As day four arrived I was preparing for my adventure to end, but little did I know the excitement was just beginning. I woke up with the intention to joining a group who were riding horse through different people groups of Thailand. When I arrived at the front desk to find out when we were leaving the owner told he they had already left. I was a little annoyed because I had told him the night before I wanted to go. Later I found out that my missing the trip was a good thing. As I packed up my gear and rode out of town I saw a few people leaving for the villages on what looked more like a small donkey. In my mind I imagined myself galloping through the countryside on a noble steed and not ?donkey? off of Shrek. As I rode I said a little prayer of thanks that I was spared from the ?donkey? ride.
With my bike cutting through the brisk morning air I saw one of the most beautiful displays of flowers I have ever seen. This garden was located on a hillside in Mae Salong at an elegant hotel.
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My goal this day was to ride from Mae Salong to Chaing Ri, turn in my bike, catch a bus for Chaing Mai, and find a guest house for the next two days. The trip to Chaing Ri was as beautiful as they come. Around 9:30am I stopped at a coffee shop over looking a small pond and spent some time with God. After riding another hour or so I came to a sign saying that the ?long-neck? people were on a road to the left. The Karen people were a large unreached people group in Burma that the second wife of Adonirm Judson spent her life reaching. Now there is a substantial number of Karen people living in Thailand. They are also known as ?long-neck people? for there elongated necks with rings around them.? God in His grace gave me a chance to visit several different people groups in this area and to deliver Bibles and gospel tracts to the Karen village.
P1000249P1000262After a wonderful pizza from the ?Pizza Company? and a nice 3 hour bus ride I arrived in the Chaing Mai and meet up with some people from my organization. My time in Thailand was amazing, but to my surprise there was still more to come.