Saturday, August 23, 2008

Thai Schools! - Thailand 02



Our goal was two fold with these schools: 1. to connect students with our partnering pastor's church & to give them a good face within the community 2. to expose students to the gospel...we couldn't share all that we wanted, but through mini-testimonies we talked openly about Jesus which most likely was the first some of these students have ever heard. I'll let our pictures share the rest of our experience!


I've learned over the years of doing school programs in other countries that there are a few key ingredients to a successful program:


1. Crazy guy who doesn't mind making a fool of himself

2. A random game of some sort


This game was courtesy of Joe Reed...it was called "find the Thai"


3. Getting students' teachers involved - students love to see their teachers act goofy


Erin shows a teacher how to do the Macarena



Vanessa & Kyla do the Chicken Dance with another teacher

Side-note: in Thailand, on Mondays, people wear yellow shirts to show honor and love for their king...after this school, I was in the car with Joe, Terri, and Lisa and we started talking about this...I mentioned reading Lauren Winner's book "Girl Meets God" and how she talks about Ash Wednesday & how it was so hard for her that one day to walk around with ash on her forehead...and I knew that it would be hard for me too...and yet, these people understand Kingdom life in a way we can't even imagine....so much we have to learn...


4. Teach students to an "American dance"

Heather Reed does the Macarena with students

Andrea Hamilton shows students how to do the chicken dance


5. And if all else fails...bring out Chubby Bunny! It's a crowd pleaser EVERY time!

Kyla demonstrates proper form for Chubby Bunny

So, I think that they liked us, which is good...but if I'm completely honest, part of me hates these performances on mission trips because sometimes they mess up our thinking so that we start to think that missions is about us...I understand that we are sharing what Christ did in our hearts and connecting students with a church, which is why I will continue to do school performances anytime a pastor asks...but...it's my prayer that sometime - when they are at home or daydreaming in class - that these kids can forget about the cool Americans and that something we said will spark a question or a desire to search a little more...

So, if you think about it, pray with me today that at least one of the students we met will start to question and think and then seek some answers about Jesus.

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