Hello to all from Chang Mai :) I am currently lying on my comfy bed chilling to Travis sipping an ice cold sprite from a glass bottle with a rotating fan blessing me from afar every 8 seconds. My two companions are both passed out on their own individual beds being blessed at intervals of 8 and 4 seconds as well (I have the window bed :D). God has blessed us immensely :)
I`ve been here for a week and a half and I can't say how much I`ve enjoyed my time here. It`s been rather incredible to say the least :) I`m especially glad I was here in Chang Mai for Songkran, the Water Festival, the worlds largest and most epic water fight! But I will back up before I tell my war glory stories or boast of any battle scars.
Last I updated I was in Mae Sot in quite a cozy coffee shop just coming back from a week and a half in two different Karen villages. Well shortly after our day off, we all piled into Gugu`s (Our translator) truck and headed for a third Thai Karen village not too far from Mae Sot. It was easter Sunday :) We arrived and shortly after changing into our church clothes headed through the village and up a long cement stair case up to the church sitting on a hill overlooking the village. It was a really nice church! It even had wooden pews :D.
For one thing it sure was the most interesting Easter Sunday service I`ve been too haha. Usually in Karen villages there are a lot of boys(usually a little more boys than girls) in church which is an unusual but awesome statistic. However in this church there were a lot of girls. They had two choirs, one children's and one teenage choir, both almost made entirely out of girls. The biggest thing that stuck out to me in this service was the 15 – 20 minute prayer at the end :p. After the service we were invited for lunch and had quite a delicious meal :) That evening the whole youth group with lots of teenagers came over to the house we were staying at for evening worship. Ahh absolutely beautiful and lovely to hear familiar worship songs (and new ones!) in the Karen language. I just felt God`s presence dwell with us. And I could feel it in the air, true and utter worship and sincere desire for God. He rewards those who seek His face.
For the next couple days we did a lot of children`s program everyday, and a couple of us helped one of the villagers finish his Bamboo hut (bamboo porch with railing and all!) :) That was fun! I`ve never enjoyed using a machete more! At night the whole village goes to bed around 8:30-9ish, so around this time I would go outside and look at the night sky in the dark and in the quiet. It was absolutely breathtaking and so tranquil to stand alone gazing upwards talking to God and paying visit to old familiar friends in the sky.
One day I decided to take a walk in my spare time and headed out of the valley up onto the hills. The hills here are extremely steep but not too tall, kind of like oblong turtle shells that grew up instead of out. With Switchfoot`s new cd as my background music I climbed with passion and tenacity! I love it when my whole body can participate in worshiping my king :D. At the top of every crest I would get a new and revealing view of the surrounding valleys and distant rice fields or distant trails running up even steeper hills with rocky cliffs jutting out their sides. Beautiful scenes that will be crystallized in my memory as long as I live. I prayed for the village and just felt like a new part of my heart had awoken inside of me.
If there is one thing that I will remember and take away with me from the Karen people, one thing that I learned, one thing that characterized them, was their utter and complete hospitality. We would go house visiting again every night and no matter where we went they had refreshments and snacks prepared or quickly prepared for us. Here we are rich white foreigners visiting these beautiful people`s humble houses who don`t have much and work all day long just so they can put rice on the table for their family, I just felt different. They would spend the little money that they saved on Cola and cookies so they might have something to offer us.
What do I offer visitors or friends back home? The first thought I had was to bake a cake everytime a friend comes over when I get back home :p But then it made me think... what do I have to offer them? For one quick moment I thought “nothing.” They have the love of Christ growing inside of them already, all I am is just a white boy from Texas eating their food. I felt rather useless to be honest.
But then they said something that made my ears twitch. In all of the houses all of the parents said that their biggest concern was that their children might have an education, especially to learn English. Ahha! And then I realized that one of the biggest blessings I`ve been given to give to others is the simple gift of friendship. Through offering basic needs to people, helping them improve their lives and helping them with whatever they needed I could form simple and life long friendships with these amazing people.
In the three days I was there I already felt sad to leave these friendships in such an early stage. The pastor of the church mentioned that he too was sad that we all have to leave after just getting to know each other. It made me want more. I realized that I`m not content with acquaintances... It also made me realize that missions is not some big emphasized time in life where we let God use us for ministry. Instead I realized that missions is simply being taught how to minister with your life. To love through living life, and to love deeply and unreservedly, it`s as simple but difficult as that.
We left for Chang Mai the next day. On the bus ride up there I had a great time of writing and was able to capture some of my thoughts by pen and paper which always picks up my spirit. It was quite a different turn from bamboo hut villages to the city with mopeds songtaos (Taxi trucks) and nice guest houses with beds and fans! I honestly believe I`m living in luxury at the moment. The market is not far away where I can buy two juicy sweet ripe mangos for 50 cents.
The ministry and atmosphere is definitely different these last two weeks but I`ve enjoyed it just as much as the simple and quiet lifestyle of the villages. Here at the YWAM guest house is another DTS team from Sunshine Beach Australia. I`ve really enjoyed the additional company in ministry :)
Here in Chang Mai we are working with two different ministries. Home of Joy (Orphanage/ Family of eight awesome kids that know more bible stories than most of us, and correct us if we forget an important detail in any of them) in the morning from 9-12ish and Night Bar ministry late from 8-12ish. It`s absolutely two completely opposite ministries in the same day, but we love it!
Working with all the kids at Home of Joy is just that, a great joy for me :) However it is rather exhaustive especially after staying up late at the bars every night. To say these kids are energetic would be deceiving :p They are pretty crazy whirl winds of joy that can speak Thai and English very well. There are 7 boys and 1 girl. I really love these kids, and they love to have fun! I can't say much more due to safety reasons but they are great kids and I miss them alot!
Great kids! My specialty with them is either reading their favorite books to them (Berenstein Bears! Woot!) and our daily paper airplane race after the bible story :) The two big outings we`ve done with the kids was a rock climbing adventure at this rock climbing wall place, and taking them all out to play in the Water Festival! I will miss them when we have to leave...
