From that, I had to rush downtown for a doctor’s appointment. I have a number of skin/allergy issues that we’re trying to get to the root of. But upon seeing the results of a thorough allergen blood test, there was a long list of foods that “could” be aggravating the problem. Including RICE!! How do you live in Thailand without eating rice?! So I left the doctor’s office frustrated, with the issue unresolved.

Ran some errands on the way home to make use of the unavoidable traffic. And then decided to go for a run to clear my head. Running with worship music usually helps me reconnect with God, but I wasn’t really expecting anything more than a good workout. I did remember, however, that I had a new album on my iPod (not really new, but new to me). So I pushed play and started running . . . to Jason Upton’s “Beautiful People” . . . for the first time ever.

That’s when everything began to change. I was blown away by the depth and beauty of heart-level, intimate worship that was coming from this man’s voice and music. The longer I ran, the more captivating the songs became. Finally, 6 km, a few pushups/sit-ups and a walk home later, I found myself lying on the floor to cool down with the last 2 songs filling my ears. And the Spirit of God just welled up within me, as tears began to flow down my face and I wept with repentance, thanksgiving and the awareness of His presence once again.

“You’re never alone,” he sang.

You’re never . . . alone.

John 14:16-20; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5-6

YWAM Mae Sot

In Thailand, they have no rights, no money, no work opportunities and are not allowed to travel outside the local district. But even that is better than life inside Burma. So they come by the thousands. 50,000 people live in the crowded camp nearby.

refugee camp church

The Karen people experienced a great revival in the early 1800′s, so many of them are Christian – although later generations have become more nominal. But they have a gift of song that defies the appalling conditions they live under. In spite of the extreme hardships they’ve experienced, the young students often burst into song as they go about their day.

And we’re here to teach on “Worship”!? It was a humbling task. I wondered, “What can I possibly teach them”? I’ve never had family members murdered by brutal soldiers. I’ve never had my rights taken away, or been driven from my homeland or imprisoned in a refugee camp. With see-through bamboo walls, outdoor toilets, simple vegetables and rice meals, and an open-air classroom in the tropical heat, one would think they have much to complain about. But instead they were eager to learn and grow in God.

So we humbly shared what we had, exploring God’s Word regarding “What is Worship?”, and spending lots of time making a joyful noise to the Lord together. It was heaven on earth. With each session, our freedom and depth of worship grew stronger. I was surprised at how God was teaching me through them, as we looked at God’s creation and shared with one another how He spoke to us through the trees, fields, rain and flowers. (Romans 1:20)

One young man shared how God reminded him that the trees praise the Lord day and night, even though they are confined to a single space and can never move around like man does. (Isaiah 55:12) I thought, “And you are like those trees, created to worship, regardless of the travel restrictions of evil men. But, oh, how the Father must smile when he sees you lifting up your voice in praise. In fact, He sings over you with great joy.” (Zeph. 3:17)

The final night climaxed with them sharing songs they had written that week, and  singing to the Lord with all our hearts. At times, the presence of God was so strong we were bowed to the floor in awe of His greatness.

It was hard to leave Mae Sot, knowing we would go back to the freedom and comforts of life in Bangkok, and our Karen brothers and sisters would remain in their restricted world of uncertainty. But God is definitely alive among them, and His promise is to never leave or forsake them. So we trust in that promise, and consider ourselves privileged to have had a few days to learn from them – what worship REALLY is.

For the Kingdom,

Phil & Cindy Porter

To watch a video slideshow of this event, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOpjDzVevTY

* For more information on how to pray for the Karen people:

http://www.ywamthai.org/wayteloo

http://partnersworld.org

http://www.prayforburma.org/

We attended a wedding of a former student who lived at BJD during our earlier years. Three days later, we attended a funeral of a young Thai girl who died of cancer at the age of 27. She was the sister of Seng, the drummer in our first Thai worship team from 17 years ago. Her life was an amazing testimony of God’s grace, and her brothers did an amazing job of honoring her and God at her funeral. I was moved to tears by the song they wrote and performed, “Do Not Fear”, based on lyrics found in her journal.  http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2050408334634&comments

We are in the final days of prep for our national staff conference. Things are crazy busy, but God keeps confirming that He is going to do some amazing things with our time together. “Come to the Banquet Table” is the theme, and it will be the most interactive conference we’ve ever had. With 450 attendees, it will also be the largest.  Because we’re introducing some new concepts, I find myself oscillating between fear, dread and excitement for what God is going to do.

