Sulad Jhun Cardeinte
(This article written in October 2007)
When I stepped back on the airport, everything had flashed back in my mind the things that I have had a lot of trouble adjusting almost a year past. But I get through with it and was getting used to living in Thailand. But being absent for several months, it seemed everything I see is like a new experience to me. I could feel the impact of the strange things that confronted me in my head; the kind of people, the belief, the language, stressful traffic, spicy food, styles of dress and etc. I know I’ve got a return shock and so I paused for a moment and say “LORD, please direct my steps.” As I felt the need to undergo some process of enculturation again to understand the people’s thinking and new way of life around me.
THAI SONG
The day I arrived, I heard about evangelistic meeting that was going on in the Chinese Adventist church through my sisters’ friend that visited them that day. Having gone to the challenging air trip in the middle of the night, I was still dizzy and actually needed some rest. But the friends of my sister persuaded me to help them sing. It was an official invitation for the night evangelistic presentation.
Knowing that Chinese in Thailand are still Thai by language, I decided to go with them, thinking that I can inspire them through Thai songs. That evening came and we were ready to sing. We sang the first song”As the Deer” and I sang the Thai version “Jit Win Yan”. The audience was so amaze seeing a Pilipino singing Thai song. That has been the natural impact I always observe whenever I sing in the Thai church. But some of them were so touch that they can’t help waving their hands with their very emotional faces. They seemed enjoying the heavenly moment with God as they could feel it through the song.
But many can’t help but turned on their videos and some their cameras to get me shots. It seems that it was their first time to hear a clear Thai song from a foreigner. And they wanted to gather what they heard and get memories for their future use. But they forgot the heavenly blessings of that moment.
This holds true to our Christian experience that we try to escape the present moment of our lives by the busyness of the things we tried to build up for our future use and forget to live the full spiritual life at the present time. We love to linger the past moments and work hard for the future that we neglect the status of our present relationship with God.
BIG BOX
When the Sabbath afternoon came, a missionary minded family invited me to join them distributing the free “Steps to Christ” with a new attractive cover “The Secrets of Happiness.” The plan was to distribute a big box to “Lumpini Park” the most known and biggest park in Bangkok. Everyone was excited as we were heading to the park. As we stepped off the taxi, just in front of the guarded gate, we helped carry the heavy box going inside the park. One of the two guards in the main gate suspiciously stretched his neck to peep the inside of our box. But we simply passed by naturally as if we did not bring questionable things to distribute inside the park. I already knew that such religious activity would not make the Thai government happy. Thousands of religious books had been confiscated by them in the past. But that missionary family (a Filipino who has been teaching in Bangkok) was purely innocent and all they know were to help save the Thai people.
As we got through the park, we made the box ready on the bench. Seeing many people gladly walking, I and the kids started to gather books in our hands to distribute. Unfortunately, we placed the box just about 10 meters away to another guard station inside the park.
I knew that the guard will really stop us, but I did not tell anyone of my companion to avoid early commotion. But I gathered the books without delay and slipped away to the very opposite direction. In about 4 minutes, as I started handed out the books, I saw them from the distance that the guard had confronted them and finally ordered to take the box away from the park.
Innocent and obedient as they were, they headed back outside the park. I thought that was the end of our activity, but they started giving books outside the park just in front of the main gate! They offer the books to anyone without exception even those who were going inside the park. They even gave one to the guard!
As I finished giving the books to people inside, I headed outside the park and was amaze seeing many people entering the park reading the books. I even saw the guard reading at his table as I reached the gate! Seeing the remaining few copies of books in the big box, I joined with them. And finally carried the empty box again inside the park!
Statistically, 70% accepted our free book gifts. But 30% refused the gifts with varied reasons. Some refuse because they said they will do the jog exercise and don’t want to have something in hand that will disturb their rhythm. Outside the park, some refused because they were so busy and have no time to read while some walked with their fix plan and don’t want to be delayed.
Too long to write, but these are all present in the Christian realms. The Holy Spirit has been trying to do everything, every possible ways beyond human eyes can see. But He has been half welcome! We sometimes give very small space to HIM that HE can hardly work freely! We do not give the Holy Spirit the full chance to get involve in every detail in our life. Then we unconsciously go against the things God wants. We tend to become so engross with our work, wanting to let everyone see that we are one of the best workers in this planet!
How much space we give for the Holy Spirit? Is HE still the one that controls the rhythm of our life? If we give HIM the full chance to drive the steering of our life and accept HIS full guidance then we will truly understand that His plan is the best!
SMALL PUPPY
Pet lovers as they were, we realized that no one is allowed to bring dog at the park. This is a problem different from the challenge we met through the big box of books we brought in. But the guard at the gate did not notice the small animal with us. And so we were admitted. We passed by several steel board notices at the park that no dog is really allowed. But we tried to insist that we only bring a puppy and not dog. But as we kept on walking, we realized that there is no such thing as puppy in Thai language and it belongs to one name “ma.” No matter how small or big it is! But we can’t let the puppy go. In fact, the husband and the two boys of maam Luisa went back home to get another two puppies! They love the puppy so much that we decided to carry it wherever we go and trying to hide it whenever we saw a park guard. It was a bad experience that I was physically and mentally involved and affected!
When it began to dark, we decided to go home. Many strict guards were guarding at the gate but fortunately they all stayed in one place and we easily outsmart them and were so happy to make our way out from the park without their knowledge. Then we ate outside and enjoy at the small restaurant with the cute puppy! Then finally we waited for the cheaper public bus, hoping we could save some money. It seemed that we were waiting for the last bus since we waited for more than 30 minutes. But finally it arrived and we happily got in right away.
Unfortunately, we were not aware that people bringing animals are not allowed to ride the bus. When the unforgiving conductress saw the puppy with us, she was so upset and asked the driver to stop and with all her authority ordered us all to step out right away from the bus in the presence of many passengers! To avoid further embarrassment, we stepped out right away just because of a small puppy. Still in the feeling of shame and humiliation, we decided to ride the expensive taxi.
Do you have small puppy in your spiritual life? The silly things that you love most that is so hard to give up. Ask God on how to surrender your small puppy-sin. Christians who won’t give up their small puppies will be put to shame in the judgment day.
No comments:
Post a Comment