Written on Saturday 01.05.13
One of my favorite dates to go on back home with Jordan (my boyfriend) is out for Thai food. We always spilt pad thai with one other thing; pineapple noodle at Thai Bistro has become a favorite. I miss driving home from the Village along Lakeshore drive with the windows down. I miss laughing with him about how I once stood and blocked a car from taking a specific parking spot in a metered lot because we only had a dime between the two of us (it still had 40 minutes left). And I definitely miss our ridiculously long walks where we would ridicule perfectly nice homes and say how we would fix them or guess how the other felt about it. It was hilarious. 🙂
With all of that said, getting to order pad thai and having it taste surprisingly similar to what I've had back in the States is truly a small taste of home. It's comforting–especially with everything on the menu being illegible, it's nice to just be able to order pad thai anywhere and know it will be delicious. Even with Thailand having the largest language barrier yet, I not so secretly love it here.
Even though this morning I went out to the rice fields to help prepare for the upcoming planting season, I love it.
I adore the people. I love both the city, as well as the countryside. I revel in how quiet it is here. The food is delicious. The air is cleaner. My runs are better (it's not unbearably hot all day and night, which is helpful).
It is surely my new favorite (I think I've said that every month :)).
BUT the heartbreak is tremendous. Thinking about how only 1% of the nation knows the Lord and the majority worship false gods and idols hurts. Walking down "Bar St." where it is so obvious what is truly for sale there makes me sick. I felt heartbroken and hopeless as I assessed the situation (sorry, nursing jargon).
I saw extreme poverty last month in the Philippines, but for some reason I was feeling even more sad and hopeless here. I think part of it is because I have never walked through what was so clearly a red light district area, as well as knowing that I am a part of a very small percentage of people that know Jesus here.
I am so thankful for our amazing contact here and for the renewed perspective that she has brought. "They just don't know Jesus yet." & "You have the hope. His name is Jesus."
Yet is becoming one of my new favorite words as it is filled with hope. Along with the phrase "Just Love" as it is so simple, but completely effective and to the point.
Please pray with me as I live with my wonderful Buddhist family. Pray that they would see Jesus in my words and actions. Pray that He would soften their hearts and that they would come to know Him. Pray that the girls, lady boys and customers of Bar St. would experience the love of the Father and wreck their life as they know it. Pray that they would become beloved sons and daughters of God and no longer live out of their orphan heart & mentality (scrambling for love and acceptance vs. already having unconditional love and grace as a child of God). Pray that my whole team would sleep well and be restored to full health (I slept great my first night in my family's home and then poorly last night–as did my roommate, Angela. Katie was sick a couple days ago and Shayna had the start of a cold today).
Thank you for your love and prayers!