Regarding the night bars, the guys on my team in partnership with Johnny (an Australian sounding swiss dude) and Dan (An intense Californian who lives in Washington) have pioneered friendships and connections with the gay bar section here in town. To say the least our time at these different bars has been great!
I for one have quite a larger world view and outlook on the whole subject of being gay. At first I was shocked, then I was saddened, and now I accept and see the truth behind so many of these mens false identities and am focused to become friends with them and love them for who they are. Like I said, at first I was shocked. The majority of men that visit these bars are 50-60 years old and older and are all white foreigners from Europe, Canada and the U.S. After having many talks with many of the customers, it`s appalling how warped their worldview is and how much their thought life and as a result their ability to hold a conversation revolves around sex.
I`ve heard things like this. “12 years old and up is okay. They start having sex on their own at that age anyway.” “Slums in Thailand? Are you serious? Thailand is so nice now, it can be compared with Switzerland.” “I thought all boys played around with each other when they were 15 or 16...”. The whole scene of this place is dark, but not in a scary way, just in a twisted way. It`s all set up with young Thai guys trying to make some money by being “company” to the customers. What made me especially sad and sick to the stomache/angry is seeing that one of the “drifters”, gay prostitutes that hang out in the bars looking for work, couldn`t have been older than 14.
It`s a pretty sick and demented system set up, and all of us have been challenged, but God has protected us and it seems that no matter what we see or experience, that it just bounces off of us and doesn`t affect us. I`m also constantly affirmed and reminded of my masculinity, it`s pretty much black and white. All of the customers can tell that I`m not gay as soon as they see me, and that kind of confuses them to as why I`m hanging out at a gay bar. Yet they are all starving for true conversation and real masculinity with people who haven`t put up a false identity so it is easy to talk to people and generally they are open and amiable.
I talked to this one guy named Tony from Vermont for almost 2 and a half hours one night. He was about 40 years old and lived in Thailand. Owned a ring manufacturing company and for some reason was filthy rich. Dan and I started to get to know him, and when the subject of religion came up we were surprised to hear that he used to be a southern baptist when he lived in Florida. He said the reason he left the church was the hypocrisy in the church. A deacon gave a sermon that was rather “anti-gay” and the next week Tony saw the same guy in a gay bar. When he confronted the pastor, the pastor did not act.
So Tony said he was done with that crap. However, he was well versed in the bible! Although I think he was well versed in a way that was a little twisted, kind of like a man that uses a warped mirror as an indicator of his true reflection. He used different bible verses in ways that they weren`t necessarily supposed to be used, however all in all he quoted most of them correct. At this point Dan and him got in a little bit of a scuffle about Christ and the idea of abusing grace, and I was afraid it was going to get bad. Both of them were saying mostly truth, but refusing to hear the truth of the other. Voices were raised and it got a little iffy looking, but I was able to calm Tony down a little bit. After Dan left, Tony kind of went back to normal and the atmosphere turned calm and open again.
So we talked a lot about his life, and what he believes. We talked about Buddhism and Christianity. We talked about his father and his childhood. We talked about physics and entropy. Ahh it was great :D! By using one of my passion in physics I was able to give him a couple thoughts regarding God and what Christ did in a different way than he had ever wondered. And in the end we talked about doing good, his orphan work in Burma and the mission work that I did here in Thailand. We talked about the depravity of man, and how we should strive to make a better world (I put in, through Christ`s power haha.). In the end we didn`t feel like we shoved our idealogical beliefs down each others throats, but instead thoroughly enjoyed discussing them.
As we ended our conversation he told me I was one of the wisest men he knows and that it gave him hope to see someone else who was fighting against the darkness. This confirmed something inside of me that I have always been wondering and hoping about. The fact is, I don`t want to witness with my mouth. It`s like that famous quote from St. Francis of Assisi “Preach the gospel always, if necessary, use words.” I believe it wasn`t what I said to Him that impacted him so much, as to how I said it and the fact that I truly took interest in him and in what we were discussing. I believe he saw something different in me, and I`m just glad that God shown through! At the end of our conversation we were laughing like old friends (He wasn`t drunk) and I felt real joy being shared between us! I`ve always prayed... “God help me to love these people.” as if it was something I could`t do with a honest heart. As if talking to these people was something I had to force myself to do. But as I`ve gone to the bars every night, it becomes real and honest through God`s love inside of me, and I truly want to be there!
To say the least God is teaching me so much, and using me for even more I believe! He really is shaping my heart and my weapons of truth/love on the front line of battle. When I push myself in the midst of the darkness out of my comfort zone that is when God shines through and makes towers and mountains crumble before me. The darkness can not hide from His light. I know it sounds ironic, but He is teaching me how to fight with His love. The darkness, with all of its lies and deceit and its ability to hide is nothing compared with the ultimate reality of His love breaking down mighty strongholds.
The truth is....
Eph 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”
But the good news is...
Isaiah 61:1, 4 “The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.... They shall rebuild up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.”
Rom 8:38-39 “ For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to seperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
So anyways that`s what my last two weeks have been like :)! Book wise, I finished C.S. Lewis`s masterpiece “Till we have Faces” in the Karen village and was blown away once again! This time reading through, I feel like I got a lot more than last time and it really stuck with me! Such good truth in this book. It`s hard to describe my love and appreciation I have for this book haha. And at the moment I am reading “Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge and I am being blown away. I`ve seen this book, heard of this book, but always kind of wrote it off. However now that I`ve given it a chance, its like the perfect time for me reading it! It`s basically Father Heart of God teaching directly focused at men, sooo good :D Little to say, I`m thoroughly enjoying this book!
Last but not least, the water festival was epic! I went out everyday in the streets surrounding the moat and threw buckets of ice cold water on people :) I was actually able to film some the last day with a waterproof plastic bag for my camera, but I don`t know if the video is good or if I will have time to upload any. I hope I will! This event will forever be one of my favorite memories of all time! I`ve never had so much intense water fun in my whole life. Especially getting the dry people :p
Anyways I love you guys, and thanks for praying and following my story. You guys mean a lot :D Prayer requests are just for good conversations in the Gay bars and for God to break down false identities and lies that these men have convinced themselves of. As well as for the children at Home of Joy, they need love and male influence. I pray that God will use me as that this last week we are with them. Also prayer for team unity and boldness to be open and honest within the team. :)
All the best!
