John Pauls

It Should Make You Smile

Saturday April 4, 2009

We sat down for lunch at a picnic type bench in the humble entrance of this church in Udon Thanie, Tailand.  Sticky rice, grilled port on a stick and a whole grilled chicken, a feast set out for us at the staggering cost of $4.00 total.  This food was incredible and how can you possibly beat the experience of swatting flies with one hand and eating with the other (sorry Cheri but I did eat with my fingers).  Senior Pastor Prasha sat with us and shared his dream of developing their 26 acre ministry campus in order to reach the people of this region.  As he spoke a young Taiwanese gentleman walked from the church office into the open air entryway where we were having our meal.  Pastor Prasha introduced us to this young man, an associate pastor.  It was his smile that first caught my attention.  His cheeks pulled way back revealing all his beautiful brilliant teeth.  He was one of those types who almost has to try not to smile, but smile he did.  In his hand he held leather bound Bible which he treated like a treasure.  He informed us that the Bible had just arrived from the International Bible Society.  His joy was so exuberant that you might have thought he just won a brand new car.  He opened the precious book and flipped the pages across his thumb.  He would pause now and then to make sure we saw a specific portion of this prized possession.  Opening the book wider he

made eye contact and then bragged about how great this treasure really was.  He explained, “I already have a New Testament,” then he squeezed the Bible between his open hands and continued, “now it’s all complete, it’s all here!  We now have both the Old and New Testament!” 

That might not seem like a big deal to those of us who’ve had at least one translation of the Bible our entire lives.  It’s hard for me to describe what I saw in the face of a man who just received a complete Bible for the very first time.  Ten years he waited for this day and now as he held the word of life he was beside himself!  It should make you smile to have God’s word.  It should make you smile to know that more and more people groups are receiving this precious book in their own language.

Bugs?

Friday April 3, 2009

Local Pastors wife checking out bugs at the Udon-Thani, Thailand street market.

Okay ABC Family, I’ve heard a rumor is spreading which suggests Ron and I had to eat bugs.  Not only is that rumor false, it is degrading and slanderous.  For people to go so far as to insinuate we had to eat little creatures with legs, wings and such is just not true.   Never once did we have to eat bugs.  Everything we’ve eaten has been eaten willingly.

Just wanted to dispel the rumor, thank you very much!

Love you lots!

Loss

Thursday April 2, 2009

One privilege I will enjoy on this trip is the honor of meeting nationals who serve on the staff of International Bible Society in Taiwan and the Philippines.  Today I observed as Ron interacted with several of the team members in Taiwan.  As you might expect, Ron exhibits the same grace and peace to the team that we’ve come to know and appreciate.  I was thoroughly impressed by the commitment and quality of these servants of Christ.  It is always a privilege meeting brothers and sisters from around the world. 

At the Taiwan office Ron shared with me about the sacrifice these precious people have made in order to follow Jesus.  After committing their lives to Christ, many are ostracized by or even rejected by their biological families.  Consequently the Family of God is the only family many of them have left.  For them, walking away from Buddhism comes at a high cost.  

These young men and woman work together during the day and get together most evenings to study the Bible, pray and enjoy fellowship together.  To varying degrees their faith in Christ has turned them toward their eternal family, the Church. 

I’m was reminded of the words spoken by Jesus: Matthew 19:29 (NCV) “And all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children, or farms to follow me will get much more than they left, and they will have life forever.”

Many Christians in the western world weem to be seeking a life without suffering or discomfort.  Unfortunately they have bought into the lie of a false gospel promising wealth and health as the entitlement of Christ’s followers.  Don’t misunderstand me; God has good things for us but some of those good things include pain and sacrifice.  Someone once said, “You won’t know that Jesus is all you want until Jesus is all you have.”

Louwe drove us to our hotel.  He is a delightful young man who works for the government and then gives his IT talent and time serving the Lord at IBS.  He is not wealthy but he is rich in grace and Kindness. 

Porpan is a beautiful lady who served with incredible grace.  Not only could you sense the love of God from her but over and over again Porpan seemed to invent ways to serve both Ron and me.  Did I mention the wonderful meal they provided for us?  While I worked and studied, we were treated to rice with seafood and a delicious soup with a rich citric infused taste.  And then they brought us fruit, varieties I tasted for the first time, juicy, crisp and delicious. 

