Something's breaking. Something's on the verge of slamming into the reality that is lived and breathed and worshiped at this campus.
You make all things new; yes, You make all things new. And I will follow You forward...
It's the call to revival...
REVIVAL- (n) An improvement in the condition or strength of something;
an instance of becoming active again
It's a call to live again, to become active again. Again. Again means that we've been something once but left it. It's call to return, to rend, to repudiate. It's a call to come back to the heart of the issue, to the heart of our worship, to the heart of our Lover.
I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead; I'm here to declare to you, my past is over in You. All things are made new. I surrender my life to Christ. I'm moving, moving forward.
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Not only are the workers few-- they're also injured. They're battered from the constant trials of living in a society that rapes their beliefs. They're broken from the lukewarm complacency of the Church, who should really be the en-couragement for them, spurring them on to love and good deeds by speaking courage into their lives. They're blinded by the images of war, destruction, pain, slavery, prostitution, greed that have proven to be a false sense of the condition of God's world.
And so we, as these battered, broken, blinded workers, stumble and crawl onto the field, praying for a revival and armed with the little strength we have-- and in our hearts, oftentimes, we are overwhelmed by the size of the field that spans in front of us.
What a moment, you have brought me to. Such a freedom I have found in You. You're a Healer-- You make all things new.
The good thing is that not only do we have a God who's power is made perfect in our weakness but who is also a Healer. Lord, Love, my prayer is that You heal-- mend our hearts, remind the Body, and open our eyes to the reality of Your providence.
As I pray over this revival-- an anointing by God that has been specifically and, with much weight, placed on my heart in the past few days-- I pray not only over the workers but also over those who will receive the Word and grow! You have said that the harvest is plentiful, and I can't help but to sit in that... To sit and ponder over this statement that the
harvest....
is....
plentiful!
I give myself away. I give myself away, so You can use me.
Repeat.
Take my heart. Take my life as a living sacrifice.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-- His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
God, Your will is ever so clear. As you prepare my life as a living sacrifice, an offering to You to be used in any way that You need, I pray that You spare no part of me. Take it all. Use it all. Consume it all in the flames of Your refinement. May my life bring glory and praise to You and You only, and may this desire for a revival to break out across this campus... Lord, may this desire for revival take over and consume my life, my thoughts, my actions. May lives be changed and the hearts of your children be turned back to You.
My life is not my own; to You I belong. I give myself, I give myself away.
**The two songs quoted from in italics are:
Israel Houghton's Moving Forward and
William McDowell's I Give Myself Away
Monday, November 7, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
The Final Hours
God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply. -Hudson Taylor
How true those words are, for as my time here in Bangkok has been quickly coming to an end, I am able to look at all the pictures and to remember each moment as a witness of God's provision, protection, and power. I have met people, seen religions and traditions, and been immersed in a culture where the need for God is tremendous. Although the name of Bangkok in Thai means "city of angels," the majority of the 9.8 million who live here do not represent the name properly.
Even amidst these people, who often I find just seeing as a crowd and not as individuals because they are as numerous as the sand on the shore, God is at work. I know that He worked through us this summer in our ministries at Passport Cafe and Rainbow Pencil Group, with the missionaries' kids at Field Forum, for a family of Hmong refugees from Vietnam, and as we just lived life in Bangkok. And as God sent us out each day to do His work, I was more than confident that when we obeyed Him and followed His way, we were blessed, and sometimes surprised, by the ways in which He supplied everything.
Here are a few pictures, one from some of the ministries/opportunities that we were able to be a part of. :)
How true those words are, for as my time here in Bangkok has been quickly coming to an end, I am able to look at all the pictures and to remember each moment as a witness of God's provision, protection, and power. I have met people, seen religions and traditions, and been immersed in a culture where the need for God is tremendous. Although the name of Bangkok in Thai means "city of angels," the majority of the 9.8 million who live here do not represent the name properly.
