Christmas Celebrations

The Christmas season has afforded us many opportunities to share the 'Good News' of Christmas in some special and unique ways this year. Mark's refinery has an Esso Sports Club with numerous types of clubs-badminton,tennis,football,Buddhist....One of Mark's engineers expressed interest in starting a Christian club. Mark fully supported it and volunteered to 'kick-off' the initial meeting with a Christmas celebration. They invited all employees to come for a free lunch and hear the true meaning of Christmas. Mark said 40 people came, including his dear, sweet, secretary-Suchada. A pastor from Bangkok came and presented the meaning of Christmas. Remember there are only 3 known Christians in the entire refinery, including Marko!

One of the ladies in my Monday Bible Study group suggested we honor our drivers and maids with a Christmas luncheon and also share with them why we celebrate Christmas. What a great idea!! These employees do so much to make our lives easier here-they make sure we are safe on the roads, transport our children, clean for us, interpret for us when needed, help us find our ways in this foreign land...It was so fun to hand them the printed invites and honor them with a nice Thai duck meal with fried rice with vegis and fruits. We did all the preparation and clean-up. I told Nok, "Wannee, my tum naghn." Today, no work! ''

The Thai culture is soooo respectful and mindful of social status, it is very uncomfortable for them to have the roles reversed. Most of the other maids and drivers always call their employers-Madame but Nok and Songkran call me Khun Da. They thought it was quite funny to be served by the Madams. I asked one of the Thai maids, "Tum khun loo farangs bah my?" Do you think that foreigners are crazy??? She just giggled. This was so abnormal for them. We have a Thai lady who is a faithful Christian teacher and she translated and taught for most of the program. Each of us shared something.

I decided to share the story of the missionary in India who was speaking to some Indian women in a village about the love of God and how Christians should be different. Suddenly, one of the women got up to leave, the missionary asked, "Where are you going?" She stated, "I'm going to walk to your house and talk to your maid to ask her how you are at your home." I stated that I hope that they can each see a difference in us in our cars and homes because of Christ being in us. I also tried to express how special Nok and Songkran are to our family. They both have been with us from day one here in Thailand.

I really doubted if Songkran would come. Every time we have invited him to church with us, he adamantly says, "My Boat!" or NO CHURCH. The invites had a verse on them and they were told that we would share the real meaning of Christmas with them. I also really tried to convey to him that he didn't HAVE to come but I hoped he would come. He seemed to enjoy it. At one point, I asked him, "Are you having fun." He replied, "Let's do this every week!!"

The first week of January I have a missionary team, friends of ours here that have an orphanage for Aids children coming to present a program to all the girls at the prison. On Sunday our family fellowship group will be spending the afternoon at a weekend day care sharing the love of Christ and having a 'Happy Birthday Jesus' party. God has given us many opportunities to speak of Him here. Many, many times it is the first time some of the people have even heard the name of Jesus. Oh may it be high and lifted up here in Thailand!

Please if you think of it pray for our 'work' here. Pray for Nok, Songkran and Suchada especially that we can live out Christ before them and always look for opportunities to share the saving knowledge of Him. That they will come to know Him and love Him. That they will be with us in Heaven for all eternity.

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