While we may not have spent an entire month in the beautiful country of Cambodia, the time that we did get to spend was so life-giving and sweet. Because of the Khmer New Year, we got to spend a lot of time with our host family, whether that looked like cooking with them, pulling weeds at the farm with them, or just spending time in conversation and listening to their stories. Cambodia was so full of joy, and the Lord’s presence was so evident in and around our ministry site and home.
Yesterday morning, our squad bussed to the Cambodia/Thailand border, and we proceeded to grab our packs and cross the border on foot. To be totally honest, I don’t remember the last time I got that sweaty. A few of us were sunburned, which made the whole carrying-our-packs thing a bit difficult, but we all struggled together and finally made it to the YWAM base here in Bangkok, Thailand for a day of cultural training. Tomorrow morning, my (NEW!) team is headed to Rayong, Thailand to work with the YWAM base out there.
As you pray, please continue to pray for another teacher to feel called to come work at Hosanna Preschool (which is one of the most pressing and important needs at the moment),for increased support and fellowship for the family that we were partnering with seeing as they are the only Christian family in their province, for increased enrollment in Hosanna Preschool which is associated with the church and run by the eldest daughter in our host family, and for unity, vulnerability, and increased connection throughout Team R1:16 (who you will meet in coming blog posts).
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Throughout Month 5 of our Race, we will be working with the YWAM Thailand branch located in Rayong. YWAM Thailand focuses on at evangelizing to bring people to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and teaching them to preach the Good News to extend God’s Kingdom. They do this through providing Bible studies, discipleship and missionary training programs, creating and building cell groups (community groups), providing prayer ministry, providing various skills training programs for women, and equipping and sending out missionaries into Thailand and other surrounding countries. Some of the things we may end of doing this month include:
-Holding Bible studies to help lead and guide the Thai people (adults and children) to know the Lord
-Teaching English at the local Thai public school
-Visiting church members
-Visiting the orphans and widows and those who are in prison
-Preaching, teaching, singing, praying, and preforming skits during the Sunday morning church services
YWAM compiled information collected by Marja Woensdregt and Chompuu Kanjanda on the religious climate in Thailand and published a report noting that “Thailand has always been a Buddhist country. Often described as more a way of life than religion, Buddhism pervades Thai life… Over 95% of the Thai people are members of the Theravada Buddhist sect. Thailand has long been tolerant of other religions, but the numbers involved are quite small; one million Muslims predominate in 4 provinces bordering Malaysia; 250,000 Christians and small groups of Hindus, Sikhs and believers of Confucius Ethics” (1).
Brian Stiller of the Huffington Post describes how Thailand is built upon a trilogy of national character, made of up royalty, nationalism, and religion. He notes that “national pride is palatable. Pictures of the king… and queen dot the landscape. Royalty is linked to nationalism. It didn’t take but a few minutes in a major museum to hear their unqualified patriotism describing the greatness of their nation, its leaders, history and people” (2).
Buddhism is the last part of this trifecta, Stiller goes on to explain. “A Thai is expected to be Buddhist. To be other is seen as rejecting one’s nationhood, tantamount to denying identity. Not surprisingly, evangelism has to buck the rapids of such a profound synthesis of nation and person… More than the presence of temples and the role of temple attendance is to much of life, is their understanding and fear of the spirit world. Everywhere there are spirit houses, small shrines outside of homes, offices, restaurants, places of business and amulets hanging in taxis. Its core reason is to appease the spirits. For the Thai, fear of the many spirits is controlling” (2).
Please pray for us as we prepare to enter this country full of people who need a relationship with a loving, present Father as opposed to a religion full of rules, regulations, and fear. Pray that, in everything we do, we would work for the glory of the Father and not for the glory of men, and that we would give our all to each and every opportunity presented to us this month.
For more information about Christianity in Thailand, please see the articles I quoted from below:
(1) http://www.ywamthai.org/office/religion
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As we prepare to travel to Rayong, there are a few final things I would like to share with you:
-I have accepted the position of Team Content Manager (TCM) for R1:16! As a TCM, I will be coming alongside my teammates and working with them to ensure that stories of God’s movement throughout the world come your way twice a week! Whether it’s through pictures, poems, stories, video blogs, or other forms of storytelling, we are excited to share all the awesome things that God is doing!
-If you haven’t already, consider subscribing to my blog! It’s easy; all you have to do is click on the orange “Subscribe for Updates” button directly under my picture and enter your e-mail! This will ensure that you get updates sent directly to your e-mail.
