[posted by: the 2011 thailand team]
Thank you so much for your prayers as we traveled-- there were numerous times that things should not have worked out in our favor and they miraculously did! And we can only give God the credit for that!! We are all back home now, all weary, but all very excited about the time we were able to spend abroad. I don't know if, in the coming weeks, as team members continue to process what happened in Thailand, and what God taught us through our time there, will continue to blog or not... but before the blog is officially closed out, I will be sure to include a link to all of our Thailand Photos.
Thank you so much for following along both on the blog and for your prayers. Your prayers were both felt and answered-- and I know that each of us look forward to filling you in personally as well as to what God is doing to make Himself famous in Asia.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Tuesday update
[posted by: liz swauger]
Well, as many of you may know, Tuesday was a little rough (it is 3:35am Wednesday here as I write). The jetlag caught up to all of our team-- which included dizziness, nausea, and other less-than-pleasant side effects I'd rather not detail. But suffice it to say, yesterday was a painful blur.
However, despite not eating-- and feeling all around like I might keel over at any moment, I think that yesterday was one of the best days we've had. Even though I was weak-- He was strong.
The morning started off with a private meeting with Adjong Thongchai-- the man who represents all the Protestant interests in Thailand-- he is thought by most to be the most influential evangelical in all of Thailand. We were able to hear his heart for the Thai's. What was interesting was that, for as much as he planned (and "prepared the fields" if you will) He refused to put a limit on the things that God will do here. At one point, I asked him how many teachers they would like for a semester-- what a "full staff" would be... his answer? That the more the workers, the larger the field. That God will always provide just enough people to accomplish and reach those who need to hear. He didn't have a number, or a goal, his prayer is just that those who are prompted by God to come-- come. And he trusted that that would be enough.
After our private meeting with Adjong (meaning: "respected teacher") Thongchai, we went with him and some of the IMB/LifePoint staff to the Bayoke Tower. This is the tallest building in Thailand. We ate on the 74th floor over-looking the city. Afterwards, we were able to go to the observation platform and see the city as the platform slowly spun us in a circle to get a 360 degree view of Bangkok. I have never seen a city so big in my life-- it is at least double the size of NYC.
While talking to Thongchai, he further affirmed the fact that building relationships is the most effective way to share the Gospel with the Thai people. (We definitely have seen this as 30+ students our age meet multiple times a week to sing worship songs and study the Bible-- and yet 80% do not yet have a relationship with Christ-- they just love the people at the BSC and want to spend time with them. One of the "small group leaders" is named Dang, and we walked past him one night with all these guys and girls surrounding him, him on the guitar, and people singing songs like "As the deer panteth for the water..." in Thai. Not because they have a relationship with God, but because they love Dang.) Then, once people are your friend, they listen to the things you have to say. Then, they accept your beliefs as part of accepting you. Then, they transition into really accepting it for themselves, whether you were to believe it or not. This process is called "discipling someone to salvation." The Thai people are accepted into the Christian community before they ever accept Christ. They come to church, small groups, learn about Christ in their classes-- and this provides them with opportunities to ask questions (which they do!) and work out what it means to be a Christian, and the cost of discipleship. Once they do accept Christ for themselves, then they are already a part of a community, and there are not "shocking revelations". They understand that the price of believing is rejecting Buddhism, which is more than a religion here, it is the way of life. There is nothing in America, that I can think of, that so completely touches and affects everyone-- like Buddhism does here. No one's worldview is left untouched by Buddhism. From what people have told me, and what I have seen, "To be Thai, is to be Buddhist." So to reject Buddhism, is to reject a key part of what has been their identity their whole lives. Praise God that people here are seeing that Christ is worth the price.
After a (too brief) afternoon nap, we went on to help with the Conversation Corner. The best way I can explain the set-up, is like speed-dating-- We sit on one side of a long table, and then people trickle in and out of the seats across from us.
Monday night was our first night doing this-- and I was able to share the Gospel with everyone I spoke with-- however, the language barrier was a difficult thing to overcome with many of the "lower level" English speakers. I did have a good conversation with a girl named Ting-- and she seems so close to accepting, please be praying for her! I think every team member has been able to talk with her in some way about the Gospel.
One of the things I found discouraging on Monday night, was that people either had no knowledge of God (at all) or they were so deceived by Buddhism, that they couldn't understand key elements about the Gospel. In Buddhism, there is no God-- and curiosity doesn't seem to really be fostered. So people never think about where nature came from, or how humans originated, etc. Things that we would see as basic questions about life, they never consider. As a result, when we talk about God with some of them, they literally have no base-knowledge to build on. Who is God? Why did His Son have to die? How did Jesus dying take away our sin? were common questions. They didn't know anything. And that was difficult.
However, tonight was more encouraging at the Conversation Corner. Instead of trying to talk to lots of people, I just talked to one: Song. Song is a 28 year old guy who lives with his sister not too far from the BSC. He doesn't take classes at the BSC, but he comes for the free events it does because he wants desperately to improve his English. He spent 4 months in New Zealand working on a farm in exchange for room/board and conversational English help. I've never met anyone with such an interesting story. He is Thai, but his grandparents (who I think raised him) were Chinese. He works at a pig farm and also raises crocodiles at his house. Yes, crocodiles. They buy them as babies and then raise them to about 2 meters and then sell them to people who dry the meat and use the skin to make purses/belts/etc. Who raises crocodiles at their house?? Seriously.
We talked about everything. About life in America and Thailand-- about jobs he'd had-- about the "crime rate" in America (talk about a broad spectrum)-- about how Americans date (also equally as broad...)-- about places we had been-- things to do in Thailand-- and then we bridged to religion. I think that about half of our time we were working through Christianity/Buddhism. And Song was very proficient in English, so it wasn't too hard to discuss more complicated matters... which we did for about two of the four hours.
Do Christians believe in reincarnation? What is the standard to get to heaven? Why did Jesus come to earth? What role does the Holy Spirit play in the life of the believer? Where did we come from? Why is the universe so big? Who made the earth?... all these questions, and so many more.
