The Hidden Purpose

by Jean

It was a writing assignment, an autobiography, for the 5th grade English students.  It was to be about three paragraphs when it was done.  Writing this much is always a difficult chore for these students, and this one was no exception.  The only reason they made it through the first draft was because the topic (themselves) held some interest for them.  I kept them at it, hoping they would learn something about English grammar, punctuation, or even how to use the English typing keyboard through it all.  Maybe they did, but the real purpose for the exercise came out about the time I abandoned trying to get them all to a final, corrected finished copy.

One of the questions they had to answer was, “Who is your best friend?”  A few of the lower students had trouble coming up with an answer for that.  Rungrit even wrote that he had no friends.  That surprised me.  Rungrit is kind and friendly with everyone.  I wondered if he might not quite understand and suggested that maybe he was friends with everyone.  No, he insisted, and crossed that out.  Again he wrote, “I have no friends.”             

This concerned me and it tied in with his recent negative attitude towards his efforts in English.  Over the next couple of weeks, I saw that he was often by himself during free times.  Then I noticed that he didn’t eat lunch one day.  He admitted that he hadn’t and that he hadn’t eaten breakfast either.  I wondered if he was discouraged not only at his inability to keep up in English, but in other areas as well.

Sandy had worked with the higher level 5th grade group when they wrote their first drafts so I didn’t know what they had written at first.  When I was correcting them, I noticed that Mark had named Rungrit as his best friend.  I checked with Mark to be sure he hadn’t just randomly written down a name to get the work over with.  He assured me that he did mean it, that Rungrit was his best friend.

At the school’s Christmas Program, I expressed my observations and concerns to the “Mother in Charge” at Rungrit’s home.  She assured me that English was his favorite subject.  I also caught up to Rungrit in an isolated moment in the hallway.  I asked him to join the group of students I give extra help to on Mondays.  He was happy to do that.  I also told him that Mark had named him as his best friend in his autobiography.

After the break for Christmas and New Years, I noticed a positive change in Rungrit’s attitude.  He showed up right away for the Monday group and his participation in class activities was better.  Then, when I had the 5th grade get into groups one day, I saw Rungrit go right over and join Mark.  They worked together well.

The timing and classes never came together for me to get the class to finish their second and final drafts of those autobiographies.  As I put them away for the last time, though, I decided that the activity had served a greater purpose than the one I had intended when we started it.

:J

Church!

Our choices for a church were dwindling rapidly. None were near us so we needed one near some regular song taew route and within their running schedule (ending at 6 pm). We also needed a service in English in order to get anything out of it. That left us with 3 churches to choose from. Two of those we couldn’t find on any of the maps of Chiang Mai we saw. Their street maps only have the names of the major streets on them. The whole area was blank when I tried Google maps!

I sent an email to the address listed for Chiang Mai Christian Fellowship (CCF) although it looked like it was going to be too far away for us. Pastor Tim Dunham’s reply confirmed its distant location, so I replied with my regrets at not being able to get there. He quickly informed me that they employ a song taew to bring people and it goes right by our usual pick up spot. That was a great option, so we agreed to go. I told him we would be on the left side of the road, just past the pedestrian overpass, and I would have a black umbrella.

Then, Saturday evening, he emailed saying our song taew ride would cost us 200 bht (“He shouldn’t charge you more than 200 bht”) because he had contacted a different driver to get us. They couldn’t find the phone # of the regular driver to tell him to pick us up. He said the church would reimburse us if we were short on money. He gave me his number in case we had trouble, and said everything is an adventure in Thailand. Gary didn’t think we should ask for reimbursement, so I told him I wouldn’t go to the fitness club this week. That also costs us 200 bht each.

Later in the evening Gary received a call from the people Lloyd from LIVE weekend knows. Gary was trying to coordinate a meeting with them. The church they told him they were going to is the one I was trying to get to. Gary didn’t realize that until after he was off the phone.

We were a little concerned about meeting up with this song taew driver, Pong, who knows little English. Gary asked which "left" side of the road I had meant in my instructions. Then I realized the ambiguity in what I had said. It made sense only in going North, in the direction of the church. While I was waiting to leave I read an article in my January devotional on anxiety. The author pointed out that overcoming anxiousness has to do with trusting in who God is and in His plan. My application was that if the song taew driver missed us, then God has a better plan for our day and our lives at this moment. That did help me go out with more peace in my heart.

We reached the place where we were supposed to meet the song taew about 10 minutes early. He was already there, up the street a little, holding a paper with "CCF" written on it, and motioning us to come to him. Gary rode up front with him and I got in the back. We got there with no problems and Gary paid him the 200 bht.

As we turned from the usher handing out bulletins at the door, we saw our friend Rick Harris talking to someone inside. Then I saw their college age son, Peter. He was surprised when I called his name. I looked around and found Chiang getting ready to teach the Kindergarten Sunday school class. She did a double take seeing me, and then gave me a hug.

