It’s time again for another installment of “Let’s Learn Thai Together!!!” This month we will learn how to say “God bless you.” In Thai it is “Prachao way pon.” “Prachao” means God. Actually pronounced it sounds like, “Bruh-jow way pon.” Keep in mind there is no uniform way to spell many Thai words with English letters. Hence, you will see this and other words/phrases spelled in different ways.
Stay tuned for next month’s installment of “Let’s Learn Thai Together!!!” Until then, Prachao way pon.
I am going to begin posting Thai words that I think are “just cool.” Let’s start with this word: “glab jai.” It means, “repent.”
Glab (pronounced, glop) = turn
Jai (pronounced, jie) = heart
Stay tuned for our next “just cool” word, and let’s learn Thai together!!! 
It’s the end of the school year over here (a regular school year runs from May-March), and things couldn’t be busier… well, by busier I mean wheels are spinning but the motorbike isn’t getting anywhere.
Students take final exams, teachers grade them and distribute grades; you know all the normal stuff of the end-of-the-year madness. What’s different, though, is that here the grades don’t matter – literally. About a decade ago the Ministry of Education decided that all students throughout the nation would move on to the next grade in school regardless of merit based on grading. The thing is, they left the grading system in place. Thus, while teachers are frantically preparing and proctoring final exams, and then grading those exams, students will move on to the next grade anyway. All grades must be turned in to ensure that students have indeed received passing marks.
Teachers are required to issue passing marks. Any “non-passing” marks are negated as that student will retake a test in assurance of a passing mark. Teachers who continue to give non-passing marks may be looked down upon as a bad teacher and can be at risk of losing his/her job.
Students who just don’t show up for school for elongated periods of time are exceptions to this “no child left behind” rule.
Many students, sorry to say, do not take school seriously, and while this type of thing is typical of students worldwide, it becomes exacerbated due to them knowing that no matter what, they will pass.
For example, one teacher had a group of 30 students not pass a final English exam. The students just didn’t know the information, so most of them answered one or two questions out of a 30-item test. They received failing grades. This was unacceptable, and he was told to re-test all of the students. This teacher now must track down those students, re-test them and, well, pass them.
The issue for me lay not in whether students receive grades or not. The issue is what happens as a result of this type of system. To have teachers stressfully work to get grades compiled and turned in, only to have all of those grades not indicate a student’s actual work in the classroom is unfair. It puts undue strain on the teacher and creates a level of fear that a person could lose face as well as his/her job.
That said, I do not believe that grades indicate intelligence. Every single student is intelligent, all in different ways and at different levels. Every student deserves a chance to better his/her self through education… grades notwithstanding. To force teachers to pass every student, and then if a teacher does not pass a student, to say that the teacher is a bad educator on these grounds is unfair, and allows the student to take no responsibility for his/her actions. This boggles me because self and social responsibilities are major factors in Thai society. To not have students take accountability of their own learning contradicts these societal factors.
I write this because God shows us what’s going on, both the good and the challenging, so that we may pray for and about the situations. My response to all of this, besides the frustration of horror (O’ the horror!!!) that comes with it, has been to pray about things. So, for the few who find their way here, pray with me and let me know your thoughts on this brief tirade observation.
I have connected with some of the people in the mission agency Youth With A Mission (better known as YWAM) and have been involved in some of what they are doing here in Phitsanulok. The leader of the local chapter is a young man of vision and faith. We had connected via email communication and then met at a mission conference that YWAM held at the church that I attend here.
When planning for this particular mission trip he asked me if I would pray about and consider going with the outreach team. What was funny is that a night or two before he asked me, I was praying and God spoke to go on the next mission trip with this group. So, when he asked all I could do was laugh in my head.
The night before we left we gathered at the team leader’s house for prayer and discussion about the trip. The next day we loaded up a pick-up truck and headed to a rural village named Lan So (“lan saw”), which is about 2 hours east of Phitsanulok (in between the areas of Tak and Sukhothai). There were 9 of us total… 4 Thai, 2 Americans, 1 Brazilian, 1 Laotian, and 1 Filipino.