And praise God, that, despite my own physical weakness, He was able to give me words to speak to share His Truth with Song. For Song, the Gospel was confusing-- but he was asking good questions. And as I would answer things about God, he would tell me things about Buddhism. It was such a neat exchange. He would tell me about "walking meditation," where one focuses on becoming aware of everything around you-- even of your subconscious in an effort to clean your mind. And then I would share about the Holy Spirit and how when you accept Christ, you receive the Holy Spirit and He renews your heart and gives you peace, comfort and renews your mind, etc.
He said he would come back tomorrow (or I guess it's today now) to talk more-- and my prayer is that he really starts thinking about the things that were brought up. That he is unsettled. That when he looks at nature, he doesn't just say "Oh, that's pretty... moving on" but that He marvels at the One who made it. That when he sees the stars, he notices them and realizes that a God who created something so large and vast, must be incredibly big. That the universe does not just exist to sustain us-- but to declare the excellencies of the One who made it!
Please keep Song and Ting in your prayers. Please also keep praying for our team-- for our energy and stamina to persist in being bold for the Gospel here. The Thais are willing to hear, pray that we would be clear in how we share.
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all nations--
Well, as many of you may know, Tuesday was a little rough (it is 3:35am Wednesday here as I write). The jetlag caught up to all of our team-- which included dizziness, nausea, and other less-than-pleasant side effects I'd rather not detail. But suffice it to say, yesterday was a painful blur.
However, despite not eating-- and feeling all around like I might keel over at any moment, I think that yesterday was one of the best days we've had. Even though I was weak-- He was strong.
The morning started off with a private meeting with Adjong Thongchai-- the man who represents all the Protestant interests in Thailand-- he is thought by most to be the most influential evangelical in all of Thailand. We were able to hear his heart for the Thai's. What was interesting was that, for as much as he planned (and "prepared the fields" if you will) He refused to put a limit on the things that God will do here. At one point, I asked him how many teachers they would like for a semester-- what a "full staff" would be... his answer? That the more the workers, the larger the field. That God will always provide just enough people to accomplish and reach those who need to hear. He didn't have a number, or a goal, his prayer is just that those who are prompted by God to come-- come. And he trusted that that would be enough.
After our private meeting with Adjong (meaning: "respected teacher") Thongchai, we went with him and some of the IMB/LifePoint staff to the Bayoke Tower. This is the tallest building in Thailand. We ate on the 74th floor over-looking the city. Afterwards, we were able to go to the observation platform and see the city as the platform slowly spun us in a circle to get a 360 degree view of Bangkok. I have never seen a city so big in my life-- it is at least double the size of NYC.
While talking to Thongchai, he further affirmed the fact that building relationships is the most effective way to share the Gospel with the Thai people. (We definitely have seen this as 30+ students our age meet multiple times a week to sing worship songs and study the Bible-- and yet 80% do not yet have a relationship with Christ-- they just love the people at the BSC and want to spend time with them. One of the "small group leaders" is named Dang, and we walked past him one night with all these guys and girls surrounding him, him on the guitar, and people singing songs like "As the deer panteth for the water..." in Thai. Not because they have a relationship with God, but because they love Dang.) Then, once people are your friend, they listen to the things you have to say. Then, they accept your beliefs as part of accepting you. Then, they transition into really accepting it for themselves, whether you were to believe it or not. This process is called "discipling someone to salvation." The Thai people are accepted into the Christian community before they ever accept Christ. They come to church, small groups, learn about Christ in their classes-- and this provides them with opportunities to ask questions (which they do!) and work out what it means to be a Christian, and the cost of discipleship. Once they do accept Christ for themselves, then they are already a part of a community, and there are not "shocking revelations". They understand that the price of believing is rejecting Buddhism, which is more than a religion here, it is the way of life. There is nothing in America, that I can think of, that so completely touches and affects everyone-- like Buddhism does here. No one's worldview is left untouched by Buddhism. From what people have told me, and what I have seen, "To be Thai, is to be Buddhist." So to reject Buddhism, is to reject a key part of what has been their identity their whole lives. Praise God that people here are seeing that Christ is worth the price.
After a (too brief) afternoon nap, we went on to help with the Conversation Corner. The best way I can explain the set-up, is like speed-dating-- We sit on one side of a long table, and then people trickle in and out of the seats across from us.
Monday night was our first night doing this-- and I was able to share the Gospel with everyone I spoke with-- however, the language barrier was a difficult thing to overcome with many of the "lower level" English speakers. I did have a good conversation with a girl named Ting-- and she seems so close to accepting, please be praying for her! I think every team member has been able to talk with her in some way about the Gospel.
One of the things I found discouraging on Monday night, was that people either had no knowledge of God (at all) or they were so deceived by Buddhism, that they couldn't understand key elements about the Gospel. In Buddhism, there is no God-- and curiosity doesn't seem to really be fostered. So people never think about where nature came from, or how humans originated, etc. Things that we would see as basic questions about life, they never consider. As a result, when we talk about God with some of them, they literally have no base-knowledge to build on. Who is God? Why did His Son have to die? How did Jesus dying take away our sin? were common questions. They didn't know anything. And that was difficult.
However, tonight was more encouraging at the Conversation Corner. Instead of trying to talk to lots of people, I just talked to one: Song. Song is a 28 year old guy who lives with his sister not too far from the BSC. He doesn't take classes at the BSC, but he comes for the free events it does because he wants desperately to improve his English. He spent 4 months in New Zealand working on a farm in exchange for room/board and conversational English help. I've never met anyone with such an interesting story. He is Thai, but his grandparents (who I think raised him) were Chinese. He works at a pig farm and also raises crocodiles at his house. Yes, crocodiles. They buy them as babies and then raise them to about 2 meters and then sell them to people who dry the meat and use the skin to make purses/belts/etc. Who raises crocodiles at their house?? Seriously.
We talked about everything. About life in America and Thailand-- about jobs he'd had-- about the "crime rate" in America (talk about a broad spectrum)-- about how Americans date (also equally as broad...)-- about places we had been-- things to do in Thailand-- and then we bridged to religion. I think that about half of our time we were working through Christianity/Buddhism. And Song was very proficient in English, so it wasn't too hard to discuss more complicated matters... which we did for about two of the four hours.
