A penny for your bahts.

I recently received an email from one of the girls at my church who is in the process of praying through being a part of Spotswood's August Thailand Team. It was so encouraging to hear her heart, and to have the opportunity to share with her a little more about "what to expect" if she decides this is how God wants her to spend that part of her summer.

While my response to her was a massive wall of words, I wanted to share a couple parts of it here for the benefit of anyone else who may be considering this trip.

Here’s what our August trip to Thailand was not: It was not a rehearsed program where you prepare skits and "perform". Instead, it’s partnering with long-term missionaries who are already doing healthy ministries in Thailand. We look at ministries like "The Well" which is rehabilitating women brought out of prostitution, or the prison ministry (which is growing like crazy in Thailand) or Blaplaa. And because believers are doing these things before we get there-- and after we leave-- we just get to join in the process and the joy.

This accomplishes two things: first, it is less exhausting for us, because we’re not generating a bunch of programs, but secondly (and I think this is the best!) it gives you an accurate and honest look at what ministry looks like in Thailand. These are sustainable ministries- healthy, growing ministries that are seeing people coming to know God, being discipled, and growing in their fruitfulness.

As far as the culture, it is very relational. People spend a lot of time together: hanging out, talking, sightseeing, going to the markets, etc. Thais are also very sweet, generous, and hospitable. (And very very forgiving when you say the wrong thing or make cultural "mistakes"!)

In regards to where they are spiritually-- that is perhaps the saddest thing. Buddhism is so pervasive in their culture that it affects everything. But the good news is that they don’t need to understand everything to be interested. In American church—we say, "fit in/change/become like us and be accepted." There-- they are accepted in the community first. They go to church, they even invite their (also) lost friends to small group Bible studies, and then they begin to accept who Jesus is. How different that is than what we are used to! But how biblical! Jesus always offers the relationship first.

If any of you have specific questions about life/missions in Thailand, please feel free to ask them in the comment box below! (If I don't know, I'd be happy to ask some of the missionaries we met there who are still on the field)