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I just finished my first full week of ministry in Chiang Mai. This week has taught me a lot of different things like the different ways ministry can look, how to be intentional in ministry, and a few of the main things that atheists can’t get around. This week I was challenged, humbled, and stunned in so many different ways. I feel like I finally started to understand and “piece together” so many of the “why” questions I had going into Thailand.

As I mentioned in my last blog, I am a part of the book store ministry team. Our first week of ministry consisted of moving boxes of books, organizing books, and reloading the books into the correct area in the storage container. This is such an interesting opportunity because it took me a while to understand how I was actually helping. With my questions throughout this week came answers. I received answers through our leader Apen, through my friends, and through a stranger/friend named Percy. Our ministry leader explained to me that when we organize the books it allows for books stores all over the world to remain stocked on the certain books they need. It makes stocking and selling to become easier. One thing that has encouraged me is the fact that many people would immediately deny the Bible, but they may be intrigued by a Christian novel or Christian counseling book. It is a unique way to spread the word!

This ministry has humbled me in a sense of feeling like I am not doing enough. This is not one of those “mission trips” where you show up, play with kids, share the Gospel, sing/dance, and say see you tomorrow. This ministry is 100% behind the scenes and to be intentional about it is a choice I have to consciously make every second of the day. My team and I were talking about how it’s not really a ministry that pours into you – for example, the way kids ministry does, but it is a ministry that is planting seeds and it’s up to us to trust the fruit will be produced.

We sort books from 9-3 with a lunch break in between. At the beginning of the week it was challenging, but my team has made it so enjoyable. We start out usually by getting a cheap coffee in the morning, we enjoy our little bus ride to the containers, we spend some time praying over our day, we turn on some music, we sort a bunch of boxes, and we try to make the most of it. I guess that is the more tangible side of our ministry. The parts that are more intentional are the prayer and intercession that happens over each book that touches your hands, the tone you use when you communicate with your teammates you’re working with, the thought of sweet little hands receiving their first book full of Bible stories, and the constant check on your heart posture. Remembering why you’re here, who you’re here for, and what is it that really matters is so important when doing ministry that can feel more like a job at times. During team time my friend Kaylee asked such a good question of, “Do you think of this as ministry or as a task you just need to get through?” This question challenged me all week.

The last story I want to share is with a guy my friends Alex, Caleigh, and I met at a coffee shop. His name is Percy, and Percy was raised Jewish. He explained to us He is not a practicing Jew and He now labels Himself as an atheist. Percy approached us Saturday morning as we were doing a little Bible reading in the cafe next to where we are staying in Chiang Mai. He first asked if we were students doing homework and then we said no we are just reading the Bible. He laughed and wished us luck with that. This would have been something we could have just brushed off, but instead He lingered so we started conversation. We ended up talking with Percy for two hours that morning and agreed to meet again the next morning. He is one of the most intelligent people I have met, but He also denies the belief of God. He told us a little about His life and family, but we eventually got to the topic of the Gospel. When we did He explained He had never heard it, and He had also never heard of the New Covenant. He had never heard about Jesus. When sharing the Gospel with Percy we didn’t even get past the fall before he was taken off guard. “You think an evil piece of fruit is the entire reason bad things happen in this world?” And when He said that I kind of understood how it sounded bizarre. This incident also reminded me of the purpose of the whole story, it’s important we don’t just pick apart the pieces we want to hear about. Despite how “bizarre” it does appear, it also reveals how specific and intentional God was with everything; the smallest details matter.

Toward the end of the conversation Alex asked Percy if he would take her Bible and he said no because then he would be obligated to read it. He said as a compromise He would meet us back tomorrow and think on it. We met Him again this morning and long story short, after two hours, Percy left with Alex’s Bible! We plan to meet Him again tomorrow morning and we are hoping He will have read it and written down some things to bring to us.

Earlier when I mentioned it felt like some of my “why” questions were answered, this is what I meant. Why was I placed on the ministry team serving at the bookstore? Was it so I could have such easy access to all sorts of Theological books, devotionals, Christian & Science books, or even the Bible for Percy? Why did an atheist come and laugh at us reading/why didn’t He just keep walking? Was it so we would have a chance to share it with Him? I’ve noticed so many of my “why’s” have been answered when I simply took a step back, waited patiently, and hungrily sought the answers. My friend Alex explained it so well to me that it’s not that God revealed it clearer or more directly, all we did was change our perspective and waited expectantly.

Prayer requests:

  • for Percy’s heart to be opened to the Gospel, and for our time together to be rich!
  • For the bookstore ministry to be a blessing to the people receiving these books worldwide
  • For our leaders as they swap locations this week

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