What's Next

Hello! Well I have not done very well at keeping this blog updated but that is about to change! So keep your eye on this for updates! 

Some of you may be asking.....What's next for me? Here is a brief update of what I am doing now and what I will be pursuing next:

Right now I am a ministry intern at the College I just graduated from. My official title is the Global Internship Assistant. Now for those of you who may now just began following me here is a description of what Global Internship is:

The purpose of Global Internship is for students to become truly intercultural (defined as being able to comfortably move between two or more cultures). The goal is accomplished by providing a holistic experience encompassing formal and experiential learning, research, reflection, interaction with other students and practical ministry application for maximized learning. 

The ministry emphasis of Global Internship, primarily focused on church-planting, provides opportunities for students to gain experiences in leading Bible Studies, preaching, teaching, discipleship, friendship evangelism, child and youth ministry, TESOL, relief and development, meeting physical and social needs, and more. 

Through Global Internship students observe and engage in missionary life firsthand, applying knowledge gained in the classroom to life experience, and bringing life experience back into the classroom. Global Interns develop skills for working collaboratively in the context of ministry teams. They grow deeper in trust and reliance on God. They explore God's leading for future direction as they discover and develop the gifts He has given them.

As the Global Internship Assistant I help on the logistical side of things as well as staying in touch with the interns on the field. Making myself available if they ever need to talk or have questions that I can help them with. Something that I loved when I was the intern! 

Now on top of being the Global Internship Assistant I am also starting the process of becoming a full-time missionary with Bethany International Ministries. 

"Bethany International Ministries is called to send servant leaders into the world. We are burdened for the least reached and desire to see a reproducing church planted in these areas. We recognize the need to mobilize the church around the world to join in this task."
I am hoping to return to Thailand in the next year or so! Exactly what I will be doing I am still praying about, but I trust the Lord to reveal that in time! 

In this season though I do need finances to continue to do what the Lord is asking me to do in this season. If you will feel the Lord leading you to give here is my contact information:

Andria Jasper

6820 Auto Club Rd, Suite A

Bloomington, MN 55438

Thank you all for your prayers and support! 

Full of Thoughts

Time is flying and so many emotions are coming with that.....7 weeks left in this country I have come to call home. This brings sadness and honestly a bit of anxiety along with it! This means I am having to leave behind so many people I have developed friendships with, praying that the Lord brings someone else into their lives to show His love to them. Knowing at the same time that I have done what the Lord has asked me to do this past year, but still finding a small portion of me thinking did I do everything He asked me to do? Could I have listened better, done things differently? I think the answer to this is yes, there is always something that could have been done more and could have been done differently, but this does not mean I need to dwell on it. This does not mean I am a failure, it means that I did what I did, I loved the people the Lord called me to love. Again I find myself thinking about the 3 boys I devoted so much time to....wondering will they be ok? Are they ok now? I have not been allowed to see them since they have gone into the orphanages but I am told I can before I leave Thailand. I miss them more than I could have ever expected, I miss them as if they were my own children. I want them to be raised up as men of God not men lost in the things of this world! Will you join with me in prayer for these boys? Just whenever you happen to think about them, pray for them, pray for there lives ahead and now! Thank you! 

On another note I am sure I will have a lot of these feelings after I leave Thailand again for all of the girls I have built relationships with. Wondering what is next for them, praying with everything in me that a life in the bars is not all that is in their future. That they will see the light over the darkness. The Lord tells me time and time again that light is stronger than darkness and it has taken me a long time to believe this in my personal walk at times, but now more than anything I long to believe this for these women as well! All of the women I have met are amazing talented women that can go on to do so many amazing things, but because they made that one decision to work at the bars that one time they are stuck in a spiral. The love of money is so strong in the Thai people's lives, and I hate that it continues to have a strong hold on them! We have seen several girls leave the bars and start on a journey with the Lord in last year. Which is amazing and so crazy to have seen it happen! But the reality sets in sometimes, there are hundred more girls still working on the red-light and they need to see the love of Christ. This is where I fall to my knees and pray because I know I can not go out and talk to everyone of them, I have to lay them all before the Lord trusting He is pursuing them! 

