Song Kran

Song Kran is Thai New Year's celebration.  Basically, it's a three-day long country-wide water fight (which lasts even longer in some places.) This year was a first for me, but I'm already looking forward to next year.  

 

I celebrated with a couple of my English students and their family in Northern Thailand.  Across the river is Laos.  The family when there to travel for an afternoon, but I stayed on the Thailand side and visited some nice markets because of my visa. 

 One Song Kran Buddhist tradition is to "bathe" statues.  These statues were set up at the market so people could take a bowl of water and pour it over the statue as they pass by.  

Now for a peek at what my Song Kran involved...

Step 1 - Get dressed in a wild-colored shirt.  The week before I was wondering why all the stores were selling "Hawaiian" shirts.  Now I know.

Step 2 - Get ready with your squirt guns, buckets, hoses, and anything else that can be used for a water fight.  Then be brave and begin walking down the street.  Alternatively, you can stand in one spot and wait for others to walk to you.  (We chose the first option.)

Step 3 - Get wet!

Step 4 - Get others wet!

Step 5 - Get covered in baby powder.  (Yes, this makes a paste.  Yes, it's sticky and messy.  Yes, it's fun.)

 Many people ride in the back of pickup trucks with giant tubs of water.  When one passes another or drives by anyone on the side of the road, the water fight ensues. 

By the evening, less water is being thrown and the parties have begun.

"I do"

I promise to love you with the love of Christ so that the world may know that Christ loves the Church.  I can't recall exactly, but the vows went something like that.

Seth and Taam's wedding was a beautiful example of Christ's love for the Church, and the pastor (Seth's dad) did an awesome job of explaining that connection for all those in attendance.  For most of Taam's family, it was the first time a wedding was likened to anything Christian.

The wedding took place in Chiang Mai (northern Thailand) at a Protestant church near where most of Taam's family lives.  It was beautiful!  One of the benefits of living in a tropical climate is the abundance of flowers.  I've never seen so many roses (and they were all probably less than 10 cents each!) 

 

Some of Taam's friends flew up from Bangkok to join in the celebration. 

 And many were excited about trying to catch the bouquet. (I didn't expect this to be a part of a wedding in Thailand, but everyone knew what to do, so I guess it's not an uncommon practice.)

Our team has grown by one officially this past week, but Taam has been an imporant part of our team since we met last summer.  We are all very grateful to God for bringing Taam into our team, and we are excited to see how God uses the diversity of our team to further His Kingdom. 

 

Seth's Mom and team members Leigha, Tiffany, Susie, and me in front of the church.

 

English students playing a game to see which team can think of the most household chores. 

"I'm going to try out this other god, the one they call Jesus.  If he's not real, I'll come back.  Please don't be mad at me."   G said to the row of golden figures above his bed.  

That was the night before G came to Baan Jai Diaow (BJD) for worship.  Worship was different at the dorm.  "They worship a living God."  He recalls thinking.

God had been working in G's life for a long time.  We first met when he came to the dorm for English class.  One day, he agreed to come to Tuesday night worship.  The first night he felt he had to apologize to his golden statues, but not long after that, he had found confidence in Jesus to throw them all in the trash and trust in Christ alone.

Praise God for working in the lives of students in Bangkok!