September 6, 2012
Today was our first day of ministry here in Bangkok, Thailand. We have the privilege of working along side Noi, who is the head of the Ruth Center with YWAM. Ruth Center works closely with the elderly in the slums of Bangkok.
Today our team had helped deep clean the Ruth Center. We wiped down all the “mosquito nets” (screens) in the windows, cleaned the inside and out of windows, cleaned three bathrooms, dusted, vacuumed, and mopped. The three stories of the Ruth Center were shiny and dust free when we were done!
This afternoon we attended a YWAM prayer/staff meeting that was hosted by Noi and a few others from the Ruth Center. We quickly learned that a Thai meeting is not a meeting unless you have a game to play! There were ten flags of ten Asian countries displayed throughout the room. Everyone present was asked to participate in playing a game that was very similar to four corners. There would be music playing, and each person would walk around the room and choose a flag to stand by. When the music stopped, Noi would say one of the countries that were represented. If the flag you were standing by was said, you received some candy as a prize! We also did a prayer rotation for the ten countries of ASEAN[1]: Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Brunei Darussalam.
Noi then led worship, some in English and some in Thai. We sang the lyrics, “I’m trading my sorrows. I’m trading my pain. I’m trading my sickness. I’m trading my shame. I’m laying it down for the joy of the Lord.” Noi encouraged us to think of the people we have been and will be serving, “The people you serve are in pain, some are sick, some are sad, and some are ashamed as they are not cared for by society. Think of these people you serve as you sing these words.”
September 7, 2012
Today we went into a slum in Bangkok, and picked up trash inside the community. We got to serve along side another team on our squad, Rooted Freedom. There was a lot, a lot of trash to pick up! We stood on the bridge that had been built by a group of people who worked with Ruth Center in the past. (You can see glimpses of the bridge being built in the video posted on our blog.) Some people in the community asked for trash bags, gloves, tongs, and nets so they could help too!
