Crescent Hill Baptist Church
Chiang Mai Mission Trip
July 16-26
Report
Thanks to all of you who were able to attend the shareholder's meeting on Sunday. For those of you who couldn't make it, we will be sharing with the church on Wednesday, August 22, as part of the Wednesday Night fellowship. Below is the official report from the trip.
Mary Gutwein
The Team's Story
by Clayton Williams
Day 1--The Departure July 16, 2001
The excitement built as we departed on the long and grueling trek to Chiang Mai. The journey began at sunrise on a clear blue Monday morning. Sad good-byes from family members and shareholders were replaced quickly with warm greetings from fellow passengers, as we boarded the plane to Dallas, Texas.
The flight was very routine. After walking around and resting in the Dallas airport, the gate attendant finally called our flight number. Shelly, the people counter, quickly counted to make sure that we were all "present and accounted for" and ready to board the plane. We went up and down again.
Three and a half hours later we were in L.A. We gathered together and walked over to the international section of the airport. We saw many nationalities of people from assorted countries around the globe. We grabbed a quick bite to eat before boarding the L.A. to Tokyo plane.
We flew on Thai Airlines on what was to be an extremely long flight. We had an entire 10-seat row on the plane, so the group could sit wherever they wanted. The food was overwhelmingly tasty and the service was first rate. We were given a menu to choose an entree such as smoked salmon or steamed sea bass. (And some got to choose between the duck and steak from business class when the economy class dinners ran out!) After eating we caught up on much needed sleep.
Day 2--The Flying Continues July 17, 2001
After many hours of sleep, we finally were awakened and told by the captain that we would be landing shortly in Japan. We entered the airport only half awake but conscious of where our passports were at all times. We bought some souvenirs and were given yen instead of U.S. money in return--another reality check that we were not in Kentucky any longer!
We boarded our final flight for the day, to Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai Airline flight attendants greeted us once again with a bow and a "Sawasdee-ka," which means "good morning" or "hello." We arrived in Bangkok at around 11:40 p.m. and proceeded immediately to the Hotel Amari. We went quickly to bed so as to be less affected by jet lag and to possibly be better prepared for the final leg of the trek to Chiang Mai the next
day.
Day 3--Arrival in Chiang Mai July 18, 2001
Fortunately, all of our baggage had arrived intact when we were met by Ian and Del Pattemore, our host missionaries. The Pattemores are from Australia and have worked in Chiang Mai for the past 18 months. They escorted us to the Riverside House, where we acquired rooms and deposited the luggage.
We were pleasantly surprised with the accommodations. The guesthouse was air conditioned, had Americanized bathrooms, fairly comfortable twin beds in each room, and laundry services on the premises. Wasn't S___, our laundry specialist, lucky?
The innkeeper, Durian, was Thai. There was a garden in front of the guesthouse that was beautiful. The guesthouse offered us a complimentary breakfast, which consisted of toast, rambutans, pineapple, and coffee each morning. Can you even fathom renting a room with breakfast and laundry for a week for 30 dollars?
Next, Ian and Del drove us to the Karen Hostel for the first view of the painting project we would be completing. We were overwhelmed with the amount of work to be done. There were fourteen dormitory rooms for us to paint, as well as four large, open areas that served as the chapel, hallways, and meeting areas.
Despite being discouraged by the amount of work, most of us had a good feeling that God would not have sent us half way around the world to not complete a job for which we had been called. Somehow he would come through for us. In the meantime, Tim (the project coordinator/Paint Czar) was developing a mastermind strategy for painting the hostel.
That night we participated in a worship service with the students at the hostel. The singing was absolutely wonderful! The service was led by Sunni, the director of the Karen Baptist Convention, who interpreted what he was saying in the Karen language into English.
We told a little bit about ourselves and then were asked as a group to sing. We chose "Amazing Grace" and the Doxology. The students presented us with roses as a token of their appreciation. They were grateful that we had come to help them. It was at this point that we really started to realize why we were there.
Day 4--Let the Painting Begin! July 19, 2001
We awoke at 7:00 that morning for breakfast and devotion, then departed for the hostel at 8:30 eager to begin. We gathered for a brief morning prayer before the work commenced.
