Long-term missions / ministry is not “glamorous.”
Some people expect it to be exciting and to see powerful things happening everyday. Not that there is anything wrong with seeing powerful things, but there is a risk that if you don’t experience miracles or excitement you feel like something is wrong. I have felt that many times.
I have learned that our walk with God is a race, but it’s not a sprint with a large crowd. It’s a marathon and many times it’s one without anyone near you. We walk with God daily and experience Him. We grow in an intimate relationship with Him even in the everyday life. And that is where the true excitement comes.
I have learned to experience the “miracles in the mundane.” The small things that amazes me even when I am not looking or asking for it.
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- Written by Lila Chang
- Category: Life in Thailand
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The roads were quiet as I drove to my language helpers shop and home on the eve of Chinese New Year. As I drove I noticed many shops and homes had Chinese lanterns and outside many Thai homes I saw tables prepared for the offering to the ancestors and idols. I was surprised to see how many were celebrating Chinese New Year, I had not previously realized how many Thai Chinese lived in our area.
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- Written by Trish
- Category: Life in Thailand
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It was a chilly morning for Thailand as we set off on a short motorbike ride to a local temple, by the time we got to the temple I was feeling quite cold. Friends had invited us to observe this annual event that raises funds for the temple.
At 6 am the temple was bustling with people many having been there since 5 am and some much earlier, a large bonfire was burning, and we walked into what appeared to be a market. As we walked around we were greeted by friends and shown around. As we walked around and chatted to people I asked about payment for the food. I was told that all the food was being donated by the people making it and the people “buying” the food did so by placing a donation in a bowl. Each person who either made the food or gave a donation towards the food was making merit. Many of the cooks had been up since 3am that morning preparing their food with no monetary gain for themselves, just the hope that this would gain them merit.
A Thai book “Accumulating Merit” explains making merit in the following way:
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- Written by Trish
- Category: Life in Thailand
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Over this past year, I have been wanting to do adventure ministry in the area where I live in order to reach local youth and young adults. A few kilometres from my house there is a small mountain that looks like it has good potential to be used for rock climbing and also has large cave inside. I had run into one man, Uncle "A", who works at the temple there who said he was really interested in us developing the area so it can be used for rock climbing. After an unsuccessful attempt to meet with him, we arranged another time to meet. As me and Jeff were coming to the entrance of the temple there, we ran into a neighbour of mine, a tourism official in the local municipal office, who just happened to be there.
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- Written by Steve McCallum
- Category: Life in Thailand
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