So, what to say about the World Race?
yesterday we made fish and chips (for full disclosure this yesterday may have been as many as 10 yesterdays ago)
an afternoon of frying. I’m in a kitchen in Thailand, I look down as I do something simple like cut a bell pepper and cucumber, and carrot and I hear behind me the very specific crackle and pop that comes from frying up a batch of —fill in the blank— and it’s the strangest out of body experience. Such a “normal” thing. When a normal thing makes you stop in your tracks you know you’re on the World Race. Most days this race thing feels like a dream. Not a dream in the sense of fulfilling every desire with ease but a dream that just doesn’t make sense and most of the time you think its quite amazing in the strangeness and it’s not quite uncomfortable enough to want to wake from.
It’s September 26. I have to search to find out the exact date because dates get a little fuzzy on the race. I’ve already missed one of my best friends birthdays when I didn’t even realize August was over with and now we’re at the end of September!? I’m at a strange part of the race where it feels like I’ve been on this thing for fo-evah and like I’m an expert by now. I’m not. In case you were wondering I SO do not have this race figured out.
current sit-che-ation:
sitting at quite the normal squeaky table in an equally normal plastic chair just an inch too short for me to reach the top of the table comfortably. Across from me is a lace covered window leading to a view of palm trees. Overachiever teammates bang on the back door because they decided being a runner was on the schedule for the day. Other teammates bring their various Jesus material and sit down at the table next to me. While I sit here pounding on the keys hoping for words to come out of my fingertips. I have even set the “mood” I have my thinking beautiful words music on, coffee already finished, and I even read some other peoples beautiful words trying to inspire my brain. So far all I can think to tell is gratefulness for this mess of people I’m living with. Thankful I have a computer to borrow even if my words disappear as soon as I set my hands on the keyboard. oh and I have lice. doesn’t the word lice just cause the most amazing imagery to appear. Oh wait, no? Whoops. Got a nose ring and had to get it removed, get lice even when you’re not working with kids? Check, Check. Man, I am flying through the World Race checklist.
Lately:
Thailand.
Y’all, Thailand is gorgeous. Possibly my heart country.Mountains, beaches, waterfalls and green all within an hour of each other? My only regret will be not actually having the opportunity to work with Thai people. This month has been full of opportunities to meet so many missionaries from Canada to Australia to the Philippines all coming together for a purpose
Our first couple of days here we constructed. I built a wall with concrete blocks. Ok, Ok, I was one of several people building the wall BUT i got to do an entire row by myself! We were building at this church that has been planted by Filipinos here to reach the Thai. The pastors wife made the most amazing lunch for us both days and even a coconut milkshake made from the coconut in the backyard. Do you hear that? Coconut in the backyard?! After we made enough progress we’d get in the car and drive to the ocean. Oh just a normal evening learning to not hate salt in my eyes and nose with the sun going down and the most amazing reflections and the least of amount of waves I’ve seen at an ocean, in an ocean, on the ocean? This is how un-oceany I am, I don’t even know how to talk about being at the ocean. Crawling into bed exhausted. the good kind of exhausted from sun and handwork and fighting against the ocean. Did you read that, crawling into bed?? We have beds here!
Went to the gypsy village today. (the today that happened yesterday)
The second we set foot on the landing of the sweet families home today the little girls looked up and the one I had held previously came straight up to me arms stretched up to me. heart melted.
So much love overwhelmed me. These tears that never were close before have been right at the surface too much lately. I couldn’t help but wish I had more time to spend with these gorgeous, little ones. And realizing all I could do was pray for them. All I could do was leave them in Gods’ hands, the one who created me and everything. I sat there on the concrete ground surrounded by little Thai children holding three in my lap praying they were listening as we shared Jesus with them. Praying that God will bring other people to come alongside these little ones, using some of these kids to come back and minister to the next generation of Sea Gypsies.
The afternoons we spent with the Gypsy children were some of my favorite. The intensity they took to coloring was amazing to see, we spent at least 30 minutes coloring crowns and crosses. From the littles to the biggest the colors were shared not a single scuffle. Pencils were the treasured items.
We’re in the single digits left in Thailand. I’m coming to the close of this with mixed emotions. Stay tuned for part dos
