Two Saturdays ago, I saw a new side of Chiang Mai. The slums.
There they were, right outside one of the main tourist areas…Amy and I met up with our friend John, who has been going to the slum for some time and putting on children's programs in connection with YWAM and Compassion. The program is changing presently, but John still likes to go down and hang out with the kids he has developed relationships with.
We brought chicken, sticky rice, and mangos, and set up a little picnic on the dirt near some shacks that the people live in. Every once in a while various members of the community would trickle by and address us in Thai; We watched as several women loaded up carts or motorbikes to take things to the market to sell. I have been to the various tourist markets many times and it made my head spin a little to get further perspective on how some of these people live. They are such hard workers and always have a kind smile to offer.
After finishing our feast and cleaning our sticky fingers, we headed over to an outdoor basketball court that is near the houses and a dirt lot. We talked (children are the most forgiving audience when practicing a new language!) and played with some of the kids there for a while, until all of the sudden they began to multiply! Soon there were close to 30 kids running around, playing soccer, asking us to lift them, swing them, chase them…. And as I ran around, sweating under the hot Thai sun, chasing a little boy that could not stop grinning and laughing…I began to think.
This is why I'm here.
(Our friend John)
