Why Thailand?

 Our conversation group, Tommy is on the far right.

"Why do you want to go to Thailand?" Tommy inquired.
"Because I want to learn the Thai language."  I responded. 
"Why do you want to learn the Thai language?  It is not useful in very many countries."
"Well, because I want to be able to talk to people in Thailand and learn about their culture."
"But why Thailand?"
"I think Thailand is very interesting."
"Why not Japan or China or Taiwan?"
"Because I can get a visa there easily."
"You can get a visa in Taiwan.  What is the real reason?"
We were conversing in the Language Institute at Georgia Tech, so we were not supposed to be openly sharing the gospel.  After looking around to make sure no instructors were listening, I responded.  "I believe in Jesus.  So I prayed to Jesus about where I should go, and he has given me direction to go to Thailand."
"Oh...okay."

"It smells like my house in Thailand!"

Soy (left) and Knock cooking Khai Yud Sao (pork egg wrap).

"It smells like my house in Thailand!"  Kung exclaimed, causing a smile to form on Soy’s face as she stirred ground pork, carrots, tomatoes, and onions in a pan on the stove.  

"It smells so good you could open a kitchen." Knock suggested.

"Yes, and then you would have to pay me!"  Soy laughed.

Our adventure began earlier in the afternoon at the Asian supermarket, picking out fresh lemon grass, lime leafs, galanga (a soft root like ginger), oyster sauce (which, surprisingly is not fishy at all), and a variety of other ingredients.  Our friends Kung, Boy, Knock, and Soy humored us by repeating the Thai names for many familiar as well as unusual foods.  Their faces lit up any time I remembered a Thai word and threw it into a sentence.  

Within minutes of getting back to our apartment, Soy had each of us cutting up something different.  Three heads of garlic later, Gai Ka Team/Garlic Pepper Chicken was simmering on the stove.  Kung was using a whisk for the first time (he’d never seen one before) to beat eggs for the Khai Yud Sao (pork egg wrap--a thin layer of egg like a tortilla wrapped around spiced veggies and ground pork.)  Boy was reading the directions in Thai to help Jill make Thai Tea, and Knock opened a can of coconut milk to start on the Coconut Soup (Tom Kha Kai.)  Scrumptious aromas floated through the air, undoubtedly making the neighbors jealous.  

Soy, Kung, Boy, and Knock are Thai friends from the Language Institute at Georgia Tech.  During an orientation for international student ministry we learned that 85% of international students never make an American friend, so we have been intentional about getting to know the students.  

We had a wonderful evening full of laughter, good conversation, and delicious food.  Boy noticed some notes about the Kingdom of God from class earlier in the day, opening up an opportunity for us to explain that we study the Bible.  I pray this leads to further conversations about having a relationship with our Lord and Savior.

 

Garlic Pepper Chicken (upper left), Pork Egg Wrap (upper right),

Thai Chile Pepper Sauce (lower left), Coconut Soup (lower right)

Can we come to church with you?

"Can we come to church with you, Ruthie....pleeeaaassseee???"

Susan and Estray had been asking Ruthie the same question every day during after school tutoring for a couple of weeks.  Unfortunately, space in Ruthie's car had prohibited them from getting a ride.  With my vehicle now included in the carpool caravan, there would be enough space for the girls to come too.

After tutoring one day my roommates and I walked Susan and Estray home to meet their mother, Lila.  With Susan translating for us, we inquired if we could pick up the girls and take them to church on Sunday.  Smiles formed on the girls' faces as Lila responded affirmatively in Spanish.  Dark brown pigtails began flying in the air as the sisters clapped their hands and jumped up and down in excitement.

I am looking forward to getting to know Susan, Estray, and their parents better through this opportunity.  My prayer is that Jesus would become real in their hearts.  And that even at a young age (5th and 3rd grade), the girls would understand the truths of the gospel, and Christ would begin to transform their lives.

 

Susan, Estray, and me in front of Open Table Community Church

Love=Taking Risks

The pastor at church last week was talking about the church’s core values. Each week since the beginning of the year they have studied one: generosity, hospitality, forgiveness, and last week, risk taking. The conclusion came to something along the lines of this…God calls us to love, and loving can be tough. For some loving looks like being generous, or hospitable, for some it’s forgiving, for some it’s being vulnerable. Loving like God loves means sacrifice because that is what he did for us. It means coming out of our comfort zone, giving up certain things, taking risks, doing something we don’t like to do. We do it because we are compelled by Christ (2 Cor. 5:14) and we love with joy because of Christ.

Coming to Atlanta was a step out of my comfort zone. Thailand will be an even bigger step. But I take these steps because I love the Lord, and I want to bring him glory. I take these risks so that he may be worshiped not only by our community of believers or the believers in our nation, but so that he may be worshiped and receive all the glory from people all over the earth.

The book Crazy Love by Francis Chan builds on this idea of living a life completely for Christ. Chan asks a convicting question to help us check our life, “What are you doing right now that requires faith?”