My heart has been in an interesting place lately. It’s hard to explain how I have felt really because there are so many emotions there, but I’ll try. Our group has been serving with a local pastor here in Thailand doing community work and pouring into his congregation on Sundays and it has really been great. Additionally, we have been teaching English classes and each of us in our group has had an opportunity to teach. Although the language barrier can be somewhat complicated at times, you would be surprised with how much can be interpreted when neither person knows the same language (charades has been a common form of communicating sometimes). I have gotten to know how the culture works here a lot better, but there has been something on my mind the whole time we are doing all these things. How do you reach a country that has never heard of the concept of a loving God?
I mean for me, saying God loves is a very true and simple statement, although it’s easy to forget how much He does love me sometimes. God is indeed love and truly shows love to all His children. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:8). God cannot be anything other than love because that is what He is…plain and simple. How do you explain that concept to a someone who was raised Buddhist, believes in reincarnation and achieving nirvana, and does things based on karma?
It’s funny too because the Thai culture is pretty open to other religions it seems. I think seeing temples, spirit houses, and monks everywhere has made things much more real of how much the Gospel is needed here. It also makes me very aware of how real spiritual warfare is in our world, not just in Thailand. There is definitely a sense of lust and darkness over a lot of this country (Thailand is a highly sex trafficked nation). So to me it would make sense that there is a need for real, genuine love from a creator that desperately loves us as well. I am so burdened for the people here and yearn to see them come to know the Lord. Pray for me as I continue to see God’s plan for what He wants us to do while we are still in Thailand.
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