The First Week

I feel like there is no way for me to accurately portray what I have experienced in the last week - neither what I've seen and heard nor what I've experienced in my heart. But, man, it's been huge! This already has been one of the most difficult and unique experiences of my life, and I have to believe that the Lord is using it in ways that I can't even understand yet for His glory in my life and in the lives of the people here.

Life is different here in Thailand! I've played basketball where cars drive, gotten a Thai foot massage, seen an enormous gold Buddha, ridden in a river boat, prayed Asian style (where everyone prays at once), heard a sermon in Thai, eaten spicy curry, ridden on the back of motorbikes through a four-way "go" (there are no stop signs/lights in our area), walked through a temple and had some of the best smoothies I've ever tasted, among other things. I'm simply overwhelmed by the newness of it all!

Let me tell you first that this church - New City Fellowship Church - has an amazing vision and heart for the kingdom of God in this city and nation. I have already been struck by how badly they want for the Christians in Thailand to be united in the faith. And that means a lot to this group of Christians who are the extreme minority in a land permeated with Buddhism. What's more, they have such a heart to see the millions of lost Thai people influenced by the love and hope of the good news of Jesus.

So, I don't know how to rightly explain to you the situation that I find myself in, and what I've been struggling through during it; but maybe if I describe a normal morning over the last few days I'll be able to get the idea across. I've been waking up early because of the jet lag (it has made for burning eyes, tired days, and poor sleep; but I think I'm nearly over it now!), so it gives me time to read and pray before the family I'm living with gets up. I go outside to sit near the road, during the only cool part of the day. The most important thing that happens during that time is that the Holy Spirit brings peace and fellowship to my soul. In the middle of this new culture with what has proved to be a very frustrating language barrier, loneliness is very present in my heart. But because of that, my times in prayer have been real in a way that they rarely, if ever, have been before. The Lord has graced me with knowing His presence, and comforting me by making His promise to "never leave nor forsake you" very real to me personally.

On top of experiencing the Lord's presence, He has begun opening my eyes to see some very important things about myself, missions, and the time that I have here in Bangkok. I see that I've set up very high and wrong expectations for my time and work here. For some reason I feel this pressure to speak the gospel to every Thai person around me, to build solid friendships with every guy I meet while playing basketball, to accurately teach English to my students so that they can communicate perfectly, and to be effective in every endeavor I come across. But I can't. What a hard thing to say! Yet, as I wrote in my journal, "I need to see how to be faithful in what I'm given." And maybe even more importantly I wrote, "I am only a part of God's work in the kingdom, even here. A part." I cannot in three months learn their language, and I simply feel out of place in their culture. And so, more than anything, I have to trust that GOD is accomplishing His work in the Thai people's hearts, since it's quite obvious that there is little to nothing that I can do to communicate my heart to them.

Then, as the Lord brings peace to my heart from prayer and from the Scriptures, while teaching me that I need to worry about a lot less than I have been, I hear some people come walking down the street in front of me. When I look up, I am surprised by four men in orange robes walking down the street, slowly and somberly. I realize that the people I've heard coming out of their houses up to this point and going back in were bringing alms for the monks, who are making their morning rounds. As they make their way past the gate in front of me so that I can't see them anymore, my eye catches the spirit house next door - something that almost every Thai home and business will have to appease the spirits they believe to be surrounding that place/business.

And at the end of my morning quiet time I realize the comfort of my God and how real and good His work in me is; but I also realize the depth of the need of these people. They do not have the hope that I know (they are so caught up in thinking that all that they do will save/protect them - praying to spirits, offering food to spirits, taking care of shrines, doing kind works, etc., etc., etc.) and they do not know the salvation that I have.

So, here is a short summary of what I need for you all to pray for: (and being here has amplified how deeply I am in need of prayer; I hurt, I fail, I struggle, and it is just so clear that God has to do anything good that happens, and that He works through His people's care)
-My soul. I often feel lonely, and ineffective. The language barrier makes it difficult for me to see how to build relationships with the unbelieving Thai people. I need to know God's peace, and in the midst of my service I am also in the process of learning and understanding a lot - some of which I didn't have any idea I'd be working through.
-The unbelieving Thai people I encounter. My role as I understand it right now will largely be loving them, making friends, and bringing them to the Christians who can more effectively share hope with them. (I play basketball each day and will hopefully start having meals/going out with the people I encounter; I also will teach English to a boy named James and to a group of younger students)
-New City Fellowship Church. This is the hub of ministry, where the believers are encouraged and unbelievers see community. Lots of transition going on right now and they are praying for numbers and maturity - more Thai people and more leaders within the church to lead those new Christians.

My heart is very much with those of you praying for me and caring for me during this time. I pray for you as well. I trust that as this journey continues, the Lord will increase the good that He is doing.

P.S. - I've found out that Tuesdays are my free days, so I'll probably be posting each Tuesday. Just a heads up. :)