Everyone wants to know why I chose Thailand of all places. The easy answer is that God chose it for me. The real question is how did I come to discover that...
My first trip to Thailand was not a missionary trip. Rather, it was for a one month summer camp. I was part of an outfit called CISV that brought teens from 6 countries around the world to live and camp together in Thailand. I had no idea where Thailand was. I simply agreed to do it because my best friend at the time was already part of the group.
(Check out the pictures from the '94 trip that I scanned. You can find them by scrolling down on the right side. Click on them to go to the album)
The experience was incredible. I got to see wild monkeys, hike in rainforest and eat shark soup. The trip was definitely an exhilarating experience for a 13 year old. However, I was also very unsettled by what I was seeing. The family that hosted us for a few days in Bangkok had a shrine in their home with a Buddha statue. Everywhere we went there were spirit houses on the street corners to keep the spirits from coming into the homes. Large Buddhist shrines and temples with throngs of people were also a regular sight. I didn't understand what it all meant, but I knew it was not Christian and that these people did not know Jesus like I did.
The timing of my trip to Thailand was truly providential. I had just begun to really dig into the Bible on my own, and I was beginning to ask theological questions like 'what happens to those who have never heard the gospel?' The reality and significance of such questions hit home in a big way during my time over there. When I returned home, my perspective on missions and evangelism was changed. I realized that Jesus' command to reach the nations was not largely finished, rather, it was largely unfinished.
That was the beginning of my desire to be a part of spreading the good news to the nations. I didn't know how it would take shape, but I told God that I understood the importance of that task and that I wanted to play a role. I didn't share this with anyone, and I really didn't do anything proactive in this regard. I simply opened myself to the possibility of being used by God at the time and place of his choosing.
Then I went through high school.
Then I went through college.
Then I got a job.
Then, God came calling...
In the next post I will discuss my 2005 trip to Thailand and how it ended up being the country where I am going to serve long term.
