Thai Impressions November 30, 2016
Jesse: What a ripe harvest for the gospel! I was humbled,
amazed and greatly encouraged by the many ways God used my team and I through
teaching English at Santisuk English school. Many Thai people are open to hearing
and learning about Jesus. My vision of missions was renewed after my experience
in Thailand!
Heidi: I was very nervous about teaching English. I only had
experience of teaching English to young children. But as soon as I got the hang
of it, I began to smile more, talk more, enjoy teaching and spending time with
them outside of class. Many of my students were very interested about Jesus,
and I am glad that I could share the Gospel to them through teaching and
spending time together.
Sarah: The people in Thailand were so welcoming and full of
love. Buddhism is the main religion and
at times it was hard to share the gospel. But there are many people who are
hungry to know more about Jesus and it was so exciting to share Gods love with
them.
Bria: The Thai people were friendly and hospitable. I met
people at the church and school
who immediately made me feel welcomed.
Lizeth: The beauty of the culture was shown through the love
that Thai people gave to us foreigners. Having many doors open to share God’s
word to the students was amazing. Any nervous feeling of teaching a class was
blown away once a relationship was built. Soon any worries were quickly diminished.
Holly: I loved being immersed in the Thai culture for a
month. It was such a blessing to teach English to students who were hungry to
learn and build relationships. It was joy to get in on what God is doing in
Thailand and partner with the missionaries serving at Santisuk. Sharing about
the Lord at different times was super exciting as well!
Kaelly: Thailand was a great experience because I found it
easy to connect with the people of the friendly culture. The ease of learning
the culture helped minimize the barriers of sharing about Jesus. I’m very sad
to be leaving my students, but also ready to move on.
Rebekka: Being in Thailand has been such a blessing. I have
enjoyed teaching English and building relationships with my students and
members of the church. The textbook for teaching is uniquely designed to
include various Bible stories, which is a great asset in sharing the Gospel.
After reading the first story about Jesus healing a lame man, I asked the class
if they had heard of Jesus before. Only one or two of the eleven students had
heard about Jesus before! I was amazed at the spiritual need in Thailand.
Santisuk is a special place and an effective ministry where Jesus’ name is
openly proclaimed in and out of the classroom every day!
Amber: Living in Thailand and teaching here was such a life-changing
experience. My students all believe that to be Thai is to be Buddhist, but it
was so amazing to see their hunger for truth. As I shared Bible stories with
them and told them what Jesus has done in my life, they asked questions that
the Holy Spirit had clearly laid on their heart. It was hard to leave after
building relationships, but I am trusting God that “He who began a good work
will bring it to completion.”
Ali: As an English teacher, I’ve rediscovered the value and
weight of words, even through—or maybe especially—the broken English and flawed
communication. I love the little moments, like when a well-meaning student
takes her leave with, “See you tomorrow, hot teacher!” My favorite encounter
with words was the last day after a student asked me why I love Thailand. After
I’d explained that I’m grateful to show love to others because of how Jesus
loved me, she said thoughtfully, “Teacher, I think you very, very love Jesus.”
God is gracious to affirm the way He is moving in the hearts of my students and
friends.
Bri: Throughout my month in Thailand, I got to know a few of
my students exceptionally well. Chon and Meen asked me on the first day of
class, and when I told them that I wanted to experience and learn Thai culture,
they were bound and determined to teach me. They took me to try all kinds of
Thai food and various kinds of “Thai dessert.” One weekend they took me to
Ayuttaya Province where I got to experience the Thai train, Thai drama, ruined
temples, and the sun. Luckily I didn’t get too burnt that day.
Zoe: Thailand was an experience, a very fulfilling
experience. Being in Thailand two weeks earlier than the team really gave me a
unique experience. A memory I will never forget is the joy I felt teaching,
being in the classroom and being able to bless others with something that we
take for granted was very heart-filling. I also loved building relationships
with the students outside of class. I loved how my students were so eager to
listen and interact with me. The hearts of Thai people are truly genuine and I
am so grateful to have been able to receive that.
Sei: As I am striving to become a Social Studies teacher,
this was the most fulfilling part of this whole internship. I never felt more
at home when I stood in front of my students, but at the same time I was being
stretched within my own comfort zone. I was an English teacher when my focus is
mainly social studies and it felt strange having to teach English when I had
very few experiences in doing so. It was also the only time that I could talk
about the Gospel without forcing myself to do so. It felt natural and I felt
comfortable sharing in front of the people. The Thai people are some of the
most beautiful and joyful people I have ever encountered in my life. I am
thankful for such experiences I’ve had both at the school and in my cell groups
for church.
Jordan: I would sum
up my experience in Thailand by saying that it was exciting, fun, at times
challenging, but also encouraging. Over
the month, I learned about patience, the power of God’s love on those who have
only heard it for the first time, and experienced the beauty of hospitality and
respect. In addition, I learned the
value of respect emulated by the Thai people for their king, who recently
passed away. It was amazing to see the
people’s reverence and respect. It
reminds and encourages me to love, honor and worship the One who is King of
kings.
Josh: During our time in Thailand we encountered some of the nicest people in the world. During my time there I realized that these people show a love to strangers that would make Jesus proud. However, some/most of the country is so far from understanding God. It’s something that truly opens your eyes and heart to the country and makes you want to help.
A favorite memory is when a student tried to say the word ‘squeaky.” It came out as ‘skew-you-eek-ee.’ We laughed and tried the word again.
