Every morning, I begin ministry by asking the Lord to show me the reason He has placed ME there. He normally gives me something to hold onto but nothing completely convincing and so I continue asking. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that what I’m doing really matters because it’s ordinary stuff that any ordinary volunteer could do, and so I wanted the Lord to reveal something specific to ME to validate MY presence in serving at the orphanage—-something one-of-a-kind that not everyone can bring to the table.
It’s been a couple weeks now and I think the Lord has answered me!
After working from 10:00-3:00 pm we get to play with the kids until 5:00 pm. As we were throwing dirt and goofing off with the toddlers the first week, I noticed melancholy looks on the nannies’ faces (Jun and Ma Noi). The Holy Spirit led me into conversation with them and as we talked, smiles and laughter ensued out of nowhere. Although they only knew a little bit of English, it was enough to maintain an upbeat and very entertaining conversation. I introduced myself, but after realizing that neither of them could pronounce “Samantha”, I told them they could call me “Sam” which is the word for “3” in Thai (when pronounced with a different tone). I taught them random English words and they taught me random Thai words, and by the end of it, the three of us could scarcely breath were laughing so hard! Upon my arrival the next day, nearly everyone in the orphanage already knew my name and shouted “Saam! Saam!” with smiles stretching from ear to ear.
The same thing happened the next day, but this time the Lord pressed on my heart to bless these women with a massage as an act of love. Massages are a huge part of Thai culture, but I doubt that these women have ever had the luxury of getting professional massages because they’re tending to the kids 24/7. I asked Jun if she would like a shoulder massage and words can’t accurately describe the look of surprise and excitement on her face. Once I finished she stood up, stretched, and said that she felt like a new woman! Then of course, the “epidemic” had begun. Ma Noi gladly received one, and then my teammate Brittany, both of whom showed much appreciation. The nannies told me that I should come back to Thailand to open a massage parlor called “Sam’s Massage” and hire them to work with me. 😛
This was only the beginning of the Lord showing me my purpose in serving at Agape Home. Since then, I have blessed many of the other nannies with my “spiritual gifts”—healing hands and laughter ;-). I have especially bonded with Jun and the two of us have bucket loads of fun talking, laughing, and teaching each other English and Thai. A couple days ago when we were playing with the toddlers, she came over and asked me to go help peel the eggs for dinner. At first I legitimately thought that she needed help and so I quickly ran to her aid; but then I quickly realized that she didn’t need help, but simply wanted my company as she prepared dinner. It was literally the cutest thing ever! It was so encouraging to see her smile and know that I was brightening her day. I never thought exchanging funny faces and laughter over a pot of sardines and tomato sauce could be so much fun.
Going into this ministry I thought that all our focus would be centered around the kids, but now that I’m there, I’m realizing that there are people all around the orphanage—teen or fully grown—who need just as much love and attention as the young children. The Lord has gifted me with the ability to easily communicate with non-English speaking people despite the language barrier and He’s allowing me to use that gift with these women to brighten their day and show them just how much they’re appreciated.
So in addition to loving the children, I believe that the Lord called me to serve in the orphanage to bring joy and hope to the nannies who sacrifice themselves daily to give these precious kids a second chance.
Believe it or not, we only have one week left of ministry in Thailand! Shortly thereafter, we’ll be on our way to Malaysia. Please keep us in your prayers!
-Sam
