TG picked us up Friday night about 5 p.m. and went by the bus station to pick up a couple coming in from Vientiane, Laos. Their bus was late, so we didn't arrive at the church building until after 7 p.m. and the building was full of people. We sat outside the door in plastic chairs and enjoyed the evening cool with a full moon overhead.
Piles of shoes were between us and the door as people in Asia take their shoes off before entering a building. I whispered to Ron to see if he saw a pair that he liked better than his own. From the packed building and the pile of shoes outside the main door, I think there were about 150 in attendance. With a membership of only about 20 on Sunday, this was a large crowd to support this meeting.
The speaker spoke Thai, so we didn't understand anything but when it was over about 9 p.m. we got to see two of our safe house fathers from Laos. One came all the way from Luang Prabang in northern Laos. We met some members of the church that came with them. Then we got to see our friends from Ft. Smith, AR and meet the people who came with them. After a short fellowship time, we all disbursed to our respective places for the evening.
TG came at 8:15 to pick us up Saturday morning. While we waited for her outside our condo, I took these pictures down the street.
The building was not as full as it was Friday night. There may have been 75 in the building. Most of those attending the lectures Saturday morning were young men. Perhaps this group of lectures were intended to encourage and promote these young men to preach the gospel. I know a number of Bible school students came on the 8-hour drive from Bangkok.
I think one reason there were fewer people was because they were behind the building preparing the food for lunch. I'm sure there were at least 25 men and women working in various jobs around the building.
The planning and preparations were done well. They had enough tables and chairs for everyone.
We got some information about how to soak sticky rice for 3 hours before steaming and a plant boiled in water produces a blue color that turns the sticky rice blue. There are medicinal benefits from the blue water of the plant. Many leaves from plants ae used in cooking or eating raw. Meg thought these girls were pulling leaves from a mint plant.
TG helped make the shelters. She got on a ladder and put the roofs on.
Jerry Canfield spoke at 10:30 a.m. Patinya, the minister from a church in Bangkok, was his translator. Once he finished, they sang a few songs and then we were dismissed for lunch.
Meg Canfield told me the Americans were going to the mall for lunch and they would like for us to come with them. We were all concerned about the food they were preparing, either because it would be too spicy, or we might get sick from bacteria. People from outside of Asia do not have stomachs equipped to handle certain bacteria that Asian people consume daily. Plants washed or food cooked in unsterilized water will give us Montezuma's Revenge in a few hours.
Two drivers took our American group to the mall, and we had a fabulous meal and fellowship with them. We ate at the same good seafood restaurant where Ron and I went for our Thanksgiving lunch. Being Saturday, it was packed with people, and we got the last table available. It was excellent food and service, so everyone was pleased. We parted after lunch as they were getting Uber transportation back to their hotel and we were returning to our condo.
The meeting was continuing until late tonight and through the morning service on Sunday. We will not attend again with all lectures in Thai. I think the gospel meeting was a success from everyone's viewpoint and they really seemed to enjoy the fellowship. I wondered where everyone stayed overnight and then upon arrival Saturday morning, I saw the many tents all over the rice field adjoining the church property.
With nights about 68 degrees, I hope they brought blankets. Everyone looked as fresh and clean as if they had just come from luxury hotel room showers.
The weather is very pleasant at this time of the year with warm afternoons in the 80's and low humidity. It was a perfect time to hold this event
Events such as this are very popular in Asia to encourage Christians to keep on with the good work.
They had a big meeting in Nepal this weekend also. I will post a segment about it with some pictures they sent me.
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