Warmest greetings to you! I wrote this on an overnight train as we travel from Vientienne Laos back to Bangkok Thailand!! We will be in Bangkok Thailand for just a few days, and then will take a plane to Calcutta India on the 9th. I am reflecting on how INTIMIDATED I was by Bangkok when we were here in May, and how much more comfortable I have become in the city. Being able to re-experience things after a time of change often proves to be an insightful marker for self growth. Truly, truly, from the deepest part of my heart thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouragement and support. And thank you for journeying with me. I count myself so terrifically blessed through these relationships. I am delighted and consider myself privileged to hear what God is doing in your lives—the sharing is wonderful. Your prayers are powerful; the team and I treasure them.
Before we went to Laos there was a budding desire to walk in more of Godly expectancy and to THROW AWAY self-expectations. Anticipating and expecting God to show up in ways that perhaps we could not anticipate. The idea sounds simple, but is not easy! Sometimes this is talking to the person beside you instead of listening to your ipod. Or buying a cup of coffee for someone? Or just listening. Or… (I could go on and on!) I’ve delighted in walking into divine meetings, been privileged to see what persecution for your faith can and does look like, and had an opportunity to be a rice planter all in these past two weeks.
My white v-neck tee shirts become progressively darker and dingier shades of grey with every country I walk in and through. My clothing I hurriedly wash by hand at the end of a shower. I am amazed as these articles of clothing ssstttrrretttccchhh out and become larger with every cleaning! Like my clothing, my heart is being stretched too—with all these new experiences and cultures. Things never turn out exactly as I anticipate, and I’m learning that its better that way—even if the difference seems less attractive initially.
We attended several gatherings with Lao people and upon inquiring about their pasts; ALL had served time in prison for their faith. Their faith is mature in ways that I don’t think mine will ever be. They are passionate and bold in such a gentle way. The villages that we visited all had similar stories of persecution and staying the course. Truly blessed are the poor. The first village we stopped at had a small building that looked unfinished or like an old barn back in Tennessee. Cracks allowed wind, weather, and bugs through. The cross stood in a prominent position in the center of the back wall. No chairs. Mats on the ground to sit on. No electricity, wells, toilets, or schools. Poverty. Deep faith. Big love.
A few of the villages were a little more advanced at each of the three stops, but all were a far cry from even the simplest church building in the US. But, you know what I’ve learned? A building is a building. The church is made up of an organic, changing, shifting, and growing body of brother and sisters all over the world. Each one of us on our team is wrestling with what it means to respond to the things that we saw in the village.
The impulsive side of me, wants to reconcile the things I’ve seen (poverty, farming, scarcity) and the person I am by giving away ALL that I have away and go live in a grass hut without electricity or running water. Then there is the part of me that anticipates this wildly-responsive-and-completely- extreme-jump-to-conclusions-aspect to my personality AND helps me give pause to my response. I don’t believe this is the response that most resonates with what God is doing in my heart. I cannot change who I am. God knows that I have tried and continue to try in my own strength—and it never works on my own. I cannot, but God can. He can change my heart, and God IS faithful in doing that. I will never be able to change the circumstances that I have grown up in, my culture or life experiences I have had so far, BUT new experiences can shape new thoughts. And God can always inspire new burdens and passions.
We as foreigners are not permitted to stay with locals, but we got to help a Lao man’s family with planting rice. We began with a big and tasty lunch, received rice planting lessons and set to work planting these fields of rice. We weren’t fast, by any means, but our hearts were into the task at hand. The Lao people, and this is humbling to me, were encouraged that we would come so far and be willing to do this labor. Not because of what we said, but more because of our joy and willingness to be a part of planting. I think for many it was the first time that many had ever seen a ‘falong’ (foreigner) plant rice in a field. We planted for maybe about twelve hours over a course of 2 ½ days. Bent over, barefoot in the mud, poking 3-4 rice stalks into the mud in a grid like design. I saw some snakes (touched one that had been caught—it felt like a hotdog!), got bitten by ants, and giggled about a lot of muddy fart noises when we walked. It was AWESOME. Then we ate dinner. I was told teasingly (I think..) if I continue eating the amount of rice that I am consuming, by our host, that I will become like our contact, who is a larger Lao person. Note taken. No more rice. Gah. BUT to be polite? We were told to eat ALL the rice on our plates. To eat the rice or not to eat the rice? I don’t know! More cultural questions that you just smile your way through! I’ve now also eaten snail, and what looked like a large goldfish on roasted on a skewer! I have to confess to you that I did only eat 2, and they were dipped (or soaked) in spicy hot sauce before popping them in my mouth for a breif chew and quick swallow.
How can you pray? We are about to begin transitioning into our fourth and last outreach country: India. Please pray for continued focus on God, renewed energy, and for transition into a new culture. Continued health—big praise that we are all doing so well, just a few digestion issues throughout the team. Divine appointments. Boldness in Christ and stepping out. God’s guidance for next steps. And please pray for the Lao people: wisdom, favor, and God’s provision.
Big hugs, love, and blessings to you (from back in Thailand)!
:o)
Carla
Carla