To Thailand With Love A True Missionary Story! My stomach lurched as I glimpsed the disfigured form sitting on the hot, Bangkok sidewalk in front of the noodle shops. As I passed by, I reeled in horror as my heart broke with the pain that this pathetic human being must be suffering. Its a woman, right? I thought. A dirty, ragged dress draped her misshapen form. Her body was ravaged by elephantiasis - a dreadful disease that causes tissue to swell to grotesque proportions and the skin to become hard, thick, and wrinkly, resembling that of an elephant. I tried not to stare, and tripped on the uneven sidewalk as I passed. My heart screamed, Stop! Go back! Go talk to her. My feet wouldnt listen. I walked further on down the block, then stood still. There was a wrestling match going on in my heart. I argued, If I stop to talk to her, I will draw a crowd. Every time I stopped to talk to Thai people, others drew near to listen because it is uncommon for foreigners to speak Thai. During those years, we were the only foreign family in the area. Shopkeepers knew us for many blocks in both directions. Typically, I loved sharing with the crowd. More people listening, meant that more people heard the Gospel. I didnt want the crowd today. This one time, I wished the crowd away. I took a deep breath and submitted to the Lords urgency. I walked back down the block, hesitated over her, then slowly knelt beside her on the hot sidewalk. As I sat cross-legged beside her, the shopkeepers from the cafes exclaimed in Thai. They ran to me, shooing me away, explaining in Thai that the creature was dirty, smelly, and that it was her karma to be this way. I felt angry. I wondered if this woman could hear or see. Her face was covered in hideous, gigantic folds of leathery skin. I couldnt see her eyes, nose, mouth, or ears. I closed my eyes in the midst of the yelling and asked the Lord for peace & strength. The shopkeepers were tugging on my arms now, yelling for me to get up, that I should not waste my time with such a creature. I stubbornly kept my eyes closed and remained perfectly still, praying silently. It grew quiet, except for the Bangkok street sounds behind me. I slowly opened my eyes and saw the shopkeepers and many onlookers forming a wide semi-circle around us, blocking the passerby on the sidewalk. No longer angry, I calmly, but firmly instructed the crowd, Older & younger brothers & sisters, (a typical Thai greeting), I began, Everybody, go on about your business. I am a missionary teacher. I want to speak with this woman Please allow me to do so! She is a human being, and I want her to know that someone loves her. Have you told her you love her? Then let me tell her for all of us. I received silent, incredulous stares, then slowly the crowd began to disperse, allowing people to stream past. Many shifted to the side and continued to watch. I was pretty sure by now that the woman could not see. I was really hoping she could hear. When I said the part about love, she had turned her head to me. I rejoiced. That meant she could hear! I greeted her with a typical Thai greeting and began by telling her that I was a foreigner, and that I apologize ahead of time if I make any mistakes in her language. I shared briefly about myself, my family, and the reason I was in Thailand. Her head stayed turned in my direction. I asked her to nod her head if she understood me. She nodded clumsily. I told her that I didnt know if she had ever heard the words, I love you, and that I wanted her to hear them from me. I hesitated, then reached for the deformed flesh that were her left fingers. The onlookers gasped then started chattering away in Thai. I ignored them. I said over and over, I love you! I love you! I love you! I love you! With the second I love you I felt my voice crack. My tears flowed. My heart broke over this woman. No response. There seemed to be a stunned silence in the cafe that spilled out onto the sidewalk. One kind shopkeeper that I recognized reached out and touched my arm, and gently spoke in Thai, Its okay, teacher, you dont have to do this! Please dont cry! I shook my head to her and turned back to the woman beside me. I continued. I explained how that one day she could have a beautiful body, live in a mansion, and walk on golden streets, but that she would have to listen carefully and believe and receive what I had to share. I began with the Creator God, Who sent His only Son to live and die for sinful man. I shared a long time. She wasnt going anywhere. It was boiling hot now as the sun beat down on me. She was in a bit of shade of a huge plant. I felt dehydrated. There was no shade, and I felt faint and asked the Lord for strength. Just then the same shopkeeper I knew handed me a large bottle of water, then sent one of her young workers to stand over me with an umbrella. It refreshed me so that I could continue. I asked the shopkeeper for water and food for my new friend, and she said that people would come for her later to take her to eat something. I continued the good news about the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, sharing verses of Scripture from memory. I came to the part about salvation and outlined the steps in accepting Christs sacrifice for our sin. I told her that I had already done this as a young girl, and could walk her through it. I shared that she needed to do three things: 1) Admit to God that she was a sinner. 2) Believe that Jesus died on the cross for her sins. 3) Call on Him for forgiveness. I asked her if she wanted to do that. No answer. I asked again, saying, Touch my hand if this is your choice to pray to God. She didnt move. Then I heard a guttural sound. Slowly her fingers moved against mine. It was more of a hit. I rejoiced out loud telling her how thrilled I was for her decision. I guided her with each step in prayer, slowly, and stopped a moment so that she could pray silently each time. I told her to touch me each time when she was done. Finally, she touched me after the last step. I leaned close to her and lightly squeezed her arms. I didnt want to hurt her. While my arms lay across her, I felt drips on my skin. I looked up at her deformed face and saw a stream of wetness rolling down her skin onto her lap and my arms. She was crying! I started to cry, too. I told her again that I loved her, and that if I never saw her again, that I wanted her to remember that someone loved her. I told her that I would meet her again one day in Heaven, because now we were sisters. I briefly shared a few more truths with her, then told her that I had to go home. As I said goodbye, she moved against my hand again. I enveloped her in a hug and told her that no matter what happened in her life, for her to hang on to the truths that she had heard this day. I explained that one day the sadness of her life would be over, and then she would know real joy as a Child of the King. She made another guttural sound. I rose to leave. There were still a few onlookers and also the people eating noodles a few feet away. Their eyes followed me. Two shopkeepers approached me. I inquired again about food & water for her, then handed them some money. Please give me your word - make sure she gets food and water! Make sure! They assured me that they would prepare something for her. Even if her people came for her, they would send it with her, they said. I turned to the cup that lay at her feet, and put some bills in it. I walked away with mixed feelings - feelings of sadness for the horrors that still awaited her in this life - the pain, the rejection, the suffering. Yet, I felt joy because I really believed that she accepted Christ! I never saw this beautiful sister again. The next day and for many days following I returned to that shop, and inquired about her. For years to come I continued to search for her on every street. Finally, I realized that it was a divine appointment. I almost missed it. I was thankful to the Lord that He turned me back to her that day. This true story is dedicated to the people of my heart - the Thai people. Soon, I will come back to you, and walk on your streets again. I come with the same Unchanging Message of love and hope that can transform your hearts and lives, if you accept this message. Im a little older, yet, maybe wiser, by lifes storms that I have weathered. Well sit and talk, and Ill share with you about the Greatest Love the world has ever known. Wait for me. Im coming soon.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:14:24 +0000
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