Even amidst these people, who often I find just seeing as a crowd and not as individuals because they are as numerous as the sand on the shore, God is at work. I know that He worked through us this summer in our ministries at Passport Cafe and Rainbow Pencil Group, with the missionaries' kids at Field Forum, for a family of Hmong refugees from Vietnam, and as we just lived life in Bangkok. And as God sent us out each day to do His work, I was more than confident that when we obeyed Him and followed His way, we were blessed, and sometimes surprised, by the ways in which He supplied everything.
Here are a few pictures, one from some of the ministries/opportunities that we were able to be a part of. :)
This is a kindergarten class from GES (Global English School) where a friend of mine, Sarah Wigal, teaches. We were able to observe an ESL classroom for an afternoon...and play with the kids some. :)
Rainbow Pencil Group.... I couldn't write enough about this place even if I tried.
This is Passport Cafe, a ministry at Chula University where students can come, practice their English, and hang out with American students too. We had a blast getting to know the manager, Bee; the owner of the restaurant next door, Nick; and the students who would stop by.
Here is a picture of the guy mks who were at field forum. Tu and Caston did an amazing job loving on them, while Katharine and Karissa worked with the younger kids. I believe that part of the success of the field forum in general was the love and attention that was shown to each mk, something that hasn't been stressed in the past.
Today has been a Thai day because, with it being our last day in Bangkok, we scheduled to meet with a friend at 10 and then do a few other things at different times, but the Thai sense of time won. We didn't end up meeting the friend until 11, pushing back a number of things, and other specifics were cancelled after having been rescheduled for the past three days. Haha. God is still teaching me to live by time and not a watch. ;)
Speaking of watches and time, I leave for the airport in exactly 12 hours! I am very excited to be home and can't wait to see my dad and family!! It has been an adventure, and I will miss Bangkok, but I know that Pittsburgh and then Nyack are where God needs me. As Jim Elliot said, "Wherever you are, be all there," and I am blessed to have God's peace and contentment with being in so many different places yet to call all of them home. :)
Friday, July 29, 2011
See You Later
Today is my last day at Rainbow Pencil Group, a place where kids who live in the slums of Bangkok can come and "learn." Now, why I put learn in quotation marks is because there is some learning, for they aren't able to go to school during the weeks and thus, this is their school; but more than that, our impact on the kids is not in teaching what they would typically learn. We play with them, laugh with them, eat with them, dance with them, sing with them, smile with them... And today is our last day to be with them, which will be extremely hard for some as they've built strong connections that will seem to rip apart when they take those final steps back towards the Guest House, turning back to see the mob of barefoot children waving. And I think that I can say I'll be one of those having a hard time. I won't cry uncontrollably, but those children touched my heart with their generosity, their hugs, and the little inside jokes I have with some of them. Here are a few pictures for you to look at so you can understand some of the love that pours our of their little lives. :)
This is the group of children that we have each week.
This is Mo Chit-- sweet on the outside, feisty on the inside!
These girls came for the first time a week ago, and I have connected to them so well!
This is Pik-- he was a friend of Toulee and Tang, the missionaries, when they did their internship here a few years ago. 6 months after they got home, they got an email saying that Pik was now a Christian. Because of this, he has started Rainbow Pencil Group-- this place where young professionals come to care for slum kids by volunteering their time. He is quite the character. :)
Tang Thai-- suai!
P.S. This is titled "See You Later" because I am not a fan of goodbyes. So here's to seeing you later, if not in this world, then I pray that it is in Heaven as we come together to praise and worship our Father. :)
P.S. This is titled "See You Later" because I am not a fan of goodbyes. So here's to seeing you later, if not in this world, then I pray that it is in Heaven as we come together to praise and worship our Father. :)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Permanence
There are times in our lives when God seems to whisper to us with the delicate mystery of surprise. And then there are times when God seems to overwhelm us with the continuous presence of an abiding, enduring sense of knowing. It's then-- when God goes beyond our need to feel Him and permeates into our innate sense of believing-- that His presence is most known and, surprisingly, most felt.
