A Privilege to Teach in Krabi

Not everyone is called to teach.  Not everyone is given the key to shape our children’s minds.  Not everyone.  To teach is a privilege only a few are blessed with to love.  I am blessed to be called to teach and to love doing it, and I don’t take it lightly or for granted.  My heart is there when I am in the classroom.

Prathom 1 students hard at work

A few months ago, God placed in me a hunger to really connect with the local Thai people and to form friendships with them.  The language has been a big barrier as well as the setting to do this despite living in Thailand.  So I began praying for doors to open and for God to send Thai people in my path and be connected with.  I did not expect my love for teaching to pave the road for answering this prayer, but that is exactly what happened. 

Before the end of January, I was asked to help a local school (Sangthong Vittaya) to teach their Prathom 1 and 2 (equivalent to Grade 1 and 2) English classes for the remaining months of the school year.  Sangthong Vittaya is the largest private school in the province of Krabi with over 4,500 students.  This gave me the opportunity to be in close contact daily with local Thais, both adults and children.  It helped me improve my Thai, start conversations with fellow teachers, and eventually form friendships with some of them.  My term in the school ends this month, but I know that this doesn’t close the door for me to share to them the love of the Lord and the gospel. 

Below are more pictures of my students. 

ฉันรักสอน!!! (I love to teach!!!)

A Sweet Reminder

Psalm 91:1  He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

What an awesome promise from our Father!

In going to Bangkok for our US Embassy appointment, we met some old friends and had the opportunity to join their cell group Wednesday fellowship.  During worship time, I just felt the power of the Holy Spirit in the room and His sweet, sweet presence.  We also heard His message from Psalm 91:1-8.  I had ...

Overwhelming peace.

Indescribable joy.

God just revealed Himself to me in a very intimate way that night; sweetly reminding me of His constant love.  I felt my whole being find strength once more even in the midst of challenges.  The trip turned out to be more than I expected.  It gave me the chance to see the work He is doing in Thailand; how He is moving in the lives of His people in this beautiful country.

Worship in Different Tongues

It has been about three weeks now since Jason and I arrived here in Krabi, and on our first Sunday we had the opportunity to worship with some Thai Christians at Santisuk Church.  On several occasions, we also had the opportunity to study the Bible and worship with overseas Filipino workers as well as Germans in the area.  In the last few days, I have been reflecting back on how privileged I am to be given the chance to hear our Father being worshipped and praised in different tongues, in Chinese, English, Taiwanese, Filipino, and Thai; and how privileged I have been to worship alongside fellow Christians whose language I may not speak, but whose hearts I know is totally surrendered to our God.  

What I have been given, I could have never planned it better.  What I have dreamt of experiencing, God has dreamt far more than I could have ever imagined.  What I thought was the ultimate success, God has entrusted me with far greater things.  The plans I laid down were too small for Him.  He loves me too much to give me less than what He knows is best for me.

My heart is full right now with an overwhelming peace and joy for what He has shown me.  A glimpse of the kind of worship that one day we will all see.  Perfect worship to our Father in different tongues.  

All will bow down before Him.

Dear God, Thank You.  Thank You for your amazing people, for the different languages, for the different ways of life, and for the different styles of worship.  In Jesus Name!

An Abraham Response

Many of you know that today was such a big day for Jason and me, as we have been anticipating my citizenship interview for months that will pave the way for us to leave for Thailand; and today was it.

That's me, around 7:30 a.m. this morning, waiting outside the USCIS building to be allowed in for my interview.

This morning I was shocked and disappointed when an immigration officer of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) told me that they can't do my interview today because they don't have my A-file (the file that's supposed to contain all my paperwork and information.)  I was --- in all humanly possible way to react in this situation ('in my opinion') --- literally shaking and very much disappointed to hear this.  Jason and I walked out of the building silent.  

Jason, as always, was positive about the whole situation.  With his encouragement, I shifted my focus on how God wants me to respond to this to honor Him.  I must admit, though, that I was still feeling discouraged and confused with the whole thing.  My mind was just going into all directions --- back and forth from what the immigration officer said to the decisions we have to make in the coming days.  

This afternoon I opened my email not really expecting anything, but hoping for something.  God spoke.  In my email from Derek Prince Ministries, God spoke.  The words, “Do not allow questions to arise in your heart concerning My timing. My plans are moving according to My schedule, and they are right on time,” echoed in my ears and in my heart.  

In that email was His word on Habakkuk 2:3, “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.”  This flooded my whole body with so much peace.  It came in perfect timing!  I excitedly exclaimed to Jason, "God spoke to me right now!"  I needed to hear from Him, and He spoke to me.  It’s amazing how our Father can calm our hearts and our storms.  He knows exactly what we need. 

This is my opportunity to respond as Abraham did.  In Romans 4:20 – 21, “yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”  God will fulfill what He has promised to me --- to us.  What He began, He will finish.  Oh! May my heart be rescued from unbelief and declare at all times, “I believe, Lord.  Thy will be done!”

The waiting period is never easy, and sometimes can be very frustrating; but, the waiting period allows us to grow.  The Lord is not after our "own welfare," but He is after our characters.  In doing this, He is realizing a far greater purpose than an answered prayer.  

Father, increase my faith.  Help me to be patient.  Help me to trust You completely in this period of waiting.  This is but a part of a larger scheme that You will ultimately bring together for Your glory at Your appointed time.  Help me to rise in this occasion the way You want me to and to grow in the assurance of Your love.

Declaring my trust in Your perfect plan,

Kezia

Unloading (Physically and Spiritually)

In the last few days, I have been going through heaps of files, books, bags, electronic stuff, jewelry, etc. trying to decide which ones to throw, to give, to sell, and to pack with me to Thailand.  It never occurred to me that I have accumulated so much stuff in the last 6 years of being here in Windsor until I have gone through every single paper/item in my stack.  I must say, this is a feat; and I have yet to go over my clothes, shoes, and other items.

Below are pictures of the initial stack I have gone through. This took me at least a week, and it is only the beginning.

As a woman (and a pack rat at that), what I am doing right now is not easy.  I am not only emotionally attached to many of these items, but I have associated so many of them to something necessary to my survival.  Letting go of a book or a CD is like letting go of who I am.  But is it? 

A conversation with my husband has helped me set some perspective of what is truly important and what I really need.  Don't get me wrong.  I rebelled with the thought of what he said, but it made perfect sense.  Do I really need this book or that CD to survive when we go to His field and do the work He asked us to do?  The voice within me clearly said, "No."  So I set my mind of letting go and letting my heart learn to not hold on to any of these items; and my spirit became really light and I knew that I am on the right course.  I am liberating myself from the spiritual stronghold of "my stuff" that I have unknowingly allowed to take a space in my heart.  I feel so free inside of me.

Day in and day out, our modern day culture has taught us that as we have more we are better.  The world has subtly made us believe in this lie; we have embraced it consciously yet unconciously.  But as we add one more item to our stack of toys, we bind ourselves tighter to this temporary world making it difficult for us to move to where God wants us to be.  Somehow as we have more possessions, we become trapped in where we are.  Our possessions now possess us.  We make decisions based on what we bought or the items we have acquired --- our cars, our houses, our clothes, our lifestyle.  I don't think there is something wrong with buying things or living comfortably.  The danger lies when our hearts are not in the right place --- when we let things or comfort cast a shadow on what God has for us. 

Well, I have much to learn as I go through "my possessions" in the coming weeks.  It is hard, yet it is easy to let go of these things.  I must say, nothing compares to the joy that comes when you know you are obeying God's voice.

Unloading what's not important and loading (and soaking) in His promises and love,

Kezia