Conversations about Life with a Monk

A couple days ago I stood by the skytrain tracks, talking with my friend, Jian Di about the Christmas program happening at my church that evening. Jian Di, if you havne't kept up, is my Taiwanese monk friend in my language class. He understood the basic idea of Christian Christmas. He said, "So, you believe Jesus is coming back?" You know, I read the Bible, and hear it at church, but its an enlightening experience to be able to say, "Yes, I do." I know its a crazy idea, but I believe it! We talked about what He'll look like and how many have distorted his words and promises.

He asked about Jesus's disciples too, if they will go to heaven as Gods. I believe this question came from some Buddhist thoughts that when you study enough and do enough good work, you reach a "state of enlightenment" and reach heaven as a "god." Pardon my lack of understanding, that's why God's given me this friend. Jian Di helps me understand Buddhism. I explained that in Christianity, we can't ever become "gods" or be good enough. It was an excellent conversation motivated by Jian Di's personal questions....yet, surprising to us both, the skytrain was at his stop and he had to go.

I'm blessed with that friendship. I'm blessed to understand Jian Di's life, his perceptions, his religions, his pursuits. May I be an encouragement to him. May I continue this conversation or at least somehow he may learn about Jesus. Jesus came to die for us because we can't ever do enough or study enough to reach heaven alone. What a blessing it is to discuss these things with people, making my beliefs more real to myself.

The King's Birthday

This past December 5th was the Thai king's 80th birthday! With fireworks, huge flower festivals at the King's Park, and lots of yellow shirts, we had a great holiday together.

The Mahathai community and our team celebrating the community leader's birthday and the King's birthday together. What a happy night. The king spoke over a small tv pulled out for all of us to watch. We lit candles, sang the King song, and prayed that the King would continue to live a healthy life.

Me and my new friend, Mai. I met Mai as she sat by herself at this big dinner. I was told her parents have died and she's been sent to be cared for by the community leader here. She kept talking to me in Thai even though I didn't understand a word. She asked me if she could talk with her mouth full and why were there so many foreigners here? (translated by my Thai roommie for me) Quickly becoming friends, she's participating in the kid's programs at our church.

The altar for the King's Birthday. He seems to very revered, being the Thai leader over the Buddhist religion and protection of all religions. Altars to him were seen all over town.

Yum, Yum, fried chicken, fried pork, papaya salad, spicy soup. Good food, though my nose does sniffle from the spices. I'm still amazed and thankful to be liking the spicy food here.

My Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Have you ever read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever? My classes would usually get that story read-aloud every year about this time. This crazy family of misfits participates in this church’s annual Christmas play. Amidst chaos, they make the whole church think over what Christmas really means.

Today eighteen kids from the Mahathai community were given their roles in theirs and my first Christmas play for our Christmas outreach service this Saturday. As the “shepherds,” “wise men,” and “Joseph and Mary” sat in the church floor, they listened for the first time to the Christmas story told. A couple parents also were given the privilege of listening while waiting on the kids. Sitting wondering how to make the girl beside me feel better about being a “sheep,” I was surprised when I heard the girl next to her ask “Is Baby Jesus God? How can He be here and up there?” Wow, God is working in their hearts.

I celebrate Christmas where there are a few Christmas lights on a couple streets, trees only in my American teammates’ houses, and otherwise, no sign of Christmas in this neighborhood. The people here get Santa Claus and Jesus mixed up. Thais know the holiday but not the reason for the season. I pray that our outreach events around Christmas may be eye-opening experiences for the many Thai who don’t know why God chose to come to Earth, live life as a man and as God, and die for our sins.

You Know You are in Language School if....

