This is your first Thai lesson. In the American colloquial sense of "all set," "set" means the same thing in both English and Thai: finished. English camp is now set as we finished up the second week this past Thursday, Friday being the celebration of King Chulalongkhorn's (Rama V) death.
I do not think of myself as a kid person. Most people believe this speaks poorly of one's character. The same is often thought of those who con't consider themselves "dog people." I have historically been neither, which is why I was surprised to find myself teaching English conversation in a loud, expressive voice and even enjoying it. I particularly enjoyed the youngest group--5 to 6 yrs.--who normally sat in rapt attention--out of fear or interest I could never tell--for the bearded, tattooed hobbit yelling "one building, six buildings," over and over with wide eyes. I do not know if any of my three classes learned anything from me, but I got to know some very cool Thai kids and hopefully they got to know me a little bit.
On Tuesday, Pastor Anon wanted us to present topics on American culture at the English camp. I all but demanded to be in charge of music. I was fastidious. Believing American music comes primarily from two fountainheads: Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta. To be short, these are the artists I included: Robert Johnson, Son House, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Jack White (Cold Mountain Sdtrk), Hank Williams, and Dolly Parton. I also threw in Jenny Lewis, Sufjan Stevens, and Jay Z as examples of modern American music. Tragically, I believe Thai children may be less passionate about American music than I am as their attention often waned.
We did not all go on outreach this week. On Monday, Tim and Amy took a group of Christian leaders from this region of Asia on the same walk we do on outreach nights. On Wednesday, outreach was voluntary. Consequently, I did not go on outreach this last week. This next week will be a welcome return to normalcy, after two weeks of English camp split by a week in India. We will resume our morning devotions, study of Thai, and Monday and Wednesday outreach. Additionally, Jeff and I will join the work of the MST project for the first time this week as we minister to visiting foreign men in the bar district every Tuesday.
Prayer Requests:
--That the Lord would open my eyes. I can hardly believe I've been here ten weeks already. I often worry that I am missing something vital that I will regret ignoring after I've left. Much of the past several weeks has been full of reasoning and lacking faith. I want less of me and more cross.
--I will begin working on my WMF project, locating squatter communities around Bangkok. Pray the Lord blesses this work so that I will be dilligent in it and so that it will bear fruit.
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I have nothing to add but instead of not commenting I wanted to let you know of my reading presense.
ReplyDeleteHah, I wish I could witness you exclaiming, "one building, six buildings!" You're probably more of a kid person than you realize.
ReplyDeleteI guess you ministered in the bar district yesterday; I hope you were able to see God at work, a glimpse of redemption, a glimpse of Heaven.
I assume it's hard to see these things, Richard, so I will continue to pray that God would reveal the way he is working in Bangkok.
Sometimes we do miss things, but it doesn't make them less special. Whether you realize it now or not, you will look back and be thankful for your time, the things you felt, and the things you missed. It's God's will for you to be in Bangkok right now. And how do I know that? Because you are there.