Go Under the Mercy
-Sam
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Thailand!!
Hello everyone! I am safe and sound here in Mae Sot Thailand. We have spent the last week and a half in two neighbouring Karen villages about 100 km north of here near Mae U-su. It`s been eye opening to live among these people and kind of a wild experience to be able to look across the river into Burma where fighting between the Burmese National Army and the Karen National Union had taken place just three months before. I`ve lived, slept, ate, worked, and played with these incredible people and they have taken our team in most hospitably.
However I will start from the beginning. We arrived in Bangkok a little after sunset almost two weeks ago. It was kind of a crazy weather switch from 32 F with no humidity to 85 F at night with 90% humidity hehe. I kind of felt like I was at home back in Texas on late august afternoon by the beach. We met Boy our translator while we were in Bangkok and headed for the truck. The transportation here is insane. Everyone has a moped, and taxis are trucks with benches in the back and a couple bars to hold on. It is soo much fun! So we all loaded up the truck and enjoyed the ride to the YWAM base. It was kind of funny because every car that came up behind us had smiling, laughing and waving people in it when they realized that we were white foreigners.
I`ve never been in a city so big. Bangkok was overwhelmingly crowded, noisy, and dusty roads. The inner city has a population of 9 million with the whole metropolitan area of 20 million. After relaxing at the YWAM base for a day we headed into the city for a prayer walk and to see the various temples, shrines and soo many Buddhas. At one point we were taking the sky train through the center of the city and it felt like I was walking through a forest of High-rises. I`ve never seen so many tall buildings before in my life. The sky train in itself is a feat with three trains stacked up on top of each other whisking you away to different parts of the city. The highways are also interesting. Usually 5 lanes each way with a skyway (another highway) as a median between the two. Most people die in moped accidents. Also the prices here are intensely cheap. In fact you can rent a moped for 1 day for about 1.50 Dollars.
Anyways our time in Bangkok was very nice! The exploration of the inner city and prayer walk was very cool! Every morning we had fresh mango for breakfast :) The fruit here is delicious! And every lunch and dinner we eat out. Mhmmm! Good tea, with chicken and cashew or sweet and sour chicken. So much rice!
We then hopped on a night bus here into Mae Sot. We arrived at 4 in the morning and met our Karen translator and friends Gugu and Moses. :) Ahh they are seriously two of the coolest people ever! We got a ride to one of their friends house and slept there for a few hours before we hopped in the truck and headed North to the first village.
First perhaps I should mention our sleeping conditions. It`s very traditional for the Karen to only sleep on a thin straw mat on the ground. When I heard this I imagined a bag stuffed with fluffy straw and a comfy sleeping on hay kind of an experience. However what they meant was a thin woven straw that could be rolled up much like a yoga mat or something. It was very fun experience.
Driving through the Thai countryside was very interesting and lots of fun! We saw lots of farm land and lots of little villages. After a while we started coming into the mountains. The mountains are very steep and interesting shapes, but not very tall. As we drove through the valleys we began to see alot of dry rice fields with their stepped areas. This is where we started to see the heart of the Karen refugees. We drove by the largest refugee camp which was not a village but more of a city. It was about a square kilometer in size with a population of 60 thousand Karen. There were so many bamboo huts squashed up near each other. Behind the camp you could see tall mountains lurking up on the Burmese side.
We stopped here for a few minutes and picked up Sunshine our third translator for our Swedish photographer friend who joined us in the village for a school project she was finishing. It was kind of random because we didn`t know he was going to join us, and all of the sudden he jumped in the back of the truck with us. We were all, "Hi! What`s your name?" It was pretty funny. When we arrived in the small village it was an experience I`ll never forget.
We bounced down a rocky dirt road for a couple minutes, rounded a bend and saw the first hut. As we passed it two little smiling kids waved at us from behind a bamboo fence. Beside the road two pigs were snarling at each other, which was kind of humorous to watch. Guess you had to be there.... As we came into the heart of the village there was several people flocking to the road to wave at us. It was, really heart warming. I can`t really describe it with words.
My time in the village is kind of dream like to remember. There were lots of chickens, pigs/piglets, dogs and naked children. It was peaceful, quiet and surreal. Every evening I took a bath in the river that ran through the village. The water was cool, and the sun was hot. Ahh it was so nice! There was a weird mix between modesty and village life living. Thankfully I had bought the village clothing :) It`s actually really cool! Everybody here wears skirts :) It`s actually not a skirt but towel thing that`s sowed together making a giant skirt hoop thing. I realize now that I`m very bad at describing physical items. Anyways... all of the women would wear this as they showered in the river whereas the men could shower in their shorts and only used it as a changing device. Lots of fun... :) I have quite a few funny experiences trying to get used to changing with one of these :p
Every day we played with the children and did some practical work. While we were there we dug a new well and helped them clear the hillside for new rice fields. It`s the dry season over here, so everything is pretty dusty and not as green as you would expect. At the moment everyone is getting ready for the rainy season and preparing the fields for rice planting. The sad thing is, the Karen people have no land of their own per say. However they still have to plant rice to farm just so they can survive. So as they clear the trees to make room for farm space the Thai conservationists freak out. It really sucks actually. The Thai authorities have a good point, you can`t destroy all of the rain forests, but at the same time the Karen don`t really have any other options.
So when we went to the rice fields we worked in an area that looked like Morodor. It was a mix between LOTR and Lost :p All of the guys had alot of fun :) However my favorite time in the village was every evening when we would go house visiting. After the sun had gone down and we had all had dinner we would go throughout the village in teams to just talk with the village people. They would invite us into their houses and we would talk by candle light. It was so nice to hear their stories and ask them questions about their life back in Burma and their new life here in Thailand. God really gave me a heart for these people and I can`t tell you how sad I am to leave them.
