The Strong Girls

 

It happens in the briefest of moments at sunrise while we’re moving the table outside.

Every day following morning worship, I’m accompanied back to my room by the three youngest girls, Any, Gam and May, who are carrying my Bible and note book, slippers if it has been cool enough, and basically anything I might have in my hands.  Ahjahn Ruth is not allowed to carry her own things, apparently.  This we do for her.

Sometimes in the evening this is harder work.  I will have filled my two Sobey’s bags full of all that was needed for the lesson; the speaker I plug into my computer for learning One Way Jesus in English, the small lesson-related token that will be added to their themed paper bag (or various other ways to collect them), the flip cards for our 100 words vocabulary, the phonics book I’ve read with gusto, pens, papers, large pink dice.  Like that.  And perhaps we’ve even had a completed reader in the group who will be receiving their prize, so all of that has come along too.  On those nights I politely express my concern that perhaps my bags will be too heavy.  These children are healthy and strong, but they are comparatively little wisps of things on North American growth charts.

And every time I express my concern, these girls reassure me.  Mai ben rai, Ahjahn Ruth.  Mai nak!

‘Never mind, Ahjahn Ruth.  It’s not heavy.’

And every time I make the comment.  Pooying kemkrang.   ‘Girls are strong.’

I’m being rather intentionally subversive in this. 

Thailand is a mixed bag when it comes to attitudes about women.  In the cities things are modern enough and opportunities for women are noticeably improving as the effects of conducting international business and the desire to do well in the global economy influence both attitude and practice.  Still, this is, at its deepest core, a tribal culture steeped in thousands of years of tradition.   And in that tradition, one of the most prominent characteristics of femininity is the ability to sit down, be quiet, and do as you’re told.   At its worst, this cultural bent contributes insidiously into the sex trade industry.  Submissive Asian women are part of the attraction for certain kinds of tourism.

At Hot Springs, girls are treated with great respect, without question.  [And it’s actually an interesting side story as to what Suradet and Yupa initially thought about making a partnership with a church that had a female pastor, but I’ll leave that for another time.]  But some of the culturally-ingrained mind-set about gender roles is present.  And this leaves me in a delicate place.  How can I demonstrate biblical equality without imposing my own cultural mores?   How can I make sure not to impose Western ideologies that do not represent a gospel priority?  And how do I discern what does and does not represent the gospel?

I do not call myself a feminist, with great respect to my friends who do.  I prefer the term ‘egalitarian’ because of how passionate I am about women AND men working TOGETHER towards the plans and purposes of God.  In my years of serving in varying capacities as a woman leader, the scenarios where true partnerships of reciprocity and respect existed, are the ones that have been the most effective, and I don’t think one has to be a theologian or a sociologist to figure out why.   

When I come here, there are no end of ways of thinking and doing things that are very different from my own culture.  That does not mean my own culture is correct.  Nor does it mean this culture is correct.  But somewhere in between there is a biblical ethic to aim for.  And in all of this I am careful.

But I’m still intentional.  Girls are strong.  They just are.  So I say it.  Every time they heave those bags onto those tiny shoulders and beam that smile of self-confidence at me.  Yes, these girls, my girls are strong.  I want to speak that into them.

Which is why when it happens in the briefest of moments at sunrise while we’re moving the table outside, I can’t help but be ridiculously satisfied.

We’re moving the table because I will be working outside for the morning.  That’s the normal rhythm of my day; to work outside writing sermons and preparing lessons, and emails and such for work still happening back home that the world wide web makes possible no matter where you are.  The table is not heavy, but it’s a little awkward for me to do by myself.  So after they drop off my things, I just ask if someone could pick up an end of the table and we’ll just take this outside.

And we’re in the middle of doing that, and I am thanking them for their help.  And one of them says, without my prompt,  Pooying kemkrang.  ‘Girls are strong.’

Oh yes, little warrior, they are.  You are.  Don’t forget it.  Long after I am able to come here and be with you, I hope this will ring in your ears, in your heart.   And I hope you will say it to yourself as often as you need to.  And I hope, even more, that you will add an essential dimension to this mantra.  A Thai phrase you know well and have actually taught me.

Prajao sum gum lung.

God is my strength. 

Because He is. 

And in Him you can do anything.