"Told Ya"

 

I’m not expecting this at all, even though I’m pretty sure I should have been.

We come in quietly to morning worship thinking we’d be the first ones.  Suradet had said it would start at 5:30, and we had heard the morning bell ring at 5:00 because we’d been up for a bit already.  It’s one of the advantages of jet lag in the first few days.  If there’s something going on at the crack of dawn (which there always is), we’re on it.

I tell Ken I want to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and head over before everyone else to start prepping the white board for this evening’s lesson.  But when we get to the meeting room everyone is already there, just quietly waiting.  For us.  And we’re 15 minutes early.

This is not, not what I am expecting, if you catch my double negative here.  Because, it’s like that sometimes in the mornings.  And while I still find it culturally interesting that stated times don’t really mean much, and that so many children can assemble and wait oh so quietly, sleepiness notwithstanding, it doesn’t really surprise me.

It’s when Wara arrives that things start down a more surprising path.

We have already started our time of prayer and singing when she comes to sit down in the circle across from us.  As soon as I see her I get Ken’s attention, and we all make appropriate-for-the-fact-that-we’re-still-singing-and-praying kind of excited-to-see-you faces and gestures.  I didn’t know she would be here!

Wara is one of our earlier girls, arriving to Hot Springs thirteen years ago when she was nine.  Her father had not been in the picture for some time already.  Her mother is a devote Christian.  Their village was small and poor and had no school.

Fast forward to today.  She stopped in to Hot Springs late last night, coming back from Chaing Rai where she has just completed a two-month off-site course in pursuit of her studies at Bangkok Bible School.  She’s on her way to a ten-month pastoral internship before she returns to complete her final year in class. 

Her face, her being there alone was a truly joyful surprise.  As is completely in the agreement, Wara’s faithful Sponsors who had carried her through from age 9 to 18, opted to end their sponsorship when she left high school.   New Family Foundation remains committed to properly launching our children into their adult lives, so Ken and I took her sort of under our wing.  And delighted to do so.  Because there was something about Wara that made me wonder, “pastorally gifted”? 

And here she is.

Okay, do the double take here.  I said “pastoral internship” and described her as “pastorally gifted”, and I’m talking about a young Thai woman.  Woman.  And without getting too deep into a cultural-theological discussion about egalitarianism’s embryonic state in this part of the world, let’s just say she’s going to be a front runner here. 

During morning worship, Suradet invites her to share a few words to encourage us.  She does so without hesitation, with a clarity and confidence that only enhances her humility.  I’m jet-lagged, it’s morning and my Thai is decidedly ‘rusty’.  But I understand enough to know that she is most certainly a teacher.

Later, before she leaves for her internship assignment, we chat together in the office.  That’s where I realize what’s happened here, and that for some reason it is catching me off guard.

 I affirm her developing spiritual gifts and encourage her to go with God as far as He takes her.  I tell her I think she has what it takes to serve Him as a pastor.  That I put no pressure on her for that at all, but just to encourage her that this is what I see.

 And she thanks me for my role in her life as a supporter and sponsor and that, when it comes to being a woman pastor in an environment that’s not sure it’s ready for such a thing, I have been her example.

Women together serving God as we believed we have been gifted to do so.

“Told ya”, I hear Whispered to my soul.

 Back when I was stepping into this role myself, and many, many times since over the course of pursuing a ministry where I was often enough overtly discouraged, wondering if I could make a difference in any meaningful way, labouring within a misunderstanding that “effective” means having a big church, God more often than often enough brought strength and courage to carry on.  There was good work, big-how-God-measures-big outcomes in the works and He wanted me doing what I was doing.  Time after time, and by many various means He said such things.

 And here today, a little visit from Wara that I wasn’t expecting, brings a reassurance that I should have been.   It matters.  God’s good on His word. 

Later, in the heat of the day, I am feeling it as I lay out the evening’s lesson on the whiteboard, exactly a the time of day I had been hoping to avoid his morning.   But I couldn’t help but be reminded again that the little by little bits I have written on the board will be gathered and put to use by a loving Father who has good plans for His daughters and sons.

Reading with the kids begins tomorrow.  There’s no school!  Did I mention this yet?  The king’s birthday and another festival combine to give us 6 days at home together (plus a rather big surprise for Saturday).

There’s more to come.

In so many ways.