Sorry that this is so out of context

I ask her how she's feeling and get a sarcastic response. Our mutual friend berates me for even asking - of course she's not doing well. I rephrase the question - is she feeling light-headed, dizzy? She is. I make sure she gets more water. I ask her if I can touch her foot and she gives me permission. Someone reminds me that this is a gloves situation and they hunt down a pair for me. I take off the ad hoc wrappings and begin to apply my own. I think about cleaning the wound, but the large amount of blood on the floor concerns me and I decide that blood loss management has to take priority over infection for the moment. I secure the bandage, get her foot elevated, and begin applying pressure to the wound, then ask her if she's comfortable taking the tourniquet off her ankle now. To my relief she obliges - at first she had been too afraid that the heavy bleeding would resume. I ask if she can wiggle her toes and she can. We keep the foot elevated with my pressure on it and encourage her to drink more water. I continue to ask her questions to make sure she's staying conscious and coherent. I pray that she'll stay stable until the ambulance comes and takes her to the hospital. The strong pulse that I begin to feel in her foot as blood soaks into the bandage again gives me comfort.

The ambulance arrives, but the paramedics are a little slow to react to the situation. Since they can't get the stretcher in close enough (too much blood and broken glass), I ask her if I can help her up, and end up lifting and carrying her to the ambulance. They begin to place her in but I've already turned around and begun removing my gloves in the proscribed non-contaminating manner. In a surreal moment I toss them on the floor in the middle of the blood and glass and everything else - can't think of a better place to put them for now. I go back outside for a moment and make sure the paramedics have been informed of the significant details of the situation. They have. There's discussion of who will go with them to the hospital but I'm not paying attention. I don't remember what happens next, but I'm not outside and I'm not looking when the ambulance leaves. The last memory I have of her is making eye contact as she thanks me just after I've set her down into the wheelchair/stretcher. I know our friend was there too, but I can barely remember.

As they left, I realized that I'd likely never see them again.


I wrote that over a week ago, the day after those events happened. I was trying to process what just happened and how I was feeling about it. I didn't send it to anyone at the time because I was having enough difficulty understanding all of my thoughts myself that I didn't feel okay having others read what I was thinking yet.

My writing continued:

At that time following my first aid training and the correct safety protocols felt more important than my own emotional response. That suppression has made it more difficult for me as I try to deal with my feelings now. Last night was one of the worst nights of sleep in my life. The hallucinations (note: my confused waking-dream state I get at night when I'm very sick or under severe stress) were heavy, far worse than I've had in a long time. After many hours of sleeplessness and tossing and turning and hallucinating and mosquito bites, a massive thunderstorm hit and the loudest thunderbolts I have ever heard began booming outside my window. In a way it was a comfort - at least now I had a reason for not falling asleep, and the fury of the storm made me feel like God was acknowledging the turmoil that had just happened and heaven was raging too. In my sleep-deprived state of hyper-attribution, it also worried me, because the violence of the storm felt like a confirmation of the seriousness of the events.

Today I prayed for good news, but when bad news came back I realized that I did not feel disappointment - I already assumed the news would be bad, and good news would have been the shocking surprise. At about the same time I accidentally saw their pictures from just a day earlier - I almost cried. I've had five or six "almost cries" already, but did not release my first tears until an hour ago. There will be more.



I wish I could share more with all of you, but there are many reasons why I cannot, so for now you have to be content with just hearing my feelings. It was hard for me even to say this much - for most of the time since this happened I've been focusing on anything but that, distracting myself with news and sports and other duties here. Please pray for them, and pray for me and the rest of the team here as well. A lot has happened in the 1.5 weeks since I wrote that down, and in many ways we are moving on, but that doesn't change how significantly difficult their situation is, how much it was exacerbated last week, and how much it affected all of us. God is their only hope, and my limited mind is still having trouble feeling secure in that hope.

