The team was really tired after our trip in Noh Bo Bible College; so you did not receive an update from us on the 8th. The trip, on the 8th was a small roller coaster ride this time. We had to travel two hours to get to the College. We were greeted by Pastor Jolly who personifies his name. When the team was in Thailand in 2008 there were about 40 college students, with the requisite number of teachers and leaders. So, on the trip up we were wondering what half the team was going to do with their time. They have always worked with the younger children. Yes, you guessed it. The college started a school for the children of the village and a very small refugee camp population that we did not know about. When we arrived there were (Drum roll please) ---- 90 children waiting to be entertained and directed for games. But, our resourceful team was ready.
The children’s bag was the “Everywhere We Go” bag. Most of the children in this village school had never had a photograph of themselves. Village parents came to pick up their children and they were excited. The team was truly ready!! The current college student population was only about 20, but our team was ready for instruction with them as well. (The kid side of the team has received most of the surprises. The adult side is “business as usual.”
During lunch Somchai was talking, we were having noodles with hot sauce, that came in small packages. Somchai kept talking and did not pay attention to what he was putting into his coffee. He picked up a sugar packet, he thought, and put it in his coffee – you guessed it – it was very hot chilli powder sauce for the noodles. After he realized what he had done he said, “I like it that way.” (He was kidding – he got a new cup of coffee.)
Our team meeting debrief on the 8th was excellent. The reflection was about Somchai and how he had scheduled us into all the camps and the many church “encouragements.” Somchai told us that he had expected to receive some emphatic “No’s” about going into the camps, but as God would have it we got into every requested camp. If we had a bigger team we could have probably made it into all the camps. Maybe that is a dream for the future.Somchai is truly a Pauline missionary with excellent relationships, contacts, and influence. His focus is not on report writing and administration. We had a chance to meet his “Silas and Barnabas”. Both individuals are younger; they are Thai citizens and have connections with authorities that Somchai would probably never have. (Paul had Roman citizenship – Somchai is Burmese not Thai.) The last time the team was here we asked, “Somchai, who will replace you when you die.” We think he now has the answer. Somchai is also hoping one day someone will come from Mountain and stay for 3-6 months. Because this is the second mission trip from MCC Somchai no longer feels like an “orphan nor a widow.”
As the team is writing this it is really the 9th – the Super Bowl is over. No one here watched it on the 8th – the game started at 7:00 a.m. local time. We were eating breakfast and then going into the fields – no time for the Super Bowl. (After all – if the Ravens or the Vikings were not playing we really didn’t care.) Today’s work was local; no long distance travel. We were at Love and Care School right outside of Mae Sot and the Thai Christian Fellowship in Mae Sot. Jerry and Sylvia were at the Thai Christian Fellowship teaching Conflict Resolution, which was a follow-up from the last mission trip. This group was all adults. Half of this group were pastors. For the first time we had some lively interaction. There were questions about church conflict, couple conflict, parenting conflict, etc. The Taylor’s taught both morning and afternoon sessions.
The Love and Care School has made some very good progress in the facilities since we were last here.
The Taylor’s were transported to the Love and Care School when their sessions ended. Jim, Jerry and Sylvia talked with some of the boys who asked, “Do you remember us?” and they really did. We asked them, “Tell us what you learned about conflict when we were here last time?” They were able to tell us! Jim asked them about the water treatment lessons. They repeated the steps and specific information that was important in the process! Needless to say we were excited that they remembered our teaching. TOM – The boys asked, “Where is _____ (then made gestures with their arms)?” You mean Tom? The gesture they were making was the gesture for “SOLID” which was Tom’s favored saying on the last trip. We informed them that Tom had moved to New York but he was following our trip on internet emails and sorry he could not come this time. These boys are now 18 and 19 and will be leaving the school soon to join the world of adults. We cannot keep them young forever nor protect them from the future, but we can teach them about life skills and a relationship with Jesus Christ. AMEN! --- The Thailand Team
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