489: Sunset in Baengsaen

Tomorrow is my last full day in Baengsaen/Chonburi. God willing, I will eat lunch and dinner with the Muslims and teach English one last time. I plan to "story" a narrative from Scripture, namely, Abraham's Sacrifice, so please pray that I have a chance to speak. I don't really know what the afternoon will consist of yet (I'm trying to resist the urge to make it filled with Superman Returns, as it will still be playing when we get to Chiang Mai.). Regardless of what happens, the point is that within 24 hours, this part will all be done, and the work that I have done here will be where it has always been, in God's hands. I hope to stay in contact with my Muslim friends; I hope to hear of great things that God does on the campus of Burapha in coming days. There are so many puzzle pieces that are falling into place, oh so many. But Thursday will see my supervisors and I head for Bangkok to meet the volunteer team at the airport, and the summer's itinerary does not take me back here. In theory, I could never return to this city as long as I live.

The finality and brevity are real to me. I leave and must trust God to work as He sees fit. There's a touch of guilt in the mixture too. We work with the volunteer team until June 6. On that date we journey north for a week of meetings and quite frankly, vacation. Not that I won't mind it, and probably, I really need one too. But still, I will be at rest and relaxation for over a week. So unforseen circumstances aside, my work in Thailand is nearly complete.

Here's how the calendar math works out. Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 28, 2006 will mark the seventh day of my fourth week in Thailand, as I arrived on Thursday, June 1. The fifth week will be spent in Nakhon Sawan with the Virginia team and the sixth and seventh weeks will be spent in rest, debriefing, and travel. The end is here.

I probably won't see my last sunset in Baengsaen; I'll probably be busy putting the "bad" back into badminton with the Muslim Club. I probably won't see the sun rise on the Thursday either, as I will probably allow myself a little extra rest before packing my bags. No, I'll probably spend the morning packing and cleaning and in the afternoon I'll be gone. I hope that my work has been acceptable to my Lord; I hope that I have glorified Him as I should, that I have honored Him in the sight of those who worship what are not gods. I hope. I hope.

"And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:3-5

"Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen." Hebrews 11:1

"So, what is Apollos? And what is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:5-7