Air Conditioning, Chopsticks, and Marshmallows

The air conditioning blew through our apartment keeping the humidity and hot air outside.  Five Thai international students sat in a circle laughing as wild cards were thrown down, smirking as a reverse card was played, and glaring (playfully) when a draw four card was placed on top of the pile.

Conversation moved on to us going to Thailand soon.  “You should go camping in Thailand.”  Boy suggested.  As we threw around camping stories, I learned that roasting marshmallows is an American tradition.  None of our Thai friends had ever had a roasted marshmallow…this had to be rectified!

Eileen ran to our neighbor’s house to borrow some marshmallows.  I grabbed the left over logs from an earlier camping trip and the matches from the hearth.  Soon we had a fire going in the fireplace and each Thai friend was leaning toward the heat, holding a chopstick with a small marshmallow stuck on the end. 

“Mmmm…this is good.”

“Ooohh…too sweet.”

“Yumm…Can I have another one?”

This was the last time of hanging out with our international friends in Atlanta, but we are hopeful that we will get to met again when the Lord brings all of us to Thailand.

Not Just "Doing Ministry"

 After School Tutoring Kids

After many months of:

• Tutoring kids after school three days a week
• Cooking dinner for the kids three days a week
• Giving small gifts to teachers every holiday
• Helping at school events
• Volunteering for field day
• Teaching ESL classes
• Picking up kids for church each week
• Meeting with parents
• Providing teacher breakfasts on occasion
• Sponsoring special classroom projects
• And giving time in numerous other behind the scenes ways...

In one day, God reveals how he has been working in many hearts:

•  "So what do you guys believe?" asked a teacher at the school.
• Two of the girls from tutoring that I pick up for church each week said they want to know Jesus personally.

Sometimes I wonder if all the time spent "doing ministry" makes a difference.  And then God reminds me what it's all really about--testifying of Christ through our words and our life so that people come to know our beautiful Lord and Savior.

Clarkston Connection

A rumble of voices rise from the bottom floor of the leasing office.  Glancing over the banister, I see younger and older people sitting in crowded circles of chairs.  A variety of bright ethnic clothing gives a unique spark to each group.  Some wear head scarves, some tie their babies on their back, some are decorated with beads, some wear a more plain style.  Each circle is speaking a different language.  Every once in a while someone will look up from the conversation to the front of the room where a Bible passage is written on the white board. 

This gathering is an exciting precursor to what we look forward to in Heaven:
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (Revelation 7:9-10)
 

I smile as I am called away from my gazing, back to helping the kids with their art projects.  I could sit for hours observing each circle of people discussing God's Word in their native tongue, but keeping the kids entertained so their parents can talk is an important job as well. 

Clarkston Connection is a monthly gathering of believers and nonbelievers who come together to investigate a passage from the Bible.  Primarily refugee families coming from many countries around the world, some have a background in the Bible, others are just looking for friends who speak their language. 

This past month I met Edlaya, an elderly woman from Myanmar.  When she came to the States five months ago, she left behind her six brothers and sisters.   Two of her children and their families were able to come to the Atlanta area with her while some were left in the refugee camp.  Using her broken English, hand motions, facial expressions, and sometimes silence, she told me part of her story of journeying here.  While she is grateful to be here and especially for the hopes of a better life for her children and grandchildren, she is mourning the loss of relationships, friends and family members left behind. 

Ana, God, and the Pink Bible

International friends and me in Atlanta

Ana, with dark hair flowing gently around her face, smiles at Eileen and begins reaching for something in her backpack.  In practiced English, Ana exclaims, "I bought a pink Bible.  Would you help me read it?"

Ana moved from Korea to Atlanta six months ago to study English at Georgia Tech.  She and Eileen (my roommate) have been meeting almost once a week for the past couple of months.  The relationship began with Ana's desire to practice English and Eileen's willingness to help.  Soon the Lord opened up the friendship, prompting Ana to share struggles and hurts, and allowing Eileen to share similar experiences and give testimony to God working in her life.  They have had the opportunity to read different passages from the Bible and talk about how it applies to their lives today.