And ofcourse, I can`t forget to write about our little disciple Tuwapo. He was one of the bravest and coolest kids ever! He also climbed the steps to our bamboo house and hung out with us as we ate, talked or played the guitar. Such a great kid! I miss him alot! All of the kids here were soo cute and fun to play with! I learned alot of Karen from them :) With the older kids closer to my age we played Kaneball with. Woah! This is a fun sport! It`s basically volleyball except you use everything but your hands to get the ball over the net. Since I`m so bad at hacky sack, I didn`t think it would be possible for me to play, however I got pretty good!
All in all, I really enjoyed my time there! I really want to come back here one day and stay here a much longer time living among these people. I also tried ant eggs here. They weren`t bad... pretty tasty :) Oooh and Ice Salads... Mhm very good! For all you bubble tea drinkers out there, try to rap your mind around this. It`s the closest thing to a pangalactic gargleblaster that I`ve found. An Ice Salad is basically Strawberry tea with crushed ice mixed with bread, cookies, nuts and my personal favorite tapioca! :D Mhmm I thoroughly enjoyed trying this!! The rest of my team wasn`t as impressed :p At the end it gets a little sloppy and slushy.... But it`s very good!
After we left that village, we travelled a few kilometers to a nicer village with electricity where we had a youth camp at the church for 70 Karen teenagers. This was lots of fun! :D We had a great time of ministry, teaching and prayer with them. I really think God touched alot of their hearts! It was soo cool to pray for these young men who are searching after God and also want to help their people from the oppression of the Burmese government back in Burma. Many of these guys came alone to Thailand leaving their families back in Burma. As we were leaving several of the guys (who were my age) asked me when I was going to be back. I told them I didn`t know, but I hoped in six years when I`m through with University. That made them smile :)
Things are bad in Burma. Landmines are probably the number one danger to those still living in Karen villages in Burma. There are three factions. The Burmese National army, the Buddhist Karen Army and the Karen National Union. Sadly enough the Karen are actually fighting each other as well. The reason why is, when the Karen split up half of them (The Buddhist Karen Army) Surrendered to the Burmese. So now the BKA are being forced by the Burmese government to fight against their brothers the remaining Karen. Both of the factions landmine each others villages in and it`s very dangerous to travel anywhere. So that is the main reason why so many Karen seek a safe haven in Thailand. Yet even in Thailand the Karen Buddhist Army sneaks across the river to set fire to houses in the refugee camps. It is a major tragedy that is happening as I write this.
So I ask for prayer for these two nations, especially Burma. Burma has been a place on my heart since the beginning of DTS. Actually I felt God telling me that I was to work with these people and care for them, so when I found out I was going to Thailand specifically to Burmese Refugees I was so ecstatic! God has revealed so much of Himself these last two weeks I`m completely blown away :) Thank you all for continuing to pray for me and my team! But also pray for the fighting to end in Burma, and pray that the Karen will continue to come to know God intimately and trust in Him. As for me, I`m a little sick right now, and team Unity and focus on God`s voice is extremely important for us.
But as for what`s happening next, we will travel to Chang Mai on Wednesday :) We will encounter different challenges and new opportunities to share God`s word and love with the poeple there. In addition! We will be there during the water festival. For those of you that don`t know the water festival is the coolest idea in the world and we should do it back in the states. It`s basically three days where everybody in Thailand (especially in the north) have water fights all day long. You can`t walk down the streets without being drenched. Being a foreigner it will be extremely intense for us :p I wish I could take pictures but I`m afraid my camera will be ruined haha. Speaking of cameras I will hopefully update pictures of the village soon :)
Thank you all again for your prayers! You have no idea how much they help. God is constantly guiding us and speaking to us and revealing His heart to us. I miss you guys alot!
Love
-Sam
PS. You can read my Thailand Teams (and all the other outreach teams from my DTS to South Africa, Ethiopia, Columbia, and the Middle East) blog at http://ywamskien.wordpress.com/ .
However I will start from the beginning. We arrived in Bangkok a little after sunset almost two weeks ago. It was kind of a crazy weather switch from 32 F with no humidity to 85 F at night with 90% humidity hehe. I kind of felt like I was at home back in Texas on late august afternoon by the beach. We met Boy our translator while we were in Bangkok and headed for the truck. The transportation here is insane. Everyone has a moped, and taxis are trucks with benches in the back and a couple bars to hold on. It is soo much fun! So we all loaded up the truck and enjoyed the ride to the YWAM base. It was kind of funny because every car that came up behind us had smiling, laughing and waving people in it when they realized that we were white foreigners.
I`ve never been in a city so big. Bangkok was overwhelmingly crowded, noisy, and dusty roads. The inner city has a population of 9 million with the whole metropolitan area of 20 million. After relaxing at the YWAM base for a day we headed into the city for a prayer walk and to see the various temples, shrines and soo many Buddhas. At one point we were taking the sky train through the center of the city and it felt like I was walking through a forest of High-rises. I`ve never seen so many tall buildings before in my life. The sky train in itself is a feat with three trains stacked up on top of each other whisking you away to different parts of the city. The highways are also interesting. Usually 5 lanes each way with a skyway (another highway) as a median between the two. Most people die in moped accidents. Also the prices here are intensely cheap. In fact you can rent a moped for 1 day for about 1.50 Dollars.
Anyways our time in Bangkok was very nice! The exploration of the inner city and prayer walk was very cool! Every morning we had fresh mango for breakfast :) The fruit here is delicious! And every lunch and dinner we eat out. Mhmmm! Good tea, with chicken and cashew or sweet and sour chicken. So much rice!
We then hopped on a night bus here into Mae Sot. We arrived at 4 in the morning and met our Karen translator and friends Gugu and Moses. :) Ahh they are seriously two of the coolest people ever! We got a ride to one of their friends house and slept there for a few hours before we hopped in the truck and headed North to the first village.
First perhaps I should mention our sleeping conditions. It`s very traditional for the Karen to only sleep on a thin straw mat on the ground. When I heard this I imagined a bag stuffed with fluffy straw and a comfy sleeping on hay kind of an experience. However what they meant was a thin woven straw that could be rolled up much like a yoga mat or something. It was very fun experience.
