Destination Thailand

The journey from Connor's perspective

A week ago our plane left Ottawa and we were off to Thailand. The flight took 29 hours as we flew over large parts of North America, the Pacific Ocean, and Asia. When we arrived in Bangkok we were greeted by our new boss Noah, who escorted us out of the airport. It felt great to leave the airport and breathe in the warm humid air of a tropical country. We threw all our luggage into the back of Noah’s truck and headed off to a hotel to get some rest. Almost instantly it started to rain, than pour, and before long we were in a lightning storm which left everything we brought soaking wet.

The next day we were off to Tak. Noah explained to us what we should know about Thailand.

1. There is one insult that is more offending than any other. Whatever you do, don’t call anyone a monitor lizard. No idea why but apparently it’s terrible. 

2. Walking is seen as strange, and unusual. No one walks to get anywhere. The only people that walk around here are us and monks.
3. No touching monks because if any woman touches a monk they have to go into an elongated period of solitude.

Here is the story about how both of us ended up teaching in Thailand. Last year we were in Thunder Bay figuring out what we were going to do with our lives. The thought of teaching overseas was a possibility but we weren’t sure where. Heather decided to take the evening of Tuesday, March 20^th off to pray specifically about this. Tuesday arrived and I was at track practice and felt a strong desire to pray so I left track halfway through practice and went into the woods to pray. Afterwards I met up with a friend to continue praying, asking God for clarity about next year.

Heather and I both prayed for hours that Tuesday night. After praying Heather decided to check her email before going to bed. She had received a new email from some friends she had not heard from in months. It said “Hi Heather, We are in Thailand in a small village about 5 hours north of Bangkok. We are living and offering English classes in a small and very spiritually dark community. We came to scout the land and it is Jesus and God void. They are a lost people and so blinded on every side. There are teaching opportunities here and your name came into our hearts.”

Seven months later the two of us have arrived in Thailand. Heather and I have no idea what we are doing here but we trust that God has a plan and that He will use us as He sees fit.

While thinking about being in Thailand I am reminded of Abraham’s story. Where God said to Abraham that if you leave your country than “all the peoples of the earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:3). Abraham went; he left his country and all he knew, trusting that God would do the rest. All God asked Abraham to do was to leave and because he left, Jesus, one of Abraham’s descendants was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Connor

Monitor Lizard