Lately I've been impressed by how many amazing ways God is working in Thailand. I'd like to highlight some of these ministries occasionally on my blog. My hope is to give us more opportunities to celebrate God's goodness and the passion he has given different people for different areas of ministry.
Take Yai Noi for example.
Her broad, missing-tooth smile fills her face as we knock on the wood post that is the corner of her house and poke our head in the open door. She lives alone and doesn't have the mobility to get out much, making visits from familiar faces extra special.
Yai Noi calls a small shack built over a swamp "home." She regularly prays for God to keep the snakes and poisonous bugs out, and she has many stories of God answering those prayers.
The students and I gingerly walk under the cover of her tin roof holding a bag of food to share for breakfast. Yai Noi slowly lowers herself to the floor to sit with us. She turns down the radio, her only companion some days.
As we sit and munch on fruit, fried bread, and sip from bags of warm soy milk, we laugh at Yai Noi's stories. We see her as a grandmother, and she sees us as her grandchildren.
After breakfast, one of the students pulls out some bright red fingernail polish. She spends the next hour clipping, filing, and painting Grandma's toenails. This act of love and sacrifice of time means more than Yai Noi can express.
Our visit was just a peek into the time and care that overflows from the Ruth Center everyday.
Sometimes it's helping grandpa get to the doctor or pharmacy. Sometimes it's an outing to a park. Sometimes it's rebuilding a bathroom or replacing a pole that has begun rotting away. Sometimes it's sharing a meal together or simply sharing some quality time.
No matter what the activity, the genuine heart behind the Ruth Center's staff and volunteers is evident, ultimately showing and sharing Jesus' love with each person they visit.
For more information on the Ruth Center, see www.ywamthai.org/ruthcenter.
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