Driving through the Thai countryside was very interesting and lots of fun! We saw lots of farm land and lots of little villages. After a while we started coming into the mountains. The mountains are very steep and interesting shapes, but not very tall. As we drove through the valleys we began to see alot of dry rice fields with their stepped areas. This is where we started to see the heart of the Karen refugees. We drove by the largest refugee camp which was not a village but more of a city. It was about a square kilometer in size with a population of 60 thousand Karen. There were so many bamboo huts squashed up near each other. Behind the camp you could see tall mountains lurking up on the Burmese side.
We stopped here for a few minutes and picked up Sunshine our third translator for our Swedish photographer friend who joined us in the village for a school project she was finishing. It was kind of random because we didn`t know he was going to join us, and all of the sudden he jumped in the back of the truck with us. We were all, "Hi! What`s your name?" It was pretty funny. When we arrived in the small village it was an experience I`ll never forget.
We bounced down a rocky dirt road for a couple minutes, rounded a bend and saw the first hut. As we passed it two little smiling kids waved at us from behind a bamboo fence. Beside the road two pigs were snarling at each other, which was kind of humorous to watch. Guess you had to be there.... As we came into the heart of the village there was several people flocking to the road to wave at us. It was, really heart warming. I can`t really describe it with words.
My time in the village is kind of dream like to remember. There were lots of chickens, pigs/piglets, dogs and naked children. It was peaceful, quiet and surreal. Every evening I took a bath in the river that ran through the village. The water was cool, and the sun was hot. Ahh it was so nice! There was a weird mix between modesty and village life living. Thankfully I had bought the village clothing :) It`s actually really cool! Everybody here wears skirts :) It`s actually not a skirt but towel thing that`s sowed together making a giant skirt hoop thing. I realize now that I`m very bad at describing physical items. Anyways... all of the women would wear this as they showered in the river whereas the men could shower in their shorts and only used it as a changing device. Lots of fun... :) I have quite a few funny experiences trying to get used to changing with one of these :p
Every day we played with the children and did some practical work. While we were there we dug a new well and helped them clear the hillside for new rice fields. It`s the dry season over here, so everything is pretty dusty and not as green as you would expect. At the moment everyone is getting ready for the rainy season and preparing the fields for rice planting. The sad thing is, the Karen people have no land of their own per say. However they still have to plant rice to farm just so they can survive. So as they clear the trees to make room for farm space the Thai conservationists freak out. It really sucks actually. The Thai authorities have a good point, you can`t destroy all of the rain forests, but at the same time the Karen don`t really have any other options.
So when we went to the rice fields we worked in an area that looked like Morodor. It was a mix between LOTR and Lost :p All of the guys had alot of fun :) However my favorite time in the village was every evening when we would go house visiting. After the sun had gone down and we had all had dinner we would go throughout the village in teams to just talk with the village people. They would invite us into their houses and we would talk by candle light. It was so nice to hear their stories and ask them questions about their life back in Burma and their new life here in Thailand. God really gave me a heart for these people and I can`t tell you how sad I am to leave them.
And ofcourse, I can`t forget to write about our little disciple Tuwapo. He was one of the bravest and coolest kids ever! He also climbed the steps to our bamboo house and hung out with us as we ate, talked or played the guitar. Such a great kid! I miss him alot! All of the kids here were soo cute and fun to play with! I learned alot of Karen from them :) With the older kids closer to my age we played Kaneball with. Woah! This is a fun sport! It`s basically volleyball except you use everything but your hands to get the ball over the net. Since I`m so bad at hacky sack, I didn`t think it would be possible for me to play, however I got pretty good!
All in all, I really enjoyed my time there! I really want to come back here one day and stay here a much longer time living among these people. I also tried ant eggs here. They weren`t bad... pretty tasty :) Oooh and Ice Salads... Mhm very good! For all you bubble tea drinkers out there, try to rap your mind around this. It`s the closest thing to a pangalactic gargleblaster that I`ve found. An Ice Salad is basically Strawberry tea with crushed ice mixed with bread, cookies, nuts and my personal favorite tapioca! :D Mhmm I thoroughly enjoyed trying this!! The rest of my team wasn`t as impressed :p At the end it gets a little sloppy and slushy.... But it`s very good!
After we left that village, we travelled a few kilometers to a nicer village with electricity where we had a youth camp at the church for 70 Karen teenagers. This was lots of fun! :D We had a great time of ministry, teaching and prayer with them. I really think God touched alot of their hearts! It was soo cool to pray for these young men who are searching after God and also want to help their people from the oppression of the Burmese government back in Burma. Many of these guys came alone to Thailand leaving their families back in Burma. As we were leaving several of the guys (who were my age) asked me when I was going to be back. I told them I didn`t know, but I hoped in six years when I`m through with University. That made them smile :)
Things are bad in Burma. Landmines are probably the number one danger to those still living in Karen villages in Burma. There are three factions. The Burmese National army, the Buddhist Karen Army and the Karen National Union. Sadly enough the Karen are actually fighting each other as well. The reason why is, when the Karen split up half of them (The Buddhist Karen Army) Surrendered to the Burmese. So now the BKA are being forced by the Burmese government to fight against their brothers the remaining Karen. Both of the factions landmine each others villages in and it`s very dangerous to travel anywhere. So that is the main reason why so many Karen seek a safe haven in Thailand. Yet even in Thailand the Karen Buddhist Army sneaks across the river to set fire to houses in the refugee camps. It is a major tragedy that is happening as I write this.
So I ask for prayer for these two nations, especially Burma. Burma has been a place on my heart since the beginning of DTS. Actually I felt God telling me that I was to work with these people and care for them, so when I found out I was going to Thailand specifically to Burmese Refugees I was so ecstatic! God has revealed so much of Himself these last two weeks I`m completely blown away :) Thank you all for continuing to pray for me and my team! But also pray for the fighting to end in Burma, and pray that the Karen will continue to come to know God intimately and trust in Him. As for me, I`m a little sick right now, and team Unity and focus on God`s voice is extremely important for us.
