Strange Unfoldings in These Last Days

The last few days have an odd hue to them. 

Tomorrow 200 youth and young adults from the Korean Methodist Church will descend upon Hot Springs for a two day retreat/conference.  This we knew.  In fact, two days before leaving Canada I had been asked via email to speak at this conference.  One hour on the topic "New Hope, New Vision".  So, we knew our time here would overlap this rather significant event.

All week preparations have been underway.  The heat's been on to finish the new building that will provide the meeting space.  Long bamboo poles, at least 20 feet in length, have been cut and hauled down from the mountain to be made into picnic tables, Thai style.  Today the food started to arrive, in huge bags, alongside monster rice cookers and pots big enough to 30 pounds of potatoes each, at least.  Suradet has made the trip into Chiang Mai for supplies several times a day.  Yupa is walking around with long sheets of paper, talking in excited tones, laying out the food preparation strategy.  All the kids have pitched in to help in one way or another.

It all makes for a very different feel to the place.  Instead of being the center of attention in a laid back and easy rural Thai environment, we're only four out of at least 20 'extras' in the building hustle of excitement of the 'show' that opens tomorrow.

We've offered to help, of course, and have been turned down, of course.  The best way for us to contribute right now is to mostly stay out of the way during the day, lead and participate in morning and evening worship with the kids, and if the kids aren't needed for the work, spend happy time creating bracelets on the rainbow loom or with the many beads and coloured threads we've brought along.  This we can do. 

Yupa has been able to take us to the markets these past few evenings.  Actually, tonight I let the Team go without me, feeling somewhat 'marketed-out', and hoping for some unplanned, one-on-ones with the kids.  You can catch them between things in the latter part of the day, just after supper and before worship.  Little moments that become big memories.

I wasn't disappointed.  Sat for a few moments of snacking silence with Da, Tonkhao and Cheunlong under the dining shelter.  Just that lovely space of conversation-less 'being' between people who are fondly comfortable with one another.

Had a fascinating conversation with one of the seminary students, a young lady named Ging, from a mountain village who's uncle has sponsored her education so she can fulfill God's calling on her life to be a pastor. (Loved this, more on this later.)  Enjoyed another great conversation with my translator Boy who is fast becoming a good friend.

And oh, I got pooped on.  Right down the back of my neck.  Not sure what creature was so RUDE, but it was clearly hiding up in the beams of the dining shelter roof.  And, well let's just say - TMI alert - it was a LOT!!!  That was one well-fed gecko or whatever.  Anyways, maintaining Thai manners and poise in that situation was a bit of a challenge.  Especially when I don't know the Thai word for 'poop', or even 'yuck' for that matter.  I was glad that I had my handy stock of tissue with me, and for the nearby sink with soap and water.  Always new situations to deal with in Thailand.

My favourite part of this oddly-hued day, however, was the 'skeleton crew' evening worship.  Yupa was in town with the rest of the Team.  Suradet was going over conference plans with the Koreans.   It was left to Boy and I to lead the smaller group of us.  We sat on the floor tonight, and instead of standing up by the table where I usually do, I joined them down on the floor, telling them we'd see how long this farang could stay there.

We focused on the last verse of Psalm 73 which says, "I will tell of all His deeds."  Because we were a more intimate group, I asked if every one of us would go around the circle and just say one thing we were thankful for.  It's a feature of Thai teaching for learners to listen more than speak.  Interaction and response is not encouraged as a general rule.  In the past I've struggled against this, asking a question, only to be met with averted eyes, and shy, quiet smiles, but no brave attempts.  Tonight was different. 

Maybe it was because we were on the floor, or it was a smaller group, or that Ahjan Ruth told them about getting pooped on earlier.  But something seemed to open the door, and every child easily and freely said thanks to God for something.

Two of them were notable.  Kratae, in all seriousness, thanked God that she could clean the toilets.  She's 10.  Not kidding.  There is no sense of entitlement here with this kids.  None.

And Somchai, 18 and just graduated from high school, thanked God that he was alive 'up to this day'. 
Yes, he said that.  That's his reality.

