With less than a week left before leaving back to Bangkok on Sat, we’ve made a lot of progress this since last week on the construction, getting pretty much all of the floor with concrete and one room having all four walls up. We also planted tons of banana trees all along the farm fields, digging holes, digging out trees from the ground and planting them in a new spot; all during the hot sun days. We’ve been getting fertilizer from cow and goat dung; yep this is our process of becoming more of a man. There’s definitely a lesson in learning to do the small things and sometimes the most “unglorified” things as the best ways of showing love and sacrifice.
The men are becoming a lot more real, open, and as we’ve finished our life stories together we’ve know been understanding more that we all truly have a past that though we may done things we’re not proud of; God’s grace keeps us moving. It’s amazing to see how God has brought us all here to this point, protected us through things, and the victories in life we’ve had through Him. We’re discussing a lot about prophecy, God’s love, living out our faith, visions, communication, being bold as men in our lives, marriages; all that normal stuff Christians should talk about. To have fourteen guys come together and be a support system has been real. Whether we choose our life, or God does, it is still a testimony in everything.
Three days ago I walked down the road to a little outdoor store to get a drink. It’s very common for houses to have little market stands or shops in front in Asia and that’s how they mainly make their living; so they pretty much never leave home. After going down there and seeing a whole family of Thai people sitting down, talking, drinking, even offering me one which I denied, I got my soda and walked back down the road at night. I started to burden for them leading to praying for them and it’s funny how God will tell you to turn those prayers into actions. Here I am asking God to reveal Himself to these people I just saw and he’s like, “Hello, I’ve put you here for a reason, go back!” So with a ear to hear that, I turned back and walked all the way back to the store and they saw me again with a smile thinking I’ve probably changed my mind on the Thai beer. So I sat down at this table with about eight Thai people who have not a clue of English or I of Thai to somehow share God’s love. I asked for a paper and pencil by making motions of the hands, and then I sat down drawing creation and hands, to the cross with Jesus on it, and then one said “Jesu Christ”, and I said “Yes!” This took longer than you may think.
(they love their King and Queen)
So then this one Thai, named Anon, began translating to them what I was saying. His English wasn’t a whole lot better so his wife came over who knew a little better English; this couple is possibly in their late 20’s, as the others were older. Unfortunately the best way I could draw heaven was a smiley face 🙂 So as he saw where I was going, he then drew a Buddha (more like a stick figure) and called him “Pood” in his tongue. He then perceived to say that “Pood” and “Jesu” together makes him happy; though most Thai don’t really stick to anything and he knows not a clue about Christianity. I said that Jesus talks to us, with a hand motion, and that Buddha doesn’t. Then I made all the religious symbols with different roads that led to the happy face, and circled the cross and arrowed to the happy face. He still didn’t agree as he drew a heart and said the word “love” in Thai and pointed to “Pood”. I then said “Jesu Christ loves Anon” in their language and he smiled. I couldn’t see this developing any further with the difficulty of having no translator, but I do believe that God spoke somehow Truth to them. As they smiled and then offered me another drink, I then told them all that “Jesus loved them.” and then pointed to the cross and my face with a smile. They all nodded and then I said goodbye and turned back out of the property, praying for them on the way back a second time. As I walked back I looked up and saw the thousands of stars burning bright in the sky, and God was telling me that it’s ok. I truly believe these people will see it someday soon, whether us here, a future team, or through Aroon and Pbang; either way I just watered and was faithful. Isn’t that what He calls us to? Faithfulness. The greatest sin would have not to go back when His voice was telling me too, and how many times have I been open to that voice, and once hearing it doing what it says aside from what I think is logical or not. Ever since then as I pass that house off to play volleyball after a long day of work, going to the goat farm, getting rocks for the floors, or taking the cows, they haven’t failed to say “Hi!” to me, offer me to come talk to them, and remember that there was this one person that took the time to sit with them in love whether it would lead someone to Christ or not.
(they love their King and Queen)So then this one Thai, named Anon, began translating to them what I was saying. His English wasn’t a whole lot better so his wife came over who knew a little better English; this couple is possibly in their late 20’s, as the others were older. Unfortunately the best way I could draw heaven was a smiley face 🙂 So as he saw where I was going, he then drew a Buddha (more like a stick figure) and called him “Pood” in his tongue. He then perceived to say that “Pood” and “Jesu” together makes him happy; though most Thai don’t really stick to anything and he knows not a clue about Christianity. I said that Jesus talks to us, with a hand motion, and that Buddha doesn’t. Then I made all the religious symbols with different roads that led to the happy face, and circled the cross and arrowed to the happy face. He still didn’t agree as he drew a heart and said the word “love” in Thai and pointed to “Pood”. I then said “Jesu Christ loves Anon” in their language and he smiled. I couldn’t see this developing any further with the difficulty of having no translator, but I do believe that God spoke somehow Truth to them. As they smiled and then offered me another drink, I then told them all that “Jesus loved them.” and then pointed to the cross and my face with a smile. They all nodded and then I said goodbye and turned back out of the property, praying for them on the way back a second time. As I walked back I looked up and saw the thousands of stars burning bright in the sky, and God was telling me that it’s ok. I truly believe these people will see it someday soon, whether us here, a future team, or through Aroon and Pbang; either way I just watered and was faithful. Isn’t that what He calls us to? Faithfulness. The greatest sin would have not to go back when His voice was telling me too, and how many times have I been open to that voice, and once hearing it doing what it says aside from what I think is logical or not. Ever since then as I pass that house off to play volleyball after a long day of work, going to the goat farm, getting rocks for the floors, or taking the cows, they haven’t failed to say “Hi!” to me, offer me to come talk to them, and remember that there was this one person that took the time to sit with them in love whether it would lead someone to Christ or not.
