One plants, Another waters, and God makes it grow
My team spent two days doing ministry in a village called Dylup. Our time there was filled with providing medical care, playing games like volleyball and tag with the villagers, and sharing Bible teachings. Our time was filled with meaningful connections and opportunities to pray for the people. However, our time there was so short. Leaving me wondering what impact this short ministry could really have? At the end of our ministry, the local pastor, Abraham, shared some incredible news: around 25 people approached him, expressing their desire to follow Jesus for the first time. Over the next… Read moreIn the Water
The sun lit the mid-day Sunday sky with bright rays. Mingled scents of wet dirt, burning trash, and sugar cane greeted us as we approached the fields. Water rushed through the man-made ditch to the field, leaving a spot just deep enough for Baptism. Holding a Jaja’s hand as we walked, we smiled at those eagerly gathering around the designated spot. The red African dirt coated the feet of the church members looking down on the girls lined up to be baptized in the moving water below. In those moments, drums and native songs accompanied the joy of those present better than any pristine chapel… Read moreFar From Home ไกลบ้าน (Klai Baan)
I walked down a corridor in the Thai history museum I was visiting with my language class. The air conditioning made me shiver and I paused as a poster on the wall caught my eye. “In 1907, King Rama V of Thailand traveled to Europe and kept a journal of his visit. He titled the book “Klai Baan,” which means “Far From Home.” I read the title again, frowning. I had learned that phrase in just the past week in school, and I cocked my head in realization that I understood what those words meant without a translation. Far from home. I understood what that meant too. I stood in silence for a moment… Read more