These are the colours of this time now, closing in on the wretched goodbyes of Thursday which I'm not thinking about but clearly am since I've mentioned it.  These are the hues of these last days, strange and wonderful and full of God's gentle sucker punches of grace and truth and vivid, nuanced Presence.

Well Spent

We are exhausted!  But it would be hard to find a more satisfied quartet of farangs in Chiang Mai District right now.

Day Five of Day Camp...the last day....is done. 

Four Highviewers, 20 some odd Hot Springers, 62 kids, one sensational facility room, five character qualities of Joseph that helped him persevere, so many bumble bees brought home to proud mommies, way too many lion hunts, and a thousand actions to a whole truck load of songs later, and we said goodbye.  It was, in the opinion of those having done our camps here before, the best one yet.  ABCs, days of the week, months of the year, English Bible words and basic colours were the foundations of the English curriculum.  Joseph, as mentioned before, was the baseline for our stories and the teaching that led to the need for forgiveness and the sensational grace of Jesus.

We were back to our rooms for a brief rest before supper.  I lay down just to 'close my eyes' and ended up sleeping right through what I'm told was a ripper of a thunderstorm.  Had no idea.  I was out.  We're all tired.

But it's that wonderful kind of tired when you're spent, but you know you've spent yourself well.  When the output is far exceeded by the return, and the results make every weary, aching bone and muscle barely register on the investment scale.

Any one of us can run into times when we feel like we work long and hard and see precious little if any return for it.  Frustration and discouragement can outweigh the efforts, and we're left wondering if all our energies are making any difference.  Today, I am not wondering.

I am rejoicing, and praising, and delighting and sighing those deep, hold your breath for a second, kind of sighs that feel like something holy has just happened.  Because it has.

Tomorrow is Saturday.  Recuperation day.  And it includes a trip to the swimming pool.  Just when you think it can't get any better....

It's All About Him All the Time

Today I am remembering a moment in my office before we left. 

I was setting up "THE BINDER" of information, planning and schedules that would facilitate all the ministry we had been asked to do on this particular visit to Hot Springs.  The "Day Camp" section bothered me.  Flipping through the pages there just seemed to be so many blanks, so many lessons incomplete, so many 'outlines' but not enough 'fleshing out'.  The harsh Ontario winter had cancelled two strategic planning meetings, and my Mom's hip injury had eliminated the second to last time the Team had planned to be together.  There just seemed to be so much more to do before leaving, yet, here we were, packing up.

We were a small Team too.  There had been 11 of us considering the trip last fall.  For various and well thought out reasons, others had to decline, leaving only four of us to accomplish the various ministry requests, the biggest being Day Camp.  We were expecting 50 kids. 

I remember my prayerful packing, asking God what He actually intended to do with such an 'understaffed' and 'unprepared' Team.  I felt like Gideon, trusting God for something big with such a small army.  As I snapped the rings closed for the last time, and tucked the binder into my suitcase, I just said, "God, it's all about You all the time anyways."

Today that is more real than I can say.  Thirteen children made decisions to follow Jesus today.

Thirteen.

Suradet had asked us to pray for 12.  To be honest, I was not really expecting that much of a response.  Sorry.  I know that sounds weak-faithed.  But this was a brand new bunch of kids.  They didn't know us before Monday, and many of them had not heard of Jesus before coming to Day Camp.  Every day, we talked a little more about Him, about how much we loved Him because He loved us first, so much.  Every day we told them that on Thursday we would explain how to follow Jesus if they wanted to.  And then, today, Thursday, we did. 

And 13 of them indicated on their card that they had prayed the prayer we had prayed together asking Jesus to forgive their sins and be boss of their life.

Thirteen.

Only God really knows what has transpired in little hearts today.  But watching them stand in a line and having Suradet and the Highview Team pray over them, one by one, there was no doubt in my mind that something significant and darkness-crushing has happened here today. 

It will now fall to Suradet and the Hot Springs Church to follow through with these kids and their families.  Tomorrow we will take a picture of every child, and later Suradet will mail it to their homes and invite them to investigate the claims of Jesus on Sunday's at 10:30.   It is of course our hope that, like Sang who made the same decision two years ago, we will see them becoming more and more part of this Christian community each time we come back to visit.