I salute  the IBS team in Bangkok Thailand.

The Glory of God

Wednesday April 1, 2009

Ron and I arrived in Bangkok Thailand on Wednesday morning about 12:45.  Kind of crazy to think it was still early Tuesday in Colorado Springs.  On this first morning in Bangkok, after about 4 hours of sleep, I woke up in time to see this sunrise.  God blessed me with a little bit of wow!  Instantly my mind went to David's proclamation concerning God's handiwork.  “For the director of music. A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1 NIV)

I can’t say it any better than that. 

 Maybe by the time I post this blog you'll be enjoying this same Wednsday morning sunrise.

I love and miss you ABC Family!

The Bible Tells Me So

Monday March 30, 2009

Sunday evening turned into Monday morning… too many last minute details… a few rabbit trails and then to bed at 1:30.  Not bad except that my alarm was set for 3:30.  For me, it’s a reality of travel, no matter how well I plan the last minute list is always substantial.  Unfortunately for my wife Cheri most of my midnight projects include her (Thanks Honey!) 

So, up at 3:30 out the door at 4:30 by 5:00 Ron Fleming joins our little carpool.  Did I fail to credit our early morning driver, Cheri… who else?

It was off to Denver International Airport when it started, the snow that is.  Each mile closer to DIA the flurries increased.  Nevertheless Cheri pushed through and we arrived right on schedule.

Things were going oh so well…  past the ticket counter, through security, a quick Java stop and still ahead of schedule.  One hour and twenty five minutes before departure, Ron and John, already sitting at the gate.  We had a conversation or two about the snow, aerodynamics, ice and de-icing, safety and such.  Then plans began to change.  At first it was an announcement informing that our plane, inbound from Chicago, was delayed, ten, fifteen maybe even twenty minutes.  Planes were beginning to pile up (I know, poor choice words) in lines on the ground and holding patterns in the skies over Denver. 

It was much longer than ten minutes, more like an hour delay but finally we were allowed to board.  Jockeying for the best overhead bin space and settling into our seats only to have the captain announce, “There is at least a twenty minute delay for takeoff.”  Thirty minutes later it was the captain again, “de-icing is backing up departures so we’re going to pull out from the terminal and get in line.  I’m usually not jazzed about delays but the de-icing idea seemed good to me. 

We weren’t going anywhere and I was tired.  I decided to catch a few Z’s but that’s when I discovered the three seats in front of me were occupied by four people and two of the four were very young and very noisy.  Trapped behind two screaming kids, oh what a great addition to a delayed flight.  The crying and loud screaming were, quit honestly, not my preferred choice of entertainment. 

Side note: (I’m typing these thoughts from our second connecting flight. The screamers got off in Seattle but they were replaced by a strong willed over muscled preschooler who is kicking the living daylights out of the back of my seat, one foot after another like a runner practicing for an Olympic sprinting event.  I say strong willed because his mother’s words of correction only seem to encourage his relentless torture of the man sitting directly in front of him.  I say strong because he’s moving my chair, me, my tray, my computer and more than likely the pilot can feel the jolts coming from row 40.  I don’t have much hair but I’m sure it must be flopping back and forth in rhythm to Bigfoot’s kicks.)  I digress….

Back to the first flight.  Doze and wake, doze and wake became the pattern for the next hour as the plane waited in queue for de-icing.  And then it happened, I woke up to the sweetest sound, one of those little critters sitting in front of me was singing.  I leaned forward thinking I recognized that song… and sure enough I did.  “Yez Jeezus lubs me, yez Jeezus lubs me, yez Jeezus lubs me, da Bibal taze me so.” 

Not only was I glad I did not scold the permissive mother for all the noise she allowed but I was convicted, cut to the heart.  The delay was worth the song, worth the lesson.  It’s not every day you get a free concert on a United flight.  It’s not every day that a little child can put the whole day into perspective.  My life and yes your life matter to the creator of heaven and earth.  YES JESUS LOVES you and me more than we can ever imagine.  What a joy, watching de-icing machines while listening to one of the greatest songs ever written. 

Here’s a take-away for me:  If life throws a curve ball… even if you get a few kicks in the back side, everything is small in comparison to the greatest truth of all time, "Jesus love me this I know for the Bible tells me so..."

I look forward to touching base with you soon.

Have a great week and God bless!