The Street Cleaner and the Floral Shirt

The past couple of days (April 13th-15th) have been Thai new year here (also known as "Songkran"). It's been so fun to see how they celebrate this holiday- with chalk and water! They bring out water hoses, water guns, water buckets, and chalk and either drive around or sit on their "front porch" and wait for their victims. But the main goal is to wish people Happy Thai New Year by wiping a chalk paste on their face and then drenching them with water. My thoughts on this holiday? It's awesome!! And of course, Thai's are more than willing to soak a white-faced Westerner with as much water as they can find :) So, I always come out soaked, and have found that they somehow manage to not only get the chalk on my face, but on my neck, in my ears, and in my hair as well! :)

So I prefaced this post with telling you about Songkran, so that I can tell you a story. During new year, people wear these floral/crazy print shirts that they sell everywhere. They're awesome! Basically they look like those "unfashionable" Hawaiian floral print shirts that you sometimes see people wearing in the States. But here, they totally rock these shirts! And I love it! So one of my goals last week was to find the perfect floral print shirt to wear around. And so I scoured the streets with another missionary and a local Thai woman. And finally I found the shirt I wanted...but it was on someone else, a local street cleaner. So my first thought was, "Do you think if I gave her 200 baht, she'd let me have it?" Usually shirts here are about 150-180 baht (about $5-$6 US dollars). haha, I really wanted that shirt! As I joked about it, we came to a shop, and I became super-focused as I searched in order to find this shirt, and I did!!! The only one in my size! 

After I got the shirt, I was so happy, that I wanted to share this with the street cleaner wearing the same shirt. The local Thai woman that was with us began to tell the street cleaner how the moment I saw her wearing the shirt, I loved it, and joked about offering her 200 baht for it. The street cleaner didn't seem too impressed but of course I didn't know what they were saying to each other. So I opened up my bag and showed her the shirt, and she looked surprised, then smiled, but then brushed it off and quietly walked away. At first I thought, "Tough crowd. I thought she might at least get a laugh out of a foreigner desiring her floral print shirt!" haha! So I asked the Thai woman with us about it, and she said she wasn't brushing us off, but was surprised that we were even talking to her! 

The social class system in Thailand is still very much alive. Being a street cleaner is considered a dirty job as well as one that puts you out in the sun and makes you darker (Thai's think being whiter means you're higher class). This woman was lower class, and here a foreigner was totally tearing down all the walls and boundaries that made us different, so that I could share in the fact that we now had the same shirt! I wanted to go back and just love on her. To show her that she has value in Christ, and that He sees no "social class" but only hearts, and He wants her heart. 

More than anything, I wish I had gotten a picture with her, although I'm not sure she would have allowed me to. But I, we, can still pray for her. And so I ask that you would pray for her, and for all those wearing these crazy floral shirts, celebrating a new year, but really aching inside for new life. Pray for those in all social classes that they would hunger for new life in this new year. 

When I think of this beautiful street cleaner with her wacky floral shirt, I think of 2 Corinthians 5:17 which says, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun." May this be our prayer for the people of Thailand this week.  

A lovely Thai woman from Singburi

Watch and feel free to laugh at some Songkran fun :)

Kid's Camp and a Nurse's Outfit?

It's crazy how much happens in just 3 days of being at camp, and also how quickly it goes. My prayer is that the kid's camp glorified God and was a heart-opener for the children that attended for years to come.

My first day at camp, I was dropped off by Caroline, a missionary here. I was so excited to be there and felt blessed to have this opportunity to see how a Thai Christian camp is run. But my excitement quickly fell to anxiety as I saw what 160+ kids looks like. It's a lot :) But Caroline read exactly what I was feeling, so she showed me around, plugged me in with a couple Thai staffers, and then prayed with me before she left. I felt taken care of. Another missionary, Phil, was also there, and I just felt blessed to know that if I needed anything, he was there to translate, lend a hand, or even just to speak in English for a little. I really felt God's hand of protection over me as I got to know more of Thai culture and the wonderful people here. But please don't let me make it seem like everything went perfect. God's hand was protecting me, but in His goodness...He also wanted to grow me :) And it all started when I was asked to play the part of a nurse...

A nurse? They obviously haven't seen me around needles or else they never would have asked! ;) Long story made a little shorter: I was asked to play the part of a nurse that had come to Thailand so many years ago and who shared the love of Jesus with the children here. Considering the nurse was British, I was the perfect fit (but without the awesome accent). I was then put at a station during a camp game where the campers would come, and I would speak a little Thai, sing a song, and then give the kid's some fruit punch. Simple enough, and I had an amazing Thai translator who was doing the rest.