Do Christians believe in reincarnation? What is the standard to get to heaven? Why did Jesus come to earth? What role does the Holy Spirit play in the life of the believer? Where did we come from? Why is the universe so big? Who made the earth?... all these questions, and so many more.
And praise God, that, despite my own physical weakness, He was able to give me words to speak to share His Truth with Song. For Song, the Gospel was confusing-- but he was asking good questions. And as I would answer things about God, he would tell me things about Buddhism. It was such a neat exchange. He would tell me about "walking meditation," where one focuses on becoming aware of everything around you-- even of your subconscious in an effort to clean your mind. And then I would share about the Holy Spirit and how when you accept Christ, you receive the Holy Spirit and He renews your heart and gives you peace, comfort and renews your mind, etc.
He said he would come back tomorrow (or I guess it's today now) to talk more-- and my prayer is that he really starts thinking about the things that were brought up. That he is unsettled. That when he looks at nature, he doesn't just say "Oh, that's pretty... moving on" but that He marvels at the One who made it. That when he sees the stars, he notices them and realizes that a God who created something so large and vast, must be incredibly big. That the universe does not just exist to sustain us-- but to declare the excellencies of the One who made it!
Please keep Song and Ting in your prayers. Please also keep praying for our team-- for our energy and stamina to persist in being bold for the Gospel here. The Thais are willing to hear, pray that we would be clear in how we share.
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all nations--
Monday, August 8, 2011
Our Daily Bread
[posted by: claire cecil]
You can probably already tell that this trip has involved a lot of eating, thinking and talking about eating, buying food, trying food, etc. Liz posted some awesome photos below of our lunch today (see below). It was quite the treat just to sit down and try all the gourmet dishes that Thailand has to offer--some of which I still don't know what was on my plate. I trusted that the people who live here in Bangkok knew what was safe to eat and what would send us to the "head" for hours.
Thais eat all day long. Street vendors are always marketing food, ALWAYS. The team and I just went to visit an alley where many of the BSC students live by the Bayoke Tower and James (one of the BSC teachers) bought some sweet corn pastry that I'm not even going to try to spell. With food being so cheap and so easily available, it's not hard to trust that eventually when it's time to eat, something will be provided. Thais don't worry; why should we? Tonight after that walk down the alley and a trip to Star Bucks, we stopped at 7Eleven and got some groceries for the next day. We got back to the BSC and I put the "groceries" (a cup of yoghurt, a croissant and jam, and a bottle of water) in the empty fridge; empty because I had used up the groceries from the night before this morning. In an odd sort of way, I like that feeling. I like to get what I need daily and no more.
It's exactly how we're supposed to trust in God. If we really believe that God is sovereign, we need to trust that he's going to provide what we need in the moment that we need it. When we lack strength, He is strong; when we lack faith, He is faithful; when we don't know what to pray, He speaks to us; when we blunder through a presentation of the gospel, He uses His Spirit to articulate what wasn't said and more than that, blesses us for the attempt. God is so good.
Tonight was the first conversation corner and as far as I know, I spoke English (no tongues this time since there wasn't an interpreter--to those who don't understand sarcasm, this is it). For some reason since I grew up in the burbs outside of DC, I was the Washington DC expert. To counter this, I told Yo the story of the time my sister and I went to the Folger Theater and couldn't find our car at 12:30 AM in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. It was not funny at the time and I still cringe a bit when I tell the story. I hope he doesn't take any of my advice. The language barrier is hard. It helped that Yo brought paper and when there was a confusing word, I could write it down and he could mostly understand me then. I forgot almost every bit of training that I had ever received about Thai people. Don't do this, don't say that, be mindful of this. I just wanted to have a conversation. God allowed for that to happen. God made a way to bridge to the gospel. He planned before the world began for this conversation to happen because He is sovereign. Sovereign over our blunders; so sovereign and loving that He extends His grace and covers our mistakes with His mighty hand.
A concept that I've been thinking about a lot lately is that God will bring His elect to the saving knowledge of Christ; He just allows us to participate in that process. John Lapos, an IMB missionary and a man whom I consider to be my brother in Christ, used the analogy of the field that needs seeds to be planted and watered. Who makes the sun shine and the chemical processes happen within the plant itself? God does. It takes time. It takes faith. Despite all the odds though, God provides for His children every single day. Not more than we need, not less, but just enough for that day.
Give us this day our daily bread, Lord. Help us to feed on your Word and hunger for it because it is nourishing. Amen.
You can probably already tell that this trip has involved a lot of eating, thinking and talking about eating, buying food, trying food, etc. Liz posted some awesome photos below of our lunch today (see below). It was quite the treat just to sit down and try all the gourmet dishes that Thailand has to offer--some of which I still don't know what was on my plate. I trusted that the people who live here in Bangkok knew what was safe to eat and what would send us to the "head" for hours.
Thais eat all day long. Street vendors are always marketing food, ALWAYS. The team and I just went to visit an alley where many of the BSC students live by the Bayoke Tower and James (one of the BSC teachers) bought some sweet corn pastry that I'm not even going to try to spell. With food being so cheap and so easily available, it's not hard to trust that eventually when it's time to eat, something will be provided. Thais don't worry; why should we? Tonight after that walk down the alley and a trip to Star Bucks, we stopped at 7Eleven and got some groceries for the next day. We got back to the BSC and I put the "groceries" (a cup of yoghurt, a croissant and jam, and a bottle of water) in the empty fridge; empty because I had used up the groceries from the night before this morning. In an odd sort of way, I like that feeling. I like to get what I need daily and no more.
It's exactly how we're supposed to trust in God. If we really believe that God is sovereign, we need to trust that he's going to provide what we need in the moment that we need it. When we lack strength, He is strong; when we lack faith, He is faithful; when we don't know what to pray, He speaks to us; when we blunder through a presentation of the gospel, He uses His Spirit to articulate what wasn't said and more than that, blesses us for the attempt. God is so good.
