Jeab is speaking in her native Thai, so I can’t understand a word she’s saying. Yet I have no problems following her story; her facial expressions are telling me most of it. She has the most extraordinary elastic face, which reveals her every emotion in lucid detail. She’d make a terrible poker player. Just a […]
Lutherans from across the globe have heard how churches in South-East Asia are growing despite political and economic diversities. On 12-14 May representatives from eleven countries met in Cambodia for the annual Mekong Mission Forum and three-yearly Partner Churches Consultation. Glenice Hartwich attended on behalf of the LCA. Over fifty delegates from the Mekong Mission […]
Meeting several godly volunteers in Bangkok who confront enormous problems and difficult situations every day, I found myself wondering why more Australians aren’t on the frontline of mission. Anja Markkanen pauses mid-sentence, takes a deep breath, looks away. It’s a hopeless exercise though; nothing will stop her tears. So she cries … along with Jeab […]
Myriad thoughts and emotions are evoked by the new title of our mission magazine. There are elements of apprehension, uncertainty and even fear as we approach the unknown, but there are also elements of anticipation, expectation and excitement. That’s how it was for us as we planned for and made our own border crossing. For […]
We are used to thinking that there is always someone working and ready to help or look after us in important places like hospitals, big factories, hotels and some shops. These places are very important to us in our daily life and we might need their service any time of the day. Home of Grace […]
In January 2004 I went to Thailand and spent a month with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Thailand (ELCT). While I was there, I met Oiy, who was then a student at the Lutheran Institute of Theological Education (LITE) in Bangkok. First impressions weren’t so good. I found her appealing but was informed (wrongly as […]