“Red Light! Green Light!” is a game I’ve enjoyed with kids all around the world. It’s easy to play, simple to teach and requires almost no language skills whatsoever. 

All the players start at one end of a field (or basketball court, or back yard — whatever you have) and the leader shouts, “Green Light!” All of the players rush forward, running as fast as feet can carry. Then the leader yells, “Red Light!” And everyone stops as quickly as possible. Kids collide with one another, fall to the ground with what one hopes are only minor injuries. Those who don’t stop get sent back to the starting line. And just as soon as the clamor begins to subside, it’s “Green Light!” all over again and hilarity ensues.

And so on.

Good times.

Unless, of course, you’re playing the game with suitcases, passports and PCR tests.

Which brings me to today.

After more than two years of pandemic-induced exile from my beloved friends and family in Asia, I was more than ready to jump on a plane just as soon as the powers-that-be in Cambodia and Thailand gave the okey-dokey. 

Lest I bore you with details, I’ll just say that it’s been complicated. 

But I’m thrilled to say that after quite a few cycles of stop-and-go planning, it’s officially “Green Light” for me. So tomorrow at the ungodly hour of 3am, I’ll pop up out of bed, put on my game face and then I’ll head to the airport with our newly-hired Director of Media, Benjamin Hiltner — and a whole lot of camera equipment.

We’re headed to Phnom Penh, then Battambang, then Siem Reap, then Bangkok, then Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. And then in about five weeks, we’ll be headed back home. If all goes well, we’ll have a couple terabytes of video, about 10,000 photos and a decent set of suntans. 

I can’t wait to get back on the ground in Asia, my home away from home. I miss the smells and flavors, the sights and the sounds. But most of all, I miss the kids and staff of Asia’s Hope. 

A lot has happened in the three years since I last visited Thailand and Cambodia. More than 150 of our kids have graduated high school and moved on to university. Dozens of these young adults have graduated college and started jobs. A bunch have gotten married. A bunch have had kids of their own. And, although I can hardly believe it, we’ve rescued more than 120 new kids, children I’ve never met, except in pictures and bios on a computer screen.

My heart is bursting and right now I’m as restless as a box of bees. Heck, I probably won’t even need the 3am alarm — I can’t imagine I’ll get much sleep at all tonight. 

I’m setting it though, just in case. This trip has had enough obstacles already. 

So please pray for all of the proverbial “traveling mercies.” And follow along for the next five weeks. I promise lots and lots and lots of pictures of Asia’s Hope people and places — and maybe a game or two of “Red Light! Green Light!”

Cheers. And catch you on the flip side.