Stories from the Field

July 2004

Thailand: Idols and Ignorance
By a worker in Southeast Asia

"My heart is confident in You, O God. I will praise you, O Lord, in front of ALL the people [of Thailand] and I will sing praises to you among the nations, for Your unfailing love and mercy is higher than the heavens and Your truth reaches to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. May Your glory shine over all the earth. Use Your strong right arm to save me and deliver Your beloved [Thai] people." (From Psalm 108)

After more than a year of living in Thailand, I finally ventured out at 6 a.m. on a Saturday in May to observe Buddhist monks descending the mountain called Doi Suthep, and to prayer walk the area. I often see orange-robed, barefoot monks walking throughout our city carrying "rice pots," collecting food and other offerings from the people. It's a ritual that occurs daily for all who hold to the animistic belief that giving to the monks will assure that their ancestors' stomachs are filled. This practice also secures personal "merit" for them in their next life. But how astounding on this particular morning to count more than 100 monks coming from the temple on Doi Suthep and to consider that there are 124 temples in this city alone carrying out the same ritual each day! I felt heart-sick and the Lord brought tears to my eyes as I watched many people, from toddlers to the elderly, kneel on the busy streets and sidewalks, press their hands together and bow before the monks, presenting their offerings of rice, soupy Thai dishes, and mineral water. An eerie feeling of darkness came over me as I listened to the monks chant over the people in the ancient language of Pali Sanskrit which NO ONE understands — not even the monks who memorize the chants!

At the base of the mountain, there's a massive shrine which honors a monk who is considered a local saint. In a 15-minute time period, I observed dozens of people lighting joss sticks and incense, presenting flowers and food, and bowing their heads in humility before this golden statue. I am reminded of the words recorded by Isaiah in chapter 44: "Then the wood-carver measures and marks out a block of wood, takes the tool, and carves the figure of a man. Now he has a wonderful idol that cannot even move from where it is placed! He makes himself a god for people to worship. He falls down in front of it worshiping and praying, 'Rescue me! You are my god!' Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, 'Is this thing, this idol, a lie?'"

In a few weeks, five university students from the USA are coming to serve specifically with me here on a two-week project. Part of their assignment is to go into one of the temples three days each week to "practice" speaking English with monks who have a strong desire to learn the language. One of the things that many people are surprised to learn is that the majority of monks are simply young men who are performing a "duty" for their families. There is rarely a high level of commitment to Buddhist thought among the monks. They are searching for truth, too! Would you pray for these five students, for their conversations with the monks, and for discernment regarding doors God is opening? Pray that they would encounter those God is raising up to be spiritual leaders among the Thai people and that we would be able to connect them with Thai believers who will follow up with them.

I recently heard a story from a church planter in Southeast Asia who shared the testimony of a new believer in a country where believers are persecuted for following Christ. My favorite part of the testimony was this ... When asked the question, "What was the best time in your life," this precious woman thoughtfully replied, "The best time in my life is any time I am hungering and thirsting after God." Wow! I hope that grips and challenges your heart as it does mine!

Pray for the salvation of Thailand. Ask God to send laborers here (could you be one?). Pray for Buddhists worldwide. Pray that they will hear Him say, "I, the Lord, made you, and I am here to help you." And pray that my eyes will continually be opened, that I will never grow insensitive to the world of hurt and lostness that surrounds me every day, and that I will guard my heart, being careful to exalt Him above everything else that seeks a higher priority in my life.