The title of my blog entry was inspired by a song called "Keep Your Eyes Open" by a band I really like, called Needtobreathe. I thought the title was aptly named, considering the fact that I'll be spending the next ten months of my life in Bangkok serving the Lord, as He has called me to do.
The beginning of my journey has proved a little rough. I arrived at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport around 10:30 pm on Monday night, only to find out that I would have to sleep in the airport. Yes, I slept in the airport overnight. Apparently, the people picking me up (the president of the mission and his wife) were waiting at a different gate than where I was at. Needless to say, the experience was a bit scary and I really didn't get any sleep so much as I had a nap. Thankfully, the next day I was able to contact a friend of my dad's who lives in Bangkok and he was able to pick me up, feed me, and send me in a taxi that brought me to the school.
My dad freaked out about the airport incident. He made my mom call the school that sponsored me to come, and she confronted them. I can understand where they're coming from, especially my dad. I've learned that most of the resistance we get from our parents stems from a deep fear of something terribly wrong happening to us; they just want to protect us from the harsh realities of the world and make sure we're happy, not starving, etc.
Dear readers, the first forty-eight hours of my arrival were plagued by jet lag and homesickness. I'm adjusting much, much better. It's cool to think about how I'll be able to survive in a huge modern city like Bangkok. The city life is exciting, but at the end of the day I don't think I would choose to live in a place like this. It's dirty, noisy, and hot. You will sweat here, as I have been sweating bullets since day one. But the Lord has called me here for whatever purpose He intended, and that's what I have to hold onto. I know there will be dark moments ahead, and there will probably be more days when I want to leave and go home, but I have to let these trials shape me, to let God mold me into the person He has in mind. As one wise soul has told me, I must "cling" onto God, and the more I cling onto Him, the closer I grow in Christ.
There's not really that much to report right now. From what I've observed so far, living expenses in Thailand is very cheap, fruit is in great abundance, and there are many filipinos living in the city. :) The people here have been so kind and helpful with my transition. I honestly think that any good backbone to a mission field is a having a strong community that's invested in the growth of their missionaries. I also want to thank you, dear readers, for all of your support. I would not be surviving without your prayers, so please continue to keep me in your thoughts.
Sawadee ka!
Greetings from Bangkok
The beginning of my journey has proved a little rough. I arrived at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport around 10:30 pm on Monday night, only to find out that I would have to sleep in the airport. Yes, I slept in the airport overnight. Apparently, the people picking me up (the president of the mission and his wife) were waiting at a different gate than where I was at. Needless to say, the experience was a bit scary and I really didn't get any sleep so much as I had a nap. Thankfully, the next day I was able to contact a friend of my dad's who lives in Bangkok and he was able to pick me up, feed me, and send me in a taxi that brought me to the school.
My dad freaked out about the airport incident. He made my mom call the school that sponsored me to come, and she confronted them. I can understand where they're coming from, especially my dad. I've learned that most of the resistance we get from our parents stems from a deep fear of something terribly wrong happening to us; they just want to protect us from the harsh realities of the world and make sure we're happy, not starving, etc.
Dear readers, the first forty-eight hours of my arrival were plagued by jet lag and homesickness. I'm adjusting much, much better. It's cool to think about how I'll be able to survive in a huge modern city like Bangkok. The city life is exciting, but at the end of the day I don't think I would choose to live in a place like this. It's dirty, noisy, and hot. You will sweat here, as I have been sweating bullets since day one. But the Lord has called me here for whatever purpose He intended, and that's what I have to hold onto. I know there will be dark moments ahead, and there will probably be more days when I want to leave and go home, but I have to let these trials shape me, to let God mold me into the person He has in mind. As one wise soul has told me, I must "cling" onto God, and the more I cling onto Him, the closer I grow in Christ.
There's not really that much to report right now. From what I've observed so far, living expenses in Thailand is very cheap, fruit is in great abundance, and there are many filipinos living in the city. :) The people here have been so kind and helpful with my transition. I honestly think that any good backbone to a mission field is a having a strong community that's invested in the growth of their missionaries. I also want to thank you, dear readers, for all of your support. I would not be surviving without your prayers, so please continue to keep me in your thoughts.
Sawadee ka!
Greetings from Bangkok
No comments:
Post a Comment