Back to playing catch up. I’m hoping to get on track with blogs so that when I land stateside I can play catch up with the lives of you all back home.
This is about the month of February in Mae Sot, Thailand. It’s my favorite place so far
I pulled into a bus station with Christa at 0630 am. We met with a tuk tuk driver that had “WR” written on a sheet of paper. He would drive us to our home for the next few weeks. The air was humid with Thailand’s signature sticky heat and some expectations.
I had arrived in Thailand a few days earlier with the squad in the wee hours of the morning. Most of the teams split off within a couple of hours of landing and then I made my way with a couple of others to a hostel in Bangkok for some “days off”. It did not take long for me to decide that Thailand was going to be a pretty spectacular place to dwell in for the next month.
Christa, our driver and I rambled down the street and sunlight began to peak around the buildings. There was hardly anyone else out at that hour on a Saturday morning. Immediately, I knew I liked being out of the city.
Within an hour, I was back on the roads. This time, I peddled a single speed bike. It would be my transportation for the month. Our team of nine (all women for the squad’s Manistry month) biked single file following some of our contacts for the month. We passed buildings and businesses as we moved through the dusty town of Mae Sot. It was filled with banners and decorations for the recently celebrated new year. People passed our line of bikes on motos, and in cars and trucks. Activity was starting as people opened up store fronts and foods could be smelled sizzling on grills. I already spied a couple of places I wanted to ride to later or that I was pretty sure would become favorite local spots. Like the little iced coffee stand on the corner.
I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face on the ride. It was a day full of new beginnings and it was starting off well. The destination for our journey on bikes was a local soccer field. Saturdays are sports ministry days with the Outpour Movement. We had arrived on the right day.
I looked forward to relaxing into a new month with a favorite sport. I have yet to find an interest so easily and widely shared as soccer on the Race. We peddled further from the town center and buildings began to spread out with more tropical plants taking over the landscape. I was excited as I began picturing a lot field with makeshift goals. When our group turned right in to a complex, I was stunned. And pumped. Three turf fields with lights.
Our group split a bit as we began meeting and introducing ourselves to the men and kids around us. Christa and I played catch up a bit as we were the latecomers for our team. We both opted to join in the soccer game with the older guys, while the rest of our team joined the OutPour group with the younger kids playing ultimate frisbee.
We played soccer for an hour. It did not take me that long to realize that the men I was playing with are some of the most gentle and humble people I have ever met.
The next day I rode my bike out on the same roads as the day before. We traveled a bit further than the fields and pulled into the New Jerusalem home. The group of around 45 sat scattered around the room as voices from Burma, Thailand, America, Canada, and Australia worshipped together. The most amazing harmonies filled the air and it did not take me long to realize that the children and saints I was sitting with are some of the most joyful people I have ever met.
The service was not concentrated on one voice sharing a message from the Lord. Instead it was centered on the Lord as His Spirit spoke through many of us sharing the room that day. It was fellowship that encountered my spirit.
I was being encouraged by my teammates sharing their hearts, we heard testimonies from a mother about the sweet way the Lord met her and were inspired by the young children that boldly spoke to the room of what they were learning or how they were experiencing the Lord move. It was church.
For the next two and a half weeks, I would bike for several hours all over Mae Sot, meeting with people, teaching English, and passing out fliers to promote the businesses that a daring group of people are believing in and using for God’s anointing to bring the good news.
They believe in the outpour.
These people have moved into Mae Sot, and are doing life together, wanting to share the hope that they confess. They believe in and empower the youth of Mae Sot. Those young men and women the live in the Refuge and New Jerusalem homes have some amazing giftings and the Outpour team is creating outlets for it all. I was blessed by my time there because I was privy to the ways the team gives pause to heed the Spirit’s heart for those people around them.
Prayer walks in town.
Building friendships with restaurant owners and workers.
Investing in relationships with employees.
Sharing smiles with those they pass by.
Picking up trash on the streets.
Clearing trash and painting a mural.
Spending time with the kids and teens from New Jerusalem and the Refuge (Children’s homes).
Remembering names and faces of the people they had met before.
Teaching English.
Discipleship and taking classes with employees and friends.
Soccer and volleyball on Saturdays.
Praying for people.
Worship nights.
and so much more.
It did not take me long to realize that these people live out the vision God has given them, and they are sharing it without pretense. They were not perfect, nor do they claim to be. They simply love.
I had an amazing time in Thailand, particularly in Mae Sot. I hope to share a couple more stories from my time there.
But for now, I hope you’ll take a moment and lift up the people of Mae Sot in prayer.
They touched my heart with their gentle humility and joyful spirits. And I am so grateful that the Lord led me there.
Thank you Kelvin, Cam, Abby, Amy, Aimee, Michael, Mark, Casey, Nate, Alex, Ashley, Kayla, Jerry and the Wards, with a big shout out to Myo, Alissa, Jerry and the amazing people at New Jerusalem, the Refuge, Famous Rays, and the bike shop. So glad this year included meeting you all. Praying for you all!
*photos stolen from the small but powerful Sarah Cheung.