1. The sight of a drugstore is so exciting because its the only sign you can read.
2. Conversations end when you can't understand anything the other person is saying.
3. You give yourself homework of reading for thirty minutes.
4. In thirty minutes, you can read six sentences.
5. Your head hurts all the time. Is it from the studying or the nodding even though you don't understand?
6. You speak in Thai to Americans.
7. Kindergarten teachers become miracle workers in your eyes.
8. While kids talk to you, you know you can't understand a word they're saying so you just think about how cute they are.
9. When you talk, people laugh.
10. Writing in hieroglyphics doesn't seem so hard anymore. :)

How to Complement in Thai

Last week at my teammate's surprise party, one of our Thai church members said to me, "Huaro koon aroy!" translated as "Your laugh is delicious." They use the word delicious for much more than just for food, in a GOOD way. And I attended our women's brunch we have at another house this week and a Thai woman beside me said to me, "Koon mee phat wan" which means that "Your mouth is sweet." I had complimented the hostess on her food and was admired for my compliment.

Thank the Lord for the easy ways to make friends and the sweet compliments given to me as encouragements this week from my new Thai friends. I am presently reading this book about Cross-Cultural Servanthood. Servanthood looks different in other cultures. We must be careful not to call ourselves servants here quickly because we must first observe and learn how to be a servant here. The author explains that we are only servants in another culture when a national tells us we are. I pray that the Lord will continue to help me be a Light in others lives, serving and encouraging through Him.

Another Side to Bangkok

Since God first directed me to Bangkok, I was exposed to the problem with prostitution in Bangkok. I shared with you about it, prayed about it, and you sent me here to help spread the Gospel here. Jesus always found the places of most darkness to share His light, and I visited one of those places a couple of weeks ago with my friend from language school. She works with a mission agency who cares about the women who work in the bars. She invited me to outreach with her one evening and meet some of her friends.

The building is actually three floors high composed of multiple bars.

The place was full and the music was loud. But as we walked around, many women waved at my friend and we easily found some friends of hers to chat with.

We chatted with these two friends for almost an hour. It felt like we were in a bubble of reality with all the customers and women around us being fiction. These women shared about their families. One's mom is too old to work, so this woman to the right sends her money (Thai custom) and cares for her. She asked many questions about God and we talked about Him and her own life. She's been in this business for three years. The girl to the left, only one year. My friend said she almost left to be helped by this agency last year, but was persuaded against it by her sister. Another woman, not pictured, who's been working for the bar only a year since a divorce happened, and has found out that both she and her infant daughter now have HIV. Reality. The first person I have known that had HIV. Please pray for her and her baby and all these women. Pray that the Lord works through this agency and in these women's lives.

Some Light: my friend's agency helps these women to have another choice for life. They offer housing, education, Bible teaching, and a means of earning money. These girls have come into this home and out of the bars.

Please pray for me as I look at finishing language school in February. There are so many areas of darkness in Thailand--so many who need to know the Lord. May God direct me to where he wants me to minister. Jesus ministered to the tax collectors, Pharisees, prostitutes, and disabled. May He show me where He wants me. May His Word shine to all of Thailand!

Christmas Shopping

My roommates and I went to a market area to Christmas shop which is supposed to have amazing discounts. Come to find out, in order to get the discount, you must buy six items at least. When we arrived, the stores were side-by-side and so were the customers. To move, you squeezed between people. And as you ventured out in the road between stores, you'd have to watch not only around people, but not to be run over. Somehow cars fit in those streets and squooshed through the people. And random pushcarts stacked about five high being pushed also through all of us. Some streets did have men screaming into megaphones to move, but I'm only assuming thats what they said.

Amidst all that, yes I bought some things, and I looked up. I saw a beautiful plant growing from the third floor of a building. And we ate at a noodle shop right on the street (which is a favorite thing about being here), and I bought tiny seedless oranges from this pushcart old lady. And God showed me the beautiful and eccentric things about this country.

After about an hour and a half on a bus getting home, our bus decided to stop working. So we all had to get out and get on another. Oh the adventures never end. I smiled, popped a tiny orange in my mouth, and breathed in the exhaust...