As a final thought - I know that many of my feelings, most importantly my feelings of borderline despondency and lack of hope, are seriously misplaced. They are in part the result of a major exaggeration of our significance.  I can fall pray to the assumption that we are saviors, that our influence is vital under these particular conditions and that the new set of conditions precludes any hope of them, as my friend would say, "finding my happy days". (Lord, please, be with them) I know that is not true - there is one Savior, and he completed His saving work that I may know that I don't have to. Our trust is in Him. In Him we have hope. Thank you for praying.

Thoughts on Egypt

During the protests in Egypt I did not express an opinion on whether Christians should participate. And now that the protesters have succeeded, I still don't know. Mubarak was a dictator who imprisoned, tortured, or killed thousands of his political opponents, stole billions of dollars while many of his people suffered in poverty, and ruled a government that was full of corruption. But does that mean Christians are obligated to attempt to overthrow such dictators? And by what means? Does it matter that the alternative to Mubarak may be even worse? I don't know. So I couldn't say that Christians "should" work to overthrow him. But as I have prayed and reflected on the present, past, and future in Egypt, there have been a few things that I do feel I can state with confidence.



First, I believe that as Christians we cannot support what Mubarak did or trust him to "protect us". Some Christians told me that while Mubarak was bad, "at least he kept the Islamists in check", and "the alternative will be even worse".

I do not know whether the alternative will be worse. But no alternative can justify throwing our support behind a dictator who steals from the poor, imprisons tens of thousands of his political opponents, and uses torture and murder as weapons to control his people. What good would it do us to save our lives in such a manner, if we lose our souls in the process? What message would that give the world about who Christ is and what He would be in favor of? Better to lose our life to persecution and thereby save our souls than to preserve our lives through the support of such evil.


For those who wish to turn to Egypt's dictator for safety, I think the words of Isaiah 30 and 31 resonate today. The context is similar - the Jewish king was so afraid of the Assyrians and what they would do to Israel that he was willing to turn to the ruler of Egypt for protection. God's response through Isaiah is summarized in the first three verses of chapter 31:

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the LORD.

Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words.
He will rise up against that wicked nation,
against those who help evildoers.

But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God;
their horses are flesh and not spirit.
When the LORD stretches out his hand,
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped will fall;
all will perish together. Isaiah 31:1-3

We are to trust in God for protection, not Earthly rulers who are using unjust means.


My second thought deals with persecution. Persecution is painful, difficult. We need to support and pray for those who are persecuted, and publicly speak up to their persecutors in defense of their lives. But sometimes we may get so caught up in trying to avoid persecution that we forget - blessed are the persecuted!

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. - Matthew 5:10-12

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything...

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. - James 1:2-4, 12

But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life. - Luke 21:12-19

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. - Philippians 1:12-14

There is much more - 1 Peter 3 and 4, 2 Corinthians 12:10, 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5, Acts 5:41, James 5:10-11. Far from being something that hurts believers, persecution strengthens faith and grows the church. The first few centuries of Christianity showed this abundantly. I do not believe that this means we need to seek out persecution. But when the choice is between facing persecution or supporting sin and injustice, then like the early martyrs we can embrace persecution with open arms.


Finally, I believe there is one clear proactive response to such situations. That response is embodied in the greatest commandments - Love the Lord your God, and Love your neighbor as yourself.

Imagine that there were two alternatives during Mubarak's thirty years in power. On the left, the church could have openly supported Mubarak's policies, been glad when he imprisoned and tortured those the church considered to be its enemies, done what it could to ensure that he stayed in power for as long as possible, and campaigned for someone just like him (such as his son) to take over when he died. Until that happened, we could have fervently prayed that Mubarak and his followers were able to stay in power and keep control over our enemies as long as possible.