per·ma·nence
God's presence is becoming a permanence. It's gone past the immature stage of resting on the shifting waves of emotions and has become settled and secure on the rock, a firm foundation. His presence overwhelms me as I am able to skype my parents while they are at home in Pittsburgh getting ready for bed and I am in Thailand starting my day; His presence floods my heart as I am able to connect with friends from home on convictions and waiting on the Lord; His presence submerges me, not drowning but covering me, as I continue to walk, day in and day out, through this dark city of Bangkok and still be able to see that there is not only a future but hope for these people.
My prayer is that you find this permanence too. May God overwhelm you so much that you can feel nothing as strong as His divine, sweet presence; and yet it's not the feeling of God being present but knowing that He is, has been, and will always be there that makes feeling His presence a reality.
per·ma·nence
noun /ˈpərmənəns/
permanences, plural
The state or quality of lasting or remaining unchanged indefinitelypermanences, plural
God's presence is becoming a permanence. It's gone past the immature stage of resting on the shifting waves of emotions and has become settled and secure on the rock, a firm foundation. His presence overwhelms me as I am able to skype my parents while they are at home in Pittsburgh getting ready for bed and I am in Thailand starting my day; His presence floods my heart as I am able to connect with friends from home on convictions and waiting on the Lord; His presence submerges me, not drowning but covering me, as I continue to walk, day in and day out, through this dark city of Bangkok and still be able to see that there is not only a future but hope for these people.
My prayer is that you find this permanence too. May God overwhelm you so much that you can feel nothing as strong as His divine, sweet presence; and yet it's not the feeling of God being present but knowing that He is, has been, and will always be there that makes feeling His presence a reality.
Rest
God has made us for Himself, and our hearts can never know rest and perfect satisfaction until they find it in Him.
-- Hannah Hurnard
Rest. Our hearts long for rest, to be swallowed up in the embrace of our Maker, to be silent and peaceful in the presence of our Lover; yet for so many, our hearts have been trained to feel incomplete, useless, ineffective when we rest. The American culture, that I've perfected in mirroring, looks down on anyone who is not involved in three sports plus another extracurricular, spends any free time with friends, and is able to function on a few hours of sleep before the cycle continues. But where does God fit into this cyclic cancer? When do we mirror God's simple act of resting? At what point are we putting self over God by allow busyness to consume every waking minute?
In Psalm 62, David speaks of the source of his peace: "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him." David is making the connection that hope comes with rest, and so in the reversal, there is a symptom of hopelessness that comes with the disease of busyness. Yes; I understand that busyness is sometimes good, for God calls us to ministry and to be used by Him. But He does not call us to get burnt out from always doing everything and never saying no. This disease of busyness has racked by body and spirit for years, and in my pride, I saw the disease as an accomplishment, something I had fought hard for and had conquered in my own strength.
Thailand has changed that. Not Thailand or the guest house or the missionaries as individual entities but God using each of those through His divine plan. I have been spending unprecedented time with God each day, and while the testimony is to His presence in those hours, it is also to the fact that I am doing it through His strength and not my own. I was told once that a orchestra does not first play the symphony and then tune their instruments; in the same way, we are called, first and foremost, to "tune" our day by being in the presence of God.
For me, some of the busyness of life is unavoidable, but for those which are self-burdening, God has been calling me to lay them at His feet, placing Him as priority over my day and, as a result, allowing it to become His day. And so this has been my journey. Among some other things, God has spoken one word loud and clear: REST. I pray that you will find time today, tomorrow, this week to not just make a spot for God in your day in which you can rest with Him but also make it so that your day is orchestrated by the Author of Time, for His hand is the one that pours out the power and mercy to lead our hearts and lives closer and closer to His will.