Plans change in an instant, and they did just that. After two groups had come through my station, I was asked (OK, I was told) by one of the Thai staff, Git, to explain the 4 Color Book in English, and then it would be translated into Thai. (The 4 colors are gold= heaven, black= sin, red= Christ's blood shed for us, and white= being made clean by Christ's blood.) I considered Git a good friend at this point, but was not as excited as he was about presenting the 4 color book spur of the moment. I need time and preparation- or at least a notecard to look at! But I knew that this was something God had planned even if I didn't.

So I set aside my desire to have perfect outline, and corresponding Bible verses, and just talked about the basics of a loving God and the steps He took to save us. Was it smooth? Probably not, but I leave the outcome in the Lord's hands, where it belongs.

I later asked Git how often he had explained the 4 color book, and with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "It's my first time to share it. Through you!" haha! He used me for evangelizing purposes!!! LOL! But, we were both afraid to be the spokesperson for it! So the Lord gave us (the very hesitant vessels) the chance to work together and share the story of God's love and saving grace. I think we both saw that it isn't by human strength that God's Word is delivered to the human heart, but Christ's love that gently pulls the listener in.

I was later reading in Exodus about Moses and Aaron- I think Git and I were a lot like these two brothers, trembling in sharing the Word of God to the Israelites because we didn't feel we had the right words. But just like God told Moses, I felt Him telling me, "Who made your mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak (Exodus 4:11-12)." In God's love and patience, He allowed the brothers to share in the experience of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. In God's love and patience today, He is calling us, calling me to trust in Him again. He is my words, my mouth, and my voice. I can hang onto His promises because He is always good. I pray this encourages all of you as well when sharing Christ's love and His life with those around you. We're all in it together :)

Prayer requests:
- For the Thai staffers as they continue to share Christ's love with others as they go back home
- For the Thai campers- that seeds would be planted in their hearts (for years to come)
- For the  next Thai camp coming up: "Steps to Love" (for youth 13+)- that the youth coming would have open hearts; I'm already aware of a teen who will be attending, but he has not made the decision to follow Jesus yet.
-For Git- as he continues to look into pursuing international studies and being a light to his fellow classmates at university. Please pray for boldness and perseverance as he shines for Christ amongst his friends.
- For Phil- the other missionary at kid's camp (and blessed translator!); Please pray as he continues to serve in Thailand- for boldness, strong friendships, perseverance in continuing to learn the language, and most importantly-for a great sense of humor!

Just a few of the amazing Thai staff at camp! :)

Arrival and Heading to Camp!

I arrived safe and sound in Bangkok last Friday morning. Praise the Lord! Flight went well and all baggage came in. And if you're wondering, yes, someone was picking their nose in the aisle next to me. It always happens! When you're in a congested setting, without tissues, and traveling for 15 hours by air, sometimes a person's got to do what a person's got to do- and I just laughed to myself :)

I did want to share with you a funny story God allowed for me to go through on one of my flights. One of my seat mates was a couple from Spain, who barely knew any English, so of course I thought this would be a great time to brush up on my Spanish. As we were trying to communicate, I wanted to tell the husband that he was better at English than I was at Spanish, but instead I said he was more of a woman than I was!! haha!!! I mixed the words "mejor" meaning better and the word "mujer" meaning woman. The wife laughed so hard she was crying! I had to humbly apologize as I was laughing hard too. I couldn't help but thank God for that moment to laugh and enjoy cultural differences.

After I landed in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, I spent a night there and then the next day headed off to Lopburi. I love this city! I've gotten to experience so much in just a couple days. I feel very blessed to have had so many interactions with Thai people so far. I've learned that I will be participating in more homeschooling than what I initially thought which will be a challenge but great opportunity to learn. Homeschooling was the one thing I wanted to avoid while here, but it seems God has other plans. And I already told Him I would give Him my time while here. It's time that I keep my word with Him and trust in His greater plan :) And I'm excited to- the family (whom I will be home-schooling their two boys) is amazing! They already feel like family to me :)

But as far as this week goes, in less than 30 minutes I'll be heading off to a camp north of Singburi (in Central Thailand) where there will be 200 Thai children!! I am so excited to be a part of this. Please be praying with me as children hear about Jesus, but also just get a chance to have fun and be a kid. Please also be praying that I would be outgoing and try and practice Thai with the kids. This will be a great opportunity! Please also be praying for all the Thai staff who've worked so hard to put this together. I'll be excited to let you all know how the camp goes this week!

Many thanks again for all your prayers, support, and encouragement! Please let me also encourage you with a verse I read this morning that encouraged me. Psalm 23: 3,6 "HE gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths as he has promised. I know that your goodness and love will be with me all my life; and your house will be my home as long as I live." What a promise!

Blessings to you this week! Love, Faith