And on the right, the church could instead have openly loved those that it considered to be its enemies. Millions of Christians could have actively worked day after day for those thirty years to show concrete acts of love to their neighbors. When people were unjustly imprisoned, the church could have spoken out on their behalf, even if they were part of the "enemy" faction. When torture, rape, or murder were sanctioned by the government, the church could have spoken out against it and stood with those who suffered, even if those suffering had hurt Christians in the past. And for thirty years, we could have fervently prayed for the souls of those who considered us their enemies, that through our love and the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts they may come to have an eternal relationship with the true God.

Both choices would have had to face the truth that no human reign lasts forever, and that Mubarak or his successors were bound to one day fall. Until that happened, which strategy would have glorified God more? Which would have a greater chance of bringing an Egypt where Christians could live without "fear of man", but fear God alone? Which one was more likely to bring home the lost sheep that our Lord so deeply loves and wants to come into His fold? Which one shows more of God's love?

And, when Mubarak's reign finally did fall (as it did last week), which strategy would be more likely to have planted the seeds for a future Egypt where Christians are safe and respected as a part of the Egyptian community?

Mubarak's time is over. But Egypt's is not. These are not choices to be made in certain eras or by certain church leaders, but choices that every Christian has to make for herself every day and will still have to make no matter what government controls the nation. Do we trust in man to protect us from those we fear? Or do we make the choice to fear God alone, trust in God alone, and turn to our enemies with open arms and the love that Christ poured out to us when we were opposed to Him as well?

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. - Luke 6:27-28

When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it. - 1 Corinthians 4:12

So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. - Matthew 10:26-31

The one who has none

About a month ago my wife's family came to town.  One night they were able to treat one of our housemates and her baby to dinner out. They started in their hotel room, where baby "Naomi" fell asleep immediately on the cushy bed, the likes of which she had never known. Everyone thought it was adorable how she sprawled out on the covers, as blissfully passed out as she'd ever been.

That is, until her mother, "Marina", tried to pick her up. The second she left the bed she started crying. Marina set her back down, and she fell blissfully asleep again. Tried to pick her up, and she cried again. This scenario repeated itself several times. Naomi could not stand to leave the bed - she had never had a resting place so soft.

It's sort of a cute story, but sad too. Naomi has spent all six months of her life in our home. It's not a bad place to live - probably middle-class by Thai standards - and many of our friends in Thailand are raising their babies in much more difficult circumstances. But it will never compare to the lifestyle our American friends enjoy. Naomi might never get to rest on a mattress like that again.

Since Naomi's time on the bed I've been thinking about the place of luxury a lot. What kinds of comforts do I desire for Naomi's life? What should I be praying for? What does God want for her life? How does he want me to respond?


I believe God wants us to have joy in this life. He wants us to enjoy the good gifts of His creation. But I don't think that means He wants a life of luxury for us. There are many warnings about the dangers of wealth in the Bible (Amos 4, Matthew 19:23, Luke 6:24, Luke 12, James 2 and 5, 1 Timothy 6:6-10). Christ asked wealthy men to give up their lifestyle to follow him, and warned that luxury may not be found on that path (Luke 7:24-26, 9:58).

In practical terms, it would not even be possible for the rest of the world to live like many of us do - Americans alone already use a quarter of the entire world's energy supply and a third of its automobiles, even though they are only 4% of the population. The rest of the world cannot be raised to "American" standards - there will never be enough water, food, metals, energy, etc. for everyone to waste stuff in luxury the way that the richest nations do.

So again, how do we respond? I still want good things for Naomi. So what do I look for? In Luke chapter 3, John tells the crowd, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” In Acts chapters 2 and 4, you see the new Christian community acting this out, for "all the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need" so that soon "there were no needy persons among them."  Paul expanded this freely giving community across churches, imploring the richer congregations to give to those churches that were in times of need (2 Corinthians 8-9).

I don't know what kinds of beds God desires for Naomi in her future. I do not know what "comforts" He wants for each of our lives on this Earth. But I do know that if I am living in greater comfort than my neighbors, His desire is that I share that with them, all of my excess going to serve all of their needs, until all those I love are being blessed with those gifts at least as much as I am.