Oy I am sorry for my long list of rambling above! So many thoughts are entering my mind as the end draws near. Ultimately I want to spend these next 7 weeks doing as the Lord wants me to do, not as my flesh or satan may want me to do. I want to be led by the Spirit, walking out in the way He calls me to! I have seen the Lord move in mighty ways so far and I have no doubt I will see more before I set foot on that plane to go back to America (a country that seems so foreign to me now). 

The Lord can and does amazing things, laying all of our worries at His feet is always the best option, now if only it was as easy as it sounds! 7 weeks left and so much room for the Lord to move in my life and in those around me! Pray with me for this! Pray that we will all finish well. I know my heart longs to come back, but I want to have clarity that it is the Lords heart as well for me! One step at a time, also if you would not mind praying for my financial situation! I need just over $3,000 for my senior term tuition and right now I have no clue where it will come from, but God knows! 

*Just a few pictures below*

                                                                                         

Heartbreak

Sometimes things just do not make any sense....this has been one of those weeks filled with many things that just do not make sense. I find myself wondering time and time again why did this all turn out as it did? Why do I have to see 3 boys that I have come to love so deeply go off to an orphanage? Why are others seemingly walking away from the Lords plan when they seemed to be genuinely seeking him? But it all ends in this question alone....why is satan winning?

My heart breaks for these boys in a way that I did not think was possible. As I was teaching english to them for potentially the last time the other night, I just stared at them with tears in my eyes wondering what their lives would look like. Would they be raised up as godly men? Or would they end up in another horrible situation? Would they be taken care of properly? Will they know that even though we are having to give them away that we will always love them? Would they know that as much as we can we will still be there for them? I hate what satan has done in these boys lives, so much I can't even put words to it! I want nothing more than for these boys to grow up to be godly men showing the world that no matter how crappy their childhood was, they are still amazing men following the Lord. They will remain in my heart for the rest of my life, I am sure 10 years down the road I will still be thinking of them. Praying for them and wondering if they are ok....My heart is broken, I can not help them as I so badly want to! If I was not a student and I spoke Thai fluently I can tell you I would not hesitate to take these boys in, but the sad reality is I can't...

Then on top of that I am seeing others we have devoted so much time into stray from the Lord.....what is going on?! Why is satan gaining all this ground? Did we do something wrong? Or have we simply done all we could have in this season of their lives?

I am filled with questions...that I can not answer myself. But I know that deep down the Lord knows and and He is comforting me. The best thing I can do is release the boys into His hands knowing full well that He will protect them. He can do so much better than I can. And that if when I leave Thailand in a few months and I never see these boys again....He still has them wrapped in His arms protected forever. He is protecting all of the girls I have devoted time to, but my heart will always be with them. The Lord knew all of this would happen...

I am left in the spot where all I can do is pray. Pray for the protection of the boys and that they would end up in godly families raised up to be the Godly men I know they can be. Praying for them to never feel unwanted or rejected again. 

Praying for all the girls I spent time with, praying that the Lord would give them a deep revelation of His love. That they will understand they do not need to find love in others but in God alone. 

The verdict of this all being....God is in control, He will protect everyone of them! His love for them is so much greater than mine. They are safe in His hands! 

And yet, though I know this.....my heart still remains broken......but for this season I am ok with that. I will do the only thing I know I can do......Pray for them!  

Back Off Fear!

Today was the first time I ever experiences a fear of leaving the house.....I stood at my door staring outside ready to leave to go teach. But I could not by any means force myself to go out the door, I stood there for a moment wondering what in the world is going on? I have set foot outside these doors time and time again for the last 9 months, but now everything about the outside world made me very nervous. I was fearing what was out in the world, I was feeling completely uncappable of facing it all and feeling like a failure. I then asked myself is this me hitting culture shock? I stood there for another half a second (all these thought processes are going very fast in my head) Then asked myself or is this Satan trying to stop me from the Lord has in store for me today? That struck something inside me and it made me mad......so I prayed and told Satan to back off and fear could not grip me. I was then able to go with a little less fear, there was still something gripping me and maybe it is a bit of culture shock but satan for sure had his hand in it. But it is a good thing with the Lord on my side I am stronger than the fear this world may try to enstill in me.......When things get hard look to the Lord! His strength oh so much better than our own! 