But as for what`s happening next, we will travel to Chang Mai on Wednesday :) We will encounter different challenges and new opportunities to share God`s word and love with the poeple there. In addition! We will be there during the water festival. For those of you that don`t know the water festival is the coolest idea in the world and we should do it back in the states. It`s basically three days where everybody in Thailand (especially in the north) have water fights all day long. You can`t walk down the streets without being drenched. Being a foreigner it will be extremely intense for us :p I wish I could take pictures but I`m afraid my camera will be ruined haha. Speaking of cameras I will hopefully update pictures of the village soon :)
Thank you all again for your prayers! You have no idea how much they help. God is constantly guiding us and speaking to us and revealing His heart to us. I miss you guys alot!
Love
-Sam
PS. You can read my Thailand Teams (and all the other outreach teams from my DTS to South Africa, Ethiopia, Columbia, and the Middle East) blog at http://ywamskien.wordpress.com/ .
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Thailand A`hoy Mateys!! I Am A Gift...
Egads!! We had a team meeting today and I realize that only three days have to come and go before we will be dropped off in 36 C (95 F) weather in the middle of Bangkok Thailand :D Still, even saying this I fully don`t understand the implications of the changes I`m about to experience. God is full of surprises and will provide and pave the way, but I feel like when I step I`ll be stepping in freshly laid concrete that wasn`t there the day before leaving my prints as I go.
I`ve learned sooo much in the last 6 months. I really can`t describe some of the changes and challenges and beautiful revelations God has been giving me through various experiences here in this cozy little town in Norway. I`ve learned alot about myself and feel equipped and confident in who God made me to be :) I`ve had such valuable opportunities to share what God has done in my life and what He has given me to people from across Norway and Europe. I`ve learned that no matter how small or big the talent, we should let it shine and give glory to Him! I don`t want to be the man that took his talent and burried it in the ground, I want to invest my entire being into His kingdom!
This whole period has been rather "me" focused, I won`t lie. And necessarily so at that! As my Swedish friend from Koster Island says "Before you go out, you must go in". Quite simply that is what God has tried to do with me these six months. I`ve fought and struggled with Him, but I`ve learned alot despite my own efforts. He has revealed Himself to me and inside me.
However I`m coming to the point where I simply have to get over myself! :p I`ve learned alot and internalized alot, and resolved issues from my past. I`ve been equipped to live for Him and to live passionately. I feel like I`ve found the good life! Soo cozy!
Yet now I face phase 2 which simply says "Whoever finds his life will lost it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matt 10:39 I never fully understood this passage until now, (or atleast how I interpret it). I`m now understanding that I`m faced with a choice. Go into these two months saving some face, not puting my expectations too high, settling for mediocrity and a comfortable living experience. Or... Pour myself out for the sake of His kingdom. I will "throw my life away" in the eyes of many, even my own, but as I give my life as a living sacrifice to do whatever He wills I trust that I will find a truer life than I ever imagined.
What am I willing to give? How much? What`s the point in asking "what`s in it for me?" anymore? Here is the beautiful and weight lifting truth, It`s not about me! Hallelujah, I thought I had drowned in my own ego by now. How much pain am I willing to endure? Is it really worth it?
It`s always worth it... for one child alone. Sometimes I feel like the song "Sleeping in the Light" By Keith Green really applies to me.
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
And there`s the kicker! This is where the line falls and by grace alone I stand on one side (or I should say jump and fall) or the other. Will I get my fuzzy bed head out of bed to do what He has said? How can I delay? His spirit has moved my heart, and spoken so much truth to me, I would be denying Him if I did. How can I be so dead, when I`ve been so well fed?
And this is what it comes down to. My motives. My heart. Will my actions and words reflect my heart, but more importantly will my heart reflect Him? The truth is when I change my motives from myself to Gods kingdom, I change from being a victim of my past to a player in Gods kingdom.
This is why I feel like I am about to be broken in half. I feel as if my pride will rain on my own parade and come crashing down only so the skies can clear and I relish in the simple joy of seeing the sun again. I feel as if I will be crushed by mercy and grace itself in horrifying ways that force me to be forgiving and giving to others. UGH ahhGH! This is going to suck! Seriously... as a friend of mine mentioned "all I see is pain in the forecast...". I had to laugh, but now I realize he may have been right.
The most glorious act in all of history, the ransom of our sins, was excrutiatingly painful to the whole being. We are to live as Christ lived. Why did I expect I could escape the pain factor of life? Through pain we find some of the most beautiful and precious things in the world. But who wants the precious things of the world? "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" Psalm 73:25-26.
Through sacrifice and through giving, through living the heart, the curtain is lifted from our eyes and we see the life that is truly life that we read about in 1 Tim 6:17-19 at the end of verse 19. And what are these treasures that are being laid up? Is there really a big big house, with lots and lots of food? Oh no these treasures are different...They`re treasure of the kingdom! And oh how they trump this world! "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Rom 14:17
In reality these three eternal spiritual truths are the true treasures in any life. This is what I yearn after, this is what I am trading my rags of desperate ego worship for. This is what I`m losing my life for. To find contentment in His hands.
So now all I have left is to be content in His hands, and cast away the lies that tell me to jump out and try stuff on my own because I`m strong and coragious. That`s such a laugh! Oh man. I`ve seriously got to be realistic with myself. I`m such a human man! Ahh its hilarious sometimes :) I really am mortal, and pretty weak in all respects. How could I assume with some air of arrogance that what I did have was rightfully mine?
Everything I have is a gift, everything I am is a gift. I am a gift, and gifts are made to be given. So I`m giving myself completely unreservedly over the top extremely radically to God, and commiting myself 100 % to be used by Him in Thailand. "Do whatever it takes, to make me into your original masterpiece..."
Go Under the Mercy
-Sam
Ps. Here`s a prayer folder my team-mate Helge cooked up for us! It means sooo much if you could take a look and keep my team and I in your prayers! Love you guys! Enjoy :)
http://helgehaugland.com/diverse/prayerfolder_thailand_march_may_2010_english_v3.pdf
This is just a little thing I wrote in Germany that I haven`t posted yet, but wanted to :)
Lovers Walked These Hills...
