July 1, 2016 - Thailand
Throughout this first week, I have been learning how to view the city of Bangkok, Thailand with God’s eyes. My Trek team has spent the past few days in orientation, tapping into what it means to do missionary work in a constructive and selfless manner. Even though we have been diving deep into what it looks like to be servants of Jesus for the Thai people, I feel like I am the one who has been served by them.
We’ve spent a good amount of time exploring the city. We walk among the Thai street vendors and loud traffic, knowing that Bangkok is teeming with problems such as human sex trafficking, contaminated water, drug trade, and unwanted orphans. Yet the locals we encounter are often content and very tolerant, as if they are already living in the hope of a better future. I can’t help but imagine what power they will embody once they learn about Jesus. The interactions that my friends and I have with them often leave me smiling (and slightly embarrassed about my broken Thai). With every meal each day, God has really been showing me a whole different side of himself during this period of orientation. So far, Thai people have shown me more goodness, more mercy than I have shown them. I love being here crossing cultural barriers, and I anticipate that I will only experience more joy, love, and all things Jesus when my team and I enter into our site.
Written by Carol
