Update leaving for Cambodia today!
We left our hosts a couple days ago and boy did it tug some heart strings. This has been a harder place to leave. My hosts made Thailand feel like a home away from home. They made it easy to fall in love with Thailand. I got to actually see a piece of Thailand thanks to the prayer walks they took us on and how open they were about their hearts for Thailand. I will miss my hosts and Thailand immensely. Now onto my story for yall today. Just ONE of the largest effects Thailand made on me…
We taught the kids the song deep down in my heart. You know the one that goes..
“I love you Jesus
Deep down in my heart
I love you Jesus
Deep down in my heart
Talk about
Deep, deep
Down, down
Deep Down in my heart”
Last month in the Philippines my squad-mate Coleman made the kids fall in love with him as he taught the motions to mimic while we sing. He would speed up the song and slow it down. Giggles would fill the air while walls and shyness would slowly fall.
So, in English class we whipped out this song one day. We did the exaggerated hand motions, sped the song up, did it slow like a turtle, and giggles filled our classroom. The kids were shouting the words “I love you Jesus” and “deep, deep/ down, down”.
We explained to them what they were singing and even though they are largely Buddhist in this community, the kids sang along. I can’t even describe what it felt like seeing the these kids so into this song. What a beautiful picture for the Lord to see these children worship Him, many for the first time. Back home I sit in the pews and take for granted the worship music on Sunday mornings that I gently sway back and forth to. But how freeing it feels looking like a fool to get children interested in praising You! To worship You like a child would. Those times I feel so connected to the Lord.
Next, we played hot potato and had this song playing in the background and the kids were singing it on their own. When the music would pause, the kids would keep singing the next words without any cues from us.
As we collected nametags as class was ending I heard “Teacher Jenny deep, deep, down, down” or “Teacher, teacher” as they showed me they could hop around like we taught them in the song. They wanted me to dance and sing this song more with them.
Our host said that while she walked some kids home that they were singing this song and even showing their parents.
It is like three days later and we still get requests for the deep, deep song and these kids go all out when we sing it!
I know they may not fully grasp You Lord but I know the overflow that comes from our team and the team the Lord placed us with in Bangkok. The overflow that you pour into us, has the potential to change these kids’ life for the better. For a taste of real hope. I just know God see’s each and every one of these kids so uniquely and their joy is something He is rejoicing with them in!! This place we were in is a slum community but they call it a model slum. It is well organized and the community cares about each other and making a great place for their families to live. People come to study and see how this slum is organized because they are doing something right. How amazing is it if people are looking to this community and a child is running down the street singing I love you Jesus! The potential for Jesus in this place is great and it makes me hopeful!
Friends, Family!! If you haven’t considered a financial donation or a portion of your prayers donated to what Friends of the City is doing here then I would strongly encourage you to ask God if He is calling you to help Friends of the City in any way you can.
