Our next country on the list was Thailand. It was a busy month and probably my least favorite one of the race, but it was still good. We spent a couple days in Bangkok, before making our way to Chiang Mai. In Chiang Mai, we had our parent vision trip and some parents flew out to see what life was like on the race. After PVT, we had debrief and the entire Bird family came out. It was fun getting to know their family and doing life with them.
My favorite ministry opportunity we had in Chiang Mai was called Monk Chat. There was a large temple we would go to and there would be student age monks there ready to practice their english and converse with travelers.
We ended up visiting one famous temple which was also where Monk University was, and we got to participate in “monk chats”. It all sounded funny to me at first, but the school was real and the monk chats were an opportunity in their schooling to practice their English and answer questions about their significantly different way of life. Monks base everything around the beliefs of Buddha, reaching enlightenment, and eventually being reincarnated. We sat down the first day and talked to Arnit, a young man similar in age to us, who had been a practicing monk for almost ten years. After a couple of hours, we got a lot of questions answered and were even able to connect and relate with him at different points in his story. Becoming a monk is good and highly encouraged for all Buddhist men to be a monk at some point in their lives. The time is not determined and is up to every person when they want to enter and when they want to go back to “regular life”. Every monk gets into it a different way. Some come from extreme levels of poverty and use monkhood as an escape and benefit from the access to school. For some it’s a spiritual journey. For others, it’s something they see as necessary to do and something to check off their list in order to fulfill living a good and full life.
There are different levels in the monks’ world. At the beginning and when you’re very young, you’re consider a novice monk and responsible to live by the basic ten rules, some including not killing any living thing, not thinking bad thoughts, not lying, not participating in sports or dancing, not cheating, no sexual misconduct, etc. In some ways, they were similar to the Ten Commandments in Christianity. Once you get older and become a regular monk, the list jumps up to 227 rules. According to Arnit, they know all the rules but couldn’t list them off. Some of the rules were a little stranger like not being able to look a woman in the eyes on the street, not peeing standing up, and not clapping apparently. The discipline gets harsher as well. For example, if they kill something as small as a mosquito, they are required by the rules to go to each person they know in the temple and admit their fault. If too many mistakes are made, they are forced to leave monk life behind and are not allowed back in. They get up at around 3:30 or 4 in the morning to meditate for 3 hours, then they go around town asking for donations for breakfast. It is considered good karma to give to monks and in return, the monks bless them and go on their way. They go to class in between the allowed two meals a day, they cannot eat after 12 pm. They go back to class in the afternoon and visit the temple to pay more respect to Buddha and they end their days pretty early. – Haley
I was very impressed talking to Arnit. His english was very good and he answered all our questions with thorough answers. His perspective gave me an insight to what life as a monk was like. Their discipline and not being permitted to play any sports blew me away.
One of my favorite days in Thailand was when we helped teach english at a school for monks. It started with an early morning ride out of Chiang Mai to where the school was located. We were greeted by a monk named Cody, who was the man. We introduced ourselves and then Cody had us sit on some mats as we waited for the students. Soon students began appearing and forming into rows. Row after row formed as more and more students arrived. When all had arrived and the time was right they started their traditional daily chants. The chants went on for about an hour. It was something I had never experienced before, but it was very interesting being a part of it.
After the chants, it was time for class. As we awaited the older age group, Cody took us to a little cafe the school had on its campus. Two students made us some fantastic coffee. We also met Alan. Alan was a jokester from the first seconds of meeting him. He was in his 40’s and before recently becoming a monk he served in the military and was a banker. He jokingly told us not to ask him too many questions about the rules because he didn’t know them all yet. At one point when leading the English lesson, we got up to introduce ourselves and he started clapping and encouraging everyone else to clap. The monks hesitated and we weren’t sure what to do… we had learned that one rule they live by is to not clap. When asking about Alan about it later, he laughed it off claiming there are too many rules to remember.
We worked with several age groups throughout the day. We were each assigned a group of students to practice english with. We asked the students questions about their lives, school and what they liked to do. They would respond and then the roles reversed. They asked me about life and what I did before. Alan then had the students present the information they asked about us to the class. We also had the opportunity to learn some of the crafts monks make to give to people in the community. My arts and crafts talents haven’t been seen in a long time and I was very thankful for the grace and patience the students extended to me while I fumbled through the bow tying and precision cutting process.
At the end of the day we said goodbye to the students and Alan and Cody. Again, I was blown away by their hospitality. They had provided coffee, lunch and some ice cream for us. Again, I was humbled by their generous gifts to us because they themselves didn’t have much. Their company was also very much appreciated. Alan’s humor and energy really got the day going and Cody always made sure we were taken care of. They blessed us immensely.