It`s startling to think of how this little village of Menzingen was once part of Nazi Germany. There`s such peace here. I hear the birds chirp through the winter sunlight. These steep hills lined with orchards and vineyards waiting to burst at the seems at the first mention of spring give me such hope! This place is undyingly romantic and archaic. The fact that other young men have stood where I stand partaking in this gift of beauty stirs somethings inside of me. I can see them standing as I stand now gazing down into the valley over the snow topped village to the hills and woods that lie beyond. It creates a sense of longing in the human soul that can not be explained nor fully fulfilled in the physical sense. Yet there is a beautiful sense of complete contenment in knowing this truth which overwhelms me, and I am thankful just for this short moment.
The church down in the village sounds it`s fifteen past, and I must be on my way. Yet I pause just one last time to cherish the contentment of my soul. God is good, and this simpleness that I behold is just a fragment of the root of truth. Just enough to season my day, to make my cold poridge of a life into a warm tasty bowl of broth that will heat my heart during the winter seasons. God knew what He was doing when He gave us senses to behold His creation. The result of true life is passion and pleasure in its most purest form, where everything is complete. When the striving of the days between physicality and spirituality give way to the calm and the rest found in unity. This is life, this is truth, this is beauty. How can we not fall in love?
This is my prayer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmSrlZ6Uxe4
I`ve learned sooo much in the last 6 months. I really can`t describe some of the changes and challenges and beautiful revelations God has been giving me through various experiences here in this cozy little town in Norway. I`ve learned alot about myself and feel equipped and confident in who God made me to be :) I`ve had such valuable opportunities to share what God has done in my life and what He has given me to people from across Norway and Europe. I`ve learned that no matter how small or big the talent, we should let it shine and give glory to Him! I don`t want to be the man that took his talent and burried it in the ground, I want to invest my entire being into His kingdom!
This whole period has been rather "me" focused, I won`t lie. And necessarily so at that! As my Swedish friend from Koster Island says "Before you go out, you must go in". Quite simply that is what God has tried to do with me these six months. I`ve fought and struggled with Him, but I`ve learned alot despite my own efforts. He has revealed Himself to me and inside me.
However I`m coming to the point where I simply have to get over myself! :p I`ve learned alot and internalized alot, and resolved issues from my past. I`ve been equipped to live for Him and to live passionately. I feel like I`ve found the good life! Soo cozy!
Yet now I face phase 2 which simply says "Whoever finds his life will lost it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matt 10:39 I never fully understood this passage until now, (or atleast how I interpret it). I`m now understanding that I`m faced with a choice. Go into these two months saving some face, not puting my expectations too high, settling for mediocrity and a comfortable living experience. Or... Pour myself out for the sake of His kingdom. I will "throw my life away" in the eyes of many, even my own, but as I give my life as a living sacrifice to do whatever He wills I trust that I will find a truer life than I ever imagined.
What am I willing to give? How much? What`s the point in asking "what`s in it for me?" anymore? Here is the beautiful and weight lifting truth, It`s not about me! Hallelujah, I thought I had drowned in my own ego by now. How much pain am I willing to endure? Is it really worth it?
It`s always worth it... for one child alone. Sometimes I feel like the song "Sleeping in the Light" By Keith Green really applies to me.
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
And there`s the kicker! This is where the line falls and by grace alone I stand on one side (or I should say jump and fall) or the other. Will I get my fuzzy bed head out of bed to do what He has said? How can I delay? His spirit has moved my heart, and spoken so much truth to me, I would be denying Him if I did. How can I be so dead, when I`ve been so well fed?
And this is what it comes down to. My motives. My heart. Will my actions and words reflect my heart, but more importantly will my heart reflect Him? The truth is when I change my motives from myself to Gods kingdom, I change from being a victim of my past to a player in Gods kingdom.
This is why I feel like I am about to be broken in half. I feel as if my pride will rain on my own parade and come crashing down only so the skies can clear and I relish in the simple joy of seeing the sun again. I feel as if I will be crushed by mercy and grace itself in horrifying ways that force me to be forgiving and giving to others. UGH ahhGH! This is going to suck! Seriously... as a friend of mine mentioned "all I see is pain in the forecast...". I had to laugh, but now I realize he may have been right.
The most glorious act in all of history, the ransom of our sins, was excrutiatingly painful to the whole being. We are to live as Christ lived. Why did I expect I could escape the pain factor of life? Through pain we find some of the most beautiful and precious things in the world. But who wants the precious things of the world? "Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" Psalm 73:25-26.
Through sacrifice and through giving, through living the heart, the curtain is lifted from our eyes and we see the life that is truly life that we read about in 1 Tim 6:17-19 at the end of verse 19. And what are these treasures that are being laid up? Is there really a big big house, with lots and lots of food? Oh no these treasures are different...They`re treasure of the kingdom! And oh how they trump this world! "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." Rom 14:17
In reality these three eternal spiritual truths are the true treasures in any life. This is what I yearn after, this is what I am trading my rags of desperate ego worship for. This is what I`m losing my life for. To find contentment in His hands.
So now all I have left is to be content in His hands, and cast away the lies that tell me to jump out and try stuff on my own because I`m strong and coragious. That`s such a laugh! Oh man. I`ve seriously got to be realistic with myself. I`m such a human man! Ahh its hilarious sometimes :) I really am mortal, and pretty weak in all respects. How could I assume with some air of arrogance that what I did have was rightfully mine?
Everything I have is a gift, everything I am is a gift. I am a gift, and gifts are made to be given. So I`m giving myself completely unreservedly over the top extremely radically to God, and commiting myself 100 % to be used by Him in Thailand. "Do whatever it takes, to make me into your original masterpiece..."
Go Under the Mercy
-Sam
Ps. Here`s a prayer folder my team-mate Helge cooked up for us! It means sooo much if you could take a look and keep my team and I in your prayers! Love you guys! Enjoy :)
http://helgehaugland.com/diverse/prayerfolder_thailand_march_may_2010_english_v3.pdf
This is just a little thing I wrote in Germany that I haven`t posted yet, but wanted to :)
Lovers Walked These Hills...
