Back to Basics @ Bow and Boots

The last few days I have been staying at Bow and Boot’s house – the second children’s home on the property. Until now, I have been staying at the larger children’s home – which is a much nicer building and where R-Nhu typically houses guests and short-term interns.  With Nhu gone for a little while, I have had some extra time and it was important to me to spend some quality time with the girls who live at the other home. I have really bonded with the girls I live with, and naturally so – but I wanted to make sure that I really connect with the other girls and get to know them on a deeper level as well. They speak much less English, so I am really being pushed to use my Thai!

Living at the other house has been so fun and though the conditions are much more rough, I am loving spending time over there. Their house is simply big enough for their bunk beds and storage containers. They eat, do homework, and live the rest of the time in an open area under a grass roof. I am brushing my teeth in the mornings using water from the hose and a little cup because they do not have sinks. Showers, like at the other house, are cold and you use a bowl to scoop water out of a giant bucket (imagine garbage can that goes out at the street). It is definitely an adjustment to only be inside when I am sleeping (or working at the other house).

 

The girls literally melted my heart when I heard how excited they were that I was coming to bunk with them for the next week. I think I may need to make it a more regular occurrence during my time here. Despite their living conditions, these girls are happy and fun and smart and silly and I am sure I’m learning more from them than they are from me.  I know I’ve said it before, but what a joy to share my life with these girls and what a privilege it is to be a part of their story.

Another fun little treat has been sharing my evenings with a “toukay” (no idea what the English spelling of this word is). Toukays are lizards who, if they decide to bite you, lock their jaws, and do not let go until they are dead… literally. So…. We are kind of scared of them around here. Doesn’t sound like fun to me trying to kill a lizard whose jaws are locked onto my flesh! Well, we have a toukay living on the roof at the house. It frequently makes its homes in the framing and two nights ago I swear it was inside the pole a foot above my bunk. They make this gurgling sound and then literally say “toukay” – hence their name. Fun lil creatures…

On a more serious note, it has been nice also to separate my work and living spaces. Until now, I have been working in my room for the most part, so it is nice to divide these two parts of my life. I have been so much more focused all around! And now, when I leave my work – I literally am able to just leave it and turn my attention 100% to my family here.  With a lot of teams here for the U.S. summer months, I have needed to be more disciplined in how I am spending my time, and this has made it so much easier!

The World Race team here has also been a major blessing. (World Race = missionary organization that sends teams out to visit 11 countries in 11 months! www.theworldrace.org). I am absolutely loving getting to know this group of people, and they have been awesome enough to let me share in their worship and group devotional times – how I’ve missed that! A seriously transforming time and I am so excited with the way God is transforming my heart and my mind in the last few weeks. “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2a)

<3 Blessed <3

The power in a voice... "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves" - Proverbs 31:8

“The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people… For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help… I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”

(Psalm 69:33, Psalm 72:12, Psalm 140:12)

As part of my role here with Remember Nhu, I recently began working with a fundraising consultant from the U.S. who is teaching me a lot about business in an international non-profit environment. We have been talking a lot about different fundraising techniques/ideas, and one of things he told me really struck my heart.

Fundraising for a cause like R-Nhu is ultimately not about the money. It is about giving these children a voice. It is about saying for them what they are unable to say themselves.  If they themselves could tell people their stories and if people would stop for just a moment in their busy lives and listen, oh how we could change the world!

My precious little sisters, and the other children who share similar stories have cried out to the Lord – and HE HAS HEARD THEM. The Bible says that God will hear the cries of the needy and the oppressed. Remember Nhu is one of the ways he is answering their call. The verses from the Psalms that I have at the top of this post are reminders to myself that God loves for these young women more than I can possibly imagine.

I have been encouraged as I get to know my girls to be their voice, to tell their story, and let my life be a bridge to those back home. I love each and every one of these girls as my own sisters and I have a responsibility to them now to let their voice be heard. Their story is now interwoven into my story, and I will do my best to share their hearts, and their stories with the world.