Monday, July 18, 2011
A 5-star Sacrifice
As I imagined myself coming to Thailand for almost six weeks, there are a few things I imagined being my constant companions-- sweat, flies, heat, a language barrier. But as I've gone from air conditioned building to air conditioned building, barely stayed out in the slums enough to get a (few) handfuls of bug bites, and have had an amazing time being able to connect to both missionaries and Thai in English, I feel as though I am losing the uncomfortable positions in which the stereotype missions trip puts one in.
It is not as though I am not in ministry here, for the main goal of the Envision site missionaries are to "live life in Bangkok;" rather, I am finding that there is not the constant conversion from death to life of an unbeliever, the rigorous busyness of VBS and construction work and then repeating the cycle, the guiding schedule of a high school missions trip that has boxes for things to be done as a group or sub-groups. Missions isn't the glory that I had built it up to be in my head, and the crash as that expectation crumbles in my mind and heart has been a defining instant in my trip here.
Amy Carmichael once said, "O to be delivered from half-hearted missionaries! Don't come if you mean to turn aside for anything.... Don't come if you haven't made up your mind to live for one thing-- the winning of souls." There have been a lot of things that I have lived for, not all being for the winning of souls and God's glory in the process; yet, through this trip (and as I hope to continue through my life), God has brought people, sermons, books, and verses to my attention that have called me to die to self. Amy warned me that I am not to step even one step onto the missions field if my one focus is not to win souls, and that has been a sobering reality as I have drawn closer to God and sensed His gentle whispers and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But it all comes at a "cost" of dying to self-- dying to that which takes my pure devotion and focus off of my Creator, Lover, Provider, and Father.
"Missions life" here has still been a struggle, as I am now at a 5-star resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. But God has continued to reveal a purpose in every comfort that He's given me. It's not for my edification or treatment that I'm at this hotel; I'm living the luxurious life right now because this is a week for missionaries to rest and be comfortable. They've sacrificed more than I could even imagine, and being willing to be here with them, pray with them, listen to their testimonies, and watch their kids is worth being comfortable so that they feel loved. I sacrifice my "need" for uncomfortable living situations so that they are able to feel cared for and loved for a week.
Last thing. Haha. My time here has been essential to forming my views of how to live on the missions field. I'm not focusing on pestering God about where He wants to send me; that is not for me to know right now. But what I do want to soak up from the missionaries is how they've chosen to raise their kids; why they chose to send them or not send them to boarding school; how they followed God to a certain place; etc. It's experience that I couldn't get at home, being a pastor's kid, without being surrounded by missionaries; and so this is the perfect place to be. :)
It is not as though I am not in ministry here, for the main goal of the Envision site missionaries are to "live life in Bangkok;" rather, I am finding that there is not the constant conversion from death to life of an unbeliever, the rigorous busyness of VBS and construction work and then repeating the cycle, the guiding schedule of a high school missions trip that has boxes for things to be done as a group or sub-groups. Missions isn't the glory that I had built it up to be in my head, and the crash as that expectation crumbles in my mind and heart has been a defining instant in my trip here.
Amy Carmichael once said, "O to be delivered from half-hearted missionaries! Don't come if you mean to turn aside for anything.... Don't come if you haven't made up your mind to live for one thing-- the winning of souls." There have been a lot of things that I have lived for, not all being for the winning of souls and God's glory in the process; yet, through this trip (and as I hope to continue through my life), God has brought people, sermons, books, and verses to my attention that have called me to die to self. Amy warned me that I am not to step even one step onto the missions field if my one focus is not to win souls, and that has been a sobering reality as I have drawn closer to God and sensed His gentle whispers and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But it all comes at a "cost" of dying to self-- dying to that which takes my pure devotion and focus off of my Creator, Lover, Provider, and Father.
"Missions life" here has still been a struggle, as I am now at a 5-star resort in Hua Hin, Thailand. But God has continued to reveal a purpose in every comfort that He's given me. It's not for my edification or treatment that I'm at this hotel; I'm living the luxurious life right now because this is a week for missionaries to rest and be comfortable. They've sacrificed more than I could even imagine, and being willing to be here with them, pray with them, listen to their testimonies, and watch their kids is worth being comfortable so that they feel loved. I sacrifice my "need" for uncomfortable living situations so that they are able to feel cared for and loved for a week.
