Khap khun kha!
Hello!
We arrived here at the the Tree of Life Orphanage Thursday morning around 4:30am riding in a comfortable bus. Exhausted and tired we loaded our packs in the back of a pick-up, climbed in with them, and headed to the orphanage where we are living for the next couple of weeks. Rise and shine! We awoke for breakfast at 6:30am sharply after a wonderful 2 hours of sleep and quickly headed off to our first ministry day. Two and half ours later, we arrived at a small school where they were having their annual 2-day English Camp where several local schools brought their students for the camp.
I was amazed; as we walked in, every teacher and student was so excited to welcome us. They treated us almost as royalty. The almost 200 students ages 9-14ish were split up into five groups and each of us were asked to do some kind of activity with each group for about 20 minutes each. Since there are six of us, Becky and I worked together and played hangman with them since many of them had heard of it and knew how to play. It took many of them awhile to feel comfortable raising their hands and picking a letter. We did words like: yellow, seven, Thailand, America, dog, world, ect…and they seemed to enjoy it. Since we were only able to make it to the second day of camp, we helped with the closing ceremony. They were so excited to have us there that they wanted to pictures of students from each school with the teachers and us. Later on, Jenn spoke and Wut (our YWAM translator) translaged for her. We were able to hand out Bibles in Thai to each student and teacher at the end!
As we handed them out, they were so excited. Many of them wanted us to sign their New Testament so we wrote things like, “God loves you and so do I!” or Jesus loves you” or “Jesus died for you and loves you” and so on. I couldn’t believe how many were open to receiving them. At first we weren’t sure what we were allowed to do knowing that Thailand is a buddhist country. We later found out that the king encourages people to take literature from different ‘religions’. So I say, while the doors are open, go for it! Hand out as many Bibles as possible. Most have never heard the gospel. We didnt get much of a chance to spend time with the kids though.
As we left, only being there a short 4-1/2 hours, I just had a feeling of unaccomplishment. I felt as if we hadn’t really done much. I didn’t really get to hug a child (we have to be sensitive to the culture in certain situations), I didn’t get to share the gospel and go through the steps and I didn’t even get to spend time talking to a child. As all these thoughts came to me, God started to counter-act each and everyone of them and spoke truth into me. “Kari, I DID use you today because you were willing. Did you see the smiles on those kids just because you showed up? Did you see how they surrounded you afterwards just so you could sign their books? Do you know how many kids will take the New Testament home and ask their parents to read it? Do not underestimate the little things. Your willingness is enough because my power and love through you goes beyond anything else you can imagine. You plant the seed, I do the rest.” It was so refreshing to see things through God’s eyes and to be reminded and at peace with the little things. I always feel the need to be doing, going, moving, acting, and always have to do something big, but that’s not always what God calls us to. He has been teaching me to be patient, wait on Him, take my time, and see Him in everything!
I use this verse alot, but God reminded me that even if the task seems small or even as if it won’t be very impacting, He can use it and I need to do it all for Christ and to the fullest-the best I can. Whatever I do, I need to do it well.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
-Colossians 3:17