The outreach team: Taa, Dennis, Diogo, Sithat, James, Tle, Teiy, Khauy, Amy
We drove through other villages as we traveled and weren’t exactly sure which village to spend our days in. We stopped at one village just before Lan So. Here we asked to speak with the village leader (the person who is basically like the governor or mayor of the area), but he was not around. So, we decided to continue on to the next village and see how we felt as a team about things. When we got to the next village, which was Lan So, the village leader was available.
Our team leader spoke with him and asked if he was willing to allow us to stay in the area. Lan So is primarily Buddhist and has neither church nor Christians. We were completely honest about who we were and why we had come to the village. We were Christians on a mission trip. The village leader understood this and was very warm and generous toward us. He was willing and said we could stay in the building that serves as a village community center. We thanked him and agreed as a team that Lan So was where God wanted us to stop.
We settled into the community center and unloaded the pick-up truck. Looking at our surroundings it was clear that this would literally be like roughing it.
Our team leader asked each of us to take on specific roles throughout the course of the trip. For example, I and another young lady were asked to be over prayer for the group as well as sharing in morning devotions. Others were responsible for preparing meals or for keeping the budget. While these roles were asked of certain individuals, others could also be included in the tasks.
When we first began to unpack our things from the truck some residents of the village, especially children, came and began to help us clean up the community center. I would be remiss to not mention a little more about the children. They were absolutely wonderful and adorable. They were genuinely glad to be around us, and we shared the sentiment. We would play games together and even when we would have team meetings, the children enjoyed just hanging around. And, as a result, it would be the children who we would have a chance to minister to.
Once we fully unpacked the truck we split up into three groups and walked around the village, going to homes and shops saying hello to people, introducing ourselves, and building relationships. The biggest thing in Thai culture is building and maintaining relationships and while we told people who we spoke to that we were missionaries, we didn’t throw tracts at them or shove a bunch of religious jargon down their throats. We just took interest in their daily lives. We respected that if people didn’t want to talk then they didn’t have to. For people who were willing to engage in conversation we sat and talked, got to know people – who they were, what they did. We just took interest in their lives. We asked if people wanted prayer if they were sick or knew someone who was sick. If they said yes, we would pray. If they said no, then we didn’t. Of the utmost importance was seeing that we respected the persons we spoke with. One woman we spoke to did say she wanted prayer. She had been in an accident (hit by a truck) and had a broken leg and arm, and sat before us in casts of proof of her ordeal. She told us that she will go to the Dr. on November 1st to have him remove her casts.
The community center is usually used at night for gatherings and events. We decided that each night we where there we would do something for the residents of the village. Monday night we had some games and activities for the children and did line dancing. Yes… line dancing. People were shy to dance, but some of the children did try. It was fun. We wanted people to feel comfortable, so this night we just had fun and tried to get people laughing.
After the events of Monday were over we walked some of the children home who did not have adult chaperones. Once back alone as a team we sat and talked about the day and shared with one another.
On Tuesday, the second day, we got up and had breakfast together then split up individually and had quiet time with God. After this we came back together as a group for a team meeting. As we began our meeting the children started to arrive. At first they were playing games (there was a ping-pong table in the community center), then they came and sat with us as we met. We were talking about things and praying as a group when we started praying for the kids and talking with them about God. They were so curious about what we were doing and about this book called the Bible that we were reading. It was an amazing experience. I could hear Jesus saying, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children” (Matt 9:14).
(Double photo to show the panoramic view)
We made a big connection with another family in the village. This family was having a ceremony that remembers a deceased person 100 days after his/her death. The person being remembered was the wife of a man in the village. The wife had passed and this man was now a widower with three children. This house invited us over for meals with them and to talk. Many of the supplies that were needed for the ceremony were being held in the community center, so we helped to load up the supplies and bring them to the house.
At the family’s house we were offered many different kinds of food. We men were also offered whiskey, which we all turned down. Thailand is very conservative in many areas, and one of them is concerning Christians and alcohol; the two don’t mix well. Regardless, we enjoyed a meal together and sitting around watching Muay Thai (Thai boxing). We would help out with things if wherever and whenever we could – cooking, cleaning, setting up, etc. We had a good time just sharing the presence of God through loving kindness.
