everything that I need to do before leaving - visa, packing, buying some necessities, finish a big freelance assignment...I'm sure there are several other things I'm currently forgetting. As the worries began to eat at me, I realized it had been a few days since I'd really spent some good time in prayer and reading the Bible (shame on me, I know, but it's been a whirlwind of sorts since I arrived in PA). I really wanted to read some of the promises about Jesus in Isaiah, so I turned to that book of the Bible and just began to read. When I came to the following verses, I felt such comfort in the face of my seemingly endless pre-Thailand checklist.

Isaiah 40:27-31
27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Thank you God that you love me and give me strength when the tasks seem too cumbersome and the to-do list keeps growing. In some ways I feel like I should get these verses tattooed on my palms to always be reminded of the hope I have.

Ready for Takeoff

I just bought my plane ticket to Thailand.

I leave JFK Airport at 11:45 p.m. Sunday, September 20 and I arrive in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, September 22, at 11:20 a.m. I'm pretty sure I have an aisle seat, which is I wanted so I can stand up and walk around without crawling over a whole row of people.

Wow. I can't believe this is actually happening! God is so good!



If you could please pray for my visa, I would greatly appreciate it. The contact whom I'm supposed to work with is "away on holiday" right now, so it's put a slight delay in getting my paperwork sent out. However, I've been told that she can turn everything around very quickly once she does return. Pray for a speedy return! :)

Almost time to pack my bags

Well, I ordered a new set of luggage several days ago. In a few short weeks, these guys will accompany me on my journey to the other side of the world. How does one pack for a yearlong trip? No, seriously! I want to know the logistics of such things! When the time comes for me to begin filling those suitcases, I'm going to be a little overwhelmed. Thank goodness I'll be at home in PA, where my mom will lovingly roll my clothes into tight little bundles and provide a measure sanity as I will more than likely be running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Sounds a little crazy - but I can't wait! :)

Update Time
The following is an email I sent out this morning to those on my email update list. If you aren't a part of that list, but would like to be, please email me at karamchase@gmail.com or leave me a comment.


Good morning everyone!
I hope you are all doing well. Please know that today, you all are in my prayers as I thank God for the blessing you've each been in my life and ask that He will continue to move in mighty ways in your own lives.

I wanted to share a quick update on my Thailand status. I have officially begun the process of obtaining a visa and hope to have all of the necessary paperwork sent out in the next few days. From the impression I've received, obtaining a Thai visa isn't as difficult as in other countries, but I would still appreciate your prayers for a speedy turn around.

I am also awaiting final financial clearance from Assemblies of God World Missions so that I can go ahead and purchase my plane ticket to Thailand. I still need a few hundred dollars a month in monthly support, but with the help of one-time cash donations that I continue to receive, that number continues to decline. (Praise God!) I also have money of my own that I will be contributing to help reach my budget. I am amazed at how God has brought everything together and I am so incredibly grateful for all of you who have played a vital part in getting me to Thailand. Words really can't describe how thankful I am for the generosity of so many wonderful people who were moved to share God's love with women in Thailand.

Friday will be my last day of work in the Office of Public Relations here at AG Headquarters and the following Friday (August 28), I will move home to Pennsylvania until I leave for Thailand. The next few weeks will be some of the most bittersweet that I've yet experienced. I want to cry every time I think about leaving all of my wonderful friends here in Springfield, but I know this timing is right and I am SO ready to be in Thailand. I am also looking forward to spending lots of time with my amazing family in PA and reconnecting with people from Christian Life Assembly, my home church. My target departure date is Tuesday, September 22 - I've been eyeing a one-way ticket to Bangkok on Orbitz that is only $505!!! Please pray that everything will come together in time for me to purchase that ticket.

Again, thank you all so much for your financial and prayer support. This upcoming year would not be possible without the support of an incredible Christian community. On behalf of the women who will be impacted by my work, thank you for caring enough about their lives and their eternity to share your finances and your time in prayer.

I will be sure to send another update once my departure date has been confirmed.
Please let me know if there's any way I can be praying for you individually. I will have lots of time for prayer once I'm unemployed :) and I would love to uplift you, as you have uplifted me.

God bless!
Kara Chase
Missionary Associate to Thailand

Life has been very busy lately, with several freelance jobs and a little thing the Assemblies of God likes to call General Council in Orlando, Florida. Hopefully I'll have time to write a real update in the next few days, but in the meantime, I wanted to share a photo from one of the highlights of my General Council adventure.



I had the opportunity to interview Tony Dungy, former coach of the Indianapolis Colts, for The Council Today newspaper. He was such a gracious, humble and sincere Christian and it truly was an honor to meet him and hear his heart.

To read our conversation, go to the following link: http://ag.org/top/Events/General_Council_2009/News/20090806/20090806_06_DungyQA.cfm