20 Things I Didnt Know Before I Came to Thailand
I feel the need to update my blog...though I feel like its a little too late to talk about December and I kind of want to leave that busy, hectic, stressful month in the past. If I wrote about my trip to sisaket then it would be full of stories about me catching fish with my bare hands and eating my weight in sticky rice,so I think I will pass on that. Or if I wrote about my trip to the south that would involve walking around phuket by myself and the interns retreat but I don't really feel like recalling those stories either. So since those stories happened like a month ago I thought I would write on something different.
Back home when missionaries are sharing their stories they leave out a few details, and having been in Thailand for 5 months I think I have noticed a few of those details. So this blog is dedicated to all the missional millennials out there and the next generation of aspiring overseas workers, don't let these details hinder from going out into the world but we must remember that missionary work is not always a beautiful dream. OK so to get started, some of these things I have experienced or have heard about from other missionaries.
1. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Romans 10:15 - I couldn't recognize my feet for the first two months due to mosquito bites...not pretty.
2. You will be forced to eat weird things...yes forced, that is if you don't want to offend your new neighbor and completely ruin the chance of a relationship with them. Which leads to #3.
3. You will be forced to eat alot of food (In the beginning this is awesome, until it shows up on your hips).
4. People will comment on your weight, tell you if you have gained weight and tell you not to eat alot (then 10 minutes later try to feed you see #3).
5. People will call you beautiful, now this doesn't sound bad at all, until its some creepy taxi driver, whom your stuck in a car with until you get to your destination.
6. Talking about your bowel movements with your team becomes totally acceptable. Luckily I had some friends tell me about that one , so it wasn't a shock.
7.There will be times of loneliness.
8. You will get homesick, it comes and goes but shows up the most when tragedy strikes.
9. Cockroaches and spiders. I'm to traumatized to even try to explain this one.
10. Your insecurities will arise, even the ones you thought you had gotten over. Sometimes new insecurities will arise.
11. Team dynamics; miscommunication, different perspectives and lots of clashing. I had heard that the number one reason missionaries leave the field is because of other missionaries, now I understand.
12. Questions will arise. "What am I doing here?" "Where are you God?" "Why am I here?" "Should I go home?" "Am I making a difference?"
13. You will find out who your real friends are, as distance is put between you.
14. You will see both beautiful and horrible sights.
15. You will hear stories that you wish weren't true.
16. You will know all the cultural don'ts because you probably will do most of them.
17. Pack more underwear.
18. Talking with your family and friends means more to you than they will ever know.
19. Sometimes you just need to cry.
20. A mosquito net will be your best friend (see #1).
Praise God that He knows our every trouble, He knows our hearts desires and He never leaves us. Whats amazing is that on the field, sad, horrible and troubling things can happen but one touch from the Lord covers over all the pain. His love is what drives one to move forward and to see past all these things.
Psalm 16
Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge.
I said to the Lord, "You are my
Lord;
apart from you I have no good
thing."
As for the saints who are in the land,
they are the glorious ones in whom is
all my delight.
The sorrow of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of
blood
or take up their names on my lips.
Lord, you have assigned me my
portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels
me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before
me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my
tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to
the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see
decay.
You have made known to me the
path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your
presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right
hand.
(Please feel free to add anything you have experienced while working overseas)
Back home when missionaries are sharing their stories they leave out a few details, and having been in Thailand for 5 months I think I have noticed a few of those details. So this blog is dedicated to all the missional millennials out there and the next generation of aspiring overseas workers, don't let these details hinder from going out into the world but we must remember that missionary work is not always a beautiful dream. OK so to get started, some of these things I have experienced or have heard about from other missionaries.
1. "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news" Romans 10:15 - I couldn't recognize my feet for the first two months due to mosquito bites...not pretty.
2. You will be forced to eat weird things...yes forced, that is if you don't want to offend your new neighbor and completely ruin the chance of a relationship with them. Which leads to #3.
3. You will be forced to eat alot of food (In the beginning this is awesome, until it shows up on your hips).
4. People will comment on your weight, tell you if you have gained weight and tell you not to eat alot (then 10 minutes later try to feed you see #3).
5. People will call you beautiful, now this doesn't sound bad at all, until its some creepy taxi driver, whom your stuck in a car with until you get to your destination.
6. Talking about your bowel movements with your team becomes totally acceptable. Luckily I had some friends tell me about that one , so it wasn't a shock.
7.There will be times of loneliness.
8. You will get homesick, it comes and goes but shows up the most when tragedy strikes.
9. Cockroaches and spiders. I'm to traumatized to even try to explain this one.
10. Your insecurities will arise, even the ones you thought you had gotten over. Sometimes new insecurities will arise.
11. Team dynamics; miscommunication, different perspectives and lots of clashing. I had heard that the number one reason missionaries leave the field is because of other missionaries, now I understand.
12. Questions will arise. "What am I doing here?" "Where are you God?" "Why am I here?" "Should I go home?" "Am I making a difference?"
13. You will find out who your real friends are, as distance is put between you.
14. You will see both beautiful and horrible sights.
15. You will hear stories that you wish weren't true.
16. You will know all the cultural don'ts because you probably will do most of them.
17. Pack more underwear.
18. Talking with your family and friends means more to you than they will ever know.
19. Sometimes you just need to cry.
20. A mosquito net will be your best friend (see #1).
Praise God that He knows our every trouble, He knows our hearts desires and He never leaves us. Whats amazing is that on the field, sad, horrible and troubling things can happen but one touch from the Lord covers over all the pain. His love is what drives one to move forward and to see past all these things.
Psalm 16
Keep me safe, O God,
for in you I take refuge.
I said to the Lord, "You are my
Lord;
apart from you I have no good
thing."
As for the saints who are in the land,
they are the glorious ones in whom is
all my delight.
The sorrow of those will increase
who run after other gods.
I will not pour out their libations of
blood
or take up their names on my lips.
Lord, you have assigned me my
portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me
in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels
me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before
me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my
tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
because you will not abandon me to
the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see
decay.
You have made known to me the
path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your
presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right
hand.
(Please feel free to add anything you have experienced while working overseas)
I don't have anything to add, but I will say this is a great list because it gives honest insight to what you are going through and are feeling to those of us who are missing you. As usual, your personality and humor shine through in your writing. I love #16, by the way. :)
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