Austins in Thailand

Jesus slept here.
On the banks of the Nile river we stood in the church above where the Holy Family stayed for some time after fleeing Herod.   Thank God for Egypt, the safe haven for the homeless, persecuted Holy Family.

The Romans built this place.
We exited out of the crowded, hot metro into the bright sunlight and stood before a tower that the Romans built.  Attached to the tower, but with no foundation, is the Hanging Church.  Walking into the Church there are beautiful mosaics of Bible scenes and the church has incredibly beautiful wood work - but - if you look down in certain spots there is clear glass to show you there is no foundation!

Saint George died here.
Saint George was a Palestinian Christian who was martyred in the 2nd Century by the Romans.  We walked and bent and gasped and were repulsed as we experienced his prison cell and instruments of torture.  Everywhere we looked we saw the Holy Martyrs.  Thank God for their faithfulness.

It had rained hard for several hours and the streets were flooding as I set out for the grocery store. The traffic was heavy and at one point it was stop and go. As we inched along I noticed people scooping up large catfish that were swimming in the street. Once I past the fish, the traffic eased and I chuckled all the rest of the way to the store. Thailand is amazing in more ways than one!

I received the call in the early evening. Usually my duties as an on-call chaplain were slow; only occasionally did I hear the urgent beep of my beeper alerting me to some emergency. I called the hospital and heard the story: a runaway, teenaged girl was in labor, the baby was dead, and the staff wanted a chaplain.

Where was she from? Why did she run away? Where were her parents? How could she be so alone with this incredible weight of suffering laid across her? What could I say? What could I do? What did God intend? How could something good come out of this mess?

Afraid. Compelled by my duty and the love of God. I walked into the room and sat by her bed. She had given birth and the baby was in her arms. Small. Black. No beating heart. She gave me her hand and I promised I would stay with her for as long as she needed me there. We sat in silence for a long time. I prayed. The words seemed so insufficient compared to the tragedies played out in the sterile hospital room.

She asked me to baptize the baby. So we gathered. A few staff, the girl, the lifeless child, and the minister, strangers bowed to the mystery. I used a shell and poured water over the baby’s head, my tears mixing with the life giving water cascading out of the creation of God.

Life is filled with suffering. But Jesus takes all of that suffering and offers it up to God in some mysterious way and that somehow makes it not only bearable, though no less understood, but also glorious. And it’s our greatest gift to go with Jesus and enter into the suffering of others.

I write this as I look out at my garden filled with flowers. There is a small - very small - yellow bird flitting around the green, red and white of the garden. The rainy season has just begun here in Thailand and moisture clings to everything. After 5 long, dry, and recently very hot months, the rain is falling again, sometimes with great force, sometimes with gentleness.

Sometimes, especially in March after 4 months with no rain, I start begging God for rain. I remember the green of November, the raging waterfalls and sky filled with rain. I remember the rice fields filled with water and the clean fresh air. The memory gives me hope.

For 400 years the Israelites toiled in Egypt. It was a long time of suffering. But God heard their cry and led them out of slavery. Over and over again in the story of Exodus God directs his people to remember. Remember you were once slaves. Remember, God saved you. Remember who you are, where you came from, who loves you. Remember.

Exodus is our story. Like the memory of the green of November, our memory of God’s saving actions give us hope in the troubled times. We were once slaves in Egypt. We were once dead in our sins. God saved us. God broke the power of Egypt and the power of sin. There is nothing God cannot do. It may be dry and hot - but the rain will come. We may be suffering now - but God will rescue us. Remember.

Remember.

The other day I was passing through a well known store in the Seattle area. I glanced at some clothes and slowed down. I couldn’t believe my eyes - $282 for a pair of jeans. I stopped. Picked them up. Looked for the gold thread. I couldn’t believe it.

As I looked at the other over priced clothes on the table accompanying the jeans I kept wishing that a sales person would ask to help me. I wanted to ask them why - why are these jeans worth $282? I also wanted to tell someone, anyone, that 1/3 of the world’s population lives on less than $1 a day. In other words - 282 days = one pair of jeans!

God help us!

Ending Slavery is the title of Kevin Bale’s latest book. It’s a must read. Log onto the Free the Slaves website and buy three for $30. Keep one and give the other two away. . .

2: Beavers we see when we stay with Natelle’s mother in Goldendale.

4: Fish caught fishing with Rod and Kathy Brown in Molson, Washington.

5: Number of Thai pastors soon to be ordained in Thailand at the annual conference.

35: Scheduled appointments and presentations so far for September and October. Want to add more?

425.361.5660: My phone number in the Seattle area.

27% - the amount of money pledged so far towards next years ministry. We need 100%+ by the end of December. Hit “give” above to learn more.