Easter Party

Happy Easter, Hope it found you well. Mine? Mine was hot and fantastic. Hot meaning cooking and cleaning all day in a house of 104* F with 40% humitity and Fantastic because Sara and I had a full party to celebrate the victory of Jesus. Attendees: 30 children and about 15 adult neighbors which is pretty remarkable because usually adults are to "grenjay"( overly considerate of/ not wanting to impose and much more....) to come in to our house.

Many things about this party were encouraging. here's just a few highlights.

I invited neighbors in Thai first and when Sara went around to reinvite them they all told Sara they understood me. Yeah!!! This feels like my first truely successful extensive communication.

Also when Sara went around reinviting nieghbors she was able to explain more about why were having the party. The Day Jesus rose from the Dead. We found out one women whom we hang out frequently with was very familiar with Easter because she used to go to church reguarly. After Sara said the party was for Easter she started telling her "testimony" to a typically critical crowd the gospel. About 10 years ago she could hardly read, but then soon after going to church she could read the whole bible. Jesus also healed her of a phyicial ailament and restored a dying women in the neighborhood when people from the church prayed for her. She in all seriousness said, "I believed." Unfortunately the church was really far and the women who used to take her couldn't anymore. She also felt that she had to be Buddist because she is Thai. It was so exciting to hear a Thai women telling her testimony to other Thais.

It took a humble easter party to remind her of how Good God is. Pray God will show her that his is the God of the Thais and that she can come back to him. Pray for Sara and I as we try to be a model of Christ and Christian community.

The other exciting thing was when new peole would come into the party who hadn't heard Sara telling them about the reason for the celebration they would ask, "whose birthday is it?" One of the other thai's would respond, "oh nobody, it's the Day Jesus rose from the Dead." God was truely Good. God truely is good all the time.

I guess it's easy to say that cooking and cleaning in an 104* house was well worth the sweat and tiredness.

He has risen, He has risen in deed.

And it ended with an elephant

Sunday's are often interesting, but this Sunday in particular was unique. So I had heard that Thailand was becoming the new hotspot of missions and yet it's hard to see that where I am. In my portion of the city I know most of the foreigners because they are either on my team or with an English center that partners with our foundation. When I do see foreigners it's a novelty. People don't speak much-- if any English around and in my neighborhood. On some Sundays I take an hour bus ride to attend an international church located in downtown Bangkok. The world of differences. This neighborhood has almost as many foreigners as Thai people around, most vendors speak adequate English and prices are incredibly higher for just about everything.

This Sunday seemed to be extra crazy. So as I'm leaving my community there seemed to be an abnormal amount people out this Sunday. They asked me where I was going and I told them, I'm going to church. As I stepped out on to the empty dirt field in front of my community to see: A van full of monks driving away. They stared at me, I stared at them, feeling a bit like David and Goliath--a small kid with a big God in front of a huge cultural icon. It made me really grateful and excited that I serve a God who dwells amongst, lives in, and is alive. It made me sad that my neighbors make merit to monks who drive away.
So I made it to international church which has been encouraging to attend sometimes because the teaching is good, and Christians from all over the world really do attend. I've met Philippinos, Japanese, CheckRepuplicans, Koreans, Indians, Aussies, Germans, British, mongo ect.... the room is filled with Christians from all over the world--many are businessmen, many are teachers, and many are missionaries. This Sunday the church was complete with a palm branch for each attendee while we waved it during worship
It's good to know that God is present and working in both areas--in Foreign Thailand and in my humble community.

So the day gets better....
Later that evening my roommate and I went to a dance movie with one of our Thai friends that we work with. She is really fun and it's exciting to see God really moving in a Thai person’s life. She truly encourages me and I'm excited to call her a friend. Well my roommate and I got back to the community on later side to find A huge elephant eating the grass in front of my community--it's owner was digging through the trash to find more food for it. Yes, my day ended by walking feet from A huge elephant. It could of touched me with its trunk if it had wanted, but similar to the monks we made eye connection. I dare to say I shared a moment with the elephant .I think we're friends now.
The days you really wish you had your camera.

Starbucks

Hey friends
So besides dealing with rats and mosquitos, I do have some other stories. ( though there is a plethara more if you want :) )
Something that is mind blowing to me is the dicotomy of Thailand. Bangkok has many extremes with in it. Part of this is the mixture of buddists teachings and animism, and some of it is just pure Thai fun.
1) Thai buddist teaching: Do not take life (because it is bad karma and you could be killing an ansestor)
Thai life style I've observed--Eat meat at most meals and let mangy, sick, mean dogs run wild in the streets.
2) Thai buddist teaching: Avoid suffering and be unattached to material things or people
Picture this: A mangy, dirty homeless dog with broken legs. It will die on it's own very soon and yet someone has built it a dog wheelchair. Yes a dog wheelchair with a brace around it's body and wheels where the hind broken legs are. Most likely someone trying to make merit.
3) Thai buddist teaching: Do good, be kind and generous
Practice: Do as much merit building as you can (buying things for the monks and temples, helping some around you.. ect) so you can do whatever you feel like doing--gambling, drinking away your kids lunch money ect.
4) Lastly my favorite
Thai Buddist teaching: Simplicity is honored
Reality-- a starbucks and nice shopping center just opened up minutes from my house--I'm closer to a starbucks in my slum in Thailand than I was in the states. I actually pass it everyday on my way to language lesson. Starbucks is really taking over the world, but I don't understand how they stay open when a cup of coffee is 3-4 times as much as any full meal.

Okay so we all have wierd dicotomy things in our life, but for now I'm intriqued with Thailand's
Here's to a rat house in the slums and starbucks on my corner. What a life I live.