In the afternoon some of us took time to rest (we went to sleep) and then prepare for the activities of the night to come. It was decided that since this was our final night in the village that along with our activities of the coming night we would also prepare a special treat to share with people later that night. We decided to make a desert called, “kluay buat chee” (Sounds like, “gluay boo chee”). This is bananas in warm coconut milk, and is one of my favorite deserts here. It is SO good.
As night rolled around we practiced what we would do and while we wanted to again have fun and we did games and activities as well as line dancing. We also performed a skit that spoke to the gospel message. It revolved around how we get stuck to sin and only God has the power to release us from it. Then, one of the young ladies in our group shared her testimony and we all sang a special song that was dear to her heart (it was in Thai so I didn’t really sing). We then went around the room talking to people and asking if anyone would like prayer, and sharing the kluay buat chee with those who wanted some.
One woman we prayed for had back problems and when we were done praying for her, she was able to shift her back in ways she couldn’t before. She was so grateful and amazed. Another, an elderly woman who lived in the village, expressed that she didn’t have anything physically broken or suffer from any physical pains, but had a broken heart. She stated that lives alone, has no money, no electricity; just her and her house. She said she’s just lonely. A couple of the team members (who spoke Thai) prayed for her and they said after praying her countenance changed and she looked happier. I think she was really happy to have someone care… I honestly think the entire village was happy that we just cared to know who they are; to be interested in their lives and show love, not just say, “Be saved or be damned.” That way of doing here just doesn’t work. (Of course, I wonder if that way works anywhere and makes true disciples of love.) As I was dancing my life away (because I could ), the same elderly, frail lady that we had prayed for got up from her seat and started dancing with me. It was AWESOME!
We took a group picture with many residents who were in attendance that night. Me and the man from Brazil were told were very handsome “farangs” (farang is the Thai word for foreigner).
Our third and final day in Lan So we were invited for breakfast at that one house where the ceremony was happening and where we had enjoyed lunch the day before. After breakfast we walked to the village school to meet as a team, discuss the day ahead of us, and pray. We then split into the same teams as on the first day and went walking around talking to people and saying goodbye.
The entire trip was a mix of emotions for me and helped me to realize many things. I was a bit uncomfortable because I was the only one who didn’t speak the language and still don’t know Thai culture and customs, but the team was helpful in this respect, and the villagers were welcoming. It was also an eye opener for me to have one of the young women in our group express that she is not very comfortable when English is spoken because she does not currently speak it well. That was helpful to me because it reminded me that discomfort is not only on my part and we need to work on bridging divides from each angle. I also realized that mission trips don’t have to be grandiose scale adventures, but just simple getting-to-know people experiences and sharing the love of God by showing that you take an interest in another person’s life. Seeing God move throughout this entire trip has been yet another reminder for me of Revelation 5:9, “… your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation”, and Revelation 7:9, “… I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.” I have been reminded of these scriptures many times since I first arrived here in Thailand, and I am sure that I will continue to see God move in such ways that I am reminded over and over again.
This trip was also an exercise in community. While we had time alone to spend with God, we were essentially with one another as a team the entire time. I’m an introvert so I like having my space, and I had to push myself to seriously soak up my alone time with God as the time I would have to be to myself.
Sharing dinner as a team
We agreed that this should not be the last trip to Lan So. We are not sure if the next group to this amazing village will be the same nine of us who initially went, but one thing is sure, Lan So is ripe for harvest and God wants laborers in this vineyard. While the trip was pretty tiring, it was an absolute blessing; the experiences and the people we met shall not soon be forgotten.
