So, two weeks ago, the first event took place - the dedication of a commemorative statue in Lampang province, a few hours south of Chiang Mai. About 150 people traveled from far and wide for the ceremony, held in a location with significant historical importance for the Karen church.
Although there is now no trace of any settlement here, this field was once the site of a Karen village, Ban Nork. In 1881, Karen missionaries from Burma arrived here and began preaching the gospel. Within a few months, the entire village had become Christian, and the first Karen Baptist church in Thailand was established.
Today, Ban Nork village has moved about 3km away, to a site with a better water supply. So we had to walk a fair distance to get to the ceremony - and early in the morning, too, as the worship service began at 7:00am. The walk was interesting - the path was muddy and slippery, and infested with leeches!
However, the backdrop of green rice fields and untouched forested hills unveiled a beautiful landscape as the sun rose. It was an amazing sight.
The combination of being in an area awash with great history, celebrating 55 years of God's faithfulness, and the beauty of creation around us was incredibly moving. During the worship service, standing in that field, my thoughts began to turn to the future - particularly for the Karen church.
Looking at the Karen young people around me with all their energy, gifts and skills, I wondered: What might God use these young people to do over the next 55 years? This generation faces new battles - new hardships to struggle with, new barriers to break, new forms of discrimination to tackle. But could it be that God might use this generation to continue the amazing vision of those early Karen missionaries - not only to reach their own people group for Christ, but to cross borders and cultures, to go to the ends of the earth?