Tim, as project manager, assigned everyone tasks in order to get ready to paint. After the prep work was completed, we got out the brushes and rollers and began painting the chapel.
Much to our surprise and liking, several students had stayed home from school to help us paint. How wonderful. In this way we met the people whose rooms were being painted and built personal relationships that would not only last a week but a lifetime.
We truly believe we would not have reached our goal without the help of the students.
Once the first coat had been applied, it was time to leave the hostel. After showers and lunch, we visited three Thailand Baptist Missionary Fellowship [TBMF] ministry sites.
The first was the New Life Center. We learned about what was being done for young tribal women who are at risk of abuse, neglect or being sold by their economically unstable families. While their families often think their daughters are being given opportunities for good jobs, the girls usually find themselves in sweatshops and brothels. This center helps to provide shelter for young tribal women while they attend night school and learn craft skills.
The center presents a Christian message to the young women through Bible teachings, encouraged church attendance, and Christian witness on the part of the staff. The girls are given an opportunity to realize their potential as people with dignity and worth.
While we were there, several groups of girls sang and danced for us in their tribal clothes. They asked if some of us would like to join them in the dancing and we did.
Our next stop was the Health Project for Tribal People. We were educated about what is being done among the hill tribes of northern Thailand to promote AIDS awareness and were shown a video to give us a better idea of how their project really works.
Each two-person team from the Akha, Lahu, Pwo Karen, Lawa, and Sgaw Karen tribes has developed AIDS awareness and health education kits in their own language. The teams also develop home care materials and make home visits to enable tribal people to care for HIV-infected family members.
We made our final stop at the House of Love, where we met some of the residents and presented the director with five baby quilts made by loving hands at Crescent Hill Baptist Church.
The House of Love was created to provide a stable home environment for HIV-infected tribal women and children who do not have village or family support. Through living together, worshipping as a group, and caring for one another when sickness and death strike, the women and children have learned to work together and truly become a family.
Within the first few seconds of our arrival, kids jumped on us as if they had known us their entire lives. It was truly meaningful to all of us to meet kids carrying such a heavy burden. The House of Love continues to care for the HIV-positive and HIV-negative orphans of the deceased women. Ian told us that UNICEF came to visit the center and asked how everyone stayed so happy when everyone there was dying. He answered, "The difference is Jesus."
That night we went to the Night Bazaar. There were shops and booths on both sides of the street for blocks in open-air stalls where bargains of any kind, both large and small, to suit any budget, were found. (Ask us about our treasures.)
After a delicious dinner, we retired to the guesthouse early. We wanted to get plenty of sleep to be ready for a full day of painting on Friday.
Day 5- The Real Work Begins July 20, 2001
Upon arrival at the hostel we discovered that the paint used in the chapel the day before had not adhered as well as we had hoped. The game plan for the day was to completely finish three student rooms and then add finishing touches to the chapel.
We decided the best approach was to divide and conquer by assigning specific tasks to certain individuals. In each room, one person rolled the ceilings, one person rolled the walls, and a last person did the trim. By lunchtime, the first coat was completed and drying as we left to eat.
When we returned, the students living at the hostel were arriving from school. Again, several students asked if they could volunteer to help, and again, we were delighted.
They joined us in applying second coats of paint in the rooms and a second coat in the chapel. By the end of the nine-hour workday, we saw major progress had been made. Our morale began slowly rising after yesterday's slow start.
Day 6--Painting, Anyone? July 21, 2001
The painting continued on Saturday in much the same way. We found a determined rhythm to our system and the work progressed nicely.
With no school on Saturday, the students once again were eager to help, and we were happy to have them share in the project. The relationships deepened between us. They were glad to have a chance to practice their English skills, and we learned a few phrases in their language. There was lots of laughing and singing and painting along with a renewed sense of purpose.
Four additional bedrooms and one large meeting room were painted. The hostel appeared brighter to us all. Wanting to show our gratitude, we had given money to the house parents to purchase food for a lunch we wanted to share with the students. We were unaware of the custom barrier that prevented this from happening. They bought expensive food with the money, but prepared and served it to us. Their custom dictated that they would serve us as their guests, and they would only eat the leftovers--if there were any. The highest compliment would be for us to eat it all and there to be no leftovers for them!