As I was walking back to the hostel, I saw a gentleman in a wheelchair looking across the street. I asked him if he needed help with anything. He said he looking for a spot to cross the street. He then asked me my name and what I was doing in Thailand. I told him about the World Race and what we were doing in Thailand. His name was Corey, he was a civil engineer from South Africa and was looking for an apartment in Thailand. We talked on the side of the road for about an hour before he suggested moving across the street to the mall where they had food and drink options. We did just that. We spent the next five hours talking about pretty much anything and everything.
He asked me about what I did before the race and mentioned Williamson with the focus in painting. He then talked to me about a paint product he thought would be a great fit for Thailand and a couple other of his business ideas. I guess my elephant shirt and crazy hair let him know I wouldn’t try to take his business ideas and beat him to it. He was right… Corey is a very intelligent individual and he spent a lot of the time talking, which was perfectly fine with me. He told me about South Africa and why he was looking to move into Thailand and how he builds his own wheelchairs from scratch. He also talked about the difficulty he has maneuvering through Thailand in a wheel chair because the country hasn’t made it completely wheel chair friendly.
I was fascinated just listening to him. He then asked me about Jesus and the Bible. Corey was very informed even in the realm of religion. He had read the Bible and gone to church. The thing that had turned him away from the church was the church. It was a sad and painful truth, but I saw where he was coming from. It hurts when I turn on the news or read something about a church doing something in Jesus’s name that Jesus would never have done. And even looking through the course of history, the atrocities that occurred in the Balkans that were done in Jesus’ name and how it confused Devla when she first heard about Jesus. Jesus never wanted those things to happen and it hurts Him to see those things being done. From someone looking in on following Jesus and seeing those things, I could see how someone could be confused and not be attracted to it.
I shared with him the way Jesus intended us to be the church. It wasn’t about the building, how good the worship is or the free donuts Sunday morning, but rather the people inside it being the hands and feet of Jesus. How it wasn’t about condemning, arguing and judging, but rather giving, serving and loving. The people serving Jesus aren’t perfect and don’t have all the answers. I know I’m not and definitely don’t have all the answers. But sometimes, its okay to not have all the answers because of my relationship with God who does have all the answers and the faith I have in Him. I mentioned how I encouraged I was with my travels around the world and running into believers who were on fire for Jesus and making an impact on their communities and countries.
We talked about happiness and being truly satisfied in life. I mentioned Tom Brady, as much as I’m not a fan of him or his team, here’s a guy who has everything by the world’s standard. This guys got too many Super Bowl rings, beautiful wife, money coming in from all different places, but he still said there’s gotta be something more out there. He still wasn’t satisfied. I don’t think more Super Bowl rings or money would satisfy him, I think Jesus would. I shared that I believe we were made by God for God and until we understand that, life won’t make sense and we won’t be satisfied. We continued to talk until the mall started closing down for the night. I really enjoyed his company and the conversations.
After the mall, we crossed town to look for some more food. Corey could move, I almost had to jog to keep up with him. I admired his determination and ability to get around so quickly and efficiently. He told me he liked the challenge and workout. He reached his final food destination and it was time to part ways. I was thankful his destination was before mine because I was going to McDonalds, not my finest hour for food, there have been many of those in Southeast Asia but sometimes it has to be done. I asked if I could pray for him. He willingly agreed. I prayed for him and we said our goodbyes. As I was leaving I said, “Corey, I think you’re going to find what you’re looking for.” I really think he will.
Walking away, I took time to reflect on the afternoon. I was encouraged to see how intentional the Lord was and will continue to be in Corey’s life and how he invited me to be a part of it. I wasn’t having my best month and wasn’t too happy with some of the things the Lord was challenging me with, but He still invited me into what He was doing in Thailand and Corey’s life. Corey had mentioned another believer a couple weeks before had talked to him about her travels and how the Lord showed up in her life. I believe He’ll continue to chase after Corey and intentionally place individuals in his path to push him closer to Jesus. I hope in the time I shared with Corey, he saw Jesus in me. Sure we didn’t agree with everything that was said and I did not have all the answers, but Corey said he enjoyed having a respectful conversation with someone even if we had some differing views and opinions. At the end of the day, I wasn’t going to change Corey’s heart. Jesus changes people and hearts. I was just an instrument used by God to push Corey toward Jesus. What a cool God we serve.
Chatting with Arnit part 1…
Chatting with Arnit part 2…
Morning chants…
Our friends Cody and Alan…
Bike central…
