Since I have been in Asia I have wanted to talk to a Monk and hear his story. I have been curious about what a Monks life looks like and how they decide to dedicate their life to Buddhism and especially for some at such a young age. I have seen Monks as young as eight years old to as old as ninety. In Thailand I learned that women cannot touch a Monk and if that happens the Monk needs to go through two weeks of cleansing. When we went shopping in the market in Thailand it was on us to not touch a Monk. I did not find it a hassle to get out of a monks path while I walked around a market it was just hard to accomplish at times. There were a few close calls. If I did not change course while I was walking I would collide into the Monk. In Cambodia I saw Monks every morning walk from business to business to collect offerings so that the business owners could receive a blessing. In Vietnam I have seen spirit houses in the window of every building, in every home, in every business and on the dashboard of most vehicles. In these months of observation my heart felt heavy for these people. My heart is heavy for the eight-year-old Monks who do not have the opportunity to be a kid. My heart is heavy for the Monks who live a life in seclusion under a law that is all about earning salvation. And my heart is heavy for those who look to an object to bless their lives and their businesses.
My heart was lifted when I spent the weekend in a small village with a Vietnamese family who are the only Christians in their community. A ninety-year-old woman lives there and she is the cutest senile grandma I have ever met. She speaks to me as if I can understand her every word. The first night I slept there I was informed that she does not sleep through the night and will most likely pop her head in my room and attempt to talk to me while I am asleep. I was also informed that she might not remember who I am and think that I am a stranger in her home. Needless to say I did not want to get up in the middle of the night in fear of running into her. Thankfully I did not have such an encounter with grandma.
I also met an 80-year-old man named Hong who lives next door to the home I stayed at. Our team asked if he would like to come out to coffee with us and Hong accepted our invitation. When he met up with us later that night Hong was dressed in his best, slacks and a button up collared shirt. As we sat with him Hong told us his story. He told us that he was a Chief Monk at the Pagoda for 20 years. Now Hong is a follower of Christ! He is married and has a beautiful 13-year-old granddaughter. He studied theology in Hochimon city for two years and afterwards he returned home to his beautiful wife.
Our plans for the weekend did not go accordingly. Our team meant to spend the entire weekend with this family, however once the town heard that some foreigners were visiting we needed to give them documents to stay in the village which we did not have with us. Even though the time we spent in the village was so short it was time well spent.
The highlight of my time there was when I held hands in prayer with an 80 year old man who was once a dedicated Monk. We prayed together for a chapel to be built in his village so that Hong’s family can have the opportunity to worship God. As we prayed for God to establish his church here a BIG smile came to my face. I thought in that moment, I AM HOLDING HANDS with someone who could not touch a woman for 20 years, he could not see his wife, he worshiped a false God and he was bound to a law that held him captive, he was not a free man.
He is free today. He is free in Christ! He believes in a God who does not require anyone to earn salvation, because it cannot be earned. It is not about what we can do, but what God has already DONE! He did it all!
Galations 3:13-14
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might recieve the promise of the spirit."
Praying for more stories like Hong's. A redeemed Christ filled life!
