Outsider in the Land of a Thousand Smiles

Thailand is known as the land of thousand smiles but the culture here is more closed than in India. Family units are tight and it takes more than a notion to penetrate these social circles. Our previous country (India) had many English speakers and was a British colony for hundreds of years. India was a divided group of cultures and languages that the British tied together for wealth and power. Thailand has never been colonized and the Thais are a proud people who love their King.

 

So although Bangkok has modern malls with American fast food and coffee shops, i.e. McDonald's, Dunkin' Doughnuts, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, etc., you still feel like an outsider. Yes, it is time to learn some Thai.

 

We can only guess what is hidden behind the everyday smiles we see.

 

Ministry here is not crusades and mass evangelism, but building solid houses of friendships one brick at a time. It is not easy being an outsider but Golgotha was not easy either. We can only hope that our small efforts will be acceptable to the One who was truly an outsider.