Thai ’08 Journal 27 – The Final

I’m on the flight from Los Angeles to Seattle (on which they upgraded me to First Class); then I’ll fly down to Portland where Vie will meet me and we’ll stay overnight with Lorraine before heading back to Walla Walla on Wednesday. When I arrive home it would have been over 48 hours since I left Mission College, traveling! Incidentally, I got word from Keri that everyone arrived safely in Portland and cleared Customs and Immigration without any problems.

Now let me reflect a bit on the trip and some philosophy behind it: At Walla Walla University we have different persons leading mission trips related to their areas of interest. For example over the years we have had Engineering professors leading trips to Southern Asia, Education professors to Asia, Theology professors leading traditional evangelistic series in conjunction with the Share Him organization. Although my main area is New Testament studies, I did a post-doctorate missiological degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. I subsequently published a book, Complete Evangelism:The Luke-Acts Model (Herald Press), which dealt with a paradigm of doing evangelism in a more wholistic way – combining proclamation with social outreach and social concern. I find that that was the basic model that Jesus practiced. My mission trips to a country like Thailand, which is over 90 percent non-Christian, attempt to find ways to implement that model.

Our University is a great place to stage such a multiplex, wholistic enterprise. I can tap into the resources of the various academic and service departments who will bring their particular strengths and passion to the missiological tasks. In 2005 we had professors from Education and Psychology involved in the enterprise; in 2006 and this year the School of Nursing was engaged in this wholistic mission. I’m hoping to have the Schools of Business and Engineering involved in the future. Hopefully, in a future edition of my book, I can have an expanded chapter on missiological applications that utilizes the experiences of these trips as fodder for academic and pastoral thought and praxis.

These trips are not funded or subsidized by the University. All the participants raise their own funds, and I and others encourage well-wishers to contribute tax-deductible dollars to this “evangelistic” enterprise. And now here comes my offering appeal: Please note that giving to this is not simply to help fulfill my personal and professional dream. What I see as a life changing experience for our students and employees (as well as others who participate in these endeavors), makes it worth it all. Students, for example, who have no gift of speaking and preaching, nor the gift of even teaching at an English Camp, will work on a crippled man’s farm and touch his life in a way that some of us with the “gift of the gab” could never do. These students come back changed, and are ready to make a difference not overseas, but right at home in America. I’ve seen it, I know it, and I’ve experienced it.

The nursing component of this trip was particularly note-worthy. The Walla Walla team did not do as much hands-on medical “stuff” as the 2006 nursing team did in Jamaica. However, they worked with 65 Mission College nursing student, the vast majority of whom are Buddhist. The friendships and relationships that were forged is the stuff that wholistic evangelism is made of! Yes, we are going to refine the tasks, so that there will be a bit more clinical activity, but from an evangelistic point of view, they “preached.” The same was true for the English Camp team. They did have enormous hands-on activities. But it was the interaction with a school that is just about 100 percent non-Christian and its students and faculty that was most impacting. They lived the life of Christ. They “proclaimed” the gospel! Overall this year's team was one of the best that I've ever worked with. There was dedication, passion for service, and a good team spirit.

Thanks for your prayers and support. I solicit your feedback and insights.

Blessings

pedrito

Thai ’08 Journal 26

I thought that today was going to be a light day; but it turned out to be just the opposite. As I mentioned yesterday, we did not get enough time to shop in Bangkok, so we went to Saraburi (45 minutes away) today. But there was nothing typically Thai there for them to bring back as gifts. I did quite a bit of walking (I’m over 17,000 pedometer steps already today); and found nada. Hopefully, we will find a few things at the airport in the morning when we check in at 4:00am.

This afternoon I was running like a chicken without a head, tying up the loose ends for the trip, including taking care of the finances with the business office. That took a while, and turned out ok. Instead of us owing them over $400.00, they owe us over $3,000.00. Then the internet went is down here at the house, and the IS people tried for a while to get it back up without success. Later I’ll go over to the College and see if I get on from there. The students went to the spa to have their own Olympic swim meet – pool-lympics! Tonight they took me out to eat! They are an awesome bunch.

