Solidarity

The word and concept of solidarity has become somewhat of a challenge (initiated by God-we believe) for our family. In our last blog we shared with you that we were moving into a house in Sai Yok - about 10km away from the Bamboo School. We were at peace with this move, and believed that we could continue to 'minister' to the children at the school along with having more freedom as a family and so on. However....this peace left us and we began to talk about what it really meant to stay in solidarity with these Karen children and young adults. We decided that we could not move. We needed to stay and continue living in proximity with the Karen both at the school and the village surrounding the school. This was a hard decision to make and yet we made it, with conviction, in a matter of hours. There was general excitement amongst the students that we were staying put and this helped us understand the power there is in proximity.

We have consequently continued to build really great friendships with the three older students and many other great relationships are beginning to really take shape. A couple of students even call me mum! The other day in church one of the boys about Zach's age had his arm around Zach. The students walk past our hut on their way to school and this morning I heard 'goodbye Mackenzie', 'goodbye teacher'. The students are confiding in us and seem to have taken confidence in the fact that we didn't move and we see that we have, through staying put, given them a strong indicator that we are indeed here to love them for the long haul.

I am on holidays for a few weeks from my teaching job in the high school, but will resume this when their new year starts in about 6 weeks. I love this job and it also is opening many more relationships with teenagers. I ride my motorbike (that the school have loaned me) to and from school. I listen to songs on my MP3 player and let the wind blow in my hair....I sing out loud and feel very at peace living in the jungle of Thailand. When I get home Colin often takes one of the children out for a motorbike ride and a coke, they also listen to the MP3 player with one earpiece in each persons ear.

Having made this decision to live in solidarity we are noticing other opportunities to stand with the Karen people and serve them. It is as if we have relaxed into our new home and are starting to 'blend' in a little.....well, maybe not blend...I still have every car and bike and truck that pass me on the way to work - beep their horns, wave and smile at the 'foreigner'! but I think the people are allowing us to be with them (not just watch them)as they work and play a little more. We have worked hard and continue to work hard at showing our strength both physical and emotional to the Karen. We carry buckets of water, we have learned to weave and split bamboo with the machete, we have learned to eat many vegetables (many we don't know the names for), we are teaching the children not to cry when they are hurt (heart sadness is OK to cry about - but even then mostly in our house). The Karen don't even flinch when having 5 or six teeth pulled out - and that was a 7 year old girl! We are learning to put up with blisters and cuts. We are getting used to large lizards in the house and bees that can put you into hospital flying around the hut. We are starting....just starting....to look a little less awkward living in a village in the jungle of Thailand.

The other night a very old little white haired lady, who can say 'good afternoon' in English but that is all, beckoned Colin to put her on his back and carry her down that rocky uneven hill to her hut. She walks with two long pieces of bamboo or on her hands and feet. Colin obviously obliged and lifted her onto his back. She had a black dress on and that was hitched up and her bamboo poles put under Colin's arm. The other villagers laughed with delight as they watched Colin and his precious cargo walk by their huts. It was solidarity at its best and Colin looks forward to the next time he gets asked to help.

Let me leave you with this quote that speaks so loudly into our life. “Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them. Love them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, when the work is done, the task accomplished, the people will say "We have done this ourselves"." Lao Tzu.

I would challenge you to live with people, obviously not in their homes, but in their streets, at their places of work, go to where they play and relax. Learn from them, love them. Get to know them, hold their children. Look through their photo albums. Help them wash their car. Take them fishing. Listen to them. Pray for them.

Blessings to you
Ruth.

Di Gai

No matter where you live in the world, no matter where you work, no matter where you play, being an authentic Christ follower is a struggle (well, I hope it is for you - because it certainly is for me!). While we are 'loving life' - everyday brings us challenges and disappointments. Everyday brings discouragement and questions. Certainly the days when we go to bed certain we did everything right - are few and far between! Our following of Christ here in the jungle of Thailand, at the orphanage, brings varied feelings. The questions and struggles and discouragement and disappointments, we are told, are evidence that the Christ following is indeed real. While our spirits are lifted by that truth - the reality remains the Christian life is exhausting - would you agree?

There have been many nights when we go to bed juggling thoughts of the past day of living at the school of 60 children and surrounded by the many villagers. Did we communicate the discipline and love together well? Did we empower others to lead? Did we stand up for what we think is right? Did we chose grace? Did we do anything right? Do we want to be here? Are we useful? And so on! Perhaps you ask the same questions at the end of some of your days!
And many nights the only response Colin and I have for each other is....."We have always said that our life will be about loving God and loving people....let's keep doing that....and trust that it really does make a difference" And so we have (amongst many questions and feelings) tried to love God and love people - hoping it was actually changing lives - but not completely certain! (you know that feeling -knowing something in your head but not in your heart?)

This morning I woke at 4am. I had felt frustrated last night at the new roster which has the three high school students (year 11 and 12) down for cooking. Frustrated because these students in the midst of exams are now waking at 4 am to cook and will work until 10pm at night preparing vegetables. So....I think GOD woke me at 4am and I felt I needed to get up and go and help these students. I did this and expressed my concerns for there health and schooling and suggested they talk to the principal about changing the roster. They (culturally) are very submissive and expressed their inability to quit and so I offered them the compromise of me working instead of them every second day and them being able to study, catch up on sleep and so on. They agreed to this and so I will speak with the Principal this afternoon.

Following this chat we all set to work - preparing breakfast. Two of the students began chatting to each other in their Karen language and then stopped. In broken English on of them said 'Ruth, your thinking is different' I asked him what he meant (aware that many of my friends think the same thing!) and he said 'Your thinking is different, you care for people'. Ohhhhh....what encouragement. I said 'That is what I think being a follower of Jesus is....to have different thinking'.

After breakfast I said to Colin (as he was going off to collect water from the river for the toilets) "Col, God is using us, they think our thinking is different". Col too was encouraged.

In the Thai language they say 'kwam su' for happy but have another word for a peaceful, satisfied, encouraged heart - ' di gai'. This morning God (through the words of those he has asked us to come and love) gave us a 'di gai'.

I write this so each of you will be encouraged also. Never wonder if loving God and loving people makes a difference. G.K Chesterton said that no theology is harder to believe than the truth that people matter to God. The commandment to love God and love people -appears to be so pithy, not regal enough, not impressive enough and so, many of us sidestep it in our faith, and go onto more 'godly' matters. I have been reminded to keep my faith about loving God and loving people. So whether you are a teacher or student, employer or employee, mum or dad, the person buying or the person selling......love God and love people.....it is a radical movement changing the world.