One of my loves – Lidi’s story (*name changed for her protection):

Many of the children at Remember Nhu have stories that will reach into your heart. One of those children is Lidi. When Lidi was three-years old, both of her parents were put in prison to serve life sentences for drug trafficking.
At that time, Lidi was left on her own to be cared for by other members of her village. She was often responsible for herself, and lived “homeless” over the next two years old (aged 3-5). 

When she first came to our children’s home, she was very small (assumedly as a result of malnutrition), but also extremely independent for a five-year old. For the two years she was on her own, my sister had grown accustomed to doing whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. She is feisty and much too cute for her own good.  In the six months she has been here, I have already seen so much change in her. Under the close watch of her sisters, and houseparents she is quickly maturing and growing into an amazing young woman and I cannot wait to see what God has planned for her! At five years old, this girl is so charismatic, so playful, so amazingly full of life. I cannot imagine what her life would have been like if it weren't for God's intervention in her life through R-Nhu, but thankfully - I don't ever have to. :)

My girlies are all here now, and their lives will be forever changed. But there are others who still need to know they too have been heard. The girls who are already here need to be recognized, and loved, and prayed for – DESPERATELY prayed for.

Prayer Requests:

o   Salvation for the new girls who are learning about the Lord but haven’t decided yet whether or not they want to accept Christ

o   That they would each find their true identity in the Lord, knowing they are deeply loved and found beautiful

o   That they would encourage and keep each other accountable as they grow up amidst hardship

o   Protection and courage for our girls to live as a Christian in a Buddhist society – their families, friends, and schools are all stacked against them

o   That God would already be preparing God-fearing men to someday be their husbands and encourage them to continue to grow in their faith and live their whole life to the glory of God

o   That they would be a light within their own community and a witness to their own country

o   That people all over the world would continue to be changed, and affected by their story to the point that they would be willing to make a difference in their lives

"Normal Life"

Normal life - what does that even mean?

Life here has settled into "normalcy.” Despite my lack of American luxuries like air conditioning, hot showers, meals without rice, driving laws etc... life really is not that different than back home. People are still going grocery shopping (though usually at the open market instead of Safeway), running late, and working through relationships with each other. Teenage girls still think and talk about boys and hair and Facebook. Younger girls still play hand-clapping games, and build sandcastles in the dirt, and twirl around and dress-up. I am still addicted to coffee, enjoy a good book, and love girl talk with my friends back home.

I have set-up a routine for myself and adjusted to the slower pace of Thai time to the point that I rarely think about it anymore. And yet - I still feel as though the expectation I have for myself, and that I feel others have for me as a "missionary" is for something more adventurous, more daring, more holy than “normal life.”

I am learning that God lives every bit as much in the "normal" parts of our lives as he does the brief moments of excitement. He is with us every step of the way, in every conversation regardless of the topic, in every game, chore, and responsibility. How effective might we be if we really learned to abide and consciously reflect on His presence in these moments - to let him shine in and through us in our everyday activities?

Working for a Christian based non-profit in another country does put me into a unique situation, and gives me a platform to share the importance of this cause, of these people, of what Christ is doing here in this ministry. The children here at Remember Nhu need to be recognized, to be supported, to be known. The precious people who find their home under this roof are saved from a horrific existence and I am blessed to be a part of their lives. But I am also realizing more and more that our responsibility exists everywhere and if we diminish that in the United States, we are doing a disservice to our own country. We are all called to live out the gospel, to care for the hurting people in our lives, and to share the good news regardless of our location.

I am so thankful that God is present in every moment of our normal lives. He is the true source of provision, of protection, of strength, affirmation, and every other good gift. Those gifts are available to all of us, to equip us to every good work. Only through Him can we live a life that is adventurous, daring, and holy. He has given us the desire for better than "normal" and only in Him can those desires be fulfilled.

