We’re just under a month away from the BIGGEST trip Bethany and I have taken since before we were connected with most of you. Let’s see what you remember about that…where did Bethany and I serve way back in 2006-2008?
Anyway, I’m going to use a stroke of dad-joke genius and lay out the timeline, or rather 😄 …the THAIMLINE… [insert groans from the crowd] for you.
While we’re going to lay out more about what we’re going to do and be a part of, soon, we wanted you to have an idea of the THAIMFRAME of our Thailand trip (I’m cracking myself up here 😂).
Today is October 14th, and less than a month from today, we’ll be boarding the first of three flights to take us to the other side of the world, eleven time zones and hours ahead of us. It’s going to be insane!
If you’re up to speed and don’t need more details, here are the critical ways to pray with us ahead of and during the trip. If you want to see the full timeline of the trip, click here or scroll below the photos.
1. We will still need to cover about $500 of our travel expenses for things like meals and incidentals during the flights, some of the evenings when we’re not with the bigger group, and some travel items to help us stay sane and well-rested. You may give to this if you’re led to here: Help with travel expenses
2. Literal “travel mercies”. It’s so many hours in the air and jetlag is no joke plus a busy pace the whole time we’re there. We need to be able to stay healthy, get sleep when we can, and arrive with our luggage (essential gear for the week!) intact.
3. The Hometeam! Life won’t slow down while we’re gone and Joel’s Dad, Joe, and Joel’s Aunt Diane who is also coming to help, will need physical stamina and patience. Plus our being gone will affect our kids. Please pray for the home team.
4. Favor for the production of the event. Joel’s tech team will coordinate many details for dozens of people speaking at this event and recording the whole event. They’re planning this event on the other side of the world from two different countries over the next few weeks.
The Full Thaimline
Monday, October 31 – Joel’s “Aunt” Diane will arrive from NC as a part of the “Home Team”
Tuesday, November 1 – We’ll give her a crash course on the daily routines and give the fam a chance to warm up to her. She’s AWESOME! Joel’s dad, Joe, will also arrive this day or the next, to complete the Home Team lineup.
Wednesday, Nov 2 – We’ll board our first few flights in Orlando and Detroit, and then on the longest of the three flights there, we’ll be in the air for 15 hours.
Thursday, Nov 3 – We’ll catch our final flight, a paltry 6 hours 😉 to Thailand and as it’ll be late night there, we’ll try to sleep. PRAY FOR SLEEP! It will be critical to us being able to do all we’re hoping to while we’re there.
Friday, Nov 4 – Sunday, 6 – We’ll be working hard these three days to set up the complicated network of cameras, projectors, video switches, and computers that will allow our tech team to record and capture the next week’s sessions for thousands of other missionaries to be able to access throughout the coming year. The three of us guys on the team are bringing various pieces of tech with us and would love your prayers for that gear to travel safely with us and not get lost in luggage transfers and connections. Bethany will be a valued part of our team as well, helping to assist each speaker as they prepare for their next session.
Monday through Friday, 7-11 – This is the week of the Global Forum. We’ll start our days at 6am and probably crawl into bed around 11 each night as we capture sessions, network, and connect with folks in our partner organizations who are interested in the kind of online training we’re helping to produce AND BONUS! We’re excited to connect and spend time with many of our friends serving around the world who we haven’t spent time with in many years. And we get to do so in an incredibly beautiful and culturally unique setting. We’re hoping to squeeze in some wandering around the old historic section of the city which is very close to the hotel where we’re staying and where the forum is being held.
Saturday, Nov 12 – We’re sitting in and attending (and maybe recording) a special day of meetings just focused on the equipping and training efforts being conducted by our partners. We may be presenting some on what we’re doing with our specific ministry, on this day.
Sunday, Nov 13 – This is a rest and get out and explore day!
Monday, Nov 14-15 – We’re back behind the cameras for another couple of days of meetings which need to be recorded and preserved. These days may be a little lighter and we’re hoping to get some more sightseeing time in.
Wednesday, Nov 16 – After almost a full day off, we’re boarding our first of three flights home this evening and will fly through the night.
Thursday, Nov 17 – All day flying seeing us hopefully arrive home to Florida by midday. Seems a little weird to us too, but that’s how timezones work.
Friday, Nov 18 – who knows when? – Recover from jetlag! We’ve always found that jetlag hits the hardest when you’re on your way back east, back home. There’s no adrenaline and excitement to fuel you past the fatigue.
There you have it, the THAIMLINE. As you can see, there is a lot that will be packed into these two weeks and there will be no shortage of need for you to pray for us, for our family, and for our co-workers who will be converging with us on the other side of the world for those two weeks. Some of them will have already been in a few days of meetings prior to our arrival and others, for several more days after we leave. Talk about a marathon! But it’s like that as this event, this convergence only takes place every five years. So, we count ourselves blessed to have been invited to attend and serve.