My team and I are currently in a small rural town in northern Thailand less than 10 miles from the Burmese border. We are working at a school and we each have our own class of students. It’s the end of our second week and we are all obsessed with our kids. We teach 3 hours of English a day (sometimes Math too), and I walk out of every lesson beaming with pride because of how much my class has learned. I am teaching 4th grade, and kids who couldn’t count to 10 in English on the first day are now doing 3 digit multiplication…IN ENGLISH!
Everyday has been great, but tonight was one of my favorite nights on the World Race. It was about 5:00 and I was just finishing working out with my team when our host called and asked if we would like to go to “Bicycle Shirt Desk” (the language barrier is definitely a struggle here). I was dumbfounded and a little uncertain, but we figured a few of us would go at least for the adventure if nothing else.
So 4 of us waited outside and saw our host’s car pull up with a bike strapped to the roof. We all started to question our attire thinking our adventure was actually a bike ride, but we soon found out that we were giving the bike to a kid who lives far away from the school and could really use the handout (we would also be giving the kid a shirt and a desk hence the name). After a few minutes we realize that we aren’t bringing this bike to just any student- we are bringing it to MY student. A boy named Boonmee who sits in the front of my 4th grade class. I was suddenly giddy with excitement like a parent on Christmas morning. I couldn’t wait to see him and watch his face light up when we gave him the bike. It was as much a blessing for me as it was for him.
We drove down a narrow dirt road for about 15 minutes and then we saw Boonmee talking to his Dad. Our host rolled down the window and said, “Go home Boonmee,” and next thing I know I see my sweet little 4th grader sprinting down the road in his green and yellow uniform.
We pulled up to a house that was pitch black and no one was inside. Our host told us that they don’t have electricity so they use candles for light. He left the car’s headlights on so we could see, and I saw my little student standing in front of his house.
As we got out of the car it was obvious that Boonmee was overwhelmed. I introduced him to my teammates and told him to shake their hands like he had learned in class. Then our host started to take things out of the car. First a jacket (shirt), then a desk, and then he unstrapped the bike from the roof of the car and put it right where the headlights were shining. An older man walked up to meet us and our host explained that this man was Boonmee’s second father. His parents passed away when he was one year old and then he was raised by a Buddhist monk until he was three when this man adopted him. His story took me by surprise, and I suddenly didn’t want to leave.
Our host who is also the principle of the school, talked to Boonmee in Thai for a few minutes. I am pretty sure he said something about being a good student and working hard in school. Then we took pictures, and said our goodbyes. I really hated to leave. I wanted to hug him and watch him ride his new bike up and down the street. I wanted to be the mom he never had, if only for a few minutes. He reminded me so much of my brothers, and I just wanted to joke around with him and cook him something (that might be my southern roots coming out).
But we left, like we always do, and in a little over a week we will leave for good. I loved being part of Boonmee’s surprise, and I am so thankful that God gave me that opportunity. I have been placed in the lives of these children to plant a seed; to introduce Jesus Christ and share His love and His kingdom. I always wish I could do more, but I am satisfied in knowing that long after Boonmee forgets my name or anything I taught him, he will remember the Christians who made his life a little easier. He will recognize the light of Christ in another person because he saw it first in me, and that is why I came on this crazy journey in the first place.
Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
Matthew 5:16