Despite the cultural barriers, we were learning and the team was working well together. We had been concerned about the amount of rooms and walls we were facing and praying that God would know and help us to finish it. Today God provided.
Day 7--Sunday Worship July 22, 2001
Sunday was a much-needed day of rest from the painting. We slept later and attended a Karen worship service at a Karen Bible School near Doi Suthep (Suthep Mountain). Although the experience was different, the message was the same and the hymns sounded familiar. Because it is the Karen custom for visiting tribes to sing a song, the "CHBC tribe" sang.
We saw a Karen student weave cloth in the handicraft store. To make enough cloth for one skirt takes up to two days for one person on one loom.
Next, we traveled to a famous Buddhist temple on Doi Suthep. We climbed 300 steps to reach the temple. According to an ancient legend, the site was selected by a white elephant that had been given the task of finding a suitable location for keeping a hair from the Buddha's head. The elephant circled 3 times, trumpeted, and then lay down. That was the sign for the monks to know where to build the temple. It was amazing to see all of the gold used in the construction.
Later that day we purchased bags and bags of fruit to share with the students at the Karen Hostel. It was our way of saying "thank you" for the lunch on Saturday that they were unable to share.
There was over 40 pounds of fruit, including bananas, pineapple, rambutan, chom-poo, mangosteen, and other tropical fruits. When the students saw the fruits spread on the floor, they brought mats to sit upon and watch. After lots of coaxing they began to join us and the fruit fiesta began.
Day 8--A New Friend July 23, 2001
The team met many interesting people who were also staying at the guesthouse. One named Jeff, from Britain, asked about our reason for being in Thailand. We explained the painting project to him, and our enthusiasm for the Karen must have been contagious.
He immediately showed interest in helping and joined us for half the day. He helped us accomplish a lot of work since it was a school day and the Karen students couldn't be there to paint. God truly provided for us with the gift of extra hands.
Jeff said that he was going through a stage of uncertainty over the importance of a strong relationship with God in his life. Through meeting us and witnessing our excitement, he might have realized what a relationship with God can mean.
That night, he hosted a barbecue at the guesthouse and we were invited. The occasion was the arrival of his mom (or "mum" as he called her) from England. It was indeed a joyous occasion.
Day 9--We came, We saw, We painted July 24, 2001
On Tuesday, we painted with a driving purpose. We had one thought on our minds the entire day--to finish! And that's exactly what we did.
Although few fans were used, and we sweated profusely, our resolve was not weakened. By the end of Day 9 around 5 p.m., we had used a total of 50 gallons of paint. Through sweat and toil and teamwork we reached our goal.
The students at the hostel helped us clean up after the painting was completed. Laura, Mary and Annette received rides back to the guesthouse on scooters. They beat the rest of the team back to the guesthouse by several minutes easily.
While in Thailand, God granted us the faith to sacrifice valuable time away from family and commitments to forge relationships with the students of the hostel. We worked with them, worshiped with them, laughed with them, ate with them, and prayed with them. Friendships were made that will last forever.
When we arrived at the guesthouse, we quickly showered and changed into clothes for evening worship with the students. We arrived at the hostel and were asked by Sunni to have a seat on the chapel benches. The Karen students entered, dressed in their very colorful and beautiful tribal clothes.
Throughout the worship service the students sang many songs. We were asked to sing a song. We sang "The Family of God." Sunni delivered a brief spiritual message before the Karen students presented each of us with Jasmine-flower necklaces and a traditional Karen bag.
We also presented gifts to our new friends. Through donations given for care packages, each student received a bag filled with toiletries and a towel. Plus, there was enough left over to give the hostel a water cooler like a borrowed one we had enjoyed while we painted! When the shopping was complete, there was only one baht left over. That's about 2.5 cents!
A grand celebration followed. The students served orange Fanta, cookies, and corn-on-the-cob. We took pictures with the Karen students. Many came up to certain people on the team to whom they had a special bond to trade addresses and special good-byes. Hugs were exchanged with open arms and cameras flashed.