Last thing. Haha. My time here has been essential to forming my views of how to live on the missions field. I'm not focusing on pestering God about where He wants to send me; that is not for me to know right now. But what I do want to soak up from the missionaries is how they've chosen to raise their kids; why they chose to send them or not send them to boarding school; how they followed God to a certain place; etc. It's experience that I couldn't get at home, being a pastor's kid, without being surrounded by missionaries; and so this is the perfect place to be. :)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Amy Charmichael and Other Missionaries
It took just over a week, but I am starting to understand what God's purpose is for having me here in Thailand. To be completely honest, it doesn't have a whole lot to do with the Thai people. I could've gone to El Salvador or Gabon and worked with kids in an orphanage and helped university students practice their English. And I probably could've done more than I'm doing here, as our ministry is very relational and dependent on us making the effort to hang out with these university students. At moments, I've even regretted following God here, calling Him crazy for bringing me to a place where I can't speak the language, I have a hard time with all the down time that we have, and I don't feel called to missions in Thailand, so why spend a month and a half here.
But, amidst my doubts, I know with all my heart that God had, first of all, called me here to Bangkok, Thailand and that, secondly, His plan is His-- I am only His servant, following His will and not Him following me as I travel the world on my agenda.
A few things have helped me rely on this trust over my feelings. The first is the place that I'm staying. We're at the Alliance Guest House, which is like a little hotel that hosts conferences, missionaries from around the world, and some longer-term people in a few apartments. I have had the blessing of talking with a few missionaries who are here either to help out a ministry friend in Bangkok and then head back up north or as part of their 2 month vacation from teaching and ministry (their "15 years worth of Sabbaths" that they got because of the husband's pastor position). I have learned so much just from listening to their stories and to hearing how God called and prepared each one of them. Some are single women, others couples, and still others families with young children.
Each story is unique, which is crazy to think about because they all have the same Author. Because of their role in ministry, a man and a woman were left by their spouses, and then after being told by the CMA that the husband couldn't be a pastor if he is remarried, they still got married because they felt God's call. A week later, the national office called to tell them that they had just changed the rule and that it would be determined case by case. Now, they are in UAE (United Arab Emirates), teaching English. The wife got a job (she has an ESL certificate) and the husband got a job (without any degree) because there was a need. Their ministry is more of a witness through the way they live, although they have mentioned countless times where their students asked about their faith and, in the classroom, they were able to give a full testimony to God's goodness.
Another couple are fresh (as I like to call them) missionaries to India, traveling there with their two young daughters from Ohio. Their plans are to start up some businesses and then to have the locals, the Indians, continue and sustain the business. There are a handful of others that I have had the joy to speak with and listen to. It's been such an amazing gift to be in the presence of so many missionaries-- not one perfect in any way, but all are obedient to God's will.
Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to search for God's calling on my life. One missionary really challenged me, and I strongly sense God's guidance in what she said. "God gives us passions, and they're not just empty passions. He wants us to be surrounded by them, by the things that make our eyes light up and our faces never stop smiling." For her and her husband, a passion they share is for the water, and while it may be a 'strange' passion, she believes that it is God's gentle guidance to lead them to Costa Rica or another water-surrounded area. For me, the things that make me smile more than anything else are kids, Spanish, and teaching. Those were little whispers of God calling me to a Spanish speaking country and reaffirming the calls that I've heard.