I’ve been so challenged by the book I’m reading now, “Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership” by Ruth Haley Barton. Reflecting on the life and leadership of Moses, it continues to speak to my heart in a deep way.

I think I finally finished writing a song I started last month. Titled “Sometimes I Wonder”, it’s about all the doubts I experience contrasted with the certainty of knowing God is my father and understanding how a father loves his kids.

The journey continues . . .

Phil

Shortly after our return to Thailand, we had a few days break in the South to regroup as a family, and then met with our staff and leaders who work in Southern Thailand. It was a valuable 2 days of counseling, giving input, and planning for future growth. Although the South has been the most difficult region to penetrate, due to social unrest and a strong Muslim influence, we are beginning to see some small breakthroughs.

Lately, we’ve been in the midst of planning our national staff conference which only happens every 2 years. Over 400 staff and volunteers will come together from around Thailand to worship, fellowship and share about what God is doing through our various ministries. With the theme of “Come to the Banquet Table”, it will be an interactive time of reporting, workshops and building networks to increase our effectiveness in bringing the Kingdom of God to Thailand.

Thailand just had a general election in which the sister of the former prime minister, who was ousted in a military coup, has just been elected as the new prime minister. We’re not sure what the future holds here politically, but we do know that this nation needs prayer. With only 1% of the population believing in Jesus, there is still a LOT of discipling to do. Many people don’t realize that, although Thailand has greater political freedom than all the surrounding nations (Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam & China), it has less percentage of Christians than any of those nations!

One of our favorite things to do is to interact with our local Thai staff about “life” as a believer and what that means. Last week, a group of a dozen young Thai staff spent the evening in our home eating dinner together and asking us questions about living cross-culturally in our international mission community. Most of them are the first Christians in their families, so they are growing in their understanding of how the gospel changes our lifestyle, but also learning how to work with “foreigners” from a variety of nations. It was a rich time of learning from one another, and we found ourselves humbled and amazed again at the valuable influence we have, as well as the blessing of learning from our Thai brothers and sisters as we hear their perspective. This week, we did a similar thing with a group of Thai and mixed married couples, talking about married life as God sees it and how our cultural concept of marriage is changed by Kingdom principles.

You are such a valuable part of our team. Thank you for investing in us and in the Kingdom of God in Thailand!

With love,

Phil & Cindy Porter

FUN FACT:
July 2011 = 7-11
Did you know there are 6,000 7-11 stores in Thailand?!

The value of hospitality – We grew up setting one more place at the table, regularly having visitors in our home and entertaining them with food, music and fellowship. Today, hospitality is a big part of Cindy’s and my ministry.

The value of conserving – Because Mom grew up poor, she was always saving and re-using things. Although it seemed extreme at times, it taught me to not be wasteful, which has become even more important as we live among people who have so much less than me.

Appreciation of gardening and cultivation – Although as a child I hated having to work in the flower beds and garden, it taught me to love the art of sustaining plant life, creating beauty with creation, and having my hands in the soil. It teaches me about God and his ways, and is part of mankind’s original responsibility from God – to cultivate and care for the earth.

Tomatoes, sour cream and yogurt – Because Mom insisted on us trying and eating foods that we thought we didn’t like, I developed a taste for a number of foods I thought I hated as a child. Tomatoes, sour cream and yogurt are just a few.

Weekly piano lessons – Because she consistently drove me to piano lessons and waited for me to finish week after week, insisted that I practice every day, and appreciated my playing, I developed a gift that is an integral part of who I am today.

Attachment to coffee – Coffee was always part of Mom’s life, no matter what she was doing. Good or bad, somehow I inherited the same habit and reputation.

A love of cooking – Mom was a great cook and frequently cooked for much more than her immediate family. As I was often enlisted to help out in the kitchen, I learned to appreciate the art of creating good food that blesses others, body and soul.

You can always come home! – Whether I lived an hour away or on the other side of the world, Mom never stopped asking me when I was going to come home. And I knew there would always be an open door, a delicious meal and a bed waiting for me. Now I try to communicate that same loving security to my own sons.

I could say much more, but I’ll just say this. “Thank you, Mom, for raising me well.

And welcome home!”