We started our official ministry with Pastor Phil today. He and his wife, Pook, have taken so much time to organize this month for us. We’ll be involved with a variety of ministries this month, but the ministry we’re focusing on for today is playing with kids at a primary school.
After a half hour ride into the jungle, we reached the elementary school. This is one of the poorest schools in the area, and they are the most open to have missionaries as volunteers working with them. It is a small school teaching kindergarten through 5th grade with only 40 kids, and only 3 to 9 kids in each grade. In the front, there’s a huge, green field with a volleyball net on one side, and the other is mowed and completely open. The school is up on a cement landing with a nice, covered picnic area to the right. In between the school and the picnic area, there are four squatties, two for teachers and two for students. The school is a simple two-room building with a kitchen in one room and the classroom in the other. We spent the majority of our time outside because today was P.E. day!
As soon as the truck stopped and we unloaded, the kids slowly and timidly made their way towards us. They were all dressed in their gym clothes: purple polyester track suits with pink collars and pink stripes down the sides of the pants. They were so well behaved. As soon as we walked onto the cement platform, the teacher had them get into order, with boys on the left and girls on the right from youngest to oldest.
We introduced ourselves then performed two skits. David and Goliath then Jesus Calms the Storm. After that, the kids were ready to get up and dance. After some stretching and jumping jacks, we taught them action songs. We started with Pharaoh, Pharaoh. After a couple more songs, I tried teaching them One Way, Jesus. What you need to understand is that this song requires a kid to learn crazy, fast moves that we used with our kids in Sunday School back at Christ Fellowship. So, I’m teaching these 40 Thai children and see off to the side a woman dancing along. She was trying the motions, and had been for every song that we were doing with the kids. She was short, with long black hair, and had a huge smile on her face. She looked to be in her late thirties. She was spunky and fun. The kids never really mastered that song, so we just moved on to the next song. Soon, it was time for games.
Pastor Phil helped me hold the jump rope while the kids played limbo under it. Then, we taught them head, shoulders, knees, and toes. We finished with an intense game of red light, green light. Other groups were playing volleyball, foursquare, or drawing on the ground with chalk. It was an all-around fun day. We were going to sing a few more action songs after lunch and then give testimonies and preach the Gospel. Before that could happen though, it was time to eat!
This poor, small school graciously provided lunch for us; it was one of the best lunches I’ve had here in Thailand. The woman who had been dancing along with the kids earlier came up to my table after she had finished eating. In broken English, she asked me my name. “Sam,” I said. Then, I gestured to her and she said, “Wan,” but she said it so fast that I had no idea what she was saying and what letters she was using to pronounce her name, so I asked for her to repeat it. In reply, she lifted a finger as if to say, “Just one.” I then understood how to say her name.
While this encounter seems innocent enough, my heart automatically broke for her. She is Wan. She is not a number. She is not just one. She is a person with a name and a story.
I don’t think this would have struck me so much if I hadn’t been listening to a sermon about human trafficking the night before. There are more modern day slaves in the world today than ever in history. They are stripped of a name and instead given a number. They are a nameless face with a story that their customers don’t even and won’t ever care about. It started with one. Just one.
In Wan I saw the love, life, spunk, and willingness to deny herself to be goofy with the kids and dance. And she isn’t even a teacher there. She does the paperwork. Wan wants to work in law. She will be taking an exam soon so she can hopefully get a government job. Wan has a chance at a future that she will love. How many Thais can say that? How many are forced into sex? How many are forced into labor? How many are just a number? I know Wan, and Wan is not just one.
