7 Mei 2018 - Uitdagende Tye

In die wêreld beleef ons uitdagende tye. Donker sondigheid is aanhoudend aan die aanval op individue, mense groepe en die uiteinde daarvan is chaos. Suid Afrika se probleme, Noord Korea se probleme, die Midde Ooste, Asie – eintlik is die hele wêreld in een siek kringloop van die bose met eie agendas vir self verryking en mag.

                                   

Maar hoe hanteer ons as Christene dit? Hoe moet ons wat onsself Christene – volgers van Jesus noem, hierdie chaos hanteer? Ek dink ons kan diep, baie diep kyk na die Saligsprekeninge wat Jesus mee begin het by Die Bergrede. 

“Geseënd is dié wat weet hoe afhanklik hulle van God is, want aan hulle behoort die Koninkryk van die hemel”:

Dit is 'n tyd vir gebed en afhanklikheid van God eerder as om op hoogmoed se rug te ry en onsinnige uitsprake te lewer. Daar is kwessies wat nie eenvoudige oplossings het nie, daarom is God die enigste een waarop ons afhanklik van kan wees. Fokus op God se Koninkryk is ons primêre funksie.
                                  

“Geseënd is dié wat treur, want hulle sal vertroos word”

Dit is ook nou ‘n tyd waar daar magdom mense is wat treur (as gevolg van diefstal, korrupsie, moorde, kapings en nog vele meer). Agter dit word vermoed dat daar individue is met private ambisies en agendas deur mense wat magsbehep is. Maar ons moet ons skaar by die wat treur wat dit is hulle wat vetroosting nodig het in hulle tyd van lyding en ellende. Ons moet blye boodskappe bring aan hierdie individue wat treur en in nood is. Om hulle op te beur sodat hulle nie gevangenisse word as gevolg van gebeure nie, maar eerder vrylating aan te kondig.

“Geseënd is dié sagmoediges want hulle sal die nuwe aarde ontvang:”

Krisisse bring beide die beste en die ergste in mense uit. Een van die ergste kan die druk wees vir 'n sterk leierskap, vir fermer maatreëls of selfs radikale verandering. In teenstelling bied sagmoedigheid geen agenda nie. Hulle luister en soek wysheid by God wanneer hulle uitgeput en oorlaai is. Hulle ontstel hulle nie oor die voorspoedige lewens van skelms nie want dit bring net ellende en hulle weet skelms sal uitgeroei word. Sagmoediges stel hulle vertroue dag en nag op Die Here.
                                      

“Geseënd is dié wat honger en dors na wat reg is want hulle sal versadig word:”

Soos wat daar trane van hartseer vloei, is daar ook vloeiende trane met ‘n werklike begeerte vir geregtigheid en verduideliking, en eerlike reaksies. Tog is daar binne hierdie stemme soortgelyke krete wat deur woede en die honger van wraak gedryf word – die najaag van persoonlike bevrediging. Geregtigheid lê in God se hande. Wraak lê nie op Sy hart nie. God se belonging is volkome tevredenheid want ons honger en dors lê daarin om Christus te ken, die krag van Sy opstanding te ondervind en deel te hê aan Sy lyding deur aan Hom gelyk te word in Sy dood.

“Geseënd is dié wat barmhartig is, want aan hulle sal barmhartigheid bewys word.”

Barmhartigheid moet nie net getoon word tydens tye van krisisse nie. Dit is bemoedigend wat mens sien en lees, maar daar moet meer wees en dit moet voortduur wanneer die kameras weg is. Daar is nie nou tyd en plek vir liefdeloosheid nie. God se beloning is Sy genade, al verdien ons dit nie maar ons is kinders van God en Hy het ons lief daarom moet ons Sy voorbeeld volg. Ons moet ‘n lewe van liefde lewe soos Christus vir ons gelewe het.

“Geseënd is dié wat rein van hart is want hulle sal God sien:”

Dit is maklik om deel te neem aan proteste wat chaoties is, te plunder en klippe te gooi. Bedrog en om skelm te wees is aanvaarbaar solank jy nie uitgevang word nie. Stel jouself voor wat sou gebeur het as Jesus nie ‘n hart van reinheid gehad het nie. Ons moet seker wees dat in wat ons sê en doen, ons werklik die welvaart van ander soek, eerder as om ons voorspoed te soek. Die wêreld ken nie vir God nie maar ons ken Hom. Ons weet nie wanneer Jesus kom nie, maar omdat ons kinders van God is weet ons dat wanneer Jesus kom ons soos Hy sal wees. Ons sal Hom sien soos Hy werklik is. As ons hierdie verwagting in verband met Jesus koester sal ons onsself rein hou soos Jesus rein was/is.
                                  

“Geseënd is dié vredemakers want hulle sal kinders van God genoem word:”

Miskien is die mees ontstellende element van hierdie tye die gevoel van onenigheid; van faksies, van gemeenskappe wat in toenemende bittere terme van “hulle” en “ons” praat. Vredemaking kan ‘n seën vir elkeen van ons wees as ons vrede vir almal gun en toewens. God gee vir ons ‘n kykie na die riglyn van ‘n Christelike lewe in Romeine . . . net dalk moet ons dit met insig bestudeer en toepas.

