Vox Lucens

This week, I have been graced (or disgraced) with a number of titles that I have not heretofore held. Each one, though, has held a certain special significance that I thought I would share.

“King of the Dipstick”

This one, I must admit, I invented for myself. Last year, I was very happy that someone else volunteered to do the urinalyses for the medical check-ups. This year, our previous King of the Dipstick has not come with us, and I felt that it behooved me as team leader to take the pressure off of my team by doing this task myself.

I’m da man. That’s all I have to say. If anyone wants pictorial evidence, let me know.

“Teecha”

Believe you me, when about 87 SuperBalls are being thrown at you, and the only warning you have is the happy voices of the throwing children calling, “Teecha, teecha,” you learn to respond to it in a hurry. That being said, throwing SuperBalls (and Nerf balls, and frisbees, and whiffleballs, and tennis balls, and balloons, and, well, you get the idea) is now one of the supreme privileges that I can imagine.

I know of little more amazing than causing smiles. And when the serious faces of one of these orphans breaks into a brilliant smile, the blessing is complete. Providing medical treatment, travelling a gazillion hours, even teaching them to juggle–nothing beats causing those beautiful smiles. The joy of the Lord is the strength of these tiny suffering saints.

And if it takes dodging SuperBalls, I’ll do it every time.

“Brother”

I told you about Beth the other day, just one of these amazing children. She shared her testimony with us, and her beautiful faith and excitement over the things of Christ. Part of her story revolves around her current family problems. Her parents are no longer here, but the aunt and uncle that have been “caring for” her have been causing her grief.

It was in that vein that I told her at the end of that conversation that one of the things that made me the happiest about what she told me was that her faith meant that she was my sister. She gave me her beautiful smile in return, and told me, “Yes, and you are my brother.”

Today I told my sister, and new friend, “Goodbye” as she prepares what could be an almost immediate trip to the United States. I hope to see her soon.

For that is how the Body of Christ works.

***

Tomorrow we head back to Bangkok, and have an early flight and late arrival on Sunday. As always, more trip updates on Ambassadors!

Today should rank as one of the most amazing days of my life. The last trip to the Freedom House Orphanage, back in September, was amazing, but both short and packed with responsibilities. This time around, we have had more time, and I have had a chance to really interact with these kids. Though you perhaps will not understand the depth to which I mean this, these children are amazing.

I first noticed this young lady yesterday, mostly because the brightness of her smile stood out from the pack. I found out today that she is the one that our doctor suspects has skin cancer.

Though he is not positive yet, the suspected melanoma is right on her spine, growing out of some scar tissue from an old injury. The location could make it very difficult to correct.

Heartbroken isn’t quite the right word for the emotion that I feel; somehow it seems too trite. Will you pray for her?

This is Beth, a young lady who was born in Karen State and has moved around a lot in her short life. She found it hilarious when I hit my head on the low ceiling yesterday, so that and the fact that she speaks excellent English meant that I got to pick on her today. After a little persuasion, she told us her story.

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen such hope bound up in such tragedy. She told us of how her father died in Burma of a fever, and how she has all but been abandoned by the rest of her family–and yet, has found a very real faith in Christ. It did not take any persuasion at all for her to share the excitement she has for her faith, or the joy she found in her baptism. As she looks to the future, she is faced with the prospect of imminent resettlement, moving to California.

I can’t even imagine moving from a refugee camp to Bangkok, much less an entirely new country, culture, and language. Beth is one of many facing this exciting–but almost incomprehensible–change. Please, please, pray for them.

Our ministry time here is only half over. So much more to come–and updates on Ambassadors.

Thai countryside in the rainy season is gorgeous–and when the rain takes the humidity out of the air and causes a breeze, it is much more bearable than at other times! God continues to pour out His blessings on our team this trip. And the soaking rain can feel kind of nice!

I must admit, though, that I thought I was going to be able to avoid crying this trip into the Mae La Refugee Camp. Having been there before, I thought that the emotional impact would perhaps be less. I was wrong. It sure didn’t take much time before the simple faith of these children beat up my desire to be stoic. But I wouldn’t trade this opportunity for much of anything.

I don’t want to repeat what I’ve said over at Remember Ambassadors, but there is so much more I wish I could get out. For now, suffice it to say that there are pictures of life. Then there are pictures of what makes life worth it. And then there are the lives that make the pictures worth it.

Today, I am again reminded that there is nothing more exciting than having the opportunity to do God’s work. In our group devotional this afternoon, I shared with our team something that never fails to amaze me: Our chance, the God-given opportunity, to be a part of His promise.

God’s Word is so full of promises to His people. From David in the Psalms, noting that he had never seen the children of Godly men begging bread, to Jesus Christ Himself, saying, “Lo, I am with you alway,” God has staked His character on His faithfulness to His people.

There were times in the Bible that God fulfilled that promise by pouring out blessing from Heaven–the manna in the wilderness comes to mind. But far more often than that, God uses other people to do that work. Those people are a part of God’s promise, a piece in meeting His covenant with His people.

I am overwhelmed to be a part of the promise, a small piece in proving God’s faithfulness.

After a pleasantly shorter-than-expected ride to Mae Sot, we are now ensconced in the hotel that will serve as our home base. The next two days, we should be ministering to the children in the Freedom House Orphanage.

Updates and pictures to follow. Thanks again for your prayers–it is no exaggeration to say that God is literally pouring out His blessing on this trip so far.

On my last trip to Bangkok, I was amazed at the local Thai delicacy coffee, made by street vendors with encrusted coffee makers and questionable condensed milk. I was reticent to try it at that time, being worried about pathogens (and I had seen it made, which isn’t a good start).

This year, though, the Sofitel Central has added that delicacy to their breakfast buffet. Ladies and gentlemen, I am hooked. Please notice in the picture, the condensed milk at the bottom of the glass, with a little sugar, and more condensed milk on the top, mixed in with a wondrously dark and rich–yet smooth–Thai coffee.

Perhaps it was a result of the caffeine, or the fact that others on the team were imbibing, but I am now proud to announce that I have eaten century egg. More to come on that experience when I’m not paying 17 Baht per minute for internet.

Travelling today (Monday) to Mae Sot, to minister. So far, your prayers are working–God has been unbelievable gracious to us.

They got me with this advertising gimmick: