Genie in Japan

I’m Baaaack

Bangkok
I think traveling on missions and traveling for leisure are such different things…I’m determined to go to Africa, Mongolia, and North Korea. But coming back to Thailand, the place of my first mission and the birthplace of God’s calling for me to preach the Gospel for my lifetime, something just tugged at my heart.  Seeing Thai people, hearing the Thai language, seeing Thai sights–maybe tourists think elephants, silk, and massages, but we know and feel so much more about Thailand–it’s a country that is just over 1% Christian, but a great movement is stirring the country among its young people.  As of now, there are 40 full-time Thai CCC staff in Bangkok alone and every month they have “Family Time,” which is a praise and worship meeting of over a hundred students.  And this is the fruit of God using a bunch of rag-tag Asian-American college kids over a few summer vacations.

P’Yim
I got to meet up with an old friend, a Thai staff I met two years ago in Chiang Mai.  Spending time and talking with her, I was reminded of that first mission and the relationships our team made, the fruit that was born, and the lives that were changed–not just the Thai students, but our own.  I was kind of sad though, thinking about two things: 1) how much Thai staff struggle financially, when what I spend on a pair of jeans could support them for half a month; and 2) the loss I would feel if I could not go on overseas missions every year of my life.

The Kitajimas
While in Bangkok, Sunny & I stayed with the Kitajimas.  They are the parents of Yukiko, a JCCC staff member we used to work with in Osaka.  Everybody (including Thai staff) calls them oto-san and oka-san, which is mom and dad in Japanese.  Yukiko shared the Gospel with them shortly after she received Christ in college, and now they are faithful believers, prayer warriors, missionary supporters, church members and witnesses for Christ.  I have never met a more amazing couple. Truly, their lives are pure light–”…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”  -Matthew 5:16 

Pattaya Beach
I was very much honored to be a part of the first annual KCCC LA STINT retreat–it was cool to gather people from East Asia, Japan, and LA at the same time, same place and enjoy the sun, ride elephants, sit on the beach, and eat, talk, enjoy each others company.  But like I said, it wasn’t so much fun for me.   Through the various seminars, messages, and prayer times, I was very, very broken in seeing my very own image.  Learning about love and humility, I’m taken aback at how little I have grown in these past few months.  And now that there are only 6 more months left until I return to the States, I am at even more of a loss for words.  I’m still processing a lot of thoughts and feelings, but no worries–“If my heart has grown cold / there Your love will unfold / as You open my eyes to the work of Your hands / present suffering will pass / there Your Glory will last / as You open my eyes to the work of Your hands / Jesus open my eyes to the work of Your hands…” I know God is at work in my life, so I’m in safe hands.