2015 Reflections of Gratitude
“From His fullness we all have received Grace Upon Grace” John 1:16 As I reflected on this past year, I was reminded of God’s goodness to us in so many ways. My dear friend, Cindy, shared the above verse and it mirrored our sentiments exactly. Much of His goodness has come in the shape and form of people! God has surrounded us with so many warm, loving, kind-hearted generous souls who have opened their homes and hearts to us throughout our year on the road. While I would love to list each and every one… Read More
Kathryn’s Experience with the Elephants
Elephants are amazing. They are beautiful creatures. Intimidating, yes, but beautiful all the same. And when you get to ride them…well, I’ll get to that later. The first elephant park we visited was called Elephant Nature Park. Of course. Here they brought the fortunate rescued elephants from their abusive Mahoot. (In Thai, Mahoot means the owner of an elephant.) Or they come if they have been injured while mining or in traps. Or if they have been rescued from one of the worst of the abusers. There is an awful way some… Read More
Day 290: House of Blessing and House of Love
The House of Love is a home for women and children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. This includes women who have been sold into prostitution, AIDS orphans, and children taken out of their homes because of abuse. Many of the residents at House of Love do not have Thai citizenship, which also means they have few rights in Thailand. House of Love began 16 years ago as a refuge to approximately one hundred displaced women and children, most of whom have been affected by HIV/AIDS, and many of whom had been… Read More
Day 288: Zoe and Sex Trafficking
This is my second post on victims of trafficking. By now you may have guessed that these men, women, and children have a special place in our hearts. The brutality they’ve had to endure, and the deep wounds their abuse has caused remains heavy on our hearts. Our journey to Thailand was much anticipated. Yes, there are gorgeous beaches, so beautiful that Leonardo Dicaprio starred in a movie set on one of them (The Beach). And the food is outstanding, with fragrant spices, savory meats, rich soups, and a variety of noodles to accompany them. But… Read More
Riding Elephants with Ryan
Riding, cleaning and feeding the elephants in Thailand was an experience I’ll never forget. We started by listening to one of the workers there give us a quick (10 minute) talk about safety, like not standing behind an elephant when it is unaware of your presence. We also talked about facts, and how the number of elephants in Thailand is skyrocketing (or should I say ground rocketing) downwards. There were over 100,000 elephants in Thailand a couple of years ago, but now there are only 3000 left! After the quick talk we had about the elephants,… Read More
Danny and Mecan
Patara is a nice place where the people give you lessons on how to treat, and take care, and ride elephants. For the day, you get your own personal elephant to bathe, ride, and feed. My elephant was called Mecan, and the way I remember Mecan, is the word mechanical. In the first 20 minutes, you feed your elephant bananas and sugar cane. When you wanted them to open their mouths, you would say: “Bone”. And if they obey, and eat what you give them, you say: “Dee dee”. Deedee means… Read More
Day 278: Elephant Nature Park
Our experience at Elephant Nature Park was also really nice, but a lot less hands on. Most of the elephants here have a history of abuse, exploitations, and neglect. It was sad to see the many injuries and even blindness caused by man, but it was also encouraging to know that there are people who care enough to help make it right. At Elephant Nature Park, you will not ride the elephants, but you will learn about them, feed them, and watch a video that teaches you about the abuse they experience… Read More
Socializing with Thai Elephants
In Chiang Mai, my family and I visited two elephant organizations. It was our first time actually getting to interact with elephants…and it was pretty amazing! The first place we went to was at Elephant Nature Park where they took care of abused elephants. Many people have abused their power over the animals and have taken it way too far, leaving the elephants wounded, severely scarred, and damaged for life. The owner of this organization is an incredibly sweet lady who has taken in these poor elephants and mended them with her… Read More
Day 275: Playing with Elephants – Patara
I never knew how much I would love elephants until Ryan and I went on safari in East Africa about two years ago. It was there that I discovered how special they were. They are powerful yet gentle, large, loving, and protective. Just watch them when they think their babies are being threatened and you’ll see what I mean! Babies: We met two newborns, just a few months old. The male was quite aggressive while the female was docile and sweet. It was amazing to see the difference in their personalities at… Read More
Day 241: Experiencing the Fish Spa!
We got to experience our first Fish Spa in Chiang Mai, Thailand yesterday. We stumbled upon it while exploring the Sunday Night Walking Market, where they close off the streets to traffic, and vendors and customers alike cram in together, searching for the perfect bargains. *Warning, the Sunday Walking Market is busy! It’s almost comical to see elderly local women actually being quite aggressive, pushing aside anyone in their way, even our tall teenage son, who towers over them. But to be fair, we find that to be the case anywhere and in… Read More
Danny
Deena Gainor
Kathryn
Ryan Gainor
Ryan Thomas
Mikayla
Six Hearts One Journey 
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