Loris’ Last Installment From Thailand
Wednesday: I’m tired this morning. I know Lucy is probably cooking already. The students are coming to listen to Pastor Frank at the church next to Kitichai & Lucy’s. They will have lunch at their house and eat the pig killed yesterday. I listen for awhile. We leave tomorrow afternoon and I don’t want to forget the early morning sounds of the village.
Lucy has made rice porridge for breakfast. We also have a fruit unknown to me, sweet sticky rice, toasted rice patties & buried eggs. The eggs look like boiled eggs but they are dry and have been salted & buried underground for 20 days. Caleb is home from school today because he begged to be here with all the activity. We eat on the patio. Joshua is dressed in his Boy Scout uniform. Shann takes his picture. He looks sharp! Instead of a wolf on the kerchief there is an elephant. He rides a motorcycle to Thai school.
I help Lucy’s mother with the onion, garlic and green onions. I think I’m in the way but I’m enjoying it and I don’t want to sit while they work. Shann gets a lesson in mashing garlic. Lucy begs me to let her wash my clothes. She is a perfect host. I’m wearing the ‘everyday’ skirt she gave me. It’s a tube you wrap around & tie—one size fits all. I’ve been told they are practical for privacy with changing or using the bathroom. I don’t plan to try that but I can see how it would work.
Kitichai takes a dump truck to LTC to bring them to his home and the church next door. The students helped build the house …they are comfortable here and seem happy to see the family settled. They pitch in in the kitchen.
We gather at the church. I haven’t seen it inside. We take our shoes off at the door. It’s beautiful. It’s concrete, painted white with tiled floors and lots of windows. The windows are wood and can be opened not to see out of but for airflow. It has some glass above. The other churches didn’t have glass. There is a drum set on the platform in front. There is a bright red cloth on the wall behind the pulpit. Fresh glads in bowls decorate the front of the church. Red & white chairs are on separate sides of the church. Girls in red, boys in white. The ceiling has a huge cross also concrete painted white. Foil Christmas trees and other decorations dangle from the ceiling.
The students sing to begin the day. Frank teaches a lesson illustrated with pencils. Ladies from the village wander in…all have been invited. The church is full. Frank has the full attention of the audience. Lucy’s kitchen smells of garlic next door. I am not hungry but distracted!
Pastor Frank & Shann are presented with Lahu vests. They are beautiful. A student asks for prayer…she’s having trouble sleeping. Pastor Frank, Shann & I pray for her in the front of the church. We say grace and then the feast. Everyone scatters to find shade and rest. Time now for more teaching/preaching in the afternoon.
Guitars are out…more beautiful singing. Animated choruses. Shann opens in prayer with Kitichai interpreting. Shann gives his testimony and Pastor Frank begins his afternoon lesson. Col. 3:1-17. Four steps to being a more godly person. This is wonderful teaching and the students are focused. I am distracted by all the babies around me…they are quiet or sleeping. Adorable!
We pray. Pastor Frank teaches and the students pray out loud for us. I had never given a thought to what angels praying sounded like…today I think they speak Lahu!
We say goodbye for now. Lucy shows me how she washes an outfit for me to change into in Tokyo on the way home. It’s quite a process. Terry and Linda bring chicken and other delights. Lucy gives me a cooking lesson and we share our last supper in Thailand. We have a long and heartfelt conversation about our trip, the future and needs of LTC.
Will we be back? God willing. Terry is very frank about the isolation missionaries feel on the field. I’m thinking about this and will continue to think about it. We have coffee, the boys are home from Chinese school and we enjoy visiting with them. It’s time for bed but we hate to go because the morning will come too soon.
***PLEASE PRAY FOR US. WE LEAVE IN THE LATE MORNING (Wednesday night at your home) AND WILL BE TRAVELLING UNTIL ARRIVING HOME FRIDAY AFTERNOON. Safety, sleep and sadness at leaving are three requests.***