Tonight was the first conversation corner and as far as I know, I spoke English (no tongues this time since there wasn't an interpreter--to those who don't understand sarcasm, this is it). For some reason since I grew up in the burbs outside of DC, I was the Washington DC expert. To counter this, I told Yo the story of the time my sister and I went to the Folger Theater and couldn't find our car at 12:30 AM in one of the most dangerous cities in the world. It was not funny at the time and I still cringe a bit when I tell the story. I hope he doesn't take any of my advice. The language barrier is hard. It helped that Yo brought paper and when there was a confusing word, I could write it down and he could mostly understand me then. I forgot almost every bit of training that I had ever received about Thai people. Don't do this, don't say that, be mindful of this. I just wanted to have a conversation. God allowed for that to happen. God made a way to bridge to the gospel. He planned before the world began for this conversation to happen because He is sovereign. Sovereign over our blunders; so sovereign and loving that He extends His grace and covers our mistakes with His mighty hand.
A concept that I've been thinking about a lot lately is that God will bring His elect to the saving knowledge of Christ; He just allows us to participate in that process. John Lapos, an IMB missionary and a man whom I consider to be my brother in Christ, used the analogy of the field that needs seeds to be planted and watered. Who makes the sun shine and the chemical processes happen within the plant itself? God does. It takes time. It takes faith. Despite all the odds though, God provides for His children every single day. Not more than we need, not less, but just enough for that day.
Give us this day our daily bread, Lord. Help us to feed on your Word and hunger for it because it is nourishing. Amen.
To be in Bangkok
[posted by: jared stacy]
It's hard to put into words exactly what Bangkok is like. In some ways, it's very easy, almost laid back. The people are unbelievably friendly and to smile means that all is good! A brief nod of the head, or wai, with a smile, soothes more misunderstandings or cultural bumblings (of which I seem to be prone) than any amount of verbal backtracking or apologizing!
It's hard to put into words exactly what Bangkok is like. In some ways, it's very easy, almost laid back. The people are unbelievably friendly and to smile means that all is good! A brief nod of the head, or wai, with a smile, soothes more misunderstandings or cultural bumblings (of which I seem to be prone) than any amount of verbal backtracking or apologizing!
Our living quarters are right in the heart of downtown Bangkok. If you were to listen in our rooms at night, it'd be hard to tell the difference between here and 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The hiss of brakes, the drone of hundreds of motorbikes, it all comes together to form the perfect cityscape soundtrack. Turn a street corner here though and you might find yourself in a narrow street with taxis inching their way through the swarm of locals, and run-down single room apartments sitting atop meager stalls or businesses. The smells of local food pass you from one cart to the next, mixed with running sewage below. This is Bangkok. A glistening cityscape that eclipses the simple and determined lives of her people in the backstreets and alleys.
To such an end, it shocked me to hear that John 3:16 holds little relevance here. To have "eternal life" is not a good thing for Thai people. An eternal existence to them equates to continued punishment for past wrongdoing in another life. No matter their state here and now, whether wealthy or poor, they are all on a sliding scale of punishment so long as they exist (whether in this life or the next). Buddhism, and its ideals, permeates their subconscious worldview (decision-making, view of life, motivations, etc) much like cultural Christianity exists in the States.
To reach Bangkok means a slow, methodical, loving relationship with people must exist. As much as I'd like to read up on Buddhism and feel I'm ready to evangelize, that still will not translate here. No amount of knowledge about Buddhism will help you in the backstreets unless the knowledge forms a working, daily relationship with these people. The cultural foundations here are totally different from our cultural understandings in America. Yet like home, the mission in Bangkok is to make much of God and the Gospel of Christ. This universally begins with sharing the foundation that the Gospel is built on.. unconditional, undeserved, unrepayed love. As much as Nicodemus tried to intellectually comprehend God's plan of salvation, we must key on the fact that the intellect can only go so far as our hands are willing to act. Anything more becomes dead weight. Being around the Thai people makes theology all the more real and vital. Its not to answer questions correctly anymore, but to be able explain accurately your faith when that moment of conversation comes. It might take years.. we've heard cases where it has..but it is really the truest form of earning the right to be heard through love. Peter calls it "being ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you..." and I think that applies here in this city the same way it does in America and around the world.
From the mind of Dylan...
[posted by: dylan whittemore]
Can I just say that this trip has just been incredible. Even before the five of us left, God continually
Can I just say that this trip has just been incredible. Even before the five of us left, God continually
showed His sovereignty. It is so incredible how when our mission is Christ's mission, things just fall into place. Before we left we each did many things to raise funds. The most amazing part of our fundraising was when the church, the body of Christ, pulled together and sent us to take the gospel to Bangkok. What really stands out to me is that when people in our church donated, bought tickets, or committed to praying for us before we left and while we are here, did so with a smile on their face and warmth in their heart. I am just so humbled that God chose me to be a part of the team and that He raised our funds for us because we were willing to go.
So we raised our funds, lathered up in prayers, got prayed for, got shots, packed our bags and met at the church at 6am. The night before we left, I was packing and all of a sudden BOOM. Half of a tree had fallen and barely scraped the side of my house. Isn't it amazing how God made sure that that tree had grown in the perfect spot 20 years ago so that it would not crush my house (it actually would have crushed my room) and distracted me while I was gone? Our God is a sovereign God. After me met at the church, other college students and adults showed up to pray over us before we left! How encouraging! Not all of us were called to go and those that weren't were called to send that that is what they did.
Romans 12:4-5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
The plane ride. Oh the plane ride. The trip to the airport was awesome! No traffic on 95 north during rush hour?! Absolutely amazing. No lines at check in?! Or security?! What is this?! This is God reminding us of how He has everything under control. And how He was keeping our hearts and attitudes right before the next 23 hours of straight travel. The plane rides went smooth, just long. Those in biblical times would travel for days on foot and donkey to share the gospel. There are people today who walk for hours upon hours just to go to a church service. No complementary soda (or cranberry apple juice for me and Jared) no free pretzels or meals. Just them, their feet, and God motivating them every step of the way. Although it was a long, uncomfortable trip, it could have been worse.
We got here and two missionaries picked us up at the airport with smiles on their faces, genuinely excited for us to be there. Honestly, at that point, I was excited to just be on the ground. I had no idea what to expect for the next day or the week to come.
" therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day brings enough trouble of its own" - Matthew 6:34
Day one - finally! We start the day off with orientation and then go to the "slums" where we would find children to play with. Like Liz posted, it was awkward at first. But after we took that first step on faith that God would use us when we were willing, the awkwardness vanished. The awesome thing: there was no language barrier when it came to loving on kids and them loving on us. Another incredible thing was when I was playing with a child named Dug, an adult was watching me interact with this little dude and she was smiling and laughing which told me that it was uncommon for the children to be played with like that. Broke my heart. Then I met a stud named Kyle and he went to school for a year in the states then completely dropped everything and now lives in Bangkok as a full time missionary and he is only 21. What an incredible inspiration.
Day two -
We spent the day in churches and with missionaries. It was so incredible. Thai church - Singing worship songs in English while everyone else sang in Thai was an amazing feeling. Kind of like how it will be in heaven when all nations and all tribes praise God. One woman started a relationship with Christ today. Beautiful. Lifepoint Church - can I just say, what an incredible group of people. I was so inspired and encouraged by the missionaries there. They are awesome. Talked to a lot of them one-on-one and they each have a heart for the lost. Please pray for them as they continue to do Gods work. Bible study in English - so encouraging. I asked a Thai woman what she loved most about Bangkok and she said "the BSC because it felt like my second home and I just love it here." that is so encouraging that she loves the place that teaches her English but most importantly, shares the gospel on a daily basis. Gorgeous.
Please keep praying for us. Pray especially because this trip has impacted our lives in incredible ways and will impact our future.
So we raised our funds, lathered up in prayers, got prayed for, got shots, packed our bags and met at the church at 6am. The night before we left, I was packing and all of a sudden BOOM. Half of a tree had fallen and barely scraped the side of my house. Isn't it amazing how God made sure that that tree had grown in the perfect spot 20 years ago so that it would not crush my house (it actually would have crushed my room) and distracted me while I was gone? Our God is a sovereign God. After me met at the church, other college students and adults showed up to pray over us before we left! How encouraging! Not all of us were called to go and those that weren't were called to send that that is what they did.
Romans 12:4-5
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
The plane ride. Oh the plane ride. The trip to the airport was awesome! No traffic on 95 north during rush hour?! Absolutely amazing. No lines at check in?! Or security?! What is this?! This is God reminding us of how He has everything under control. And how He was keeping our hearts and attitudes right before the next 23 hours of straight travel. The plane rides went smooth, just long. Those in biblical times would travel for days on foot and donkey to share the gospel. There are people today who walk for hours upon hours just to go to a church service. No complementary soda (or cranberry apple juice for me and Jared) no free pretzels or meals. Just them, their feet, and God motivating them every step of the way. Although it was a long, uncomfortable trip, it could have been worse.
We got here and two missionaries picked us up at the airport with smiles on their faces, genuinely excited for us to be there. Honestly, at that point, I was excited to just be on the ground. I had no idea what to expect for the next day or the week to come.
" therefore do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day brings enough trouble of its own" - Matthew 6:34
Day one - finally! We start the day off with orientation and then go to the "slums" where we would find children to play with. Like Liz posted, it was awkward at first. But after we took that first step on faith that God would use us when we were willing, the awkwardness vanished. The awesome thing: there was no language barrier when it came to loving on kids and them loving on us. Another incredible thing was when I was playing with a child named Dug, an adult was watching me interact with this little dude and she was smiling and laughing which told me that it was uncommon for the children to be played with like that. Broke my heart. Then I met a stud named Kyle and he went to school for a year in the states then completely dropped everything and now lives in Bangkok as a full time missionary and he is only 21. What an incredible inspiration.
Day two -
We spent the day in churches and with missionaries. It was so incredible. Thai church - Singing worship songs in English while everyone else sang in Thai was an amazing feeling. Kind of like how it will be in heaven when all nations and all tribes praise God. One woman started a relationship with Christ today. Beautiful. Lifepoint Church - can I just say, what an incredible group of people. I was so inspired and encouraged by the missionaries there. They are awesome. Talked to a lot of them one-on-one and they each have a heart for the lost. Please pray for them as they continue to do Gods work. Bible study in English - so encouraging. I asked a Thai woman what she loved most about Bangkok and she said "the BSC because it felt like my second home and I just love it here." that is so encouraging that she loves the place that teaches her English but most importantly, shares the gospel on a daily basis. Gorgeous.
Please keep praying for us. Pray especially because this trip has impacted our lives in incredible ways and will impact our future.
The Grand Palace
[posted by: liz swauger]
Here's a teaser... there are soooo many pictures from today, and it is taking me about 2 min/pic upload-- so here is what you get for the day!! :) Enjoy!
Here's a teaser... there are soooo many pictures from today, and it is taking me about 2 min/pic upload-- so here is what you get for the day!! :) Enjoy!
My attempt at artsy food pictures... our lunch today!
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| A river taxi that resembled the one we took to the Grand Palace |
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| Riding on the river-taxi |
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| There were houses like this that lined the river-- oftentimes juxtaposed with things that were far more lavish and ornate. |
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| Arrival at the Grand Palace |
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| Everything was so ornate! |
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| These statues amused us... |
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| Our team-- with the famous jade-buddah behind us. In Thai culture, you haven't been to Thailand until you have seen the this. It was definitely yet another opportunity to be culturally immersed! And, it helped us connect to the Thai people during the "Conversation Corner" because we could open up dialogue about the parts of their city that were important to them-- and then transition from that into the Gospel! |
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| The trip wouldn't be complete without a run-in with the police! He was friendly though :) |
Sunday, August 7, 2011
From the mind of Doug...
[posted by: doug adams]
8-6-11
We flew into Thailand early this morning/late last night. The BSC and John Lee Lapos have been very kind to us and made us feel so special. The accommodations are wonderful-- the room has A/C; the beds are comfortable, and we have personal bathrooms. What a great place to come on our first international trip.
On our flight over we encountered some Thais. They truly matched their reputation as some of the most friendly and gentle people in the world. We will have our orientation first thing this morning and will then work on an evangelism project with LifePoint during the middle of the day. I'm excited to see some familiar TN faces & hear about the way God is working in their lives. I am also excited for my team members have a chance to interact with people who gave up the "American Dream" for the sake of the Gospel.
