Is it possible to share the Gospel by serving buckets of ice to guests eating at a funeral?

A couple of weeks ago, the mother of one of the leaders at the local church died. As is usual in Thailand, the family held a funeral over one week where the mother's body was in a refrigerated coffin and friends and relatives came to pay their respects. Part of the visit involves sitting and eating a meal in front of the family home.

The church leader asked the Christians to come and help serve one night.

I turned up and the church ladies had all the food service all sorted out, so I was asked to send ice to the guests sitting at around 18 tables under the marquee. I wondered to myself about what the local people would think about this - after all, many of them know of me and know that I am a teacher of the Christian religion. In a hierarchical society like Thailand, it's usually the young nieces and nephews who serve on the tables, not someone in a respectable position such as mine, and especially not a foreigner! However, knowing Jesus' injuction that those who lead must be servants of all, I knuckled down and got to work.

It was interesting to hear of the guests' responses from the church leader a week later, not just of my work but of all the local Christians and missionaries. "We're amazed that foreigners would serve tables." "They spoke so politely." "They worked so hard. They didn't just do a little bit."

What was really great was that the church leader then had an opportunity to talk to her relatives about God and how being a Christian servant leadership. Christians can be humble and serve others because Jesus was humble. Even though he was God, he became a human and served, even to the point of death.

So yes, the Gospel can be shared, all through a bucket of ice!