Finding Him Here

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I can’t believe it’s already been a month since I arrived here in Thailand . Each day continues to be an adventure. I am starting to learn my way around the city - well, at least to the grocery story and my office. Language learning has proven to be challenging, but completely necessary. I can’t thank you all enough for all your thoughts, it is truly all His doing getting me to this point in my life. I will continue to follow the adventure He has planned for me.

In the past month I have tried lots of new things, some I will only try one time, some I will learn to live with, and others I consider the perks of the job. Food is always one of the things people ask me about: “are you eating?”, “do they serve dog and cat?”…Yes I am eating, and well in fact. I have eaten some strange things that I know to stay away from, but not dog or cat. One of the things I have added to my book of what not to eat again is a salmon sandwich. The menu said smoked salmon sandwich and I thought, "Well that sounds healthy and refreshing." I am not sure what they smoked it with, but it definitely wasn’t heat. Wouldn’t you know I just decided to go ahead and bite into it despite the smell and look of it. Yes, it was raw and yes, I did gag.

My motto is usually that I will try anything once, but in Asia all rules go out the window. In the markets they have all kinds of cool things such as fresh fruit, fresh flowers, cloths, handcrafted items, and “fresh” meat. It became a realization that the people don’t waste anything here when I saw the pigs heads displayed on the meat table, along with ears, hoofs and testicles. The most disturbing part was the head. Not sure how they cook it or eat it, not sure I even care. That was one of those things that went straight to the top of the list not to try.

The smell here is unlike anything I have ever experienced. And for those of you that have traveled to Asian countries, you know what I am talking about. I am told it isn’t as bad here as most Asian cities, but at times it is definitely noticeable. There are places in the market where the streets are wet and dirty with who knows what. Sometimes puddles of blood can be seen from the freshly cut meat. Most toilets are “squatty potties” (not sure if that is the official term or not). But the idea is you squat over it rather then sit on it. Sounds pretty sanitary, but add the fact that there is no TP but rather a nozzle to hose off with and a bucket of water with a cup to flush, and this makes for a very slippery damp area to do your business. I have mastered "number one" in these toilets, but I just hope I don’t ever have a moment when I have to do the other in there. Needless to say, wearing your flip flops out on this ground can make your feet feel pretty tainted. I know it’s bad when my Chru (teacher), who took me out for the day yesterday, washed her feet in my bathroom when she brought me back home. When she left she told me to be sure and wash my feet and hands. Which I was going to do anyway since I had had a small accident on my foot earlier in the “squatty potty.” Ok, so I have almost mastered it.

So for those of you who were going to come and visit me and now are having second thoughts, let me share the best things about this place that far outweigh any of the other things I don’t quite understand. First of all, Thai food is amazing…although because it is lower in fat than American food, it might leave you longing for something more, that's why there is always room for a fresh fruit smoothy. The portions are good-sized, though, and most of the time you can eat for less than a dollar. Truly, the expensive part is getting here, but once you’re here you can eat and buy things for very cheap. Another thing I love about this place is the people and how friendly and welcoming they are to “farang” foreigners. In the states we can sometimes get annoyed by tourists, not here though. They won’t bat an eye at cutting you off in traffic, but will be smiling ear to ear while doing so.

I experienced an amazing church service this past Sunday. I went to church with my Thai teacher, who attends a non-denominational church. The sermon was preached in Thai with an English translator. The worship was unlike anything I have experienced before. I will do my best to paint a picture of the service, but it won’t be near to what living it was. Imagine probably 50 or more Thai people lifting their hands, jumping up and down to every song, singing with real passion and joy, holding back nothing. Despite the heat in the room and being surrounded by people…they were free, free from a darkness few of us truly understand. With their hearts they cry out to their Father, all in unison like a choir of Thai voices in their native language, singing “every breath that I take, every moment I’m awake, have your way in me.” Tears were brought to my eyes because I could see He is here, too. Even though there is a dark blanket covering the lands…there are small holes of light so that when you stand in the midst, you feel totally surrounded by His presence. Far above the food, the travel, the new experiences, the smells, the people, the beauty, stands my Father, who called me to this place, from this place…and I am in love with the people.

Please remember when you talk to the Father:
Lift up the people that the truth would be seen here.
That I would stay focused on my relationship with my Father.
That the language would start to become clearer to me.
For His direction to be clear to me daily.

Be lifted today my dear friends. I miss you all so very much and think of you often.