A Reflection from Christy
I love the rainy season. After months of suffocating heat and parched lands the rains bring refreshment in every way. The space around us has changed from shades of brown to bright hues of greens, reds, yellows… Thailand is a beautiful country.
It is hard to imagine that the seasons have come and gone and Jason and I have been here for a year. When I reflect upon the calendar that has passed I see faces. I see the face of my beautiful friend Wah who has reminded me again of what it means to be a generous servant. I see the mischievous grin on our friend Ajan Tui’s face. He has set the example for what it means to selflessly advocate for at risk children more than anyone else I’ve known. I see the weathered face of a Palaung village headman sharing about his journey from Burma to Thailand. I can still see the pain in his eyes as he recalled the day his son was shot in the conflict. I hear laughter, and in that laughter I see the faces of beautiful children who have endeared themselves to me.
I journeyed to Thailand a year ago with a suitcase full of clothes and books and a heart full of hope. In just a few short weeks I will be repacking that suitcase. Mixed in with the same clothes and books will be a multitude of memories and lessons learned. I have been reminded of what the Gospel is about. There is beauty in salvation – salvation beyond this life as well as within it. Salvation from poverty, from injustice, from racism…and as Christians we are called to share this salvation with others, no matter the geography. From the hills of Northern Thailand to the skyscrapers of Dallas, TX my passion and desire is to share the hope and love of Christ to those who are hopeless. As this chapter of my life closes, I look excitedly to the one opening. I can only hope that I will be faithful to live out the lessons that I have learned with the grace that I have seen among my kind and loving neighbors here in Thailand.
A Reflection from Jason
My friend Susan lived in South Africa for two years. She recently shared with me that when she returned to America her schedule was so busy that it didn’t really set in that she was back. However, a few months later at her mission debriefing she slowed down and began to process everything. In a moment, her experiences came crashing in and she began to cry. “I lived in Africa for two years!”
People keep asking me what I’ve learned from our time overseas. I have a few pages of notes on that subject in my hand right now. I could bore you with them, but the truth is I’m not sure how to answer that question. I can’t tell you what I’ve learned, how I’ve changed, or what I will miss…I have a feeling that those truths will come to me over time as they did for Susan – in slow, unexpected moments. Susan said that one of the most difficult things about returning to America was that there was this new part of her story that others could listen to, but that no one could really envision or understand. There will be moments like that for me. Truth will come rushing in as I realize how I have changed. African immigrants and Burmese refugees are now a part of my story – they have affected me in ways that no other person, except perhaps Christy, will be able to understand.
I hope to be faithful. If I return to America and leave behind the lessons that God has taught me through the French, the African, the Sri Lankan, the Thai, the Palaung, the Karin, and the Lahu, I will have chosen unfaithfulness. Volunteer groups often come to UHDP for one or two weeks and leave knowing that they were served by others much more than they served. I stand with them in that knowledge. Our friends around the world have challenged and changed me. They have been my teachers.
These years have been truly transformational. In the midst of surprise, joy, wonder, and much transition, you have been with us – praying, writing, giving, and serving. For this, we thank you, we love you, and we hope to see you all very soon.