God has overcome the boundaries of difficult English vocabulary and different cultural backgrounds to make Himself known.  He has pricked Ana's curiosity with the truths of His Word, given Eileen wisdom to accurately point to Him, and given us the privilege to pray.

Refugee Beads

 

 I see colorful piles of round, square, big, small, flat, fat, objects with holes in them.

Nadine sees unassembled jewelry.

I see pliers, scissors, crimps, clasps, and wires.

Nadine sees jewelry making tools.

I see a beautiful necklace, a present for my aunt.

Nadine sees a part-time income to feed her family.

Nadine and five other refugee women gather weekly to make jewelry for Refugee Beads.  Every Friday evening we carpool with the ladies to church.  We enjoy dinner together first and then get down to business.  Piles of beads, wires, loops, and clasps soon become earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.  The ladies sign and package each piece of jewelry, attaching a tag that explains the heart behind Refugee Beads.  Jewelry is sold at open air markets, churches, small groups, and craft fairs.  

 Through our evenings of making jewelry together, packaging hundreds of pairs of earrings, laughing at stories, creating new styles, tasting new food, we have built strong relationships.  It is an amazing opportunity to learn from the ladies through their stories of coming to know Christ, becoming a refugee, and moving to the United States.

Nepali Celebration

The unfamiliar, yet beautiful sound of worship filled the room as 25 Nepali women sang to our Savior in native tongue.  Dressed in traditional colorful wraps and scarves, some older, some younger, all worshiping.  It was evident these refugee women loved the Lord and desired to glorify him through their rich cultural heritage.  After listening to a few songs, we attempted to learn a simple one.  Luckily God is concerned with our hearts and not our pronunciation!

We heard the testimony of a few of the women from Nepal and the story of a missionary from India (above on the left) who hiked into Nepal many years ago to share the good news of Jesus to the Nepalese.  Many years later he came to the United States to work as a chemist in Michigan.  While in the US God called him to move to Atlanta to work amongst the Nepalese, but he could find no Nepalese people.  Not long later (only a few years ago), thousands of refugees from Nepal began coming to Atlanta due to unrest in their country.  Over the past few years the Nepalese church here has multiplied into three congregations of about 100 believers!

A Nepali celebration would not be complete without
some delicious Nepali food.

The purpose of the Nepali Celebration was to see people from different cultures brought together with a Kingdom focus.  It was awesome to see God unifying the hearts of our church with those from the Nepali church.  What an encouragement to celebrate what the Lord is doing among different groups of believers right here in Atlanta!

Taco Night...In Pictures!

We began by learning how to make tortillas from Eileen.

It took a lot of practice.

Then we learned how to make a Thai dessert.

Soy boiled some frog eggs...I mean tapioca...

Then we learned how to make a sweet egg. 
(You poach it in sugar water.)

The boys were responsible for figuring out how to get the coconut milk out of the coconut.

Time to eat!

Eileen demonstrated how to build a taco.

Then everyone made their own.

Boy, Knock, and Soy's first bite.


Yumm!!!

Dessert time. 

Frog eggs (I mean tapioca) and sweet egg in warm coconut milk.  It was very tasty!

Knock made a birthday cake for Jill.

Our friends sang Happy Birthday to Jill in Thai then in Korean.

Mina noticed this poster in my room.  We had a good discussion about what it means.

Game time!

Jinga was a familiar favorite in both Korea and Thailand.

(But it might not be Eileen's favorite anymore.)

Before the evening was over we had to dress Jill up like a Thai warrior.

 Many good memories!

Refrigerator Blessings

"Does anyone have a refrigerator?" 
As we looked around at each other, a hand went up in the front row. 
"OK, Awesome!"  Pastor Tim continued, "Does anyone have a truck to transport it?"
Another hand went up from the middle of the rows of pews.
"Great...the two of you can bring it here right after church."
Pastor Tim looked out at the 50 faces staring back at him, "Now, does anyone have some extra food in their refrigerator to fill up the empty one?" 
Many hands were raised from all over the room as people committed to filling the fridge before it was given to Pastor Sanchez.