It is now almost 11:30pm and we leave in 30 minutes. Let me see if I can get this off before we leave.

…But as you can see I never got it off. But I’m at the airport and they gave me a complimentary pass to the business class lounge, which the students said I should take. They also gave me a great thank-you Thailand polo shirt on which they all signed. Again, what a great bunch!

The sad news is that I’m booked to go through LA, and could not get on the direct flight to Portland. I won’t get in until tonight L

Thai ’08 Journal 25

It is almost midnight, Sunday. At 8:00am we left for our day’s outing in Bangkok. First stop was a tour of Mission Hospital. Then we took the bus to what is possibly the largest computer store in Thailand. It was an interesting bus ride. We came off in the middle of the street, and waddled our way through 3 lanes of oncoming traffic. The traffic is the worst in Bangkok of anywhere in the world that I have travelled. You have to experience it to appreciate it!

The next stop was the Grand Palace. It is always a hit on these trips. Photographing the grandeur is so rewarding! Did I tell you that my camera went kapunkt! So Lorraine loaned me hers and I got some great shots. We were not allowed to take photos in the Emerald Buddha’s temple. But Lorraine’s zoom was able to capture it from way outside. It’s spectacular, as well as all those lavish gold-plated buildings.

We got to Chatuchak Weekend Market (the largest in the world) one hour before it closed. I did one hour of power shopping. The shopping mall adjoining it was opened until 8:00pm, so we were able to do a bit more. Many of the team members were not able to get everything they needed for their friends and relatives, so tomorrow we will do a bit more in Saraburi.

Kim Johnson and Fred stayed at the hospital, and Bhima left for Nepal. So we are down to the final 19.

Thai ’08 Journal 24

For church today, the singing group “Unceasing Cantica,” from Bangkok gave a program of classical music as part of their 6^th year anniversary tour. In the afternoon 18 of the team members went to the farm to have a final worship with Mr. Presat, the injured farmer. I got 12 in my 5-seater car. It reminded me of the time in Jamaica when I took 13 in my VW bug!

We had a blessed time at the farm. There was lots of singing by the almost 30 of us. The farmer loved it. He wrote us a letter, which I hope to get translated and possibly include in a later blog. They were so appreciative of what we did. They said that it would have been impossible to get so much done without our help. We were invited to return next year. They gave us sweet sop and we drank coconut water and the innards of the coconut. Vie will be happy to know that I did not cut my hand with the machete as I was “showing off” how we open the coconut in Jamaica.

For the worship devotional students spoke about their experiences. The nurses spoke about their initial disappointment of not being able to do more “nursing” stuff. But they realized that the relationships that they built were just as important at actual nursing activities. I think that this was highlighted especially on Thursday night at the send-off party. They became aware of the impact they made on the lives of the MC students and faculty, as well as in the community.

Most of the team went to their favorite pool by the spa near the College; and George, the VP for Student Administration took Kim, Fred, and I out to dinner at a lovely restaurant. I got my teeth cleaned on the dining room table when I returned home. Kim Johnson was a real “hit” on the team. She not only cleaned teeth in the community, but on camps as well. She could not keep up with the amount of faculty and staff who wanted to be cleaned. George mentioned to us tonight how much she was appreciated for what she did. Some mentioned that what she did and how she did it was so much superior to the local hygienist. She plans to come back again next year if all goes well for a repeat.

Thai ’08 Journal 23

The Mission College nurses returned to Bangkok this morning. This left our nurses free to join the teams at the farm and the English Camp. Two of them joined the English Camp, and the rest came to the farm and picked corn. We did 2 pick-up loads in 2 hours; and they loved it. They would have loved to stay a bit longer. There was simple satisfaction to be involved in a project that brought immediate, tangible results. They also met the injured farmer; and that also gave even more impetus to work – there was a human, visible cause. All of this was topped off with drinking coconut water and eating the coconut meat. The regular team also picked sweet sop.