Loving our enemies: More from the Early Fathers

Last year I wrote this article for a magazine:

Loving our Enemies

(Somewhat coincidentally, it was a couple weeks before I wrote this blog entry.)  At the time I knew that the command to love our enemies was clearly stated in the gospels and New Testament epistles.  But I didn't realize how important it was to the early church.  Recently, when I began reading the earliest documents of the Christian church, I came to see that loving our enemies was pivotal.  Not only was it taught in church documents, sermons, and letters, but the visible fruit of Christian love for their enemies was a major point that Christians made when defending their faith to non-Christians.  So what has happened between then and now?

All of the following quotes are taken from the first 160 years of the Christian church.   At least two of the authors of the quotes were themselves martyred during this period of persecution.

There are two ways, one of life and one of death; and between the two ways there is a great difference.

Now, this is the way of life: "First, you must love God who made you, and second, your neighbor as yourself." And whatever you want people to refrain from doing to you, you must not do to them.

What these maxims teach is this: "Bless those who curse you," and "pray for your enemies." Moreover, fast "for those who persecute you."  For "what credit is it to you if you love those who love you?  Is that not the way the heathen act?"  But "you must love those who hate you," and then you will make no enemies.  "Abstain from carnal passions."  If someone strikes you "on the right cheek, turn to him the other too, and you will be perfect."  If someone "forces you to go one mile with him, go along with him for two"; if someone robs you "of your overcoat, give him your suit as well."  If someone deprives you of "your property, do not ask for it back."  (You could not get it back anyway!)  "Give to everybody who asked of you, and ask for no return."  For the Father wants his own gifts to be universally shared. 

- Opening of the Didache, possibly the earliest church document ever discovered

"Pray also for emperors and magistrates and rulers, and for those who persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest in all, so that you may be perfected in him."

- Bishop Polycarp, Orthodox saint and one of the most famous early bishops and martyrs, in the close of his letter to the Philippians (his only existing letter)

For the Lord says, "My name is continually scoffed at by all peoples"; and again, "Alas for whom my name is scoffed at!"  How is it scoffed at?  By your failing to do what I want.  For when the heathen hear God's oracles on our lips they marvel at their beauty and greatness.  But afterward, when they mark that our deeds are unworthy of the words we utter, they turn from this to scoffing, and say that it is a myth and a delusion.  When, for instance, they hear from us that God says, "It is no credit to you if you love those who love you, but it is to your credit if you love your enemies and those who hate you," when they hear these things, they are amazed at such surpassing goodness.  But when they see that we fail to love not only those who hate us, but even those who love us, then they mock at us and scoff at the Name.

- The earliest Christian sermon ever discovered (known as "Clement's Second Letter", though the original author is unknown)

This is what [Christ] taught on affection for all men: "If you love those who love you, what new thing do you do?  for even the harlots do this.  But I say to you, Pray for your enemies and love those who hate you and bless those who curse you and pray for those who treat you despitefully."

About being long-suffering and servants to all and free from anger, this is what he said: "To him that smites you on one cheek turn the other also, and to him that takes away your cloak do not deny your tunic either.  Whoever is angry is worthy of the fire.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, follow him for two.  Let your good works shine before men, that they as they see may wonder at your Father who is in heaven".

- Justin Martyr, in the first known written defense of the Christian faith, giving examples of the goodness of Christian conduct and the power of God in Christ's words.

Moreover, by showing that the teachings themselves, to which we are attached, are not human, but were declared and taught by God, we can persuade you not to hold us for atheists.  What, then, are these teachings in which we are reared? "I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sends his rain on the just and on the unjust."

With us...you will find unlettered people, tradesmen and old women, who, though unable to express in words the advantages of our teaching, demonstrate by acts the value of their principles.  For they do not rehearse speeches, but evidence good deeds.  When struck, they do not strike back; when robbed, they do not sue; to those who ask, they give, and they love their neighbors as themselves.