It`s startling to think of how this little village of Menzingen was once part of Nazi Germany. There`s such peace here. I hear the birds chirp through the winter sunlight. These steep hills lined with orchards and vineyards waiting to burst at the seems at the first mention of spring give me such hope! This place is undyingly romantic and archaic. The fact that other young men have stood where I stand partaking in this gift of beauty stirs somethings inside of me. I can see them standing as I stand now gazing down into the valley over the snow topped village to the hills and woods that lie beyond. It creates a sense of longing in the human soul that can not be explained nor fully fulfilled in the physical sense. Yet there is a beautiful sense of complete contenment in knowing this truth which overwhelms me, and I am thankful just for this short moment.
The church down in the village sounds it`s fifteen past, and I must be on my way. Yet I pause just one last time to cherish the contentment of my soul. God is good, and this simpleness that I behold is just a fragment of the root of truth. Just enough to season my day, to make my cold poridge of a life into a warm tasty bowl of broth that will heat my heart during the winter seasons. God knew what He was doing when He gave us senses to behold His creation. The result of true life is passion and pleasure in its most purest form, where everything is complete. When the striving of the days between physicality and spirituality give way to the calm and the rest found in unity. This is life, this is truth, this is beauty. How can we not fall in love?
This is my prayer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmSrlZ6Uxe4
Monday, January 18, 2010
Guten Tag Aus Deutschland!!
Hello everyone!! I`m here in Germany! And my oh my it is soo beautiful here! Alot has been happening to me since the New Year! I had an absolutely wonderful time at the New Years festival in Hamar Norway. All of YWAM Norway was gathered for a pretty epic time of teaching prayer and worship :D What I really enjoyed was the 24/7 Worship on New Years day! It was so great to let yourself worship till 4 oclock in the morning until you passed out from exaustion and knowing you could sleep the next day. So yes after the main worship ending at 4, a group of us went to the prayer room where we all continued to worship (either awake or asleep). I remember sitting there looking around the room full of people I didn`t know from all the different bases around Norway and thinking these people are my friends and family. The unity in the room was overwhelming!
So yes, it was an absolutely great time of listening to God`s voice. He has really been prodding me forward and giving me new and fresh ideas about my future. I was really encouraged and prepared to keep prodding forward with my walk with Him. Heart surgery is the best!
So now I`m here in Menzingen Germany! The first week we have visted 4 different schools in the neighboring villages doing programs for 9 different classes. We`ve been doing two different programs. One Anti-Mobbing program which the Germany team did last year, and a new Violence Prevention program for the first school. It`s been so much fun! And we`ve had alot of great discussions with several of the highschool students. I really think we`ve made alot of them think and encouraged them with God`s truths. I`ve met so many young people this week, when we ride the train to and fro from the villages Its almost impossible not to see someone you already met.
We also met with the Mayor of Kraichtal which is a city made of 9 neighboring villages, Menzingen being one of them. He was a nice man! Showed the same program as last year, as I was told :p Free pretzels and apple fritzer was really nice too! So it was very cool to be able to pray for the City Council there and inform him of the youth work we do during the project week.
The weekend was soooor nice! We traveled to Heidelburg which is by far one of my favorite European cities. It`s absolutely beautiful! Wonderful streets and just a great atmosphere! We toured the castle there and also took a walk on the Philosophers Walk. Very icy and steep, but a very beautiful walking path overlooking the Rhine river and the Castle. We also had starbucks!! Coolest starbucks ever with a tower room... ahh that was cool! We don`t have them in Norway, so the Norwegians were very excited to say the least...
And that brings me to this week! This week we will be doing youth workshops with 80 youth from the neighboring villages here at the local state church. It`s an all week program with workshops a meal and fellowship! It`s sooo much fun! Tonight I had the first testimony which went really well and I felt like it broke the ice for God to do some great stuff in their hearts :) And It seems I`ve been recruited for the worship team so that was very fun as well! Haha I`m a little confused about tomorrow however... I`m supposed to be cooking bread with this German fellow that doesn`t know any English. We will see how that goes!! :D It will be an adventure that`s for sure!
The youth here are so much fun to hang out with! And I Can`t wait to see all that God has in store for us this week.
That`s a quick update! I hope you are all doing well! Praying and missing all of you!
Go Under The Mercy
-Sam
So yes, it was an absolutely great time of listening to God`s voice. He has really been prodding me forward and giving me new and fresh ideas about my future. I was really encouraged and prepared to keep prodding forward with my walk with Him. Heart surgery is the best!
So now I`m here in Menzingen Germany! The first week we have visted 4 different schools in the neighboring villages doing programs for 9 different classes. We`ve been doing two different programs. One Anti-Mobbing program which the Germany team did last year, and a new Violence Prevention program for the first school. It`s been so much fun! And we`ve had alot of great discussions with several of the highschool students. I really think we`ve made alot of them think and encouraged them with God`s truths. I`ve met so many young people this week, when we ride the train to and fro from the villages Its almost impossible not to see someone you already met.
We also met with the Mayor of Kraichtal which is a city made of 9 neighboring villages, Menzingen being one of them. He was a nice man! Showed the same program as last year, as I was told :p Free pretzels and apple fritzer was really nice too! So it was very cool to be able to pray for the City Council there and inform him of the youth work we do during the project week.
The weekend was soooor nice! We traveled to Heidelburg which is by far one of my favorite European cities. It`s absolutely beautiful! Wonderful streets and just a great atmosphere! We toured the castle there and also took a walk on the Philosophers Walk. Very icy and steep, but a very beautiful walking path overlooking the Rhine river and the Castle. We also had starbucks!! Coolest starbucks ever with a tower room... ahh that was cool! We don`t have them in Norway, so the Norwegians were very excited to say the least...
And that brings me to this week! This week we will be doing youth workshops with 80 youth from the neighboring villages here at the local state church. It`s an all week program with workshops a meal and fellowship! It`s sooo much fun! Tonight I had the first testimony which went really well and I felt like it broke the ice for God to do some great stuff in their hearts :) And It seems I`ve been recruited for the worship team so that was very fun as well! Haha I`m a little confused about tomorrow however... I`m supposed to be cooking bread with this German fellow that doesn`t know any English. We will see how that goes!! :D It will be an adventure that`s for sure!
The youth here are so much fun to hang out with! And I Can`t wait to see all that God has in store for us this week.
That`s a quick update! I hope you are all doing well! Praying and missing all of you!
Go Under The Mercy
-Sam
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