Who Should I Love?

When I learn a new word or phrase in Thai class I usually scribble it down and hope that I'll go back and learn it in the future. Often this becomes cramming in the back of the taxi on my ride from KKVS to Thai class. But the words I learn best are the ones that I learn and then think I have forgotten. I quit looking for them, then, after I give my brain some time to rest, random "forgotten" phrases resurface. I end up with words like "dinsaw" (pencil), and phrases like "phuut ikk krang dai mai kha" (can you repeat that please?) stuck in my head. And it's the words that resurface after some down time that I remember best.

In front of S3 Language Services where I take Thai classes

When I first got here events worked together so that my schedule includes times of busyness and several blocks of time to rest including the entire day of Wednesday. And it's on days like today that I regroup, catch up on lesson plans, language studies, and devotions. It's most often on my days of rest that things I have heard God say resurface and I finally can listen and learn.

This morning when I woke up after a restful, long sleep I read my friend's blog and something she said prompted me to reflect on how I am reacting to students I am helping with at KKVS. They are all extremely cute, but sometimes rebellious, difficult, and rather human. Even before I came to Thailand I have been praying that God will give me a heart for the Thai people and this morning it hit me hard. Those 2-4 year olds I hang out with on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, THEY are the people God has called me to love.

Each student is an individual needing love and needing to know Christ’s love. They rebel as I rebel and they have rough spots just like I do. But they are God’s dearly beloved children and the children I am supposed to love. When I love them, I am obeying God.

Some of the Kindergarten class hanging out on the latest playground addition.

Please pray that somehow even at their young age Christ will work through me to love them in a way they can understand. Pray that I will also show Christ's love to the students and Campus Crusade staff I work with, meet, and teach at the university. Praise God for times of rest when He can teach me!