We sat with Rick, his friend college age son Peter, and Rick's friend that teaches Hermeneutics in China. It was a wonderful, worshipful service with a mix of songs we are used to singing and new ones. Tears came as I sang heartfelt hallelujahs to God in gratefulness to Him for getting us there and how he showed His care for me in getting us to a church with friends in it already. Now all our church trouble made sense.

We visited with a few people afterwards, but didn't find the friends of Lloyd that were supposed to be there. We did sign up for the new small groups they just now setting up. The man in charge of that said there were several in the Hang Dong area.

Rick and Chiang invited us to go to lunch with them, giving us a ride, and a ride home afterwards. They took us to a great restaurant that had great Thai and American food at great prices. We exchanged phone numbers too. We should see them at church anyway from now on.

Their younger son, Paul said he did recognize us that day a couple of weeks ago, when I said hello to him as we were walking near Grace when he was riding home on his bicycle. I knew it was him when I saw his braces. He didn't seem to have any trouble recognizing me with my short hair!

God is good!

:J

Making Friends

"In Thai we don't "make" friends," Tuk told me last week. Instead she had me write, in Thai, "I am a friend of a cute dog." I wanted to say I made friends with the dog because I had to move carefully to gain his friendly response. Either they consider everyone as a friend or think friendship is something that just happens, or not, without any effort.

They are certainly friendly people. Mrs. Janooan has spent a lot of time talking to me and helping me with my Thai and other things. She often holds my hand when we are talking or she is taking me somewhere. Saturday she invited me in for lunch. Although I had already eaten, she insisted I join her and her daughter anyway. She brought out a separate bowl of what she and her daughter were eating, this one without the hot spice in it. I ate a little of that because of her effort. She gave me a little from their bowl and I thought it was hot even though she said it wasn't. They helped me with my Thai as we talked about our activities.

Last Thursday, for the second time, I went to the free aerobics class put on in the Lotus department store parking lot. A lady there took a friendly step toward me, but hesitated until I stepped toward her and said, "Saw wat dit, ka" (the Thai greeting). Then we started talking in bits of English and Thai over the loud music. Before long she took hold of my hand too. She invited me to come stand next to her up front, but I declined, holding my hands over my ears. Afterwards she introduced me to one of her friends.

Today at the park, we walked up behind a young lady sitting on one of the benches under a covered area (sala) over a pool. We began to discuss with her the swarm of fish in the shady water in front of us. As soon as she could tell we were going to stay awhile, she moved her things over so I could sit next to her even though the next bench was empty. I accepted her invitation. I offered to get up when her friend came back, but she said no. The three of us talked and the first lady held my hand briefly too.

We talked about the big cat fish that showed up, where we were from, how long we had been in Thailand, her lottery ticket sales, and similar things. Finally I asked if I could take their picture. They let me, and then wanted to take turns taking a picture of me with each of them. Then the first young lady wanted a picture of me and each of them taken with her camera. As I began to leave, she showed me pictures of her two daughters and one son on her camera.

They have been friendly even in our brief encounters on the song taus. A lady I started a conversation with one day asked where we were going early in the conversation. She helped me with some Thai words while looking out for our destination during the ride. One of two of the song tau drivers, (we are not sure if it was the same one both times), on the route we usually take has slowed down to wait for us before we were ready to signal for a ride. Once we were coming down the stairs of the pedestrian overpass and, the other time, turning a corner further up the road than where we usually are. That could also be because they are hoping for the fare and we are easier to remember than the other people there.

:J

House sitters

A family we know well has told us that they have decided to be our house sitters. We met Ken when he moved into the house across the street with some other guys. Then, later, he introduced us to Karen and we went to their wedding. The other guys moved out and Karen moved in. As a young couple, they helped me out by teaching some Sunday school sessions to the youth at our

church on good male – female relationships, even though they were members of a different church.

Our friendship continued as they had their three children. Their two older children sent some presents with us to share with children on our mission trip to Chile. Now, Ken has said he would like to help us set up a website. Overall we have been impressed with their faith and determination to follow God in their lives. We are glad to help support their decision for Karen to remain a stay at home mom and to continue home schooling their children. Living in our house would likely ease their cost of housing.

Also, Ken has worked on fixing up two houses, so he has some expertise in maintenance. They have all had experience raking leaves, although not in a yard quite as big as ours.

When they read our email newsletter about our need for a house sitter, they independently thought of the possibility of their doing it. They were a little surprised when they mentioned it to each other.

Ken then came to speak to Gary and the first of our three dinners together came soon after. We have all been praying about it. Last Friday they brought dinner to our house to tell us they had decided to go ahead with this.

Now I need to write up something for us to work through so we will be clear about what we all have agreed to.

Thank you for your prayers about this already. Please pray now for wisdom for us as we go through this process. Please pray that we would know what we need to write down and that He would protect and increase our friendship as we enter this relationship concerning the house.