If we did not think that a God ruled over the human race, would we live in such purity?  The idea is impossible.

- Athenagoras, in a 2nd-century defense of the faith to the Roman emperors

If we are enjoined, then, to love our enemies, as I have remarked above, whom have we to hate?  if injured, we are forbidden to retaliate, lest we become as bad ourselves: who can suffer injury at our hands?  In regard to this, recall your own experiences.  How often you inflict gross cruelties on Christians, partly becaues it is your own inclination, and partly in obedience to the laws!  How often, too, the hostile mob, paying no regard to you, takes the law into its own hand, and assails us with stones and flames!  With the very frenzy of the Bacchanals, they do not even spare the Christian dead, but tear them, now sadly changed, no longer entire, from the rest of the tomb, from the asylum we might say of death, cutting them in pieces, rending them asunder.  Yet, banded together as we are, ever so ready to sacrifice our lives, what single case of revenge for injury are you able to point to?

- Tertullian, often called the "Founder of Western Theology", in yet another 2nd-century defense of the faith

Book List

We are in the process of making decisions that will affect the rest of the year...and quite possibly the rest of our lives.  Our experiences and relationship with God are the driving forces behind those decisions, but the books we've read have influenced us as well.  I wanted to put out a list of the books that have strongly influenced/explained the things that we're doing this year.  The following books are in no particular order - I'd recommend all ten of them to everyone.

1. Friendship at the Margins
2. Making Room
3. The Road of Lost Innocence
4. In the Name of Jesus
5. Compassion
6. From Brokenness to Community
7. Not for Sale
8. First They Killed My Father
9. Sexually Exploited Children
10. Freedom of Simplicity

As a bonus, here are five more books that are informing the more long-term decisions that we are making for the future.  I recommend these as well, partly on their own merit (especially #1), but also for anyone who wants to understand our lives and our desires for the future a little more.

1. Three Cups of Tea
2. Living Mission
3. Perspectives on the World Christian Movement  (you're better off taking the class rather than just reading the book)
4. A Thousand Splendid Suns
5. Cry of the Urban Poor

I'd be happy to answer any questions at all that anyone has about them.

That they may be one

My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. - John 17:20-23

Unity between Christians is difficult, but I think it is worth it. I want to work towards unity with other Christians so that we may be together in God. I want to work towards unity with other Christians so that the world may know Christ was sent by God. This doesn't mean we need to go to the same church, worship the same way, or agree on all theological details. We have different roles in the Body, and even the apostles had disputes. But I do believe that God calls us to humble ourselves for the sake of unity in His kingdom.


Last month I asked Ash Barker (founder of Urban Neighbors Of Hope) how we could encourage ecumenism. The essence of his answer was that ecumenism is hard for Thai churches to do, but WE need to do it first. While the "we" he referred to was the community of missions/service-oriented Christians in Bangkok, I think his answer can be taken further to say that we as individuals need to practice unity before asking it of our larger church bodies. The most powerful advice regarding unity in Paul's letters are not his statements against church division in 1 Corinthians 1, 3, and 12, but the gentle manner he calls us to act towards those who we disagree with in Romans 14:1-15:7. Until we as individuals learn to tolerate difference of opinion on religious matters, bear those whose faith seems weaker than ours, and stop putting stumbling blocks in front of each other in the name of Christan freedom, we'll have little chance of convincing our churches to get along.


If anyone wants a deeper look at the ecumenical issue, I encourage you to read Chris Heuertz's article "The New Ecumenism: Becoming the Living Body of Christ" in IMMERSE Journal

A Different Christmas in Bangkok

About 99% of Bangkok either treats Christmas as a Western commercialization-and-decorations holiday or doesn't celebrate it at all. That made the last 36 hours that much more interesting.

On Christmas eve we went out together with some Thai friends and a few people from another organization to sing Christmas carols at the bars of Bangkok's red light districts.