Past the Initial Excitement

In keeping with my word, I wanted complete a blog this week, but I have been struggling with what to write about. I have been transitioning out of going to class everyday and trying to get into a new routine. The girls are back to school after their “summer break” and the house is again quiet during the day. Nhu and I are working out a regular schedule to study for three-(ish) hours every day, and I am starting to dig in on more business related work here.

This past week or two has been a struggle emotionally as I feel like I have gotten past the glamour and initial excitement of moving to another country and living on mission. The lack of community in my life has been building slowly over time, and I am realizing just how spoiled I was at my church with the myriad people and groups Solid Rock has to offer. I was never at a loss for amazing encouragers, mentors, and just contagiously awesome people. The lack of those people in my life on a regular basis has begun to drain me in a couple areas. I have really been feeling as though my patience and energy are starting to wear, not to mention the loneliness factor that has been setting in.

Fortunately, the last few days I feel like I am starting to break through that, and after attending a new church this morning (my third international church I’ve tried since arriving), I am REALLY EXCITED that I may have finally found a local church here that I can get connected with. I also made a point earlier this week to schedule regular Skype dates with a couple people and after having had some really good conversations (and laughing hysterically over a hilarious video that some of my friends back home put together), I am having a really great few days.

I think that this season of this journey will continue to test my ability to rely on the Lord and to turn to Him before anything else in my life. The things/people I have turned to in the past to fill the loneliness or to work through the struggle – that has all been stripped away in this environment, and though that transition is hard, I also realize how much I can grow through that. I am so grateful for God’s closeness in this time, and undeniably blessed that He himself has been teaching and encouraging me. Working on being thankful amidst growing pains and staying focused.

All that to say – I am kicking myself for making it about me when it is SO not about me :).  I am working to keep my mind off myself, and on Jesus and this ministry. Just a few short months ago my attitude was that of innocent excitement, a desire to make a difference in the lives of people here, and an overwhelming gratefulness that God had granted my desire to work internationally. Sometimes I just need to realize how much I have been given, how much I have been blessed, how COOL this time in my life is, and get back to that original attitude. I need to get over my momentary issues, stay focused on what really matters, live content in every circumstance and season, and say THANK YOU GOD!  

"In This World You Will Have Trouble..."

In the last few weeks I have been reflecting on the fact that I am confronted daily with circumstances of poverty, desperation, hardships, and people struggling through life - both here, and in stories from friends back home. Across the world, despite different cultures we all experience these things… I have been considering the thought “if God is good then why….”

I have often wondered, and had friends question, why He allows such atrocity and despair in this world, even among Christians. But that is just it – the Bible does not say that believers of Christ will have it easier than those who do not believe.

I do not have a complete answer yet as to why these things happen (I am studying though so if you are looking for an answer let me know) but I do know that the difference I see between the reaction in people who believe in Jesus and those who do not is hope. Not just a positive attitude about tomorrow or next year, or ten years from now. But the honest belief that the world is being renewed, that God is coming back and will wipe away every tear, that He is in control and has a plan, that ultimately this world is not all that there is. That this life is but a moment in the span of spending eternity with the true God of the Universe and that HE LOVES ME!

That hope, the knowledge of the good news of God’s grace brings joy that transcends circumstances. It somehow creates a spirit of gratefulness that overshadows present situations. Now don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t change how you I or the people here may feel when our world is crumbling. Those feelings are real and should not be diminished. Many people throughout history have cried out to God feeling just the same - disappointment, frustration, confusion, anxiety, heartache (Read Psalm 6 and 13). But at the same time, if you truly believe that God can save you from and out of all this – you WILL experience gratefulness and joy as well. Along with love, they are the truest, deepest, most lasting, rooted emotions that dwell in your heart when the Spirit of God is with you.

Hope, and Joy, but also Comfort… Living far away from my friends, my family, and my church has taught me to live day by day. Jesus is the God of all comfort and He promises never to leave, never to turn his back on us. He is always present, and will comfort all those who let Him. More and more I am finding this to be absolutely true in my life. And therefore, after experiencing this, how I wish that more would know the truth. That they themselves could be given new hope, new joy, new comfort – all of which will last for all eternity.