One Half Done.....One Half To Go

We have come to the half way point and are quickly passing it....so crazy to think! Only about 7 months left in this country I have begun to call home, kinda sad. But I am very excited for all the Lord has in store for me in this next season here in Thailand! Life is busy but I am loving every minute of it 8)

We just got back from a week retreat down south in Hua Hin with our leaders, for a bit of processing the first half and gearing up for the second half. Here are a few pictures to check out. 

View from our resort

 Boat ride to Monkey Island

 Scary but cute monkeys

 Kayla, Chelsey, Jenny, Myself, & Julie chillin on a rock on monkey island

Out to lunch, hanging out with the Indonesia Team

Exploring Bangkok, ChinaTown

Now life goes back to normal, no more big breaks in our future, just living life here in Chiang Mai. Excited to get back to some normalcy with the boys I am helping with, with my students, and with our friends in the bars. Thank you all for your prayers and support! 

God's Love....Amazing

I have now been working with these 3 boys for 2 weeks, and man am I ever learning a lot!

There are days where I think I can't do this......then I go and spend time with them and see how happy they are. And then I know they are seeing a love they have never experienced before, they are being allowed to be kids again. My heart then breaks and I keep pushing forward doing the best I can to care for them and love them! 

I have also been spending a lot of time hanging out with our friends that we have developed on the red light district. Man the Lord continues to give me a heart for them in a way I never expected! He is longing to bring freedom to each and every one of these girls hearts, He is fighting of them! But sadly so is the enemy and man is it hard to see some days, but I trust Him and know He is going to do what He needs to do. I just pray for light to come to the darkest places on that street, that the enemy would not have a place there anymore! 

I love what I do even if it brings oh so many challenges every day and the lies that I hear that I am not equipped to do this. I am trusting the Lord knowing He gives me all I need every day, as long as I keep leaning on Him! His will is going to be done here and light will shatter the darkness! 

Just my random ramblings of the day....enjoy 8)

Half Way Through...Can It Be?!

Well it is true I have come to the half way point, I have been in Thailand for a little over 8 months now! This still feels very unreal to me, this life I am now leading is normal. So many things that are now normal to me, were never something that was normal while I was living in America. I love that my main mode of transportation is a motorbike, I love that I can almost speak another language (and that I revert to it more often as my first response), I am aware of everything that goes on around me in an effort to respect the people I am around, I spend a lot of my time in the red light district showing love to the broken. This is normal.....this is life!

But man do I feel oh so un-equipped to be doing what I am doing! I can't believe the Lord has entrusted all this to me, but this must mean I am equipped? Crazy to think! 8) I have just began working with 3 boys, who's mom was my student at one point. These boy's mom decided she does not want them, so the natural response of my ministry leaders was to start a boys home. So these 3 boys (4, 8, & 12 years old) are now under our care. They speak very little english, so each day I am challenged to communicate with these boys in their language and to show them a love they have never experienced before. During the rest of my time I am teaching english to the girls on the red light and going to hang out with them at night, again showing them a love they have never experienced before. A love that I have been shown time and time again!

But man these days I feel so unworthy to be able to do this, but then the Lord reminds me He has called me to this! So who am I to not walk out every day loving as He has loved me! This plays out not only in my ministry but amongst my team as well, I love them as the Lord loves me! 

My life in Thailand is now normal, change is becoming normal to me, I have now officially fallen in love with my life and would not change it for a minute. Half way and a half more to go, I can do this! But of course only by the strength of the Lord. He has so much more to teach me and so many more ways to use me in these next 7 months! The journey ahead may not be easy but it is a journey I will keep walking! 

The boys I am helping out with! My heart grows for them more and more everyday! 

Excitement is building up in me!

Excitement is the one word I can think to describe how I feel right now! The anticipation of what is to come is making me so excited! I can not wait to get to Thailand and to begin that season there, although I am still excited to see what the Lord has in store for me these last 3 weeks here America!

