Gebari

Blog post:
This week I heard one of my dear Pomona teenagers had been caught in the crossfire of a gang fight. With a shattered hip and a bullet lodged in his liver, he had to undergo surgery. Praise God that the doctor says after therapy he should recover fully. This kid Gebari is someone who has a very special place in my heart. While living near him in Pomona many people saw him as a trouble maker and up to no good, but we saw a genuinely thoughtful and kind teenager who wanted to do good, but sometimes got caught up in bad decisions. We saw a kid who was at a pivotal point in his life where he had to choose either to go with the “bad” crowd or stick it out with the “good” crowd. He was a teenage wrestling and excited about the good news of Jesus. Many times we didn’t have words to tell him --all we could do was love him, encourage the good we saw in him, let him cool down in our house when he was angry with those around him, pray for him and take him to church with us. After coming out of surgery one of his youth works (and my friend) went to visit him—this is what she reported….
“Gebari was eager to pray and hear the bible read. As he was falling asleep, I read him psalm 23. A few minutes after I was through, he said, with his eyes closed, "Can you read it to me again?" I gave him a crystal paper weight that says, "The Lord is my strength," he held it in his hand for a while, and then asked me to put it in a place where he could see it all the time. Gebari was wondering where everyone else was and asked me to bring some kids when I come back.:-) Brian and Megan went to visit him on Sunday evening. He also asked them to pray with him.”
Though I wish Gebari hadn’t been shot, I am so blessed by his willingness to let God be near him while he lies in an ICU hospital bed. I am so proud of this teenager. I am so proud of this teenager who is choosing good when his environment teaches him “Bad” is cool. I’m so encouraged that God can use us even when we don’t have words to say, even when we can’t see it till years later. I’m encouraged that God can use me as I hold on to hope for kids in Phothong --though their lives are so broken. I’m encouraged to see the kids here as precious children of God and not the burdens their parents treat them as. I’m so proud and blessed by Gebari. Please continue to pray for his complete healing and for God’s protection over his spiritual life. Please continue to pray for kids in Phothong to know that they are worthwhile. Pray for me to continue to have hope of God’s transformation of Phothong especially for what I cannot see yet.

Good bye Scott

This week American Idol said good bye to Scott MacIntrye. Though I can't actually watch that show here in Thailand I've been tracking his process. Particularly tracking His progess because we were childhood friends. I went to his Thomas the Tank Engine birthday party, recieved his first "Homemade" CD and listened to it all the time. He might even have been classified as my first school girl crush. It's good to see that he's still making music and trusting God. Best of luck to Scott has he pursues his music.

Marriage

Marriage, it's been on my mind recently.
Maybe because many of my friends in the states are getting married soon or got married within this last year and 1/2.
Maybe it's because I'm surrounded by marriages in Thailand--some falling apart, some speaking highly of encouragment and partnership.
Maybe it's because one of the most common greetings I hear in thailand is "Are you married already or not yet?"
Maybe it's because I'm scared of being lonely.
Maybe it's because the Bible often talks about our relationship with God using marriage terms.
Maybe it's because I'm 25
Regardless of why marriage has been on my mind, I'm learning it's dangerous telling your Thai teacher your thinking about marriage and kids. She just might actually set me up on a blind date with a Christian friend of hers. I'm not sure how I feel about this.