"I Love This Place!"
Finally after all our visiting we headed back to the place where we were staying. We gathered our belongings and drove back over to Pastor Jamie’s village to meet more families. There we met Tek’s family and Gay’s family. Both of their families are christians. There we prayed and blessed those families. Finally it was time to begin the long drive home. This time I had to ride in the cab of the truck. I was disappointed, but happy to be with Jazzy, Rose, and Ning. On our way out the village we made a stop or two picking up a few guys who just jumped in the back of the pick-up truck. As we headed down the mountain one of them knocked on the window. That was our sign to stop and drop him off. I just laughed to myself…this is the way life works in the village. Pick some people up, drop them off, and keep on going…no big deal. Who needs taxis??
Most people slept the first part of the way home. I tried to sleep, but couldn’t. The whole time I sat thinking about my time their in the village. My heart was sad to leave. What an amazing time it was! There’s nothing like the beauty of the mountains and the simplicity of life. It’s all about relationship…I loved it. I started dreaming about what it would be like to live in a village like this and plant a house of prayer there. Could there be a more perfect place? I imagined the doors being opened and the praises ringing through the mountain air. I imagined people in the fields working and talking about the worship with the Word set the night before. I thought about how the presence of God would rest in that village and how their crops would be plentiful. People would talk about the village that had a house for God…different from any spirit house…and how that village would be so different from any other. It would be village marked with joy. I began trying to figure out how in the world I could get back to the village and do this very thing! For the first time I really, truly contemplated living in Thailand long term.
I also thought back to all the conversations I had with my friends there. During this trip I really fell in love with friends from church. It was so amazing to see them in their home village-in their element. I felt like I really began to understand them and I loved it. I love their lifestyle they’ve come from. I loved seeing how alive they were being back in the place that is so comfortable and familiar to them. I loved meeting the families of so many. Rose and I spent so much time together, talking about anything and everything. We talked about how to hear the voice of God…how he really does speak to us! We talked about the power of songs and how often secular music causes us to set our minds on things of this world and not on Christ. I was so grateful for the depth we were able to get to, though the language barrier puts limitations on the words we can use. Beyond the heart-to-heart conversations, I loved laughing with friends…creating memories together. Really…I love the people from my church. They are so beautiful!
One of My Greatest Gifts...my Friendship with Sharon. She and Her Husband Ric are Here with New Tribes and Go to Sookasem as well. I LOVE Sharon and it has Been the GREATEST Blessing to Be Friends With Her!
When we got back to the city my heart just sank. I had left my bike at the entrance of my neighborhood and so I told our driver to just drop me off on the road. As I drove into my neighborhood I looked around at all the big houses. I started thinking about all the stuff I had. I got home and walked in my room and saw my big comfy bed. I thought about all the good food I eat and all my options I have. Then I started thinking of the village. The houses were simple-wooden and up on stilts…the only furniture was maybe a table and chairs, usually a TV, and often a big thing that looked like a loom where the ladies made blankets and purses. I thought about how everyone slept on mats. I thought about how the food options were limited and yummy. I thought about the fact that life remained the same pretty much everyday. They don’t have a ton of options of things to do so they spend time together when they’re free from work. I started to feel sad…not because they have little…no…I felt sorry for me and for my culture. Though the villagers have less stuff, they have the true richness of life. They know the beauty of building relationships, that’s really of utmost importance to them. They don’t have a million in one things fighting for their attention. It’s like the fasted lifestyle…for real. I was sad for myself that my life consists of so much. Really I just wanted to pack up my clothing, a few books and pictures, and head back to make my home there. Oh the value and beauty of a simple life. Either way…whether I ever live in a village or not…I desire to keep my life at a place of simplicity so that the things that are truly of great worth would come first and all other things would fall in line behind that.
It was by far the highlight of my time here in Thailand. It’s a trip I will remember forever and always enjoy!!! The picture below expresses perfectly how I felt the whole time I was there….
!!!! yes !!!!
Stephanie! My heart is overflowing with a good theme! The only blog that has made me cry as often as yours is the OJC blog. Let incense arise in every place…in the mountain villages of Thailand and the red light district of Bangkok. Let everything that has breath in Thailand praise His name!