I realize that it may be impossible in a short blog to address such a huge and controversial topic, but it has been on my heart to write. I have actually recently acquired two different books that were written to address this question. Randy Alcorn’s “If God is Good Why Do We Hurt” and “The Problem of Pain” by CS Lewis.  I am sure these books will go so much deeper than I have even considered, but I do know this – Jesus said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33

Chiang Mai FC – Nothing like professional sports to make you feel at home

I have now been to two professional soccer games since being here a few months. Soccer/Futbol throughout the world has such a huge following, and Thailand is no exception. Chiang Mai has its own team – ‘Chiang Mai FC’ – they aren’t very good, lost 10 out of the last 10 games they’ve played, but fun nonetheless J.

The last two times I have gone, it has literally been a little piece of home and reminds me of going to Timbers games in Portland. Just like home they have food (though the street vendors food tastes a bit different than at home), team colors, jerseys and random stuff for sale, and of course screaming crazy die-hard fans.

The game we went to a month or so ago was definitely a cultural experience. Though many things are the same, fans are even more intense (which is hard to imagine b/c Timbers fans in Oregon are pretty insane as it is). At the end of the game, we almost ran out thinking there was going to be a riot. The fans were convinced one of the referees was cheating and people were storming the front of the stands, threatening to come out on the field, people were throwing hundreds of water bottles out onto the field, and the whole situation was a bit crazy. We stayed back to be safe and eventually everyone calmed down. The mayor of Chiang Mai came out onto the field and fired the ref in front of everyone on the spot and then made a speech about how he would never let that happen again. Futbol - a very important political agenda J.

The game last night was so much fun. I went with Nhu, the house dad, and some of the other missionaries that are staying here. It had rained that afternoon and the field was soaked. The guys were literally sliding all over the place and splashing around. Then just after halftime it started raining again, not just a little drizzle – a full tropical monsoon. The athletes kept their heart and played in the puddles/wading pool all the way to the end– though I’m not quite sure it was the same game after the rain – the ball literally wouldn’t roll it would just float around the field and stop long before it normally would.

Don’t know what it is about sports, but attending these games really made me feel like I am a part of this community. Relaxing, playing around, having fun, and feeling “at home” in such a drastically different environment has really helped me settle into the reality of my life here. 

Hill Tribes

About 50% of the girls in R-Nhu’s childrens’ homes in Thailand come from the Hill Tribe villages in Northern Thailand. The villages have essentially a separate race – different ethnicity, language, and culture. I have been able to travel to a few different villages during my time here to help with some of the child interviews we do.

The villages provide such a contrast to life in the city here in Chiang Mai. Living in the second biggest city in Thailand, life often feels relatively comfortable. The city has markets, convenience stores, highways, and even luxuries if you are willing to pay. It is not America, but their economy is growing and doing alright. The hill tribes do not fall under that same description. Drive an hour or two outside the city, you begin to see what life is like for many people in this country. Grass huts with one-room homes, dirt roads, struggling to make a living and provide for your family.

These people are warm and welcoming, but many of them don’t speak Thai. The government doesn’t consider them Thai citizens even if they were born in the country and lived here their entire lives. The poverty is higher, the needs are greater, and it is easy to understand why these girls are at risk. People take advantage of the fact that they aren’t Thai citizens, that their family is barely making it. If anything goes wrong – a family illness or disability, a bad crop season or a big storm etc… it could be devastating.

 

After experiencing this firsthand, it reminds me exactly why I am here, why R-Nhu is here, and the importance of this cause. These children are precious, and when they are given a second chance, when their circumstances are altered, life will never be the same.  It is so easy to forget what is just under the surface, how fragile the balance is as they decide to come here. Grateful always for the reminder of how God has a plan for each of us. Jeremiah 29:11.