The four young adults I am here with blow me away. Their love for Christ, His people and servant hearts push me to grow and be bold. I am praying for clarity and boldness for myself and the team. I don't want the Gospel to be overly complicated or left unsaid. I have one chance in this life to engage these people. May God's grace be evident today in our words and actions.
8-6-11
We flew into Thailand early this morning/late last night. The BSC and John Lee Lapos have been very kind to us and made us feel so special. The accommodations are wonderful-- the room has A/C; the beds are comfortable, and we have personal bathrooms. What a great place to come on our first international trip.
On our flight over we encountered some Thais. They truly matched their reputation as some of the most friendly and gentle people in the world. We will have our orientation first thing this morning and will then work on an evangelism project with LifePoint during the middle of the day. I'm excited to see some familiar TN faces & hear about the way God is working in their lives. I am also excited for my team members have a chance to interact with people who gave up the "American Dream" for the sake of the Gospel.
The four young adults I am here with blow me away. Their love for Christ, His people and servant hearts push me to grow and be bold. I am praying for clarity and boldness for myself and the team. I don't want the Gospel to be overly complicated or left unsaid. I have one chance in this life to engage these people. May God's grace be evident today in our words and actions.
------
8-7-11
Day 1 in Bangkok was AMAZING! We were treated so sweetly by the staff of the BSC who gave us an amazing breakfast along with a much needed cultural orientation. Afterward, the missionaries from LifePoint: Smyrna picked us up and we spent the afternoon interacting with the children and families in the slums. The slum we went to, BlaPlaa, resembled a flea market with small tenement homes throughout. The children were incredibly sweet to work with, as all the Thais have been so far. No doubt the warm reception we received is due to the relationship the Smyrna people have forged in their continuing efforts to reach these people. Their plan is simple. It's not to give these people gifts, or necessities, to win an audience, instead it is to consistently show up in the slum and offer to play with the children and teach some basic English and Bible stories.
One of the missionaries, Seth Hood, is married to an awesome Thai national who shared the Bible stories in Thai. Her approach is to end each one with a "cliff-hanger." The story is then resolved in the following week's lesson. This week's story was about Joseph and it ended with him preparing to confront his brothers on their mistreatment of him. This strategy gives the Thais a holistic view of the nature of God-- who has always sought the redemption and restoration of His people from Genesis 3 until the appearing of Christ and until His return through the work of the church.
The Thai people have little comprehension of who God is, so many Western Evangelical strategies must be recalibrated in order to effectively reach these people. For instance, John 3:16 is staple verse for many Americans, but it would be very confusing to the Thais. Because of the influence of the Hindus and Buddhists in this area, life = punishment. You are only alive because somehow you have failed in a previous life. Therefore, the offer of eternal life is misinterpreted as an offer for eternal punishment. On the other hand, Thais seem to grasp Biblical concepts that Westerners struggle with, like the depravity of man. We (Americans) rarely like to hear, talk about or dwell on our own sinfulness. From my perspective, Thais seem to grasp that humanity is broken. I doubt many Thais ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Because they recognize that people are bad. This is why the Gospel is so beautiful. A Good and Holy God comes to rescue a broken and bad humanity who he makes innocent of their sin (badness) and imputes His righteousness to! What a Good and Awesome God we serve and have been adopted by! Praise the Father, Son and Spirit for now and all eternity!
After our time at BlaPlaa, we went to the house of Molly and Dave Clarkson. They moved to Thailand from Fredericksburg and were members of Spotswood while there. Dave runs a GM plant here in Thailand. They were so hospitable to us and made the best cheesy potatoes ever! We hope they were encouraged by our visit and by hearing what God is doing at Spotswood. I can honestly say that it was one of the most fun and relaxing meals I've had with people I barely know. Yum... Day 1 was amazing. Can't wait for day 2 to start!
8-7-11
Day 1 in Bangkok was AMAZING! We were treated so sweetly by the staff of the BSC who gave us an amazing breakfast along with a much needed cultural orientation. Afterward, the missionaries from LifePoint: Smyrna picked us up and we spent the afternoon interacting with the children and families in the slums. The slum we went to, BlaPlaa, resembled a flea market with small tenement homes throughout. The children were incredibly sweet to work with, as all the Thais have been so far. No doubt the warm reception we received is due to the relationship the Smyrna people have forged in their continuing efforts to reach these people. Their plan is simple. It's not to give these people gifts, or necessities, to win an audience, instead it is to consistently show up in the slum and offer to play with the children and teach some basic English and Bible stories.
One of the missionaries, Seth Hood, is married to an awesome Thai national who shared the Bible stories in Thai. Her approach is to end each one with a "cliff-hanger." The story is then resolved in the following week's lesson. This week's story was about Joseph and it ended with him preparing to confront his brothers on their mistreatment of him. This strategy gives the Thais a holistic view of the nature of God-- who has always sought the redemption and restoration of His people from Genesis 3 until the appearing of Christ and until His return through the work of the church.
The Thai people have little comprehension of who God is, so many Western Evangelical strategies must be recalibrated in order to effectively reach these people. For instance, John 3:16 is staple verse for many Americans, but it would be very confusing to the Thais. Because of the influence of the Hindus and Buddhists in this area, life = punishment. You are only alive because somehow you have failed in a previous life. Therefore, the offer of eternal life is misinterpreted as an offer for eternal punishment. On the other hand, Thais seem to grasp Biblical concepts that Westerners struggle with, like the depravity of man. We (Americans) rarely like to hear, talk about or dwell on our own sinfulness. From my perspective, Thais seem to grasp that humanity is broken. I doubt many Thais ask, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Because they recognize that people are bad. This is why the Gospel is so beautiful. A Good and Holy God comes to rescue a broken and bad humanity who he makes innocent of their sin (badness) and imputes His righteousness to! What a Good and Awesome God we serve and have been adopted by! Praise the Father, Son and Spirit for now and all eternity!