But last night, I skipped watching a movie to head up and read a book that I'm getting addicted to. It's "A Chance to Die" by Elisabeth Elliot about Amy Carmichael's life. This book was one I had wanted to read for a while but never got to, and then I saw it on the bookshelf at the guest house. Sometimes I think that God brought me to Thailand just so that I could find this book! Haha. It's the ultimate book on missions training and a call to return to humility and weakness. Long story short, I ran into a pastor and missionary, and he pretty much offered me a job there with him to teach English. I would love to, love to visit his country and start up a school as he suggested, and God made this "coincidence"' such a God moment as I longed to start singing praise music while I was still talking to him. Yet there was something in me, maybe my flesh, holding me back. So, without going into too much detail (and I purposefully disclosed the country name), I am torn and so the only thing that I know how to do is pray. I've been really digging into God's Word and talking with Him. "It's the journey that matters, and not the end. I want you to focus on the path that I take you through and not just where I end up taking you to," He told me as we talked this morning.
A song that I was listening to last night had this one line that stuck out to me. "At the end of it all, I just ant to be in Your arms." It's simple but so powerful! No matter where He takes me, I just want to be with Him.
But, amidst my doubts, I know with all my heart that God had, first of all, called me here to Bangkok, Thailand and that, secondly, His plan is His-- I am only His servant, following His will and not Him following me as I travel the world on my agenda.
A few things have helped me rely on this trust over my feelings. The first is the place that I'm staying. We're at the Alliance Guest House, which is like a little hotel that hosts conferences, missionaries from around the world, and some longer-term people in a few apartments. I have had the blessing of talking with a few missionaries who are here either to help out a ministry friend in Bangkok and then head back up north or as part of their 2 month vacation from teaching and ministry (their "15 years worth of Sabbaths" that they got because of the husband's pastor position). I have learned so much just from listening to their stories and to hearing how God called and prepared each one of them. Some are single women, others couples, and still others families with young children.
Each story is unique, which is crazy to think about because they all have the same Author. Because of their role in ministry, a man and a woman were left by their spouses, and then after being told by the CMA that the husband couldn't be a pastor if he is remarried, they still got married because they felt God's call. A week later, the national office called to tell them that they had just changed the rule and that it would be determined case by case. Now, they are in UAE (United Arab Emirates), teaching English. The wife got a job (she has an ESL certificate) and the husband got a job (without any degree) because there was a need. Their ministry is more of a witness through the way they live, although they have mentioned countless times where their students asked about their faith and, in the classroom, they were able to give a full testimony to God's goodness.
Another couple are fresh (as I like to call them) missionaries to India, traveling there with their two young daughters from Ohio. Their plans are to start up some businesses and then to have the locals, the Indians, continue and sustain the business. There are a handful of others that I have had the joy to speak with and listen to. It's been such an amazing gift to be in the presence of so many missionaries-- not one perfect in any way, but all are obedient to God's will.
Please keep me in your prayers as I continue to search for God's calling on my life. One missionary really challenged me, and I strongly sense God's guidance in what she said. "God gives us passions, and they're not just empty passions. He wants us to be surrounded by them, by the things that make our eyes light up and our faces never stop smiling." For her and her husband, a passion they share is for the water, and while it may be a 'strange' passion, she believes that it is God's gentle guidance to lead them to Costa Rica or another water-surrounded area. For me, the things that make me smile more than anything else are kids, Spanish, and teaching. Those were little whispers of God calling me to a Spanish speaking country and reaffirming the calls that I've heard.
But last night, I skipped watching a movie to head up and read a book that I'm getting addicted to. It's "A Chance to Die" by Elisabeth Elliot about Amy Carmichael's life. This book was one I had wanted to read for a while but never got to, and then I saw it on the bookshelf at the guest house. Sometimes I think that God brought me to Thailand just so that I could find this book! Haha. It's the ultimate book on missions training and a call to return to humility and weakness. Long story short, I ran into a pastor and missionary, and he pretty much offered me a job there with him to teach English. I would love to, love to visit his country and start up a school as he suggested, and God made this "coincidence"' such a God moment as I longed to start singing praise music while I was still talking to him. Yet there was something in me, maybe my flesh, holding me back. So, without going into too much detail (and I purposefully disclosed the country name), I am torn and so the only thing that I know how to do is pray. I've been really digging into God's Word and talking with Him. "It's the journey that matters, and not the end. I want you to focus on the path that I take you through and not just where I end up taking you to," He told me as we talked this morning.
