God is Greater...

The week before the Gap Team arrived in Thailand, a massive flood hit northern Thailand. While rain is frequent in the country, a major flood like the one in October is rare, occurring only once every decade or so. The northern cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai had just two days to prepare their businesses and homes before the flood hit. When it did, the Ping River—one of the largest rivers in Chiang Mai province—rose to 5.3 meters. Most houses near the river were submerged, and many locals couldn’t get to school or work as the roads were several feet underwater.

Our original plan for the first week in Thailand was to attend a week-long conference where we would receive additional training on adjusting to life in Thailand and learning effective ways to share the Gospel with Buddhists and other non-believers. However, the conference was canceled for the safety of the hotel staff and travelers due to the flood. Instead, we explored Chiang Mai, driving around to sight-see. We expected to see some puddles along the way, but we didn’t anticipate seeing mountains of people’s belongings piled up by the streets, waiting to be collected. The flood had brought not only water but also sludge, ruining nearly everything it touched. Many people lost valuable items essential to their businesses. Seeing the pain and defeat in people’s faces as they discarded everything they had worked and sacrificed for was heart-wrenching. Everyone in the car felt a strong urge to jump out and help salvage anything possible.

Later that week, when we visited The School of Promise to introduce ourselves to the students, we met several whose homes had been affected by the flood. They explained that not all their classmates were able to make it to school due to the devastation in certain areas. One girl shared that her mom was organizing a volunteer group to help clean out a Christian radio center that had been hit hard.

Early the next morning, we joined them, starting the day by assembling food packages for local leaders to distribute in their communities. This ensured that those unable to reach the markets after the flood could still feed their families. Once we finished packing, we went to the radio center to start cleaning. The language barrier was challenging, as we couldn’t ask the locals about their experiences, but we had no trouble understanding their cleaning instructions. After hours of hard work, the radio station staff treated us to a delicious meal and even gave us a tour of their recording studio.

Though we didn’t share the same language, the emotions we felt together were universal. As we continued cleaning, the staff showed us a video of their visit to the center while it was still flooded, with water reaching shoulder height. We threw out over half the wooden furniture on the lower floors. By the end of the day, we were exhausted from lifting and cleaning, but also deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve the community and get to know them.

"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” -Matthew 20:28

To help us get accustomed to Thai cuisine, we decided to take a Thai cooking class. The cooking company sent a van to pick us up and took us to a local market, where they introduced us to different fruits and vegetables, explaining their names and how they’re used in Thai dishes. Afterward, we arrived at a cozy family home where the class was held, giving us a warm, authentic setting to learn in.

Each of us got to choose four dishes to prepare. I chose Pad Thai, Papaya Salad, Thai Noodle Soup, and Green Curry. For dessert, we all made Mango Sticky Rice together. Our instructors were fantastic, and later we found out it was a family-run business. Hosting the classes at their home added a welcoming, personal touch.

As we chatted with the hosts, the conversation naturally turned to religion. They shared that they were generational Buddhists and gave us a brief insight into Buddhism and their beliefs. When we asked if they knew anything about Jesus, they responded that they only knew he was someone we believed in. This opened up an opportunity to share the Gospel with them as we enjoyed our delicious Mango Sticky Rice. Before we left, we prayed for them, grateful for the chance to connect over food and faith.

A couple of weeks later, we ran into the family at a grocery store. They greeted us with such warmth, asking how we’d been since the cooking class. While they hadn’t shown much interest in learning about Christ at the time, I continue to pray that God will use what we shared with them to spark a deeper curiosity in their hearts.