After our time at BlaPlaa, we went to the house of Molly and Dave Clarkson. They moved to Thailand from Fredericksburg and were members of Spotswood while there. Dave runs a GM plant here in Thailand. They were so hospitable to us and made the best cheesy potatoes ever! We hope they were encouraged by our visit and by hearing what God is doing at Spotswood. I can honestly say that it was one of the most fun and relaxing meals I've had with people I barely know. Yum... Day 1 was amazing. Can't wait for day 2 to start!
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Jet Lag
[posted by: claire cecil]
I came to Thailand with a list of things I had prepared to write about on this blog. As the originator of said blog, I thought it would be a good idea to jot down what I'm noticing about the Thai people (a superficial assessment, I'm sure) and what I observe about the missionaries here who have literally given up everything in America to come live here for the sake of the gospel. Now, I'm not so sure I want to divulge exactly what I'm thinking. I can talk ad nauseum about what we're doing (see Liz's post below) and how it's meaningful. The meaning however resonates in the moment that that event is happening--i.e. working with Num on her English lessons--and then deepens and becomes richer in the moments after the event is over. To use a colloquialism, the meaning sinks in. The meaning is indeed sinking in. It's like jet lag; you get on the plane and fly across the world and you're tired. Tired from sitting so long in one position wishing you had splurged for those extra five inches. Then you stay awake in this new time zone which is the opposite of what you're used to. You don't really feel tired. It gets late. The delirium starts to set in. Your censor is off. Things are suddenly hilarious that would have only evoked a chuckle before. Then, finally you collapse in your bed, realizing how tired you really are. The jet lag sinks in. I'm still processing everything that happened yesterday waiting for it to sink in. For me, that means waiting to process those events and form a resolution, make a decision, hear God in His soft voice whisper to me His will and obey.
I came to Thailand with a list of things I had prepared to write about on this blog. As the originator of said blog, I thought it would be a good idea to jot down what I'm noticing about the Thai people (a superficial assessment, I'm sure) and what I observe about the missionaries here who have literally given up everything in America to come live here for the sake of the gospel. Now, I'm not so sure I want to divulge exactly what I'm thinking. I can talk ad nauseum about what we're doing (see Liz's post below) and how it's meaningful. The meaning however resonates in the moment that that event is happening--i.e. working with Num on her English lessons--and then deepens and becomes richer in the moments after the event is over. To use a colloquialism, the meaning sinks in. The meaning is indeed sinking in. It's like jet lag; you get on the plane and fly across the world and you're tired. Tired from sitting so long in one position wishing you had splurged for those extra five inches. Then you stay awake in this new time zone which is the opposite of what you're used to. You don't really feel tired. It gets late. The delirium starts to set in. Your censor is off. Things are suddenly hilarious that would have only evoked a chuckle before. Then, finally you collapse in your bed, realizing how tired you really are. The jet lag sinks in. I'm still processing everything that happened yesterday waiting for it to sink in. For me, that means waiting to process those events and form a resolution, make a decision, hear God in His soft voice whisper to me His will and obey.
Day 1
[posted by: liz swauger]
Wow.
I feel like last night I had a little to say-- which was pretty much summed up in the pictures I posted... But now there is so much more. Actually, I cannot believe that we still haven't been in the city for a full day yet. I feel like we've fit in three days at least. Aside from learning Thai (Sawat-de-ca: Hello/Goodbye) and (Cop-Khun-Ca: Thank you) and (Chai & Mais Chai: Thank you, No Thank You)-- being oriented to "The Kingdom" as it is called-- we also met Bret Cox and his wife, Susie-- went to the slums-- (which included two, as Doug put it, "terrifying" rides in the cab)-- had dinner with the Clarkson's (a family from Spotswood) and made a late-night trip to the 7-11... where we found many unusual things (that included "Seaweed Blankets"-- they were edible, and "Sushi flavored" potato chips. Dylan and I bought Sprite.) One interesting cultural thing is that it is offensive to drink straight from a bottle, so everyone uses straws. So, upon buying my glass-bottle-Sprite (which was 10 Baht- est. 30 cents) the cashier used a bottle-opener to open it for me and then provided me with a complimentary straw.
Today could not have gone better. We definitely were able to get a feel for the Thai culture and were able to interact with both adults and children-- and our time with the missionaries was phenomenal. It was so neat to hear their hearts for Thailand/Bangkok. One thing I am noticing (already) is that everything the missionaries do has a "long term approach." There is no "fast way" to share Christ with these people. They have no real base knowledge of the Bible/God/Gospel-- so, as one of the missionaries here said, "You can't start from scratch, you have to start from the itch." The missionaries can't just come in, share the Romans Road and do an altar call. The culture doesn't work that way. Instead, they have to build some equity with the people and really understand the culture before they can appropriately share the gospel. Doug, in one of his talks with the missionaries, found out that they actually try to avoid John 3:16 in conversations with the locals-- because to them, everlasting life is seen as a punishment. Because with Buddhism so prevalent, the reason they think they are alive is because they haven't been "good enough." So the ultimate reward is not life, but non-existence. So, for us as Americans to tromp in and start talking about "everlasting life" off the bat would be not only un-appealing, but repulsive to them. So instead, the missionaries are investing in loving the people, learning their culture and then sharing the gospel in a way that is maintains the authenticity of the Bible, but in a way that Thai people understand. This process doesn't happen overnight, but it was so cool today to get to see one of the stages of it.
One of the sweetest things today, though, had to be going to the slums. The people here rate slums on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being the absolute worst (living in raw sewage-- trash-- straw homes, etc) and 5 being not so shabby. The slum we went to "Blaplaa" was a 2. The slums are all the King's Land-- so it is owned (and maybe maintained? It didn't seem too maintained...) by the King. Every Saturday Lifepoint: Bangkok goes down to Blaplaa and hangs out with the children, teaches them songs, have English lessons/play sports/etc. At first when we showed up it was pretty awkward. The kids all ran up to the missionaries, and a few wai'd at us (the Thai greeting) but for the most part they just ignored us. But after a few minutes we all picked different activities (basketball, pushing kids on this merry-go-round thing, playing with the girls, etc) and after lots of smiling and laughing, the kids warmed up to us. Before long, I had two girls holding my hands-- which transitioned into one of them sitting on my lap singing. "Hello, what's your name? *clap clap clap* Hello, what's your name? *clap clap clap clap clap clap* My name is ____" and moving my hands to clap along with the song. She then proceeded to see my pocket bulging and discovered my chapstick and hand-sanitizer... which, was a bigger hit than I could have imagined. The slum smelled like "White Citrus" by the time we left. It was so fun to see the way they got excited over everything-- we taught them "O Happy Day" with hand motions (of course!) and it was so fun to see them start singing along with us. We played soccer, basketball, the girls were giving lessons in Thai-traditional-dancing (I played soccer), but mostly, they just wanted to be hugged and loved on.