A song that I was listening to last night had this one line that stuck out to me. "At the end of it all, I just ant to be in Your arms." It's simple but so powerful! No matter where He takes me, I just want to be with Him.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Swadee-ka (Hello!)
It's crazy to think that I've been in Thailand for three days. I'm amazed at some similarities between the cultures in Thailand, Gabon, and Central America; yet at the same time, there are distinct differences that I am picking up on. I guess the language is an obvious difference, but the way they walk, the way they talk and use gestures, and the general respect that is seen for the elderly definitely stand out.
One of the main things that we've been doing is nothing... Toulee, the Envision missionary, has been emphasizing the concept of "being" over "doing." In my mind, I crave the work projects of my Africa trip and the VBS adventures of my Central America trips. But being part of the culture and making an effort to get to know strangers and build relationships out of that nothingness is extremely important; in fact, that's the goal of Toulee and the missions site here.
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in a huge mall that is actually composed of 4 malls-- Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, and MBK. We've eaten lunch in the food court and then headed over to MBK the most Thai of the centers because it has hundreds of little venders and shops on the 7 floors in the building. Tuesday was my first day, so Toulee designed it so I walked around, with Allie but without her knowledge of the place to guide me. It was good to see the "hang out" place for many high school and university students, but, as you may know this about me, I get very drained by being in a mall for more than half an hour.
Tomorrow, we'll be going to Passport Cafe, which is inside of the largest university in Bangkok. It's like the Harvard of the US, as I'm told. We'll have an "experience night" where we've handed out flyers and are hoping that a good amount of students show up so that we can get to know them and hopefully get far enough to care about the deeper issues in their lives, share our faith, and pray for them. Also, on Saturday we get the opportunity to go to Rainbow Pencil Group, a childcare center where kids from poor, unhealthy family and community environments get the opportunity to be taught and loved by young professionals. After that, Allie and I will be meeting up with Sarah Wigal, who I know from back home, and going to a baby orphanage.
There's been some great things while I've been here and some hard things to digest. I won't be able to help out with Rahab's Ministry like I had so hoped to do. Because I am 19 (just over a month from being 20), I miss the legal age to enter a bar, and so I need to honor the rules that are set up by the organization. Their ministry is sending out people into bars on two sois (roads) in Bangkok that are known as the prostitute roads and just talk to and get to know these women.
I don't know what God's plan is for having me here. It was so clear that He called me here, made it possible for me to be here, and even provided for the unspoken desires of my heart since I've been here; yet it's been hard to truly see where my ministry is. Perhaps it's because it's only been 3 days and we haven't really had the chance to get out much. Please continue to pray that I heard God's direction louder than my own desires to go different ways, that I stay content and even happy with where I am in the world, and that I learn to love and really get to know some of these people.
Please pray Colossians 4:2-6 over me and the team as we continue to walk the streets of a very dark and worldly Bangkok:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
One of the main things that we've been doing is nothing... Toulee, the Envision missionary, has been emphasizing the concept of "being" over "doing." In my mind, I crave the work projects of my Africa trip and the VBS adventures of my Central America trips. But being part of the culture and making an effort to get to know strangers and build relationships out of that nothingness is extremely important; in fact, that's the goal of Toulee and the missions site here.
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent in a huge mall that is actually composed of 4 malls-- Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, and MBK. We've eaten lunch in the food court and then headed over to MBK the most Thai of the centers because it has hundreds of little venders and shops on the 7 floors in the building. Tuesday was my first day, so Toulee designed it so I walked around, with Allie but without her knowledge of the place to guide me. It was good to see the "hang out" place for many high school and university students, but, as you may know this about me, I get very drained by being in a mall for more than half an hour.
