This month we are in Nong Phok, Thailand. We were originally supposed to be in Phuket teaching music lessons. Well God had other plans. We were in Bangkok for a orientation to the Thai culture when our contact told me as the team leader that the ministry in Phuket had fallen through. He then said “I’ve got some good ideas.” I felt assured. (haha) Later that day we had a leaders meeting where all of the team leaders and myself went around the room and discussed our ministry contact. When it got to me I looked blankly because I didn’t know where I was going to take six other people. So they skipped me and said they were working on it. Mind you we are leaving Bangkok on a bus headed to our ministry locations the next day and I don’t know where I’m going. It was at this moment that I realized wherever I go that is where I am supposed to be. So they called Ajarn Ua. She is our ministry contact this month and she is awesome. She is an english teacher at the local high school and is the wife of the pastor of the local church in Nong Phok. Nong Phok is about 8 hours east of Bangkok and there are about 300,000 people here. ONLY 20 OF THEM ARE CHRISTIANS. Wonder why God wanted somebody here? Maybe to be the light in a very populated dark place.
The primary religion here is Buddhism. Buddhism is something that I was not that familiar with. And actually I am still not that knowledgeable but I can tell you that the people are nice but there is a “darkness” that kind of lingers over the people here. They worship lots of idols. Ones of Buddha and ones of monks that have passed away. We got to go to one of their Buddhist temples and it was sad for me to see the people that give their life to worship of a man made golden statue. I just want them to know the truth. Buddhism does not teach mercy, it teaches penance. You have to pay for your sins in hell before you go to heaven. I want them to be able to hear about the life of Jesus and how he suffered for us so that we don’t have to. How much more glorious is it to worship the King of Kings because he already took the beating so that we don’t have to.
So this month our primary focus is loving on people. We are doing this through teaching english in local schools. We have developed a sort of half day english camp that we can adapt for students of any age. Below are some pictures of the kids that we are working with.
This month I am learning how to show Jesus without really talking about him. I get to be his hands and feet and arms and smiles to these very lost people. This is a challenge and a pleasure all at the same time.
I am about $800 from being fully funded and I have to have that by the end of March. I love and appreciate all my supporters. I want all of you to know that YOU are the reason that I get to love on kids in Thailand and all over the world and to show them who Jesus is. Without you I would not be here.
In HIm,
Cody