Our resident 3-year-old passed out candy canes to the women while we sang in Thai and English. The women appeared to love it and several of them even gave us gifts in return. The Western men's reactions were mixed. We got everything from guys glaring and making mocking faces to guys who were singing along. One guy had to look away from everything, including the girl he was with, the whole time we were there.

We also got to pass out gifts to our friends who beg out on the streets, and even play with a few of the kids. I had a lot of fun and was wiped out long before we got home.

Christmas morning we had a quiet gift-opening together as a community. Then it was off to a local church for a joint Christmas party for the kids we know who beg on the streets and some kids who are associated with the church. We played games, made nativity scenes, watched a movie about the nativity, and ate lunch (and lots of candy) together. About twenty kids were there, most of whom we know well, and we had a blast.

 

Then it was home again for a Christmas party with our wonderfully hospitable neighbors. Fantastic food, dancing kids, and silly playing made up the rest of our night.

In the midst of the hard realities we deal with, it is so wonderful to be able to celebrate. Pray for all those we celebrate with, that they may find not only happiness for one day, but eternal joy, and peace on this Earth as well.

Update on our service

I've talked about the evolving nature of our service in blog posts and emails, but it's been a while since I updated everyone on exactly what we're doing.  So here's the latest version of what we're up to:

• We still have outreach on the streets every week, but we've cut back how often we go.  Instead we are doing more home visits with the families that we've developed relationships with.  Rose is also working on a special project to help us in this outreach.

• Last month we suspended the drop-in center.  The location had become unsuitable for many of the kids, and the one child that was still attending is now with his family and off the streets (and in church!).  Instead, we played soccer with a bunch of the kids one week and will join them for a Christmas party next week, and are planning to start a drop-in center in a safer location further from the red-lights.

• We're still doing the community-building stuff that I talked about, but two Servant Team members will leave soon and at that point our community activities will look different.  Certain community activities related to women in difficult situations may increase.

• We continue to teach English to children at a local church every week.  We're now breaking for the holidays, but next year we'll start up again and even have a special three-day workshop for older teens.

• Our visits to migrants are finally happening!  After numerous roadblocks were taken away, we are getting to visit with men and women who don't get very many visitors.

• One of us is working on a special project to get a picture of how churches across Bangkok serve the poor and marginalized, with the hope of eventually building bridges with other churches.

• Our Servant Team coordinators have started a monthly advocacy meeting to bring together those in Bangkok who share God's heart for the poor.  So far we haven't had to do much other than set up the space and enjoy the dialog.

That's the basics for now - I'm sure I'll have changes to write about in the coming months.  Such is the nature of the service.

Christmas in Bangkok

It's fair to say that most Thais don't know the connection between Christmas and Christ's incarnation.  And you won't see Christmas decorations on private homes.  In Bangkok Christmas is a holiday that celebrates consumption, a holiday for flashy decorations at high-end stores and the selling of luxuries.  You'll see Santa, reindeer, Christmas trees and bunnies (recycled Easter bunnies?) in all the most expensive business districts, but nothing related to Christ.

And really, if their idea of Christmas comes from what they see Westerners spending the most time and money on, why should I expect any different?

How can we set a different example this year?

One option: http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

Please pray

Last night had so many positive aspects and so many difficult and/or horrible aspects at the same time.  We had a deep (and sometimes difficult, but significant) conversation with a foreigner in Bangkok and served a newcomer in a really simple way, but ended up hearing about some potentially terrible things going on for some of our young friends that we spend time with out on the streets.   I don't want to go into details, but they need a lot of prayer.  Thank God for the ways in which He brings people together in His timing for His purposes, pray that our new friend is able to follow through with the things He realized last night, and pray much for all our young friends, that whatever we fear has happened in the past is not as bad as we fear it is, that somehow we or someone else can be agents to stop anything from happening in the future, and that they find ultimate healing from all their trauma in Him.