I have been thinking about how to write this blog post for about a month now, but I have no idea how to go about it. Every time someone asks, “How was Thailand?” All I can seem to do is grin like a fool, and tell them that it was absolutely amazing! I don’t know how to sum up the 10 days spent in that beautiful country in just a few words. I can’t sum it up into a nice little bite sized story, it goes so much farther than that. There is no way that words alone can explain what it was like to see a lady turn her back on religion she had practiced for decades. She literally cut off a bracelet she had worn since she was a child that reminded her to pray against evil spirits. The joy on her face in that moment isn’t something I can explain, or that any picture can capture. I can’t begin to describe how amazing our Thai staff and the local church we worked with were, how passionately they shared the Gospel. How prayers were answered every day. How incredible hearing 100 kids praying can give you goose bumps and bring tears to your eyes. How God provided exactly what we needed when we needed it, whether that was enough worm meds or teachers that could translate for our English camp.
So instead of trying to do that, let me tell you about some of the things I learned there. One night as we were debriefing the day one of the local believers began to tell us her story. She told us about how her husband became a believer and how she wanted nothing to do with this God he was talking about. He gave her a Bible and asked that she just read it. So she did. She read the story of Jesus, about his death and resurrection and, in her words, “saw that it was truth.” She said “Buddha died and he stayed dead, Jesus came back.” She believed and grew and now is part of an evangelism team that is reaching out to the communities around their church to reach others with the Gospel.
As she was sharing her story it struck me how powerful the Gospel is. The story of Jesus, just being read had the power to change this lady’s life. It struck me how God doesn’t need me to make His name famous, yet he still uses me. I realized that because of the simple things we were teaching at English camps the students in the schools had the chance to hear the Gospel. They heard the truth of what Jesus did for them, and that message has the power to change their lives. I wish I could say that I know for certain that X number made a decision for Christ on those days but I can’t. I do know though that God’s word doesn’t return void.
Isaiah 55: 10-11 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”
It was an amazing trip, and I am so thankful that I had the chance to serve the Thai people once again. While I cant wait to explore and see all of the 11 countries I will be visiting, Thailand will always hold a special place in my heart.
Love you all,
Audrey
Student reading a Jesus book, instead of eating lunch.
Students praying after hearing the Gospel.