When I first traveled to Phitsanulok it was by plane from Chiang Mai (I have since taken plane, bus, and train to and from many places). This initial plane ride was an interesting one. It was a very small plane; some would call it a “puddle jumper”, but when I say that this plane was more like a shimmy instead of a puddle jumper, I make no exaggerations. This shimmy (not a puddle jumper) of a plane had one central-nose propeller, 12 passenger seats, and two seats for the pilot and co-pilot. It was such a close atmosphere that there was no door to divide between pilot/co-pilot and passengers. There was a curtain (which was open), and allowed me and everyone else to this to see the radar, LOL. I took a couple of quick pics because, honestly, I was concerned that any unnecessary electronic devices on this trip really would send us way off course or spiraling down to the earth below. Thankfully that didn’t happen though. As we flew I was looking out of the window (as I like to do) and watching Chiang Mai and the country-side below.
Then, as we began to rise higher and higher, I noticed the clouds as I never have before. I love clouds, they fascinate me. I have flown many times. I have even been overseas before, and each time I have marveled at the engineering feat of flight; the creation below that would get further and further in my view as the dome of the heavens above came closer and closer. This time the experience was truly a God perspective.
Nature itself reminds me of Psalm 19 “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth” (vv. 1-6)
I looked out of the small windows to see baby clouds enjoying their freedom as they bounced in open skies. Shapes of prehistoric monsters trampled over mountainous terrain, while huge cloud fortresses loomed over them. Winged drones hovered and inspected the land below.
Mountainous peaks and snow fields create illusionary topography. Clouds that are shadowy white and look like they have bubbled out of their own selves until reaching a desired point and then stop. Or, perhaps they bubble until they exert all of their energy and then cease. Shapes which mirror large, imposing creatures and small, tip-toeing whispers.
Below the clouds are rivers and roads that cut through landscapes as though getting from one end of their journey to the other is a life-ling maze. Mountains jut up from the earth and look like wrinkles in time. Bright greens of farm, dark greens of forest and the roads and rivers that wind through them, linking end to end in an ongoing journey.
Roads that attest to humanity’s desire to explore, conquer, assist, build, destroy, and altogether live in a world that is ever-changing, yet remains so much the same in a lifetime. Lakes splattered on the ground like huge droplets of nature-themed Rorschach’s gone awry. Green steppe, dry ground, tan farmland of dried up, off-season, or already harvested crops…. Yes, nature cries out the wonder of God’s majesty, and sometimes, just sometimes, I can hear a whisper of it. I won’t lie, this is increase. This right here is a privilege – to see the clouds from above the clouds, and the ground from thousands of feet above.
This, I think, I believe, is where God wants us – His children and all of humanity – to be. Not literally and physically above the clouds, but in places of mind where we see life above those things which always hang over us. This, I’d say, is vision. Can we look at what we have always known and see a different perspective? This is truly grace. Many people will never literally get to fly. For those of us who do it has become so commonplace that oftentimes it may be taken for granted, but it is a marvelous manifestation of God’s grace within human engineering. I’ve always found flying fascinating but will admit have also taken it for granted.
The delays and potential lost baggage, not so tasty in-flight meals, late flights and red eyes… the list goes on. I’ve focused on these and other “annoyances” of the trip and haven’t stopped to admire the view that God said is “very good.” I haven’t “smelled the roses” of grace or even thanked God for allowing me to take part in His privilege and favor. I just pray for traveling mercies, which is a good and necessary thing, but I leave out the other aspects of acknowledging His goodness in and through the trip itself.
Traveling can be tiresome and take a toll on the body. Yet, at the same time, the God who strengthens us to look up while on the ground is the same God who will strengthen us to look out when miles above. If you never get to experience flying look up towards the sky nonetheless. What do you see? What vision can you see beyond that which always hang above and over you?
For those of us who do have the privilege to fly, next time we set sail in modernity’s air ships, let’s take the time to look out of the window – and dream. Dream of the vast snow fields of the sky, dream of what could be and indeed is possible. Dream… and then share our experiences, our visions with others. Let’s live lives of purpose and fulfillment; of vision from dreams of grace. So, may we remember to often look up, to open closed windows and peer out. There is a vision, a dream, beyond the clouds and it’s waiting for us to see it. And, for those who don’t look up and don’t open their windows, let’s give their heads a little nudge upwards, crack open the window blind and, as we Christians are supposed to do, point the way…
Like a pillar.
