Summer Introspective

Sorry guys that I haven't posted in a while, it's been hectic the past two weeks, I feel like I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off. Before I go into how great the summer has been, I'll get you up to speed as to what's been happening the past couple weeks. These past two weeks I've been volunteering at Grace International School (GIS), which is the school that Pastor JJ's son, Ethan, attends. It's also a school that focuses on missionary kids.

Two weeks ago, I had to attend new staff orientation meetings at Grace for the whole week. That preoccupied all my time, but it was good to learn the origins of the school, the vision, as well as get to meet my fellow new staff members. The latter half of the week, GIS, held all staff retreat at a golf resort in Chiang Mai and I really got to hang out and meet with all the different teachers and Thai national staff. I'll just add that I definitely put on some weight at the retreat, oh how I've missed American breakfast!

Last week was the first week of school and I've been helping out with the ESL Department, trying to plan for this year. Everything is very new to me, so there are times when I feel like I don't know what I'm doing, but it hasn't been overwhelming. As a volunteer I can't do too much, because I'm only volunteering until Oct, but hopefully I can be helpful and effective in the short time that I'm here. More or less it's been a good learning experience to see how the school functions, and it's really cool to see 3rd graders reading the Bible as part of their curriculum.

Now to switch gears, (hopefully now that everything is settling down, I can be up to date on my blog within the next couple posts) now that I've had about a full month since the last summer mission team has come and gone, I've been spending some time reflecting on all that has gone on in June and July. Simply put, it has been both familiar and different at the same time, and all the while eye opening. Familiar in the sense that the many different ministries that the teams did were things that I had done before when I went on summer mission trips like VBS, and teaching English. Even with the familiarity of working with summer mission teams it was also very different in that instead of being received by the missionary, I was the one helping to host teams and being invested in each team member. I think that's where God opened my eyes to a lot of things.

One of the things that I came away with hosting teams this summer was a deep seeded respect for both Pastor JJ, Junya, and the whole Jasper Kids Foundation. It's not easy to host 4 summer teams back to back to back to back in a two month period. All the planning, all the traveling, making sure the teams have everything it needs, and the time and energy expended working with the teams can take a toll especially when its non stop. I can attest to that after working myself to the bone and getting sick after 3 out of 4 teams departed. To watch Pastor JJ,Junya, Ajan Somsak, and Ajan Arunee tirelessly planting seeds for God's glory alongside teams, its hard not to be encouraged. It's been awesome to work alongside these older brothers and sisters as they show a genuine love for Christ and a servant attitude through it all. Looking through the perspective of a host, I've been encouraged how God has worked and spoke to the hearts of the STSMers.

I think having been an STSMer myself, there is a sense of "I want to see how God is working in other parts of the world," or "why did God send me out on missions," or "how is God going to use me out here," and the focus tends to be inward, which isn't a bad thing since I see short term summer missions as a tool to see how one fits in God's grand scheme that is missions as much as it is to serve God overseas. The same applies for me this year, as I try to inquire of the Lord a vision and path for my life, but in regards with the STSM teams, I've had the privilege to really focus on serving and seeing paradigm shifts in the way people think about God and missions, as well as seeing the various needs in this country.

One of those things that have been a tremendous blessing that I've been able to witness is the life changing aspect of missions. There were several people who I encountered, who had flipped 180 degrees on their views about missions, and God's heart for the lost, and when you see the power and glory of God changing these lives, you can't help but praise him. One such case was my friend Daniel Park (I know if he reads this, he's gonna be in a fit for even using him as an example) but I was blown away at his transformation. I've known him since elementary school, and he's one of my closest friends, and growing up I could never imagine him going overseas on missions. Even in the beginning of the mission trip to say that he was spiritually prepared would have been a stretch, but man, God just used him out here. Even in the midst of a family tragedy, while serving here, Daniel did not even "bat an eye" about going home, he continued to press on to serve God. Over the course of two weeks, whatever discomforts came his way, obstacles, or what not, he pressed forward for the Gospel. In the end, what once was a small view of missions, expanded, and he was so amped about missions that he talked about wanting to come back or at the very least get a missions program started at his church. This is what I witnessed constantly, over the past two months, God changing people's hearts.

Working with the different teams, and constantly going out and doing ministry in different villages, I definitely got to see where the needs are. There is so much potential in using English as a tool to further God's kingdom here in Thailand. There are so many children and teens, and college students, who desire to learn English and I can see what an awesome tool it can be to spread the Gospel, and it really made me appreciate that I know English, and its a gift from God that I have that privilege. Aside from the needs, as I have the chance to re-visit the places we minister to, it's also wonderful to see the plants that have been sown by the teams. I think all the times I've been on short term missions, one the things I was always curious about is, whether or not whatever I did on the mission field made a difference, and now that I am here for a year, I can say that it does. Especially from the children, they remember the VBS and the English lessons and the time teams spent with them. Already those seeds are planted, and God willing those same kids will come to know Christ. It has been encouraging to see that even the short amount of time that a short term mission team comes, it does have an impact in building God's kingdom!

Before this post becomes super long, I'll just conclude with this. The summer has been fun, I've experienced and learned a lot, and from all the different people I've encountered this summer, we all have a common bond, and that is Christ, and it is because of Him, we do what we do. We hope that the nations will come to know God as it says in Psalm 67: 1-3:

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!”