My plane ticket has been purchased and I will be flying out September 10th at 7:20am for Thailand! My funds right now are at 65%, it still blows me away with how far I have come and how little I have left to raise! Only $500 in monthly supporters and $1,000 of my set-up, I am oh so close to calling Thailand my home!

The process of fundraising thus far has been a journey I will never forget, I have learned to trust the Lord in a way that I never have before. I daily had to wake up and say ok I trust you Lord to provide for me because I have nothing. To see the Lord continually provide for me throughout this journey has been a huge blessing. I admit it has been a struggle, a struggle I never expected. But man I would not change a minute of it, to be in a position to not be able to do anything but trust the Lord! To see the funds come in has proven to me time and time again that I am in the will of the Lord, He has called me to Thailand and I will go! 

I still have about 3 weeks left of this fundraising process and I am excited to see the Lord bring in the funds! Please continue to join with me in prayer! That those the Lord are calling to give would do so! Here is the link once again Donate Now. 

Please share my story with others and share with them my desire to go to Thailand! And feel free to give them my email andria.jasper@bcom.org if they have any questions!

Thank you all so much! 

One Step at a Time

Well August has begun, meaning in a very short time I should be on a plane heading to Thailand! Now I am going to admit I know the Lord has called me to Thailand and I know He is going to provide, but I have those moments every day where I look at my finances and wonder where in the world it is all going to come from! But then I hear Jesus say "Its ok just trust me." If nothing else that is the biggest lesson I have learned this summer, to trust Jesus in a way I have never trusted Him before. Oh how I have always hated not seeing the big picture not seeing the outcome, I always want to figure it all out step for step. But following Jesus does not guarantee we will be able to see the big picture, He sees the big picture and is guiding me! All I need to see is that next step that He asking me to take and to step out in faith. 

That step is to go to Thailand.........and I have no clue what He is going to do in that season of my life. He has done so much in this season I have had here at Grandview, that I am excited for what He will do in me in Thailand! 

Will you help me get there?! I need at least 6 people to be willing to support me monthly at $100 so that I can purchase a plane ticket! And I need to do that next week, crazy I know but the Lord will provide! Will you be the one who helps? Donate Now

Thank you all for prayers and support thus far! I am excited to continue this blog while in Thailand and keep you all updated! 

Seasons come and go.....

This season is quickly coming to an end and it feels as though it has just started, although this has been right up there with one of the most challenging seasons. I have been stretched in ways I never imagined as I lived and worked at Grandview. I have had to learn how to love in situations when all I want to do is get angry and yell, and through it all I have learned on a whole new level the love the Lord has for me and others! Man I love how the Lord works! 

It seems as though I am just settling in to this season, learning how to rely on the Lord in an environment where I do not have much community. I have never been this confident in who I am, and able to step out in faith every day as I can now! This time of being cut off in a sense is exactly what I have needed, although it has been so hard I would not change it for anything! 

And now as I begin to process the fact that I will soon be living in Thailand, a new and exciting season that will bring many challenges of its own of course. But man I am so excited to be able to live there for 16 months and learn how to live cross culturally! To bring light into the darkness, to set the captives free! I still need a bit of help though to get to Thailand, if you would like to help me get there follow this link...secure.bethanyinternational.or​g....

I am getting closer every day I jumped 12% in less than a week! So it is very possible to reach 100% very soon! Looking for a few more supporters to join me monthly at $100 as well as needing around $9,000 for my set up so that I can purchase my plane ticket! If you would like more information send me an email at andria.jasper@bcom.org! Thank you all for prayerfully considering supporting me in this journey to bring light to Thailand! 

The Lord's Faithfulness!

These last few months have been what seems like a whirlwind! And now I am facing the reality that in less than 2 months I will be calling Thailand my home!

The Lord has been bringing people along side me to support me in this Journey! To have my full monthly support I only need 12 more people to join with me in this journey! As well as $9,000ish for my set-up fund! Getting there! If you would like to help me or know someone who would please let me know! Thank you so much for prayerfully considering! 