The following are NOT pics taken from the plane ride spoken of, or from the air at all (as is obvious from many of the pics having roads in them). However, I add them here to give some visuals of the amazing and different structures and forms of these massive and wispy puffs. I do have an (OVER) active imagination, but I appreciate the images and stories that fill my mind as I see the wonder of God’s handiwork….
Looming giants hover over the landscape.
Rays of sun splash through dense cover.
The sky is their domain.
Are we driving to them, or are they coming to us?
Sun rays cast pinks and tangerine oranges off of cloud cover over the River Kwae.
Emerging from behind mountain peaks.
Often humidity causes fluffy bubbles.
Like its got a dollop on top.
Fluffy drones converging for a meeting.
Mixture of dark and light converge.
Like they just keep going on… into forever.
Like massive cloud monoliths hovering over the mountains.
Clouds tumble over mountainsides as cool rains pour down.
A Wat rests under amber coverings.
Makes me think of a cloud battleship patrolling the skies.
Can you see a monolithic-like face?
Finally, this reminds me of Exodus 24:15 “When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it….”
Many people have heard of Bangkok, some have heard of Chiang Mai, but less have heard about Phitsanulok. This is interesting to me because it’s a pretty major throughway for travel between Chiang Mai in the north and Bankok farther south. Yet, perhaps this is why it remains so unheard of… it’s a throughway, which means you get here but then you keep going.
This is not to say there are no tourists here; there are. People come to Phitsanulok to view the beautiful waterfalls and national parks; there is wonderful plant life here as well, and the city has historical significance as it is where the famous King Naresuan is from. King Naresuan is best known for fierce opposition against Burmese takeover.
Two Universities, Naresuan University (names after King Naresuan) and Rajabhat University are in Phitsanulok. There is also a Royal Thai Army base in the City.
Phitsanulok is a growing urban environment that still has splashes of rural lifestyle and thought. Like many places in Thailand, Phitsanulok has sewage problems due to severe flooding during certain times of the year. Government agencies have been working on many techniques to help the country. In a way Phitsanulok reminds me of Pittsburgh with splashes of Rankin and Braddok, thrown into the middle of Dutch-Amish country.
Some of the landscape on the outskirts of Phitsanulok.
Phitsanulok lies off of major highway routes.
Buildings fill the city as outdoor shops line the streets.
Outdoor markets are prevalent.
Local and internationally recognized franchises are all throughout Thailand. There is a lot of different foods at KFC than what we might be used to in the States; rice is common with just about each meal and “egg tarts”, found throughout areas of the country, are well-liked snacks (well, not by me… I don’t like em, but others do).
7-11′s are a huge franchise in Thailand specifically and Asia as a whole. People LOVE their local 7-11!
As with any city, traffic jams are daily occurrences.
Local police officers try to make some order of the congested streets (unfortunately not always helping matters). Driving throughout the country is quite aggressive, and drivers (of cars or motor bikes) often drive as though safety is not the first priority. I have come to conclude that those yellow or white lines in the middle of the road are “road art” meant to be driven over.
While a river does not run through Phitsanulok… so does a major railway.
This is but a glimpse of Phitsanulok, but gives an idea of the city itself. So I am here working at Padoongrasdra (“Pah-doong-rat”) School.
Padoongrasdra School signs and crest
The Director of Padoongrasdra School: Parinya Tawino.
A fairly large K-12 school, Padoongrasdra has around 3,000/4,000 students. This school one of the private Church of Christ in Thailand schools and so it has a Christian base, and the director is firm on sharing Jesus with students and staff. As if a microcosm of the wider country, Padoongrasdra is primarily not Christian in its student and staff population. Most, as Thailand is, are Buddhist. So the school is ripe ground for witnessing. Thailand has a huge shortage of male role models who are Christian, so being on this campus and showing young men (and women) how a real, godly man should act is a serious responsibility. One of the biggest things is just letting students know you care. Many do not get that message so sharing it through the love of God is key.
