Twisted roots

This is a carrot which I grew in my vegetable patch in front of our house.  When it was in the ground and I could only see the top of the carrot it looked so good.  But when I pulled it out, only then did I see the roots - all twisted and deformed.  

It is a great illustration of many aspects of the Christian life.  Things can look good from one perspective but if we scratch beneath the surface, we can how things really are.  And the real problems have roots which go deep and far back in our lives.

A couples of weeks ago, some of students did something which I found disturbing yet they themselves had no idea that they were doing anything wrong.  Indeed they thought that it was quite funny.  However, having come from outside their culture, I could see things with a different perspective. 

I was also reminded at our annual missionary conference of how missionaries can have a "superior" attitude and express "latent racism" towards the people and culture they work in.  This is so true and something which we must be very aware and careful of.  Coming as a missionary and thinking that we have the "answers" when we can easily be blinded of our own cultural faults.  This can cause missionaries to be an obstacle rather than a help to the work of God's kingdom.

Whole of life discipleship

Planting Corn

At the JO Fraser Centre, we believe in "Whole of Life Discipleship".  We believe that students can learn as much out of the classroom as in the classroom.  For it is when we are doing things such as planting corn that we can see a person's true character come out.  What will you say and do when you are hot, tired and irritable.  So as staff we are planting corn and rice and doing other things along side our students so that we can observe their true character and hopefully model what we hope to see in them.

Building a house

2nd Day of Building the 3rd House

It is an interesting and new experience building a house in rural Thailand compared to Australia.   Firstly, council approval only took a couple of days, not the months it takes in Australia (as long as roughly we followed the plans of the previously).  I don't think that our neighbours were asked what they thought about the building plans (otherwise we might have lodged a complaint about losing our view : ) Secondly, the only machinery being used is a electric cutter to cut the steal.  All the digging is being down with shovels and picks.  Not bulldozers for earth movers. Thirdly, bamboo trees growing next to our house are being used as fencing and stakes to provide markers for the house boundaries and where the foundations should go etc.  

I can't believe how deep and wide the foundations are going to be.  

Life is never dull here.

Staff at JO Fraser Centre

The staff at the JO Fraser Centre, Chiang Dao

At the JO Fraser Centre, in Chiang Dao, North Thailand, we have staff from Australia, Thailand and Burma.  We have over 30 students this academic year, the most we've ever had.  They come from Thailand, Myanmar and China.  Just over two weeks to go before the new year starts.

Life for Kids at JOFC

Kids helping out in the fields - be careful with that knife!

Life for our kids at the JO Fraser Centre (JOFC) is so different from what they’ve experienced before in their lives. Before our time here, it was always a struggle to get the kids out of the door and they wanted us to play with them. My wife read of home schooling families in America where the kids would got out and play in the morning and the mother would call them back at dinner time. “We’ll that’s great from them, but it’s never going to happen with us” I thought to myself.

So it’s hard to believe the change in our kids. They are eager in the mornings to get through their homeschooling as quickly as possible so that they can be outside playing. But why wouldn’t they want to go outside? They can carve swords and bows from bamboo trees, go hunting in the woods with the students, play football (soccer), feeds the pigs, chase the chickens, climb the tamarind tree … there is so much potential for life but sadly the reality of death too.

The kids were looking after an injured chicken for a few days and our elders sobbed when little “chicka” died. “Charcoal” the centre’s dog was run over by a van just outside the centre and it soon died with its neck broken. They watched as one of the centre’s pigs was killed for food. The corn fields were tall and green when we arrived in December but now are but empty hollow stalks.

I’m sure that our kids will remember these days and reminisce as my wife’s family still do when they lived just north of here over 35 years ago.

I could never have imagined that missionary life would have taken me to where I am now.  Feeding pigs, catching rabbits, washing away chicken poo, laying cement, milling rice, fixing washing machines and buying meat from the market which is not refrigerated and out in the open ... I've learnt many new skills which I never would done living a "city slicker" life.

It's a privilege to disciple the students here and pass on some of the things which I've learnt in my Christian walk.  Life is busy and at times difficult, but it is fulfilling and full and I don't have a lot of regrets.  Life is never dull or mundane that's for sure.

It really helps to have the local language.  It makes life so much easier.  I was at the electrical store this afternoon looking for an RCA (video and audio) cable extension.  I had to go to a couple of stores but I finally got what I needed and it felt good (and it was a lot cheaper than in Australia!).  

