Thailand Experience
Posted on Feb 27 2006 | Tagged as: faith, faith in action, thailand project
Originally Written for the Westside Way on 01.17.06
Steve and I returned from our thirteen day vision trip to Thailand a week ago. The purpose of our trip was to scope out ministries to determine if and how we might develop an ongoing relationship with a ministry that would be mutually beneficial. Our desire was to evaluate whether these ministries could partner with Westside in further developing our students’ hearts toward compassion for the poor and the oppressed.
On the third day of the trip we visited a ministry called Asia’s Hope in the city of Chiang Mai. This organization provides safety, housing, and education to children at risk of being victimized in the sex trade and other exploitive labor. As we arrived I got out of the van before anyone else, and a little girl about my daughter’s size ran from a very primitive grass hut and clung to my leg like I was her father returning from a long trip. I was taken aback and was not sure how to respond. My only thought was to try to react like I would if this were my daughter or a child from our church nursery. Later that day I played volleyball with some of the older children. They laughed and joked with us in the same way as the students at Westside would.
The next day as we arrived, the children were singing praise songs. One girl captured my attention as she sang with an incredibly worshipful spirit. Her eyes were closed, and she looked so present with God in that moment. After the singing, while the children began to play some of the games we brought for them, I walked around looking for the opportunity to meet this little girl. I found her and gave her a hug, and she asked to be picked up. I asked her what her name was, and she said it was “May”. We walked into the open air dining hall (again made of grass and bamboo) and found some coloring books. We picked a picture and began coloring it together. This is a common occurrence in our home, making this moment with May so precious.
I asked the orphanage director Tutu (an amazing woman who grew up in the hill tribes) to tell me May’s story. She said that May’s father was a drug dealer and was killed by police in a raid. Her mother has a birth defect and cannot earn enough to support May and her brother. This puts them at risk of being tricked into exploitive labor. Thankfully for May, Tutu was able to take her in and will provide her with a high school education and a trade. If she is capable, she may also be able to go on to college.
As I lay in my bed on our train ride from Chiang Mai back to Bangkok and on to Krasang, I began to weep for the people I met in Northern Thailand. By God’s grace I did not try to push the hurt away, but allowed myself to experience it along with my new little friends. At that moment I felt hopeless. That day I learned that two in ten children from the hill tribes will fall prey to exploitation.
One specific child that I met on the streets of Chiang Mai could soon be working in a sweat shop or be exploited in a brothel. Steve and I were at the night market in Chiang Mai. As we were preparing to leave, a darling little girl came up to us to offer us some bracelets for 10 Baht (25 cents). Just seeing the eyes of this poor child broke my heart.
We were in a very busy market (like Saturday Market times 10) after dark. I would not let my children out of my sight if they were here, let alone allow them to walk around by themselves. I could see my daughter in the eyes of this little girl who looked like she was about the same age (approximately 5 years old). I wanted to bring her home with me. I knelt down to her and offered her 10 Baht for her bracelet. She grabbed one for me and ripped it from the bunch; it broke. She looked very disappointed. She pulled another with the same result. To my surprise I said “I would like to buy the broken one.” Steve gave her enough money for the rest of the bracelets. I will cherish that bracelet, broken like that little girl, broken like me.
This trip inflicted a wound to my heart. The wound quickly turned into compassion and affection for the people I met. That affection gave me an authentic desire to seek God for His hope and direction to act. This is one thing I learned from this trip. That God can break our hearts with the things that break His heart. He can plant His compassion within our hearts. And He can show us the ways in which we can join Him to bring about His healing and hope in the world.
Psalm 10:13-18
Why do the wicked get away with cursing God?
How can they think, “God will never call us to account”?
But you do see the trouble and grief they cause.
You take note of it and punish them.
The helpless put their trust in you.
You are the defender of orphans.
The LORD is king forever and ever!
LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless.
Surely you will listen to their cries and comfort them.
You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
in order that they may terrify no more.
on 24 Mar 2006 at 7:19 pm 1 Kara Rhodes said …
When you mentioned wanting to buy the broken bracelet, I got goosebumps all over. What a vivid image of humanity’s broken spirit. I love what you are doing for the children in Thailand. I love that they don’t have to feel broken and used, but that they can feel cherished and safe in the orphanages you are building. I completely agree that God will break our hearts with what breaks His heart. This is one of the things I love most about Him.