The elementary level is called Prathom (“Pra-tome”) and the high school level is Mathayom (“Mah-tay-ome”). Both the Prathom (P) and Matayom (M) structure have levels that range from 1-6. So, for example, P.1/1, P. 1/2… P.2/1, P.2/2…, all the way to P. 6/6. Likewise, M.1/1, 1/2… M. 2/1, M. 2/2… all the way to M. 6/6. Each level designates a specific age and grade.
Prathom students at a special event on campus.
A Mathayom class working on menu’s for a restaurant role-play in English.
I have a total of 16 classes that range from elementary (Prathom) to beginner high school (Mathayom). Having 16 classes per week is not actually that much. My fellow international English teachers have at least 24 classes per week. (The class in this pic is M. 2/6.) I am here to teach English on more of a conversational level. Thus, I do not always deal too much with the grammar but try to begin conversation among students, staff, teachers, etc. (I don’t know what I was saying in this pic… I think I was ATTEMPTING to pronounce a name.)
One of the biggest challenges to education here is the class size. Government run schools (which are the equivalent to public school education in the States) have no less than 50 students to a class. Private schools here generally have fewer students per class because they are allowed to set a cap on student enrollment. While Padoongrasdra is a private institution, it has no such cap, so, class sizes are just as big as in Government schools. This makes the learning process very challenging as one 50 students are very difficult to manage for one teacher. Add to this that the level of English throughout Thailand as a whole is very poor, so foreign teachers of English and students are not able to communicate very well, especially as it pertains to class discipline.
I am considered a “lucky” teacher because in my classes I am paired with a Thai teacher of English. This does indeed make life a lot easier as the Thai teachers are (generally) more able to control and discipline students. The other foreign English teachers do not have this luxury. The only reason I have this is because I am in a different program and am not a “regular” international teacher. Persons who apply for teaching positions in schools are considered just like any other teacher. I am here under a mission status and the agency I’m under has its own requirements for those in its service.
Regardless of having some different conditions from other teachers, we all have talked about the difficulty of student learning as it pertains to the English language. Thailand as a whole has struggled with English for some time; there are many factors that go into this. For starters this country was never colonized, thus people were never “made” to speak English. For a number of years English was not even allowed to be taught in the school system. When it finally was allowed to be taught it was done so through the means of grammar first, then conversational speaking. (Now, I am no expert on English as a Second/Foreign Language, but I do know that learning the grammar, reading and writing of a language first is not usually how to go about learning that language. It allows you to have a grasp on grammar, but then you are unsure of how to speak, which is essential.) Add to this the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN), which is the “conglomerate”, if you will, working to help the 10 South East Asia nations work together and be more unified in economic approaches. The communicative language for ASEAN is English. Hence, if you don’t speak it you are, in a way, left behind. (I spoke of ASEAN in an earlier blog post as well.)
So, this is where Thailand is. There is the knowledge that learning this language is imperative, but many are having difficulty getting to this goal. It is a very challenging situation, but I can see/sense the great opportunities that exist as well. There is so much potential for people young and old. Thailand is, in my opinion, in a stage of transition; it currently lies in a place where the West was during the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution. This is an era of great flux for the country with new levels of education and globalization mixed with economic and urban sprawl. As I mentioned above that Padoongrasdra School is a microcosm of Thailand in its religious affiliation, I would say that Phitsanulok is a microcosm of the rest of the country in terms of the flux happening.
Ok, back to Padoongrasdra school. As I mentioned, even though I am paired in the classroom with a Thai teacher, there are still the issues of language barriers, cultural differences, and the fact that since many students know they will get passed through the system, they don’t do any substantial work. However, working through these things is part of the task at hand, and in working through them connections with people are built. Relationships with people are extremely important here, and making those is the first step to helping anyone learn anything. You build relationships, you build trust, and then you maintain that trust with the love and compassion of Christ.
It can definitely be rewarding and, at times, fun teaching, but the powers that be understand that breaks in-between the teaching schedules of the year.
This is sports day. It’s like an “Olympics Day” where students compete against one another in various sports, such as track, relay races, dance, and even parade marches. It’s a fun difference from regular classes.
