Korat Reflections

(Hey jen, hope this helps for the Sunday sharing! Kinda haphazard thoughts cos I'm typing really fast to keep my internet within 30 minutes! Will keep ya guys in prayer!)

Although this is my 4th mission trip, it was an entirely different experience that allowed me to see different facets of what it takes to be in the mission fields. Firstly, the team dynamics was very unique; there was a total of 3 13-year-olds and 3 24-year-olds. As such, the different age groups came to Korat with different expectations.

For the older ones, all of us saw the mission trip as a place of learning even as we serve the community.

For me, I felt that the word for the trip is 'relational'; to minister, pray and encourage the field workers and Thai people that we meet along the way. Indeed, given the time that we had (1 week), and the lack of details on the programs that we are going to do, I felt that the most effective way to enter into korat is to emphasis less on the doing but more on the being (such as listening to God's prompting).

For instance, one of the ways in which we heard God's prompting was the impetus to visit the slums. To begin with, the visitation was not part of the program at all. I happen to (or rather God made it happen) talk to Tong, a Thai friend whom I know back in 2001, and realize that he is now currently working with World Vision, and one of his projects involved a slum that is located very near our hotel.

Now, the visitation to the slum might have been less significant if not for the fact that prior to departure, Auntie Julie from Kam Yam Methodist (ain't sure the spelling) gave us 3 bagfuls of clothes to bless the community in Korat. We all know that Julie is famous for 'praying' over the bags and asking God what specific items are needed to be packed and be used as a blessing.

However, even as we brought the bags to Korat in faith, there was some doubts in my heart as I felt that it did not match the type of work that we are doing - we are supposed to teach English and nowhere in the program are we required to visit some needy areas to distribute clothes.

Thus, visiting the slums not only completed the picture, but more importantly, showed God's sovereignty, purpose and timing in his overseeing of our mission.

(Hmmm... still got many more things to share, but maybe this will be my most significant experience in Korat... argh... really hope to write more, but i'm left with 3 minutes. take care folks and keep in touch!)