En ten laaste - "Geseënd is dié wat vervolg word omdat hulle doen wat reg is, want aan hulle behoort die Koninkryk van die hemel. Geseënd is julle wanneer die mense julle ter wille van My beledig en vervolg en valslik als wat sleg is van julle sê. Wees bly en verheug, want julle loon is groot in die hemel. Hulle het immers die profete voor julle net so vervolg”

Die laaste en langste van die Saligsprekinge is die moeilikste. Jesus sê om al hierdie dinge te doen is nie 'n maklike pad na gewildheid en lof nie. Inteendeel, om 'n vredemaker te wees moet verseker word dat hy deur beide kante vertroue, gehaat en aangeval word. Jesus het geleer wat Hy geleer het want Hy het geweet waaroor Hy gepraat het.
                                    


Dit is uitdagende tye, maar dit is ook tye van groot geleenthede. Geleenthede om te bid, te dien en miskien effens minder gemaklik - om te ly vir wat reg is.

3 May 2018 - God at work in Ban Nwang

Today we went to visit "Tuktak" at Ban Nwang village.  Tuktak is the only Christian in the sub district so went to visit and encourage her with some Praise and Worship and prayer.  Conditions, circumstances and health is beyond our understanding on how difficult life sometimes can be when we see and hear from people living in it.  At times, Tuktak are chased away from her sisters house (that is when they all start drinking around her) and has to go stay at the church for a few days till they calm down or come to their senses . . . and this because they think she is crazy whorshipping God.  

 

Tuktak is a real blessing and a example to us on how she spends her time every day devoting to study the Word of God.  We learned so much from her today and she is a real blessing to us.

It was a hot day but the two hours we spend with Tuktak went so fast.  Looking forward to visit her again next week.

 "Hippo" this little boy's nickname played the guitar for us today.  "Hippo" is 11 years old.  He hanged out at church every day after school and weekends (they stay in the village where Kanthararom Church is) and Tabisak, our Pastor taught him how to play guitar.  "Hippo" is playing the guitar during Praise and Worship on Sundays at church as well.  It joys our hearts to see and witness how "Hippo" is growing up . . . . and we are waiting for the day when "Hippo" gives his heart to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Just meditating on God's Word and message for all of us.

 

Always some chickens around :)

 

We also visited "Peng", 84 year old "sweetheart" from the village.  She was paralyzed for some time and through continuous prayers she is able to sit up straight now.  God works His miracles through His own time and place - all we can do is just to keep on praying.

 

2 May 2018 - Visiting Ban Makrud

We hang out with the locals from Ban Makrud village today.  Wonderful to just drive around the village, stop here and there and have a chat to everyone we know.  As always, we run into the kids as well and although it is still school holiday, they just run to us and have a chat.  Building relationships in our community is so important.  It builds up trust and mutual respect to each other and also develops in precious friendships.  We love Ban Makrud village and who knows, maybe one day God will send us to go stay there :)

 

Mauy, our "adopted Thai granddaughter" is always full of joy and jokes.  She is such a cute little girl and this year she is going to grade 1.  We are so proud of her.

 

Some of our other kids from the school in Ban Makrud who we chatted to in the streets.

Mauy's grandfather relaxing in his hammock at home.

Most villages has a Buddhist Temple.

A typical "spiritual house" in front of one of the houses in Ban Makrud.

This lady was pushing her trolley with some fire wood for one and a half kilometers.  Isaan life is hard and we don't always see it or take it in as it is.  

Typical Isaan style house.

The Isaan does not always have the best grass for cow's to graze on.  Lucern is very expensive here so the farmers don't give to much to eat every day.

 

It is almost time for the raining season to start.  We had some good rains the last couple of weeks and are very grateful for this.  It breaks the heat of the day a bit seemingly that we are still in May which is considered to be one of the hottest months of the year.

 

 

Makrud Village Outreach - 4 April 2018

This morning we had the opportunity to do a small outreach to Ban Makrud.  Most of the children or away during the school holidays visiting parents or other relatives.  But for the children who were available, they had fun.  Jomi, Art and Paul from SPM in Ubon Ratchathani joined us today and they brought their guitars and everything with to entertain the kids with some fun and games.  They really do have a gift entertaining and ministering to children and youth.  We are so grateful to be able to work with them.  

Children are always nervous before we start for they do not know what to expect.  Obviously they don't know Art, Jomi and Paul but believe me, now they know.

Firstly Art told them a funny story with a song or two and they really enjoyed and got stuck into the story.  

So the first set of games began just to warm the kids up for what's to come.

Once the kids felt comfortable and save they really started coming out their skins and enjoying every moment of the morning.

. . .  and not long, they all had some fun and laughter.

Big against small . . . mmm, who is going to win this game?

Hop, skip and jump all the way.  Big and small everyone danced around.

Jomi has his hands full with Khan being so quick to react on identifying who is behind the curtain.

Surprised by who was on the other side :)

Oh, I got you!!

Once again, Khan is the quickest of them all.

Art shared his testimony on how he became a Christian and what God is doing in his life.  The children were all quite and stared him on.  One really felt the Holy Spirit's presence today.

Art and Paul learning the kids new songs.

As always in Thailand . . . a group photo of everyone present.