Sawadee Kha! Our first week here has been great. Unlike what we will do in most countries, we have been together as a whole squad debriefing. We have been learning about our individual teams, how to be vulnerable with each other and loving living in community with 49 other people. In most countries we will begin right away in our ministry sites, with debrief we have only learned about the ministry sites until this week. Our contact host, Emmi, has been blessed enough to have space for all of us to live above her cafe. She has a beautiful heart for God, for the people of this nation, and bringing these people to know Christ. Her motto: "to be Jesus with skin on."
My team has been given a couple different ministries; the first is that we go into the slums to play with children. These children are in an area of deep poverty, depression and oppression. As I said in my last post, though, they do it all through a smile. Our first day with them it poured as we were walking there, one lady allowed a few of us to come into her home to escape the rain. Through her broken English and our minimal Thai we got that she has four girls ages 18 mo-10 years old. She and two of her girls (baby included) came out to play after the rain had stopped.
Our other ministry is going into the night markets (similar to our farmer's markets at home, only lots bigger, and at night) to find children and play with them. Many children are up wee hours of the night while their parents are making a living as vendors in the markets. There are also children selling goods to do their part in bringing in money for the family. In addition to this, some children are out working to make money for a pimp of sorts.
Our goal in these ministries is simple to love. We want to be a hope for these children. Sometimes all these kids need is just a smile that shows them everything will be okay. They may need that piece of candy when they are being scolded or a magic trick from Zac to remind them to laugh. Last night we had about six children and we were on a stage dancing, running around, being goofy and just having fun; being Jesus with skin on.
Mark 10.13-16
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Myself and another girl, Susan, have been given the opportunity to teach the local police English. This is a very exciting concept for me as I love learning languages. We were suppose to begin today but the police backed cancelled. Please pray their hearts will be open and receptive to our assistance.
