Persons of Peace & Relationship Building

8 months here in Bangkok so far. We've been really working hard to figure out how God is going to use us here, and in our minds, we thought we would be much further along by now. We're being taught patience. Our goal as a team is to build relationships that are kingdom building- finding persons of peace, whether that is with non-believers or with other local Christians, it is what we have been focusing on to build up the church. Until now, we have made a few friends, but many people in this mega-city are spread out around it, which makes it difficult to get together for any kind of social event or even a dinner. Not only are they spread out, but the schedules- Thai people seem to be free on one day of the week- Sunday. Many work 6 days, starting with an early morning commute, an 8 hour day and another 1-3 hour commute back home which brings them home around 7-8 PM every night. To tell the truth, I haven't been able to see many positives in trying to connect with anyone. And then, there's the language barrier. Since we don't know enough Thai, our search for relationships is narrowed to English speakers.

When I finish teaching my classes at the BSC, I go home via the SkyTrain (BTS). While I am fine with teaching, much of my energy is spent and I am ready to be home when I'm done, so I don't engage many people in conversation during this commute. People who commute on the SkyTrain also are not very communicative, putting on headphones and dis-engaging from everyone around them. Sometimes, my students travel the same direction as I do on the SkyTrain and I wind up talking to them during my entire ride. Needless to say, that drains me even more, but I have to think how I can show them Christ even when I am tired. One of my students, Mee and his wife Palm rode the SkyTrain with me this past Thursday, and we talked some. He then was ready to exit to go get his car which was parked in a parking garage nearby, and he asked if he could take me to my house. I rarely turn down a ride, and since he lives in our area, it was not inconvenient for them to do so. We had a good conversation on the way home. I asked if there were any really good Thai restaurants in our area, and I told him that we should get together and have dinner at one of those places together so they could show us how to order food in Thai, as well as what to order. He also asked if I was Catholic, and I said I am protestant, or Baptist. He said that he had no idea of either. Perhaps one day he'll have more questions. Pray for this relationship, that God directs me to build it to share His love with this couple.

Today, my daughter and I started out to the place that our team does ministry at a community center in a poor neighborhood every Saturday. We usually take 2 different buses, then motorcycle taxis as well as plenty of walking to get there- it's about an hour trip. One of our neighbors, Joe, whom we had not met yet, drove up and asked if he could give us a lift to the bus stop. Once he asked where we were going, he said that he was going that way also and he would take us the whole way there. As we were talking, he asked what I did for a living. I said that I taught English and the Bible at the Baptist Student Center, and he said, "You're Baptist? A Christian? I'm also a Christian!" Right in our neighborhood. He attends a church on the other side of town, far away from where he lives, but he doesn't know of any closer churches since he moved to this area, so he just keeps going. I asked if he was part of a small group, and he said yes, but he also has to travel far to attend it. I told him that I would like to start a small group in our town-home complex, and that perhaps we could do it together.

Praise God we have been put right in the place that God wants us to be. I pray that he continues to use us for His glory, and not our comfort. Pray for the relationships with Mee, his wife Palm and Joe, that we can build on them in order to build His kingdom. Also, pray for God to bring us more persons of peace.