2 People - $100 a month 

5 People – $75 a month 

4 People - $50 a month 

1 Person - $25 a month

Thank you for prayerfully considering supporting me in this journey! If you would like more information  shoot me an email at andria.jasper@bcom.org!

This past weekend Abbie and I took a trip to South Dakota to go to our friends wedding. Man was it a journey! We met up with some of our friends from school and just got to hang out and have a blast. We explored a cave, went tubing down a river, climbed a cliff to watch the sunset, and saw Mount Rushmore! It was a weekend filled so many things and just getting to spend time with friends encouraging each other! We then headed home but the drive took us much longer than expected. We got a flat tire in South Dakota, but praise the Lord we were right next to Wal-mart so we took it over there and had it taken care of. About 3 hours later we off again but found ourselves driving into a storm and we saw that it was getting pretty bad. So we asked the Lord what we should do and he made it very clear that we needed to stop for the night. But we knew stopping for the night meant we would be missing our ride from the cities home. Well long story short we made it to the BCOM in the afternoon and started to figure out how to get home. As it turned out one of the perspective students visiting BCOM that day was from Brainerd and was heading back that night, so they offered us a ride. Jesus came through on that one for sure! He never leaves us hanging! 

I love seeing the Lord's faithfulness time and time again! He always comes through even in the small things, and it is moments like this where all my doubts about money coming in for Thailand goes away. I know He has called me and I know He is going to provide! So excited to be able to use the story about how all my money comes in as a testimony about Jesus!

Check Out my Team Video and See A Bit of What We Will Be Doing!

The Last Month Or So

    Well it has been a crazy month settling in to life here in Nisswa! Working tends to make me extremely exhausted, but I am beginning to adjust to this life style as hard as it is. It has been cool seeing the Lord be faithful over and over again to me in this season! I am very much in a season where I feel as I though I am in a wilderness. Having left behind the BCOM community we have found it to be hard, but I am learning in a whole new way to rely on the Lord above all else and no one else. So it is going to be a hard season but so good in the end, a huge preparation for Thailand!
    I am getting more and more excited about going to Thailand! And I have been putting aside money to save for it but I would like to ask all of you to prayerfully consider supporting me whether that be financially or in prayer, or both!

Facts About Thailand

• Thailand, the “Land of Smiles” is located in Southeast Asia, bordering Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Malaysia.

• A country of 68 million people, where human trafficking is a 12 billion dollar industry.

• The average age of entering prostitution is 13.

• Roughly 3,630 suicides every year, 10 people a day, or 1 person every 2 and half- hours.

They need to be shown the love of Christ and I want to go and show them!

Prayer Requests For Internship

• Money T o Come in, when needed, to develop a support team.

• For God to begin to work on our heart to prepare us for Thailand.

• For the Lord to prepare the hearts of those we will come into contact with there.

• Patience and perseverance in this season as we prepare to go!

Below is all I would need of supporters to be fully supported to go to Thailand!

3 People - $100 a month 

5 People – $75 a month 

5 Peopl Lord brings in all the money need and to see how he brings it in for my teammates! Below is a picture of my wonderful Teammates! (Front Row) Chelsey, Matt, Myself, Kayla. (Back Row) Katlin, Julie, Fernando, Jenny. 

Thank you all for your prayers and if you have any questions feel free to email me at andria.jasper@bcom.org!

~Andria

What the Summer Holds........

Please bear with me as I am in the process of getting this blog up and going!
Here is a little update on what I will be doing this summer as I prepare to go to Thailand in September! I will be working at Grandview Lodge Resort on the grounds department. Almost all of the money I make this summer I will be putting towards Thailand. Here is a picture of the house I will be living in with 2 other girls, Abbie and Erica. We are excited to have the opportunity to run a house for the summer!

As of right now I am at 10.63% of my funds raised for Thailand, my 50% deadline is May 10th so it is coming up quick! I am excited to see how the Lord brings in the money! You can go to this link Donate, if you would like to give towards my finds for Thailand!
The number of monthly supports I am in need of to be fully supported is:
3 People - $100 a month
5 People – $75 a month
5 People - $50 a month
1 Person - $25 a month
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at andria.jasper@bcom.org I will do my best to keep you updated through this blog!