The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives… (Isaiah 61:1).

Recently, I’ve spent some time thinking through this verse and asking God what He may have next for my future. As many of you know, I plan to graduate high school and complete my Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification in May. Last spring, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the impact of war and oppression when my mom and I went to a Palestinian Christian Peacemakers Conference in Bethlehem, West Bank. I saw with my own eyes the Separation Wall, refugees that kept keys to homes they were forced out of, and checkpoints where Palestinians were regularly harassed by soldiers who were my age just doing what they were told to do. It was an intense trip!

More and more it has become clear that I am wired and passionate about a career in saving lives as a First Responder. At this time in my life, I want to learn more about using skills as a First Responder to help the oppressed and vulnerable, both here and around the world. As my senior year comes to an end, I’m excited to explore multi-ethnic humanitarian services through the faith-based ministry of the Free Burma Rangers (FBR). FBR relief teams provide critical emergency medical care, shelter, food, & clothing in war zones such as Burma, Iraq, and Sudan. Maybe you’ve seen the Free Burma Rangers movie . I highly recommend it! Many of our Rohingya, Karen, & Karenni friends and their families in Greeley have fled Burma (a.k.a. Myanmar), often through refugee camps in Thailand. One of my closest friends grew up in a refugee camp in Thailand.

In March, FBR is holding their annual meetings around the Global Day of Prayer for Burma at the FBR headquarters in Chiang Mai, Thailand. They have invited us to come meet the teams who are providing frontline relief. This would help me better understand what is involved in this kind of intensive work. I do not fully know yet where God wants me in the next few years of my life, but it is clear I will be helping people at their worst and responding in emergencies.

Would you consider contributing to the cost of our vision trip with the Free Burma Rangers in Thailand?

We are estimating a total cost of $3500–for 2 plane tickets, accommodations, and in-country travel. I have also saved up some money for this trip because I want to invest in the things God is doing. Any amount will help us get closer to our goal, and we would really appreciate it.

The details: My mom and I plan to travel March 11-22, 2025. We will stay near the FBR headquarters in Chiang Mai. After that, we will fly to Bangkok to see my sister Zoe at her international university where she is studying abroad this semester. I can’t wait for her to show us around. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up living in Thailand for a season.

Why now? My mom and I were originally planning a senior trip after I graduate high school this May, but it makes sense to turn our senior trip into a spring break event. There are 2 great reasons to travel to Thailand in March to join the FBR meetings: 1. It really helps to have a vision of the kinds of skills I can work towards acquiring if I am truly interested in this possible career path. 2. It would be beneficial to go while Zoe is still studying there–to see what life is like for her living in Thailand. She’ll be back in the U.S. by the time I graduate in May. So, why wait?

I am excited to see how God will continue to lead and provide for this next step. Thanks for your prayers for me and for considering a contribution to my trip next month!

–Elliana & for my mom