Focus

The other day Patinya asked me out of the blue, "Lydia, why are you here?"
Dozens of reasons and answers popped into my head, but the one that came out was: "Because I love God, and I have to tell other people about it."
"Good. Don't ever forget that." He said to me. It is easy to know why you're here when you first come and just as easy to forget it. That's what he said to me, and I took it to heart. It is so important to keep one's focus when on the mission field; when one's focus is right and with God, then the rest falls into place. I'm so glad Patinya made me vocalize my focus. To have it put into one brief sentence makes it easier to hold onto and to remind myself of it everyday.

Prayer Request

Praise that I am adjusting well to the Thai culture and life in Bangkok.

Request that as I begin giving English lessons this week that they will go well and that I'll click with my readers.

Request for a Thai man named Yut who is Kat's student. He is very close to becoming a Christian and is talking about some reservations that he has with one of the Thai Christians here.

Request for a girl named Thwo who is Aaron's student. She is hearing the gospel story for the first time and considering all it means; request that God will be in her thinking and that He will move her towards Him.

Week-end

This week-end Andy, Kat, me, and a hand full of other Christians from the Watchrapon church here traveled to Banana Village (a 10 hour drive to the North) on the Thailand-Laos border for a revival meeting. Christians from many villages in that area gathered for a week-end of lectures and fellowship.

It was good to travel outside of Bangkok and see and experience the different between the richness and industrialness of Bangkok and the poverty of the villages. The Christians at the revival were so welcoming to us and so happy to be all together.

One of my favorite parts of the revival was hearing from one Christian man there who asked to speak. He told the story of how he became a Christian 20 years ago, and how he didn't know how to read, and how he wished so much to be able to read the Bible. He prayed that God would send him a wife that could read so that she could read the Bible to him. God sent him a wife, but she could not read. God eventually answered his prayer though and made it so the man's children had the opportunity to learn to read, so now his children read the Bible to him, and to any of their neighbors that will come to listen.

Thursday

Thursday I met with the Andy and Kat and Aaron and we all got organized for me beginning to give English lessons next week. I am very excited to begin the English lessons. Right now I have 3 people I will be reading with. I sat in on a couple of the English lessons on Thursday, just to observe. It was so neat to see people considering the tremendousness of the gospel story for the first time.

That evening the whole team (the farangs (white people) and the Thais) all went out to The Great American Grill restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner and finished off 4 platters of barbecued ribs between us. It was very different from regular Thanksgiving, but so cool at the same time.

Wednesday 21

Went to the dept. of labor with PiYai first thing in the morning. It went really smoothly and didn't take too long. Hung out at RCC for a while after that and then went shopping with PiYai and PiNong for groceries for dinner (there's always a big dinner at RCC on Wednesday night before Wednesday evening worship). We went by an open air market to buy some of the food and that was a neat experience. I got to help cook a little too, which was great. Played some games and chatted with people who came in to RCC until dinner time, then we all ate, and then we had worship time.

In the evening when I got back to my apartment I got to talking with my room mate PiJon. We got onto talking about Christianity and spiritual things. PiJon is a Christians, but she still has a lot of questions and a lot of things she doesn't quite understand yet. I thank God for providing this opportunity for me to talk with her and I pray that He will put all the right words in my mouth to say to her. I look forward to having lots of conversations with her, and I hope through those that her faith will be strengthen and also that she will begin to learn how to grow her own faith (without having to rely solely on missionaries to be fed spiritually).

Adapting

I feel like I am beginning to adapt and be able to operate on my own a little. Last night at RCC (the Christian Center where we give English lessons and hang out the rest of the time) we had a group English class followed by a short devo and I got to help a little with each (and it felt fantastic to be able to begin and help out a little). I was also able to take the public transportation home on my own yesterday evening and I have begun to be able to have some basic interaction with non-English speakers.

There is still lots and lots to be learned, but I feel like I have begun on a good foot and am well under way.

Additional Prayer Request

Today PiYai will be taking me to the Dept. of Labor to finish my work permit. Please pray that it will go smoothly.