I love the humility of this.  Especially for me, who so loves her binders!  I love how God doesn't need any more than loving, willing hearts to do His work, and how abundantly sufficient He is to overcome the harshest of Canadian winters and the smallest of Canadian Teams, and be BIG and BOLD and AWESOME
and DARKNESS-CRUSHING in far away wonderful places like a little Buddhist school northeast of Chiang Mai.   I love that it's so not about us and all about Him.

Somehow, for some reason, we got to be part of this today.  With Suradet and Yupa and the Hot Springs Church.  Together.  God did this for His glory today.  And we got to be here. 

Later, for lunch, Suradet brought out some fresh white bread and the wild mountain honey he'd collected the day before.  And then later again, closer to supper, a large bunch of bananas, freshly hacked from the tree, was brought down and put on the table under the dining shelter.   I ate too much. 

But it was that kind of day.  Abundant.  Free.  Full of the raw goodness of God.

Pictures to follow.

Frozen In Time

Day Camp Sign - Note the two churches pictured :). 

 Two days of Day Camp already!  So many exciting things to report!

First, the facility is working fantastically!  The air conditioning is definitely a bonus, and we're enjoying the half day format.  There were 56 kids on Monday and 60 on Tuesday.  Pray for creative expansion of our supplies, as we were told 50 and prepared for 60, so things could get interesting...in the best kind of way.

Monday was definitely a get-to-know-you kind of experience.  Our previous Day Camps were geared for kids who already had some English experience.  These kids, however, are at a very basic level.  This called for a on-the-fly change of plans, which the Team has handled beautifully.  Our English goals have changed significantly, and we're concentrating on days of the week, months of the year, and colours.  We're also having the children work on a short, three-sentence self introduction.  Repetition is the key.

Today everyone, including us, seemed more relaxed and engaged.  Suradet commented that some of these children would not have met 'farangs' before and could find us somewhat intimidating.  By today it seemed we were less scary.  We even got a few hugs at the end of the morning.  Lots of smiles.

Registration first Day - Megan and Heidi are loving every minute of it!

 What continues to be remarkable about this is the open door at the Buddhist school, and the eager response from parents to send their kids to learn English from the Christians from Canada that Suradet knows.  I'm not entirely sure of all that God has in mind in providing this opportunity, but we're all keeping our eyes and hearts open for how He's leading.

Some of our Day Camp kids....Learning the Days of the Week

Hot Springs own Worship Band warms up the crowd.  Boy on drums, Fruk on guitar, and Bee is lead singer. Note the Buddhist shrine int he background.

The half day format is making this very doable for the Team, particularly as the afternoons are getting hotter by the day.  It was 40C again today, and we start to feel that about 1 p.m.  Having the afternoon to just lay low means we can prepare for tomorrow, get recharged, and hang out with the kids a bit before supper.

Today I got to spend some time in the back kitchen with Yupa, Thim, Miki, Apple and Bao.  I wasn't allowed to help, but it was a big step that I was even allowed to just come and be back there.  We sat on the floor while Yupa and the girls unfolded giant banana leaves filled with Stevia purchased at the market.  They stripped off the leaves and broke the stems into small pieces all by hand.  All the while we chatted about the morning's Day Camp experience, how hot it was getting, the wonderful meal Yupa prepared for my family when she was at my house.  I felt like I had been welcomed into a new level of being family.

Later Suradet told me to get ready for something special, and he went up onto the mountain and brought back some wild honey, still in the comb, complete with bee larvae.  That's about as fresh and raw as you can get. 

Another spectacular moment.  After evening worship we were accompanied back to the guest house by at least 10 of the kids, none of whom are afraid to take the path in the dark.  They led the way.  And behind me Megan started singing "Let It Go" from the newly released movie Frozen.  On the chorus all the little girls joined in, in English, singing loudly and with great feeling.  With Kratae on my left and Tonkhao on my right, holding hands we climbed the hot and sweaty hill in a joyful troupe.  As ironically hot as we all were, I wished the moment could be 'frozen' in time, just by the sheer force of the love and delight that collected tightly around us.

Prajao Prabeeda, Father God, for these holy blessings, I am can barely find the words.....