Monday, June 13 was our first full day of ministry. The morning was spent doing devotion with our team, the missionary family and a few others from the church here. The late morning and afternoon were spent organizing and shopping at the “big C” for groceries and supplies with the missionary family.
Only a few nights sleep between our nearly 4 days of travel and this day, so we were still pretty tired and trying to make it through the day awake. We were a little weary of heading to a bible study later that night. (Bible studies starting at midnight are actually a regular thing here.) Ready or not, we piled into our pastor Joe’s car, only 9 of us this time. So far the record is 15 people in his 8-passenger car at one time. It has become all too normal for us to squeeze more than 12 people in for a trip to the store or ministry.
This night we head off to an Iranian couple from the church. We get there and 30 minutes goes by and all we’ve done is eat and laugh and eat and laugh. The host, Ben, loves to joke and loves to pick on all the new girls, so does our contact Joe. In this house there are seven from my team and seven others from the church. Most of them we met only the day before, but in that moment I felt this is a bible study I go to every week. Fourteen random people from all over the world: US, Iran, Philippines, Thailand, Burma and India; from all different religious backgrounds: Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, no religion; all gather together in love and the bond of brother and sister in Christ.
Pastor Joe asks everyone to go around and share. Through broken English and thick accents, everyone shares what God is teaching them. Everyone is encouraged by different stories. These people have all been on very crazy journeys. Thinking of how we all ended up in the same room in Phuket, Thailand blows my mind. But tonight I am so encouraged to see the church of God in a global way. Seeing this small local church that loves each other, prays for and supports each other is so beautiful. Many Christians may go their whole lives without the experience of true community that these seven people, all brought to Thailand, most believers for less than a year, experience everyday.
I just keep thinking, “This is church.” I am so thankful on this Monday night in June I got to see a tiny piece of Heaven where all the nations will come together and worship. Tonight I pray their excitement for the Lord does not change and they do not stop chasing after the lost souls for which their hearts are broken.
A sweet, sweet lady Amy says, “Ben, I have never been to bible study at your house, but tonight I come and I am very, very happy.”
Me too Amy, me too.