I don't really know how to give an appropriate snapshot of the day-- or to really faithfully represent all that happened and we experienced today. But I know that God is doing big things here. And I am so excited for the rest of this week-- and right now, am so excited to go to bed! Until tomorrow--
Sawat-de-ca.
Wow.
I feel like last night I had a little to say-- which was pretty much summed up in the pictures I posted... But now there is so much more. Actually, I cannot believe that we still haven't been in the city for a full day yet. I feel like we've fit in three days at least. Aside from learning Thai (Sawat-de-ca: Hello/Goodbye) and (Cop-Khun-Ca: Thank you) and (Chai & Mais Chai: Thank you, No Thank You)-- being oriented to "The Kingdom" as it is called-- we also met Bret Cox and his wife, Susie-- went to the slums-- (which included two, as Doug put it, "terrifying" rides in the cab)-- had dinner with the Clarkson's (a family from Spotswood) and made a late-night trip to the 7-11... where we found many unusual things (that included "Seaweed Blankets"-- they were edible, and "Sushi flavored" potato chips. Dylan and I bought Sprite.) One interesting cultural thing is that it is offensive to drink straight from a bottle, so everyone uses straws. So, upon buying my glass-bottle-Sprite (which was 10 Baht- est. 30 cents) the cashier used a bottle-opener to open it for me and then provided me with a complimentary straw.
Today could not have gone better. We definitely were able to get a feel for the Thai culture and were able to interact with both adults and children-- and our time with the missionaries was phenomenal. It was so neat to hear their hearts for Thailand/Bangkok. One thing I am noticing (already) is that everything the missionaries do has a "long term approach." There is no "fast way" to share Christ with these people. They have no real base knowledge of the Bible/God/Gospel-- so, as one of the missionaries here said, "You can't start from scratch, you have to start from the itch." The missionaries can't just come in, share the Romans Road and do an altar call. The culture doesn't work that way. Instead, they have to build some equity with the people and really understand the culture before they can appropriately share the gospel. Doug, in one of his talks with the missionaries, found out that they actually try to avoid John 3:16 in conversations with the locals-- because to them, everlasting life is seen as a punishment. Because with Buddhism so prevalent, the reason they think they are alive is because they haven't been "good enough." So the ultimate reward is not life, but non-existence. So, for us as Americans to tromp in and start talking about "everlasting life" off the bat would be not only un-appealing, but repulsive to them. So instead, the missionaries are investing in loving the people, learning their culture and then sharing the gospel in a way that is maintains the authenticity of the Bible, but in a way that Thai people understand. This process doesn't happen overnight, but it was so cool today to get to see one of the stages of it.
One of the sweetest things today, though, had to be going to the slums. The people here rate slums on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being the absolute worst (living in raw sewage-- trash-- straw homes, etc) and 5 being not so shabby. The slum we went to "Blaplaa" was a 2. The slums are all the King's Land-- so it is owned (and maybe maintained? It didn't seem too maintained...) by the King. Every Saturday Lifepoint: Bangkok goes down to Blaplaa and hangs out with the children, teaches them songs, have English lessons/play sports/etc. At first when we showed up it was pretty awkward. The kids all ran up to the missionaries, and a few wai'd at us (the Thai greeting) but for the most part they just ignored us. But after a few minutes we all picked different activities (basketball, pushing kids on this merry-go-round thing, playing with the girls, etc) and after lots of smiling and laughing, the kids warmed up to us. Before long, I had two girls holding my hands-- which transitioned into one of them sitting on my lap singing. "Hello, what's your name? *clap clap clap* Hello, what's your name? *clap clap clap clap clap clap* My name is ____" and moving my hands to clap along with the song. She then proceeded to see my pocket bulging and discovered my chapstick and hand-sanitizer... which, was a bigger hit than I could have imagined. The slum smelled like "White Citrus" by the time we left. It was so fun to see the way they got excited over everything-- we taught them "O Happy Day" with hand motions (of course!) and it was so fun to see them start singing along with us. We played soccer, basketball, the girls were giving lessons in Thai-traditional-dancing (I played soccer), but mostly, they just wanted to be hugged and loved on.
I don't really know how to give an appropriate snapshot of the day-- or to really faithfully represent all that happened and we experienced today. But I know that God is doing big things here. And I am so excited for the rest of this week-- and right now, am so excited to go to bed! Until tomorrow--
Sawat-de-ca.
Friday, August 5, 2011
safe arrival!
[posted by: liz swauger]
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| Here we are getting ready to board the plane to Tokyo (from Dulles)... |
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| We each had individual screens for this flight (13 hours long--) and we could track where the plane was on the globe. Here we are about 4 hours out of Tokyo. |
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| Made it to Japan... around 4:00pm (ish?) Saturday |
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| Bamboo and sand... in the airport! |
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| We followed these signs through security and to Plane #2 |
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| The walkway |
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| Arrived in Bangkok around midnight Friday Night/Saturday Morning |
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| ...With all our bags! Yay God! |
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| These were the walkways in the Bangkok Airport... they were flat (like in America) but then went uphill and downhill as well. So cool :) |
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| Our first Thai meal... at 1:00am |
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| Claire and my room! |
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| Our welcome on the whiteboard! :) |
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Thank you so much to each of you who have been praying for us! The flight was incredibly long-- but things went so smoothly. From no real traffic on the way to the airport, to bags all making it, to making our connection... God was definitely straightening the way for us! But now, it is super late, and we have to wake up to get ready for orientation in the morning in about 4.5 hours-- so that is all for now!! More to come in the near future.
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