Those at the English Camp had a great day as well; and the rest of us joined them in the afternoon for their send-off and “thank-yous.” The VP for Student Administration, the Chaplain, and Assistant Chaplain, also came. The Principal of the High School and others thanks us for our services and invited us to come again next year. They also had gifts for the English Camp team.

Fred, Kim, I and a number of the students took time to get massages. This evening the former President Dr. Siriporn took the 3 of us, staff, out to a fabulous restaurant. It is her support and vision that has made this trip come to fruition. I met with her Cabinet in 2005 and talked about my missiological vision for partnership with the Thai people to do wholistic “evangelism.” But in particular, we visioned together the possibilities of our campuses working with various academic departments, and campus ministries in various endeavors around Muak Lek and throughout Thailand. We were both excited at the success of this first trial run.

Yesterday the Mission College Board of Trustees voted to rename the school, “Asia-Pacific International University.” This was also one of her “babies” that she worked for during the 10 years of her presidency. How great to see that also come to fruition. In her retirement she is working on making the nursing school really international. Her vision is to have some of the students come and spend some time at WWU, as part of their studies. Ideas, ideas, ideas! That’s where great things start!

Oh, and Bonnie did work out Bhima and her mom’s ticket. They now leave on Monday.

Thai ’08 Journal 22

It is now after 11:00 Thursday night in Thailand and I’m just now getting to write this blog. It was quite a day and evening… And it is now after midnight. Just had a little crisis, as I wrote that first sentence: Bhima’s mom missed her flight to Bangkok to meet up with her daughter here; and both of them fly on to Nepal tomorrow! My travel agent, Bonnie at Worldwide Travel [she is awesome; you should use her] just sent me an email with the information. So I had to try and find Bhima at this late hour, and also call Portland, etc etc. I’ll spare you all the details. We pray that it will all work out.

I planned to give you some great details about the day; but that plan is shot. So here is the summary: We went to the farm and picked over 20 large baskets of sweet sop; and ate coconut. The nurses had a great tour of the hospital here in Muak Lek. Today was Kyle Balk’s 21^st birthday. His roommate and close friend Kyle Lafferty took him out to celebrate at the pizza place at the Tesco Lotus shopping mall. We had a super good time. I would love to go into the details, but Vie just told me on Skype that I need to get into bed.

But not before telling about the fabulous farewell party the Mission College nursing students put on tonight. It was a great potluck (our students made spaghetti), and the program was out of this world. The Governor of the province and other officials were there. Everybody who participated (from the Governor down – even MC’s dean of the school of nursing) sang – karaoke style. But our students were not out-done with their rendition s from “Grease.” I uploaded a few files on the photo site. A highlight of the night was a surprise birthday celebration for Kyle. That really made his day. The MC Nurses brought him on stage; everyone sang for him, and they made him participate in a Thai dance! He was stoked! What a day: his favorite – coconut water; pizza (for the BD cakeJ); a fabulous ice-cream; a little shopping; and ended with great attention by the Thai people! What a 21^st!

I’ll say more in my final evaluation of the trip. But it has been so wonderful working with the MC nursing school. And the feeling is mutual. Today they formally invited us to return next year!

Thai ’08 Journal 21

The entire team, except the Kyles and I went to a AIDS/HIV Hospice today. On their return my question was, of course: “How was it?” The response: “Heavy stuff!” At the Hospice was a museum with not only body parts of AIDS victims, but whole preserved dead victims hanging in a tank of solution! The students believe that the bodies and parts were there for educational purposes, as well as for the shock value. The visit to the patients who were still alive was no more encouraging, as you can imagine. Visiting the dying patients was quite depressing; but the team still gave the patients massages and spent personal time with them. You will notice that one gentleman even gave Kari permission to take his photo. Each team member gave 150 baht (about $4.50) to the hospice.

At the farm we picked corn. It rained “cats and dogs” last night, so there was a lot of mud! We were rewarded with more water coconut s before we left.

Tonight Kim gave the final health presentation at the third village. We had a full house. Then most of the team came over to the house to practice a number for tomorrow night’s “show,” as well as just to “hang out.”