All of us were speechless, astonished, amazed, and silenced by God's grace. Tim finally broke the silence by stating the obvious, "I hope everyone else is crying too, cause if you're not, you're pretty cold hearted." Without a doubt, the team hopes tonight is the real birth of missions for CHBC.
Day 10 and Day 11--Home Sweet Home July 25 and July 26, 2001
The thirty-plus hour plane ride home allowed for much time of personal and group reflection, as well as much needed sleep. We returned home with a renewed sense of vision of what we hope missions will be at CHBC. The team travelers offered these insights into their experiences.
Clayton
I realized that CHBC can do things around the world when we work together through Christ who strengthens us and no project is too large for us to complete when we keep the faith.
Paul
Jesus calls all of his children to go into the world--from Crescent Hill to Chiang Mai--to present to all people the gift of his salvation. Our church this summer sent ten of its own into the world to do this very thing. We have all made a difference!
Chad
Experiences like ours in Chiang Mai can act as a renewal or re-enforcement of faith, opening our hearts and eyes wider than ever before.
Steve
On this trip I learned what I already knew in my head, but never experienced. Missions is so much more than evangelism, and so much more than labor. Missions in the name of Jesus is Love.
We traveled to Chiang Mai and fell in love with everyone we met--the hotel owners and workers, the hotel guests, the missionaries, and especially the students. We laughed with them, we sang with them, we worked with them, and we cried with them.
God's Love was so strong in us and around us, and I know everyone around us was embraced by it. What a powerful force for missions is the Love of God.
Shelly
It was the small things on the trip that made me realize God's presence...
It was the fact that our flights to Thailand and home both ended at night, allowing for a good night's rest...
It was that not one of us got sick or hurt...
It was that I could go the full 9-hour workday without having to use a squatty-potty...
It was that the students felt comfortable enough to ask US to pray for them...
It was that when buying gifts for the students, we came out with only 1 baht left (about 2 cents)...
It was the feeling of laughter, because it is said that "everyone laughs in the same language"...
It was that I would go to bed at 1:00 or 2:00 a.m., after a hard day's work, and wake up again at 7:30 with a whole rejuvenated feeling, READY to do it again...
It was a feeling I had the whole time and still today that can't be explained-
You just KNOW God is present...
It was the silence and tears that united us all in Christ that last night after the closing worship service...
God is GOOD, and He is ours!
Anita
We've a story to tell, indeed! God's grace and mercy abound! God took care of us and God used us to make a small difference that will multiply manyfold for the Kingdom! Thanks be to God. Amen!
Mary
It was interesting how different everything was, but how when we worshipped with the Karen students, there was one spirit - that of our savior Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, and always, in Louisville, KY or Chiang Mai, Thailand! Thanks be to God!
Tim
Like the first astronauts that looked down on the earth and remarked about the lack of political boundaries they saw, I felt the same emotions, that Christ's love knows no boundaries. It sounds the same in Karen as it does in English.
A____
Both at the Buddhist temple on Doi Suthep and in the garden of our guesthouse, I witnessed the deception that so many people of faith live under. Faiths that are bound by the necessity to earn merit or to please and appease spirits both good and evil.
In contrast, I was reminded by a delightful butterfly--graciously posing for photographs in the garden--of the God of my faith. Butterflies have long reminded me of God's presence with me. Gentleness. Grace. Freedom. And the gentleness, grace, and freedom to which we are called. How good to be free in Christ, and how good to have opportunities to share that freedom with captives in another land.
Laura
We have returned home with stories and photos to share of Thailand, Chiang-Mai, the Karen Hostel and children, of painting, and of prayers and sweat that enabled God's work to be done. These provide us the words and images that enable us to attempt to make real for you the miracle of God's love that was our trip.
These are our personal details of what it means to us to be a part of something far greater than our personal experiences. I believe our experiences allow us a glimpse of the Kingdom of God and what it means to live God's plan. Isn't it amazing what can happen when you turn yourself over to God's plan?
Thanks be to God.
Mary Gutwein
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CRESCENT HILL BAPTIST CHURCH
2800 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, Kentucky 40206
(502) 896-4425
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