Hello Bangkok! I finally know what the land flowing with milk and honey looks like!
We stepped off the plane from Nepal to India to Thailand (yes, I was in three countries in one day. Be jealous.), and it felt like America. There were highways: real, paved roads. There were cars, not tuk tuks, not buses, not mini buses, but real cars. Like Toyota and Mazda. With leather interiors. There were skyscrapers and restaurants. I wasn’t sure if I had been transported into a new America where everyone looked Asian and spoke a language that I didn’t understand. I still think that might be the case.
Anyway, it was a huge shock. After living in villages and not having access to comfort and normality, it has been refreshing to realize how much I can live without.
So, here we are at debrief. So as to not be accused of false marketing, let me give you a rundown of debrief. What it looks like. How it has played out for us. And what really happens.
We are staying at the YWAM base in Bangkok. We have real beds, a real shower, real toilets (with toilet paper), and a real sink with clean, running water. It has been a time of rest. A time of adventure. And a time to be filled up.
We have squad worship at night. Our coaches are here to encourage us and lift us up. We have team debrief, which was not as scary as I had pictured it being. Rather, it was a time to express our true feelings and get them worked out. Our coaches hear from the Lord and really know how to pour into us. They challenge us and stretch us to be the men and women that God calls us to be. We are given the opportunity to explore and have freedom. During debrief, I have felt a little like a tourist because of the freedom I have had to make choices. I went shopping at a real mall. I had Thai food at a Thai restaurant right before going to the night bazaar and finding some stellar deals on clothing. I got three dresses for 100 Baht. 30 Baht equals one USD. That’s a good deal on clothing.
Debrief has been a time of rest. It has been a time of adventure and excitement. Of riding skytrains and going with friends to watch them get tattoos and plugs in their ears. I feel filled up. I feel ready to pour out.
If you’re on a squad about to head into debrief, I want to encourage you to embrace it. This is your time to spend with your squad. This is your debrief. Don’t stop the Spirit from working in you and in your team. I also want to encourage you to be open and honest. First with God and then with yourself. If something is bothering you, bring it up. If you are struggling with something or someone, bring it up. There is no reason to let it sit and fester. Take care of it now. Your coaches are here. Your squad leaders are here. Your family is together. There’s no better time.