Pastor Tim had just finished his sermon and was closing with a few announcements. One being, Pastor Sanchez (from the Latino Church that shares the building with us) had almost no food in his house for his family because his refrigerator broke over the weekend and all the food spoiled.  As the quick organizing effort came to a close, Pastor Sanchez was called into the sanctuary.  Pastor Tim and a dozen others gathered around Mr. Sanchez at the front of the church to pray for him and thank the Lord for his provision.  By the end of the prayer, both pastors were in tears at the beautiful real life picture of the Body of Christ coming together. 

This would have been a common practice for the early New Testament church (if they had refrigerators.)   
"And all who believed were together and had all things in common.  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need." Acts 2:44-45 
What a refreshing sight to see lived out in our modern church as well!

Perspective

The cold night air swooshed into the apartment as Joey opened the door.  Three tall police officers wearing bulletproof vests over long sleeved shirts stood on the porch.  Each had a gun strapped to his right thigh over plain blue jeans.  Joey glanced back at Mom as one of the officers walked into the home.  More officers entered the living room, emerging from the surrounding trees.  Scared at first, Joey stayed close to Mom while the men with the big voices questioned his parents and relatives.  The clean-cut men were nice enough though, so Joey soon was walking around looking at the visitors more closely.  He ran to his room to get his own neon green and purple Nerf gun.  Joey hardly noticed the officers searching the apartment and demanding the adults sit against the living room wall.  He did notice when his older sister started crying.  Anna never cries. 

Mom handed Joey and Anna their backpacks.  But it’s night time; we can’t be going to school now, thought Joey.  Mom wrapped her arms around him, giving him the biggest squeeze he could remember.  Anna, Joey, and their three siblings walked out the door, following a relative who had come to pick them up.  As Joey turned the corner he noticed his uncle and a friend of the family standing with a police officer, hands restrained behind their backs...the stance all of the adults living in the apartment would take by the end of the night.

As neighbors, we only have part of the picture, but my heart breaks for Joey and his four siblings.  One confusing night will lead to weeks of uncertainty.  The kids will be dropped off at school tomorrow and will be expected to keep it all together, go on with life as usual.  But nothing will be usual anymore.  Yes, they may now be less exposed to drugs and gangs, but family as they knew it has dissolved. 

Pray for Joey, his siblings, and the other “Joeys” in my community and yours. 

The After School Tutoring Whirlwind

3:45-We arrive at Ruthie’s house to begin setting up for after school tutoring. Tables, chairs, and jars of pencils must be placed in the living room and extra bedroom.
3:50-Small hands bang on the front door of the apartment. “10 more minutes!” Ruthie yells.
4:00-The doors are opened and kids run inside, each getting a squirt of hand sanitizer before they get too far.
4:05-Kids from 3 to 12 years old work on homework. The little guys and anyone who finishes early draw on colored paper with crayons (at least that’s what they are supposed to do…however, it’s more common to see the kids running from room to room chasing each other, singing songs at the top of their lungs, or fighting over who gets to use the glitter glue.) Between 2 and 5 adults help with homework and try to keep the kids from destroying the house.
4:10-I begin dinner: 7 boxes of macaroni and cheese, 3 cans of roast beef, 3 cans of mixed veggies will be combined to make a hot meal for the kids.
4:20-Tino and Lizet help pass out fruit snacks and cups of juice.
4:45-We start encouraging kids to clean up and find a seat for dinner.
4:50-Dinner is served. The older kids help pass out bowls of food and refills of juice.
5:15-All the dirty bowls and forks are in the sink and the kids gather, sitting on the floor in the living room, to hear a Bible story.
5:30-Ms. Paula leads the children in some songs with hand motions about the love of God and how he knows each of us by name.
5:40-The kids work on an art project, today they are painting small piggy banks.
5:55-Everyone begins to clean up, gather homework, jackets, and art projects to take home.
6:00-"Goodbye!"  Some kids walk home, others get picked up by Mom.
6:05-Visit with Moms for a few minutes and help the stragglers get out the door.
6:10-We clean up the house.  Ian and Ruthie live here, so we put away the art supplies, vacuum, wipe off and put away the tables and chairs, load the dishwasher with all the dishes from dinner, and take out the trash.
6:30-The house looking respectable again, we head out the door, "See you tomorrow!"

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?”