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| This is MBK, as obviously stated. Haha. It's the huge shopping complex that is part of the mall strip. |
Tomorrow, we'll be going to Passport Cafe, which is inside of the largest university in Bangkok. It's like the Harvard of the US, as I'm told. We'll have an "experience night" where we've handed out flyers and are hoping that a good amount of students show up so that we can get to know them and hopefully get far enough to care about the deeper issues in their lives, share our faith, and pray for them. Also, on Saturday we get the opportunity to go to Rainbow Pencil Group, a childcare center where kids from poor, unhealthy family and community environments get the opportunity to be taught and loved by young professionals. After that, Allie and I will be meeting up with Sarah Wigal, who I know from back home, and going to a baby orphanage.
There's been some great things while I've been here and some hard things to digest. I won't be able to help out with Rahab's Ministry like I had so hoped to do. Because I am 19 (just over a month from being 20), I miss the legal age to enter a bar, and so I need to honor the rules that are set up by the organization. Their ministry is sending out people into bars on two sois (roads) in Bangkok that are known as the prostitute roads and just talk to and get to know these women.
I don't know what God's plan is for having me here. It was so clear that He called me here, made it possible for me to be here, and even provided for the unspoken desires of my heart since I've been here; yet it's been hard to truly see where my ministry is. Perhaps it's because it's only been 3 days and we haven't really had the chance to get out much. Please continue to pray that I heard God's direction louder than my own desires to go different ways, that I stay content and even happy with where I am in the world, and that I learn to love and really get to know some of these people.
Please pray Colossians 4:2-6 over me and the team as we continue to walk the streets of a very dark and worldly Bangkok:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
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| The girls on top of the tallest building in Bangkok. It's me, Tang (the wife in the missionary team), Lisa (Tang's sister), Linnea (an intern), and Allie (an intern). |
Monday, June 27, 2011
Mangosteen and Barefeet
After arriving in the Bangkok airport at 11:45 last night and then finally making it to the Alliance Guest House around 1:30, it was a long day and a half. I met up with the other interns who I had met in Mexico (Linnea and Allie) and with Toulee, the missionary. It was great to ride in a taxi and meet the taxi driver, Yo. They drive on the other side of the road, just like in England.
So I woke up this morning to a little boy speaking in Thai and the sun streaming through the curtains. 7:28. Later than I normally wake up but it was nice. We walked down to breakfast, Allie continuing to explain daily life and culture here in Thailand. I've learned that people, at least at the guest house, walk around barefoot, a joy for me because I love walking around barefoot. They take their shoes off when they enter rooms, so it just seems natural, at least when you're in the same compound, to just not wear shoes when walking from room to room.
The picture below is the fruit that met me at the beginning of the breakfast buffet. It's called a mangosteen. After being cut in half, we would spoon out the white part and eat it. I was advised not eat the seeds, but as I didn't see any seeds, I just ate it all. It was really tasty, not sweet like American fruit, but very good. After pancakes and mangosteen, I unpacked and was able to check up with my email and Facebook. Thanks for the encouragement and blessings, everyone! I'm off to the mall and who knows where after that. :)
So I woke up this morning to a little boy speaking in Thai and the sun streaming through the curtains. 7:28. Later than I normally wake up but it was nice. We walked down to breakfast, Allie continuing to explain daily life and culture here in Thailand. I've learned that people, at least at the guest house, walk around barefoot, a joy for me because I love walking around barefoot. They take their shoes off when they enter rooms, so it just seems natural, at least when you're in the same compound, to just not wear shoes when walking from room to room.
The picture below is the fruit that met me at the beginning of the breakfast buffet. It's called a mangosteen. After being cut in half, we would spoon out the white part and eat it. I was advised not eat the seeds, but as I didn't see any seeds, I just ate it all. It was really tasty, not sweet like American fruit, but very good. After pancakes and mangosteen, I unpacked and was able to check up with my email and Facebook. Thanks for the encouragement and blessings, everyone! I'm off to the mall and who knows where after that. :)
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