We had lunch at one of the local noodle restaurants this afternoon and we couldn't help feeling like celebrities with everyone looking at us and being very excited about having a cuddle with our almost 1 year old.  It wasn't one of the restaurants too many tourists go to.  The prices were great though.  Only 10 baht a bowl (AU$0.30).  That is a third of the price in Lampang.

Thankful for the place God has brought us too.

Now got to go and prepare for translating the sermon and testimony tomorrow morning at church with the short-term team arriving.

(Re)commissioning Service and Farewell

Elders laying of hands

We had our (re)commissioning service and farewell last Sunday. It was a miserable weekend weather wise so we were even more thankful to those who braved the weather to attend. Unlike previous commissioning services, we left much of the details of the service to one of the elders at our supporting Church and only had to chose the songs. It took much of the burden off organising our commissioning service which we were very thankful for. We were very encouraged by the service and we hope that those who attended we mutually encouraged.

One was the thoughts which popped into my mind leading up to the service was “Why do we bother having a (re)commissioning service?” Weren’t we commissioned 7 years ago when we first left? Isn’t that enough?

When we first arrived back in Australia 11 months ago, we weren’t sure when we would be able to get back to Thailand. We had plane tickets booked to return in 7 months. But when we arrived we were not in a state to be able to return and we didn’t know how long it would take before we would be ready.

By God’s grace he brought us to a point where we felt that God wanted us back in Thailand and we felt able to return. It took a little longer than first thought and he has lead us to a new ministry direction. So I came to the conclusion that in this case, a recommissioning was appropriate. It is similar to when ministers move to a new church they have a new commissioning service.

When we come back to Australia in 2 years time as planned and only stay for 2-3 months, then I’m not sure whether a commissioning service would be necessary, especially if we are going back to the same ministry. I guess opinions would differ in this case as I know that other people do have (re)commissioning services in situations like this.

J.O Fraser

“James Fraser (well known as J.O. Fraser) was only 22 years old when he left his engineering career and went to China. From the very first time he saw the Lisu tribespeople of Yunnan Province, he was filled with God’s love for them. He spent the rest of his life laboring to bring them the gospel. Breakthrough came only after his partners back home took up the challenge to pray. “I am not asking you just to give ‘help’ in prayer as a sort of sideline, but I am trying to roll the main responsibility of this prayer-warfare on you. I want you to take the burden of these people upon your shoulders. I want you to wrestle with God for them.” The Lisu now have a strong body of believers who are also sending out workers to other groups around them.”

http://www.omf.org/omf/breakthrough/fraser_the_lisu

Wow. Only 22 when J.O Fraser went to China. These days by the time you’ve finished uni, some work experience, Bible College, then ministry experience, most people are in their 30s before they leave for overseas missionary work. I was 32 when we left. In hindsight I wished I’d studied less and gone left sooner.

Guidance, calling and the will of God

Our eldest son following the conductor in his school band

It’s 2am in the morning and I can’t sleep so what better to do than update the blog.

The issues of guidance, calling and the will of God have been at the forefront of our minds as we start making plans t return to Thailand before the end of the year. These are bigs issues and Christians have very differing views.

How does a missionary end up working where they do and what ministry they are involved in. Is it just a matter of seeking/finding/receiving “God’s call”? What’s that anyway? It’s common to hear pastors and missionaries talk about being “called to full time ministry”. But what if you didn’t get a specific call to ministry or a place or people? Does that mean you are off the hook and you can do what you want? Some argue that every single believer is called to do ministry (A Better Way: Make Disciples Wherever Life Happens, p.15 Dale Losch).

And how do we determine God’s guidance? A feeling, verses of Scripture which give you a electric feeling down your spine, changes in circumstance, open and closed doors, the advice of friends, the direction from your Church or mission society? Do you need all of them to line up or is 4 out of 5 o.k?

And as a missionary whose authority are you under? Ultimately God’s (yes) but if your mission wants you to go one direction and your Church another and you another whose authority prevails? Is it then your “call” which decides?

Is the individual call given to you by God, more important than the direction given to you by your Church or mission agency?

What do you think?  

(While you think about that I'll go clear out my inbox and try to make my sleeplessness a bit more productive)

City Thai Fellowship Sydney

I was asked to speak at the Thai City Fellowship in Sydney just over a month ago. This group meets every Monday at 5pm with a Thai meal, then singing and a talk. If you are Thai and live in Sydney, it’s worth a visit (www.facebook.com/ctcf).