Sawasdee
In Thailand the word we use to say hello is Sawasdee, however with this word comes an action of the wai. The hands are placed palm against palm in a prayer like position and then raised toward the face while the head does a slight bow. The higher the hands are raised and the lower the bow the more honour is given to the recipient. It has its origins in India apparently with the original meaning I see the holy within you.
However, the meaning of the “wai” in Thailand has no religious meaning, it is an action used to express honour to the other person in greeting, as well as to express gratitude or to apologise.
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- Written by Bruce Bartleet
- Category: Life in Thailand
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You Can Pray Anywhere
One of our weekly activities here in Mai La is prayer walking. We pray for Mai La and talk with anyone we meet along the way. Last week we were welcomed by an elderly lady living on her own. One of the first things she said was how she wanted to go to the temple to talk to the Monks and make merit and shared how she was lonely. We used this as an opportunity to share with her about how God is always with us and we can pray anywhere. She listened to what we had to say, we prayed for her and then carried on our way. Near the end of our walk we met a friend of Trish’s. She asked where we were coming from, as Thai people do. We said we had been walking and blessing the community (more understandable than saying praying). The next day Trish met her friend for lunch and she said, “It’s good that you can pray anywhere”. The comments from these two ladies reminds me of all a relationship with Jesus has to offer, that the Thai people need that message and to be thankful for a God who is with me always “…and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) Matt1:22.
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- Written by Lee-Anne
- Category: Personal Reflections
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Follow Jesus, Fish for men
If you are a follower of Jesus think about your story for a moment. If you are like me you fully acknolwedge that you didn't "figure out" the gospel, but rather God opened your eyes. Like the story of the Lost Son in Luke 15 where it describes that the young man "came to himself" or "came to his senses," I believe this event is a Supernatural one and that God the Spirit is behind it all (see also John 6:44, 15:16; Ep 1:4-5; Rom 8:29; 2 Thes 2:13). If this is true, that we really didn't/don't choose God, but God chooses us, how does this affect our ministry toward others- specifically our great commission call of making disciples? In my experience it frees us from the burden of thinking that it is our actions, our words, our presentation, or our relationship that wins someone to the Kingdom of God. Instead, it is God's work. So does this mean we are absolved of any responsibilty in the call to make disciples? To answer this question we read 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, which describes the humbling reality that God uses us (as imperfect as we are) to be His heavenly ambassdors as He gives us the message and ministry of reconciliation. How are we to be faithful to this message and ministry of reconciliation? I submit we obey what Jesus called His first discipels to do in Matt 4:19, "Come follow me Jesus said, and I will make you fishers of men."
Follow Jesus. Fish for men.
In all this may God receive the glory.
May his name endure forever,
his fame continue as long as the sun!
May people be blessed in him,
all nations call him blessed!
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
-Psalm 72:17-19
Please pray with us that God prepares the hearts and opens the eyes of Thais as we seek to follow and fish.
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- Written by Jay Wells
- Category: Serving in Mission
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Observations lead to conversations
It is so easy to go through each day with monotonous repetition, fulfilling all the tasks and responsibilities we bear. Life is full of things that have to happen and its often difficult to add one more thing to our already busy schedules trying to achieve everything on our agenda.
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- Written by Bruce Bartleet
- Category: Personal Reflections
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Giving freely…
In October Simon participated together with Pon, a young man from the west coast of Thailand in a football coaching course in Bangkok. On the last day of the training they organized a “festival” for kids from the surrounding areas. One of the boys was a bit overweight and Simon saw that his shoelaces were not tied. Once the boy was at Simon’s station he was close enough get the impression, that he was not able to tie the laces himself. So Simon offered to tie them for him. Even it might have felt a bit awkward, that this farang (foreigner) knelt down and tied his shoes, he still seemed more happy about the fact that he could now run much easier. At the very end of the two hours, Simon suddenly realized that the shoes that he tied, didn’t have any studs on it. So basically the sole of the shoe was missing.
Having seen this, Simon asked his friend Pon, if they should do something about it. Pon looked down on his shoes and said, if they fit him, he could give his shoes away. After the program finished Pon went to him and asked to try his shoes on. They fitted like they were tailored for him. So he was able to keep them. Simon just learnt that Pon got these shoes from his uncle as a present not long ago. Hearing this, Simon felt bad and said, that he would buy Pon new ones. But Simon had no clue, that they were top of the line. Simon was not even able to find them in the normal sport stores in the city and had to order them online. Then normally nobody would buy them. Knowing the prize of these football shoes, it made Simon admire Pon’s reaction even the more. While handing the shoes over to the kid, Pon was sharing, now with words, that God loves him very dearly.
What a testimony. My young friend, owning just this one pair himself, not having much money either, was willing to give these costly shoes away. Even dough he cleaned his shoes every evening in the room, they were not too precious to him. No, he was willing to give it up for His glory.
Let’s make sure, that stuff is not becoming too important. But rather let’s always see it as an entrusted good that we can be a blessing to others with.
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- Written by SimonA
- Category: Serving in Mission
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Our days are numbered.....
This previous Sunday while buying chicken from my usual seller I commented on the fact that the seller next to her was new. This is not an uncommon occurrence in Thailand as many Thai’s start-up a market stall, sell for a couple of weeks and then move on, but the previous market seller had been there for a number of years.
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- Written by Bruce Bartleet
- Category: Personal Reflections
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Are there any modern-day Apollos?
Are there any modern-day Apollos? Who is Apollos anyways? Well, Acts 18:26 records that, “[Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.” This is a wonderful example of discipleship at work in the bible, where Priscilla and Aquila invested in discipling and raising up Apollos, a young servant of God.
Picture left: Monday night bible study and discipleship with Ms. Nong (center - bottom), her brother Peter (center - top), and her son Bing (left)
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- Written by Dave Chang
- Category: Serving in Mission
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