Archive for July, 2009

  • 15 Jul

    Posted by
    Sara


    Category

    Arrested for being poor

    5

    It’s no secret that the police in Thailand are corrupt.  You see it everywhere: drivers given exemptions to traffic tickets at the offer of a bribe, the colored lights of brothels (officially illegal) flickering on most main roads, people being treated roughly by officers on the side of the road.

    But up until a few days ago, I hadn’t heard any stories from people I knew about run-ins with the police.

    Pai, the woman who was like a mother-figure for me when I lived in Permsup, told me her story on Friday evening.  The day before, like every other day, a group of about 10 or so were hanging out on the plywood platform they’d constructed below a prominant, shady tree in front of the slum.  Some of the kids had been playing Bingo, for a little bit of money– the quivalent of about a quarter each.

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  • 12 Jul

    Posted by
    Sara


    Category

    God’s mysterious timing

    4

    I won’t lie—though these past couple of weeks have been dominated by joy, I’ve also been somewhat… perplexed.  Frustrated, even.  I mean, could the timing of all this be any less convenient?  What is God thinking?  I don’t at all mean that I could do things better.  There have been too many miracles, too many beautiful orchestrations lately that even in my best-case scenarios I wouldn’t have dared (or been creative enough) to dream up.  So I have to believe that God has SOME reason for this.  It’s just eluding my inferior mind completely.

    I’m leaving in October.  In THREE months.  The last few weeks of that I’ll be completely useless, trying to say goodbyes, tie up loose ends, deciding how and what to pack up or leave behind from my life for the last five years.  And in the midst of this preparing for the end, God brings new life.  Two new believers in one week (maybe five, depending on how you define it) in this place I’ve labored in for so long.  And so little time to nurture them, to lead this house church, to enjoy this new season of harvest I’ve prayed for over the years.

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  • 09 Jul

    Posted by
    Sara


    Category

    Seated with princes and princesses

    5

    In one week I’ve seen two women open their hearts to Jesus, and three teenagers take new steps of faith and discipleship.  In a community where there have been no worshipers of Jesus we are now having church in our house with five neighbors.  I can’t think of another time when I have felt this aware of God’s power and grace- it has been almost tangible.  It has felt at times like too much for my heart to contain.  I often can’t help but burst into laughing as I speak about it; I haven’t been sleeping much because I’ve been so excited.

    The conversions of Yut and June were beautiful.  They made me feel like I was at a wedding, or witnessing a birth.  Both wept, and later said they didn’t know where the tears had come from.  As we laid hands on them to pray, both felt a presence bigger than themselves.  They both immediately said they felt “sabai jai” literally, “my heart is at ease.”

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