Tag Archive for: Thailand

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Thailand Mission

Thailand was a lot of things and exciting was certainly among those.

One thing that certainly comes straight to mind when I reflect on the journey is certainly our time with Iven and Kashmira (Missionaries with YWAM). Their life challenged me in the area of letting Go for Christ’s sake. Looking at their living situation and the intensity of their area of ministry totally challenged me to look at my own life and review how much letting go I had done and what other things I am still holding on to and not willing to let go of, even for the sake of Christ. When Iven shared or rather reminded us of how the Gospel is such a treasure that a man found on a eld and went and sold everything to acquire that treasure, I saw the verse in a different light, in a way that actually meant LET GO.

Being in a country that was dominantly Buddhist, God opened my eyes to the reality of idol worship and how for the Thai people, that’s the only hope they have. It certainly broke my heart to learn about their belief on incarnation and how they settle for a life of hopelessness because that’s all they know.

Prior to leaving I asked God to show me that he was the same God even in Thailand. Partnering with the church in Thailand and seeing how they were a family was a reminder of how God really calls us to a new family once we come to him, that reminded me of my own community back home and how much of a family we have been. Seeing Sylvio and Marcia still labouring for Christ in their small congregation today,even after the many years they have been with the church was a reminder that the very Gospel that we so believed to even decide on going to Thailand is the very Gospel that has kept them and the very one they’re sharing with the Thai people.

Learning about the Thai culture was also very exciting. One highlight was learning about how much of a big deal their king is to them for having been such a great king to them for such a long time. The food was delicious as well, it really isn’t over rated. Thai people really are calm and welcoming people, that really made the stay very pleasant. It was quite an encouragement to hear that our presence and all that we did meant a lot to the local pastor Changchai. He saw God move among their communities through all that we did and that in itself was enough to say the trip was worthwhile. Spending time with Mandisa was really sweet, really also encouraging to get to see where she works and lives and seeing how much of an impact her work has made within OMF.

Lastly I haven’t spoken until I say how much of a joy the team has been, learning about our different life stories and seeing how God brought all of us together was really great.

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Thailand Missions Trip (1-12 December 2012)

Sawadi Ka/Kap (hello in Thai)

Recently Rosebank Union Church had the opportunity to send a team of short-term missionaries to work alongside Ed and Ros Thomas in Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand. The team included Andre and Jenni Kurten (the team leaders/parents), Peter and Tracy-Ann Willcock, Dora and Phumi Sitole, Norma Young, Rob Macfarlane, Talya and Gemma Carter, Pierre Venter, David Jones, and one of Rosebank Union’s missionaries, Mandisa Makasi. The trip was absolutely heart-stirring as we grew in our appreciation for Jesus and the gospel in our own lives. God also planted and strengthened the desire in our hearts for the gospel to be known among all people of all nations. Both of these aspects became more meaningfully embedded in our hearts as we ministered in a country that is 98% Buddhist.

First thing’s first. We want to take this opportunity to thank all the people who were involved with supporting the team, whether financially or in prayer. We could not have done the trip without you, you played a crucial role in the ministry amongst those we interacted with.

God’s amazing provision prior to and during the trip astounded us all and we all grew in the knowledge that God is truly faithful. An example of this was the weather that we experienced while we were there; a few weeks before our work in Ao Nang, it had been raining solidly, but from the moment we arrived, the sun shone constantly until the day our mission came to an end.

What we did on the trip

One of the first days in Ao Nang we went on a 1237 step journey to ‘Tiger Temple’ on the top of a mountain. “Pressing on toward the goal” (Philippians 3:14) took on a whole new meaning! Upon arrival at the peak, still panting from tiredness, our breath was taken away once more by the astounding beauty of the nature surrounding us. Psalm 95:4-6 came into mind: “In His hands are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! (ESV).” During this time we also prayed over the town, city and country and for God’s redemption over the people of Thailand.

Other activities which we were involved in included: prayer walks around Ao Nang; teaching English at a church-run English-language school; community rubbish clean ups; pavement outreach, where we sang Christian songs and evangelised; spending meaningful amounts of time with various local individuals who God has been readying for the gospel; visiting various temples and other culturally significant places in order to grow in the understanding of Thai culture; preaching and praying at local churches; fellowshipping with local Christians and with one another; baptising two members of the team; and worshipping together in song, word, service and fellowship.

In closing, we would like to ask you to please keep Thailand on your prayer list as God continues to do amazing things there. Please pray for Ed and Ros Thomas, Mandisa, Dave Gilcrest and his family, who are currently serving the Lord in Thailand.

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Gerhard Venter

A Taai Experience

Dr Gerhard Venter

I just came back from a short-term mission trip to Thailand. We visited Rosebank missionaries Nick & Trish Bekker and Mandisa Makasi in the city of Lampang, in the northern parts of the country. What an amazing experience! I was fascinated by just about everything we saw and experienced – almost everything is different from our beloved South Africa. Let me mention a few:

 

  • Food and Eating. People eat rice, noodles and all sorts of meat and fish combinations – and most like it hot! There are vendors cooking food at the side of the road everywhere you go. You can find a good meal at the side of the road for the equivalent of R7.00. You can eat in very nice restaurants, pay ten times the price and enjoy an air-conditioned environment. But who would want to do that? By the way, you eat with a spoon with your right hand and cut with a fork in your left hand. Nogal tricky, if you’re used to knife and fork in the proper British way.
  • Toilet habits. In Thailand you don’t flush toilet paper down the drain! You do your thing, wash the relevant part of your anatomy with water (the “grander” places have a spray hose) and then dry your whatever with toilet paper (if provided). The latter is then discarded in a bag which hangs beside the toilet.
  • Language and Speaking. Thai uses a different alphabet and they speak in a tonal way. Most voices are about five tones higher than the South African male macho voice. This is interesting, but when you hear much of it you may feel like you’re in a women’s skinder party. No, it’s not that bad, but it takes some getting used to. And it’s very frustrating not to be able to understand and making yourself understood.
  • Religion and Worship. There is a saying that goes “to be Thai is to be Buddhist” and this is obvious everywhere you go. Bhuddism believes in reincarnation and is pretty much based on works. Every household or business is trying to keep the local spirit happy by offering food and gifts in a “spirit house” erected outside the building. If you don’t live a good life you may come back in the next life as your mother-in-law! And if you kick a dog you may hurt your ouma! How does one reach this culture with the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

I came away from Lampang with the overwhelming awareness of the difficult challenges our missionaries are facing. I will certainly pray for them more often and with much more understanding. A short-term mission trip does not require much: some fund-raising, prayer support and a bit of a daring spirit. You don’t even need any training – you just need to be willing to support our missionaries in what they are doing. Why not consider going on one next year? It will impact your life forever! And you get to experience a different culture as a bonus…

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