Thailand: A Poem

Thailand

Thailand is pretty, with lovely trees and flowers,

Thailand is interesting and you should not waste your hours.

Thais are kind, especially to farangs,

Thais use baht instead of pennies and pounds.

Thailand has beautiful beaches in the warm, hot sun,

If you like swimming you'll definitely have fun.

It's nice to feel the soft pure true sand, 

and the lovely warm water when you feel it with your hand

Oh, have you seen the mountains too?

Some are even higher than Snowden - it's true!

Thailand is warm and the perfect place to rest,

That's definite, and they welcome every guest.

And this is the poem I have to tell you,

For if you ever go to Thailand this is what you may do.

By Abigail (Aged 8 and a half)

Thankful for... this scenery

We've spent the past few days on holiday, taking a short break in between the leaving and the arriving phases of our latest journey. On Wednesday, I was reminded of another thing that I love about this country - the way that the scenery sometimes just takes your breath away.

Taking a break on the climb to the cave

We had climbed from the beach up a trail towards some caves. It was a long climb in the morning sunshine, and we were relieved to finally reach the cave entrance. I'm not sure what I was expecting to find - but I was amazed at what we saw when we scrambled down into the main cave.

The roof of the cave had collapsed long ago, allowing sunlight to stream into the enormous cavern - and, amazingly, a small clump of trees in the cave have grown up towards the surface. In the shadow of the trees stands a pavilion, built in commemoration of the Thai King Rama V's visit to this spot in 1889. The overall effect, with the light filtering through the foliage into the cool and quiet vastness of the cave, was magical.

The Royal Pavilion in the shelter of the trees

We have had similar 'wow' moments before. Once, we were driving to a Karen village near Mae Hong Son along a mountain road, in thick fog. Then we turned a corner and emerged into bright sunlight - we realised that we had been driving through the cloud.

Above the clouds

On another occasion, walking down to Sahamit School one morning, I was half way across the rice field before noticing the brilliance of the different shades of green following a whole night of torrential rain.

Rice fields after the rain

There is unmistakeable majesty in these scenes - although the camera does not capture that very well. I am so thankful for the beauty of God's creation all around us here in Thailand. I am reminded of God's creativity in the riotous colours, scents and sounds of the fields and forests. I am reminded of God's raw power in the soaring mountain tops and untamed rockfaces. And in the quietness and stillness of that remote cave, I am reminded of God's steady and unchanging purpose and character.

And so I am encouraged to turn to God - to hope in God - throughout this season of change and upheaval:

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise Him,

my Saviour and my God.

So I am thankful for this scenery.

Thankful for...Warm Welcomes

We said some difficult goodbyes last Saturday, as we moved out of the house we've called home for the past five years. We're now staying in temporary accommodation for our final few days in Chiang Mai. As we move through this time of transition, I'm reminded of another thing I appreciate about Thailand - the warm welcomes.

Welcome... to the 2014 Karen Baptist Assembly

We have been warmly welcomed into villages, churches, meetings and annual assemblies - and, especially, into homes. It has been a privilege - a humbling privilege - to experience Karen hospitality. To be made to feel at home in a stranger's house. To see people open their homes to us at a moment's notice, offering us food, accommodation and rest.

Welcome... to local people's homes

A custom in rural Karen villages is to apologise to guests for the 'deficiencies' in food and accommodation. So every year at the Karen Baptist Assembly, the host village choir will sing a welcome song which will include a verse something like this:

'We're deeply sorry that we can only offer this sub-standard and inadequate food and bedding for you. Please accept our apologies that we couldn't do better for you, our honoured guests. We are so sorry that the bathrooms are too few, that the roads are too dusty, that our meeting room is too small, that the weather may be too cold/hot/rainy....'

Singing the 'sorry song'

The truth, of course, is that none of those apologies need to be made. The villagers go to incredible lengths, despite their relative poverty, to provide the best possible welcome to their visitors. We have slept in wonderfully comfortable beds, eaten some of the most delicious food, and experienced some of the best hospitality you can imagine in these villages. I have been challenged to be more generous, more open, more welcoming. 

I've learned that freely-offered hospitality is a strikingly powerful thing, transcending language and cultural barriers. When we have had visitors from the UK, it's this aspect of life that has drawn the most frequent comments. 'That lady was so lovely - what a great meal!' 'I can't believe he just invited us into his home like that!' 'That man just lent me his motorbike - amazing!'

So, even as we say our goodbyes, I'm thankful for all those warm welcomes.