Week 11: Prayer Further Fulfilled

The team of interns is driving out at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning to spend our day off recapping the summer thus far at Kow Yai, translated - "Big Mountain". Hopefully we'll enjoy some beautiful scenery, exotic animals, a cheeseburger or two, and a milkshake or two at a dairy farm among other things. That's just to explain that I won't have an opportunity tomorrow to share about this past week with you - something I'm very anxious to do; so I'm writing now instead.

Last night we returned from our campus retreat at the beach. We stayed in a beautiful house within walking distance to the shoreline, and I basically lived on the roof of this house, from which vantage point I could see both the sea and the mountains. It was amazing! But what was even more amazing was the thoroughly satisfying nature of our time with all of these Thai college students. I think I can legitimately say that every one of our ten interns had at least one interaction which they can point to as significant for the spiritual state of that Thai friend. Going into this weekend, a large part of me fully expected three days of inevitable uselessness at best and constant frustration or death at worst. Instead we found that our God is moving in the souls of Thai people, and that He was willing to grant us sight into that movement and even parts in their process.

Three events pointed me to the reality that I could not draw up times of sharing my heart with any Thais, but that the Lord was uniquely leading us into places where we could help them toward truth. The first came for me on the beach one night as a Thai named Tii was hungrily learning English from me. He asked what I wanted to do with my life. Explaining my desire to be a pastor led into us talking about the differences between Buddhism and Christianity. I found out at the end of the weekend that he had conversed significantly with at least three other Christians about the faith. He told me that it was all very confusing to him, but he kept pursuing answers. The second event came when I felt exhausted on Saturday night. We'd been encouraged to stay up late to talk with people and just pour ourselves out for them. I was seeing very few opportunities to spend time with any Thais, and I was tired, so I went up to the roof and decided to enjoy some time alone on the roof for a little while praying and thinking. My dear friend Wit came out of the shower and decided to come stand by me for a while. We talked about the testimony Erin had given that evening, and about where we wanted our lives to go. It was a sweet moment of sharing friendship and seeing God furthering that relationship. The third was on the bus ride home when the staff handed out packets of Genesis 1-3, John, and some other part of the New Testament. I asked my seat buddy, Folk, to translate Genesis 1.1-10 for me. We struggled through it for about 25 minutes or so (really enjoying it the whole time though). I asked him what he thought about Christianity, and he said that he thought Buddhists and Christians essentially had the same God. He asked if I thought that, and I said I thought that we definitely have different Gods. He was surprised, and said he thought he'd read the rest of that packet to see what the differences might be.

Opportunities like those seemed to crop up incessantly throughout the weekend. And none of them were forced, or involved me pushing myself upon them. I fully saw this weekend how my call is never to force myself upon people. God ordered those situations so that I could share life with those Thai men. I saw Tii's confusion over the reality that not all religions are alike. I felt in Wit a close friend with whom I could share my heart about the reality of life as I've experienced it. I saw in Folk a similar confusion to Tii, as well as a desire to know truth. It is just so beautiful to me to share life with people, and to see the Lord form that living into His good desires.

In addition to these are the many other small blessings I'm surrounded by. We had dozens of guys and girls come to our spur-of-the-moment barbecue. The girl I've been tutoring has finally opened up and has been laughing happily and consistently through our lessons (a very important thing for Thais). And friendships seem more solidified in general than they had before. God has proven that although He is under no obligation to bless our service with fruit, that He is often willing to encourage us by allowing us to see how His kingdom is moving forward.

Ok, so time for a few interesting experiences. Not too many good ones this week. Sorry. I ate squid and pork in an open-air restaurant where I got to sit on the ground with a cussing, somewhat inappropriate Thai friend (quite an interesting guy whose are an anomaly in Thailand). At the retreat I had a Muslim roommate who's name is Beer. I got to play soccer on the beach in the rain with some Thai guys. We also had another dance party on one of those multi-colored buses with spinning ceiling lights.

Lastly, please keep praying. It connects you to us and to the Lord's work across the world, and to this specific people. It also encourages me and is used by the Lord to move His kingdom forth and accomplish His beautifully good purposes in history. Here's how I see that you can pray:
-My Friends. Dii and Fok are definitely at turning points. I continue to have a heart for Wit. Then there are all of my basketball friends and the people that the other interns are meeting.
-Yu and Kieow. Two Thai women on staff; Yu's grandfather died this past week and Kieow's grandmother is in bad shape.
-Our Four-Week Intro. To Christianity Course. Starting this Thursday we'll be leading a four-part study/discussion on Christianity, how it is different from Buddhism, and how it answers humanity's big questions. We need for it to be fun, Christ-centered, and well-adapted to the hearts of those who come. Go - a Thai believer on staff at church who's also a close friend - will lead weeks one and three. Fellow intern Hank will lead the second week. And I'm leading the final week.

Life moves forward, my life continues to have questions, and it is all so good.