Walking up the stairs to my room tonight, post-dinner coffee in hand, I was happy. I am happy.
Today burned beautiful images into my mind. Some images invoked dreams wanting to be fulfilled, some pure thankfulness to the Father for witnessing them, others laughter and giddiness at the ridiculous goodness of my God. Waking up this morning, I thought today was going to be average, maybe even sub-par. God had a different day planned for me, and I liked to think I walked right into it.
Thank you to all who prayed for the conversation I was having with the former Director of the Board of Trustees for the Juniper Tree. He was the first person I was put in contact with at the Juniper Tree, and he was ultimately the one who invited me into this large family. After e-mailing back and forth for five months prior to flying to Thailand, it was nice to put a face and a full personality to the e-mails. Come to find out, this man and his wife are huge pillars of the faith, in Thailand and around the world. They have been missionaries in rural Thailand for over 50 years, now currently back home in England. They are in their 80s with more stories than time to tell them and humor to boot. I fell quickly, especially when I saw them sitting outside their cottage this afternoon, holding hands, while watching the kids playing in the pool and the sea in the distance. Yes, please.
I spent some time speaking with them this afternoon about my time commitment at the Juniper Tree. I told them I was really having a wonderful time and they said there was nothing but good reports of me at the JT. Ultimately, he said the offer was open-ended to stay here and would need about 3-month's notice if I wanted to leave. I told him I'd be here for a year. So, folks, there you have it. I will be Thailand, at least, until August. As soon as I walked back to the office after they prayed over me and joked about finding me a husband soon so I would stay for 15 years (I said "Where do I sign?" haha), I felt so much peace and joy. I felt like something was lifted in my heart; a distance faded between me and my surroundings. I can now make this place home and not be worried about when I'm leaving, but really dig in here. I can decorate my room more and meet the staff's families. I can expect visitors (seriously, come on over!) and be more emotionally available to the community of Dolphin Bay. I can also stop putting so much pressure on myself to learn Thai, but just let it come.
God has plans for me in Thailand. I've known this. Here's to resting in them!
Onto other beauty of the day--
We have this family who has been with us for the past five days, enjoying their rest but ultimately waiting for their cousins to meet them in Thailand. Today, they came. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THEM REUNITED. I seriously almost cried (surprise). These families work in two very different places in Asia--one in one of the most populated cities in the world and the other in an almost unreachable land in the middle of the Pacific. They had not seen each other for six years, until today. I was introduced to the parents of the newly-arrived family just as I came up to my room and they were loudly joking and hugging and, clearly, family. My heart was so full from that image of their arrival! Moments like that make my being here more than worth it!
Hearing stories from the former Board Director and his wife at meal time has been a ridiculous testament to God's plan for his Kingdom and his care for his workers. Giving the morning devotion on Friday, he compared himself to the apostle Paul, mainly because of 1 Corinthians 1:16. No, no, not for Paul's greatness as an apostle, but because of his clear lack of memory in that passage. The other reason he believes himself to be like the apostle was communicated tonight at the dinner table. Once when preaching to a Thai Presbyterian church in Hollywood many years ago, he was greeted by a man after the service. The man said, "You look tired. Are you tired?" He said, "Well, yes, actually I am," to which the man replied, "Come and take a rest in Las Vegas. I'll take care of everything." (Many things about that sentence would have produced some serious doubt in me, but I guess given the times and who was speaking, the former Board Director had no scruples.) The man gave him his car to drive to Vegas, while the man took his own jet (clue #1 something big is gonna happen). Former Board Director drove to the meeting point--MGM Grand Hotel--and walked into the lobby with his oldest son in tow. The man greeted him immediately and introduced the manager of the MGM Hotel to him, who escorted him up to the PRESIDENTIAL SUITE! The man said that this was all his for five days, all expenses paid. (There was a pure gold jacuzzi tub.) The next morning, they were having breakfast with the man in their suite with a French string quartet serenading them, when the man asked why his wife wasn't with him. Former Board Director replied that she was in England with the rest of their children. The man immediately picked up the phone, called Board Director's house in England, and got them all plane tickets to come and join them. After spending the rest of the week in the suite with his entire family, they went off to their next speaking engagement in Korea and then on to Thailand, feeling quite refreshed. (It was that gold tub!! haha). Come to find out, the mysterious and giving man was a Thai surgeon who had come to America with pennies and ended up owning his own medical hospital in L.A. A few years prior to this story, the surgeon was brought to the Penthouse at the MGM to meet the owner of the property who was unable to walk and was confined to a wheelchair. The surgeon ended up doing extensive surgery and physical therapy with the owner, and instead of payment for getting him walking again, the owner of the MGM said, "As long as you live, your family and friends will always have a place here at the MGM, all expenses paid."
So, former Board Director compared himself to Paul in that he had learned to be abased and how to abound. Abound, indeed.
Now, beside the utter coolness of the luxury and splendor of staying in a presidential suite, this story warmed my heart at the generosity of His people and the utter care the Father has for His children. So much giving was seen in this story. I felt so thankful that the LORD has given me the opportunity to greet workers who are working so hard for Him and are SO tired and in need of rest. I get to greet them in their exhaustion and welcome them to a space for rest. I get to be in the front row to see the LORD meet them and send them off once again, refreshed and reminded of His call. Very cool.
I also got to be encouraged by a former JT manager on Skype today. It was, indeed, a beautiful day. Thanks, God, for showing me you are the ultimate provider for your children.
In committing to more time here, I will be contacting some of you in the next months to prayerfully consider giving more to my journey here. If you would like to give to my time in Thailand, please contact me at summerlynnholeman@gmail.com to find out more details! I have faith that God will provide. How could I not after the stories of reunion and renewal today?!?
