So I want to update everyone on a return visit. :) Thanks to Gina's motor skills we went out to see Peter and Jack (the retired man from the UK and his 14 year old son) with Casey who is serving here with his wife from Portland. I had not met Jack before but he came out and we had a great discussion and placed a What does the Bible Really teach book with him. He is quite the exceptional 14 year old. He grew up with no religion and says he "found" the Bible while in Switzerland when he was 11 or so. He is very familiar with many Bible accounts and asked us at one point if we thought Jesus was God or God's son? I asked him what he thought and he said, "Well Jesus prayed to his father, and he was not praying to himself! So I think people are wrong who say Jesus is God. He is his Son." He has never heard of living Forever but did agree Adam and Eve would have- had they obeyed God. So Casey made an appointment to come back and discuss this further. We were very excited to meet him since it is so refreshing to meet a young person who thinks so much about spiritual matters and can see things clearly and logically. His father is supportive of his studies and we hope will join in the conversation next time.
Today I went in service after the Thai course and the group I was with lost the rest of the caravan going to the territory. So we ended up returning to the hall and working the area around there in search of english speaking persons. I was working with Antionella- a wonderful Italian sister whose husband attended MTS. They wrote the branch and have been here 3 months now. They officially switched to the Thai cong this week and are hoping to be Special Pioneers after learning the language. Anyhow it was a bit difficult just being her and I because she does not really speak English and is now focusing only on Thai, her husband had to leave us, and I was a little flustered after being cut off from the group. But Jehovah truly rewarded our endurance this morning! We worked just down the street from where we are living and in a small storefront school we met Oiy. She is a 23 year old Thai who speaks English very well. We began by talking about education and shared John 17:3 with her. I asked what she thought everlasting life meant and she thought it was life after death. Buddhist believe in reincarnation and so I wanted to see how she actually felt about death. So I asked when she loses someone close to her in death, how does she feel? Her answer was so articulate, she said, "You feel, hurt and empty. Like a glass with no water in it." She expresses herself so well and we ended up talking with her for a good 1/2 hour before we had to leave. She shared a lot about how there is so much corruption among the monks. They ask for money to build a temple and then just use it for themselves, they sleep with women even children. Rape is common, she says, and there is no justice. It just made your heart hurt hearing the things that go on. She concluded that it leaves her wondering if Budda or the Buddist faith is in fact good. We were able to share how we believe in a creator who promises Justice. And that this is why we long for it because we were created by him. She actually attended Catholic school while a teen, I am unsure why, but she did not agree with some things. I got her phone number and we plan to get together next week. Funny thing- our wonderful landlady told her about us and how much she likes us! :) It is a wonderful reminder how people know why we are here and we need to make sure we are always giving a good witness. And also how many people despperately need the truth and how Jehovah is drawing them!
Ok now I am going to conclude with a great story Liza gave me permission to share :)
In our very first days here in Thailand, while in Bangkok, we went on an adventure outside the Bethel grounds. And Liza almost died! Dun Dun Duuunnnnn!
Ok thats a little exagerrated but its how she felt. We had been at Bethel a day and were wanting to get out and delve into the ministry work we are here for. So we asked the brothers at Bethel if there was anyone we could go with? They told us of a Wonderful missionary sister from the Phillipines who has been here for 50 some years-Lita. They gave us good instructions on how to walk out of Bethel cross a road, take a bus to the 2nd stop, cross another road, get a boat, and then cross several other roads to find her. They said it would take us around 45 min or so. (really it was quite far in another part of Bangkok) Well- we got lost, of course. We ended up being an hour late! I thought that was pretty good as everything was in Thai, the bus didnt come forEver (they kept passing us empty) and then it was not the 2nd stop but the 4th or something and its an insane city!(the boat was fun though stinky:) Well poor Liza had been under the weather with a headache and jetlag. The heat ended up getting to her after we had met the sister. She had just taken us to a market with tiny turtles, tiny bunnies, tiny everything!!!! I was Sooo excited! I wanted everything!! Gina even said there were tiny monkies! But we ended up running into the food court because Liza was about to faint! :( She got quite sick with heat stroke- running to the bathroom and throwing up.:(:( It was awful! But the "great" part about all of this was the amazing concern that was shown on the part of all the sweet Thai people. Everyone was coming over and asking if she was ok, was there anything they could do. 2 vendors gave her broth and rice just because they could see she was ill. We ended up finding a small storefront "skin clinic" and taking her there. The 2 women put her on the bed to rest, and tended to her for about 20-30 minutes. They were Wonderful! And of course, in the meantime amazing Lita shared Jehovah's promises from the Bible. We loved them! And the best part of all was when we were leaving (Lita got their phone #'s and they would not allow us to pay them! We insisted and they only took 20 baht or 80cents!) They HUGGED us!!! We had been bemoaning the fact that Thai people don't hug shortly before this and here they were- 2 sweet women giving us spontaneous hugs!
this is Gina, Liza and Lita in the middle with our new lovely Thai friends
We LOVE the Thai!:):)
Your friend,
Amy
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