And of course, we have inter-office humor to help us along
Along with teaching Prathom and Mathayom classes, international teachers are also assigned to teach Thai teachers of English in order to help improve their proficiency levels as well. While student class size is typically gargantuan, these classes are not. Teacher class sizes can run up to about 20 or so. I have been tasked to teach the staff and school director himself, so my class size in this respect is smaller.
The staff English class. Part of class is conversation, the other part is Bible reading so that people gain an awareness of letter and word sounds. (Ajarn Parinya is seated left front.)
Also, God really will open doors for barriers to be broken down. As I share the following story I think of Ephesians 2:14, “For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall….” (For all my Bible literalists and exegetes, I am aware that this piece of Scripture is in its context speaking of Jews and Gentiles. However, I also do believe that the Word of God is applicable to many different contexts. In this sense cultural and language differences can be great “dividing” walls, even of hostility. Breaking down these walls takes learning of one another, and the way to truly unite as one is in and through Jesus Christ.)
One of my students, a young girl about 5 or 6 years old, called me over to play a game with her and her friends. “Teacha Jame”, she called to me, not yet being able to fully say “Teacher James” (SN: Thai are not used to pronouncing ending sounds, so my name typically comes out as “Jame” until the correct pronunciation is practiced). She wanted to play monkey in the middle. This little girl, ball in hand, was motioning for me to stand in the middle of her and two of her other friends so I would be “it”. Well, I didn’t get this at first and she proceeded to make monkey gestures and sounds. I was taken aback for a second as my “American Black man” defensive side began to rise. Then, I realized what she was getting at – she wanted to play Monkey in the Middle. And so we did; I and three young children, each one no more than seven years old, transcended language barriers by playing a game and laughing. I was so glad I held in my preconceived notions of what was happening. It was a true learning experience.
Payap University
The University was established in 1974 by the Church of Christ in Thailand. It has two campuses in the Chiang Mai area, and boasts of accredited undergraduate and graduate level degrees, as well as a PhD program in Peace Studies.
I met with Esther Wakeman, Assistant to the President for Spiritual and Community Life.
Esther (Left) and Sharon (Right , Coordinator of the CVT Program) in the chapel on Payap’s campus.
The inner sanctum.
The Chapel building rests on columns which go down into a moat underneat the building. This water helps to keep the interior of the building cool.
There are spaces underneath the seats which allow for the cool air from the water below to enter into the building.
The University boasts of having a diverse international student body and fostering a spirit of unity among students and staff.
This collage of metal on a wall are letters from old campus building names. They are a mix of different languages, and represent that what looks like a sea of jumbled different letters come together as a beautiful collage. Thus, “Unity Amidst Diversity.”
Several buildings on campus are new.
The Sirindhorn Learning Resource Center. A newer building on campus that houses the library as well as English Learning Center.
At the entrance to the library is this sign reminding students and staff alike to dress in a manner respectful to self and others. How you present yourself is very important in Thai culture.
The School of Communication – aka “Gospel”.
The “Prophet” building… sorry, I don’t remember what this building houses.
The International College, where students of all nations come together - aka, “Pentecost”.
The School of Law – aka, “Judges” (Isn’t that fitting….).
The Business Administration Faculty building – aka Trinity.
There are separate dorms for men and women. Many aspects of Thai society are this way. Traditional Thai culture holds that men and women should come together only during appointed times in life.
The “Alpha” Women’s Dorm.
The “Omega” Men’s dorm.
In the middle of the Alpha and Omega dorms is “Kairos Square.” It’s a place where fellowship can take place and the name fits with Thai traditional culture as “Kairos” is Greek for, “At the appointed time.”
As I have observed throughout much of Thailand, there is a huge mix of concrete, glass, and abundant green space. Payap’s campus is no different.
This is a message from the school’s previous president. It reads, “Foreign language skills and a world-wide vision are the heart and core of world citizens int he new era.”
The school currently has an interim president, and regardless of who the new person will be to fill this position, such a message is the vision of exellence that Payap has as it strives to educate citizens in this new era.
