To be honest this experience has come close to one of the hardest things I've ever experienced in my life. Living at the Changed Life Centre has been lonely sometimes. Its tough not knowing the language and not being able to communicate with the people around you. Its hard to live with 7 other people, and not just live with them but they are also the only people around you for 3 entire months who you can communicate with without a great deal of effort. Thailand has been really hard. However, Thailand has changed me. I remember writing in my first blog that this trip would bring me "a passionate new purpose." and in a lot of ways that didnt come as I had originally expected. It came through challenges rather than blessings, but thats just another thing I have learned. That God will use whichever paths he chooses to grow you and stretch you, and even if its difficult the most important thing is that it is not wasted. That you allow God to work through the things that you least expect.
This week I am saying goodbye to Thailand. Im saying goodbye to people and places that I didnt even expect I would need to say goodbye to. Today we went to a place that we have gone to at almost twice a week since coming to Thailand for the final time, Pae's Coffee Shop. The young lady who owns and runs it is Pae. She is so so sweet, however she doesnt speak english. We communicate with this lady as much as we can but it has been limited. However even with this limited communication I feel like we have developed a sort of relationship, even friendship. Today when I was saying goodbye to her I suddenly became a shade of desperate. I needed to share the gospel with this lady who is so lost in false beliefs and I didnt cause I didnt know how. I didnt have the tool of speech to share the good news with my friend and that broke my heart a little, it also brought me some awareness. How many coffee shops in Abbotsford do I drop by at least once a week? and those owners and workers speak english. Am I sharing the gospel with them? Cause even though their false beliefs are different than Pae's false beliefs, they are still false and they still need to hear about Jesus. Today, once again, God gave me a fresh purpose to move forward with: Be a missionary in Abbotsford.
To get to Chaing Khong we go down this windy beautiful road the runs along the Mekong. My favourite time in Thailand is right before the sun sets and my favourite mode of transportation is being on the back of the Song Theow. Tonight was the perfect blend of all three things and I realized that despite how challenging it has been for me up here. I love it. I have fallen in love with the people and the scenery and even the weather. I love the food and the flowers and the Mekong and I will miss this place dearly. Thailand has taken a small piece of my heart, and I am ok with it, because I will always remember this place, and who knows, maybe one day God will even bring me back here, but whether he does or does not I will remember the lessons I learned here and the people I met and I will pray for this place that has a little piece of my heart.
Thank you for your prayers, they have been felt. Only 4 more days till I board a plane for home! I will see you all soon!
 |
| This is Pae in her shop! |
 |
| The ride home tonight, one of the last ones! |
 |
| Our Mekong! |
No comments:
Post a Comment