Iceberg

We watched "Titanic" as a family last weekend. I wasn't prepared for how uncannily similar it would feel to what we are living right now and what I see being played out in vulnerable communities in Thailand, India and around the world. It inspired me to write this poem/prayer for increased awareness in these crazy times. 

This is not to belittle the challenges of self-isolation or the terrible sickness and loss in each one's own land. Or to make any of us feel guilty for having a stocked fridge and comfortable home as we sit out the social isolation. Rather, it is to help us gain perspective and grow in compassion and action as we see how this terrible iceberg impacts our brothers and sisters in our global community. 

Iceberg:

Here we sit in our lifeboats

A haven of safety on arctic seas

The iceberg hit and our plans were dashed

Fear overwhelms us for the future

Who knows for how long we will float?

Who knows for how long we will wait for rescue?

We huddle

We pray

We wait

We check our provisions

We encourage each other in the waiting

We sing to keep our spirits up

How long O Lord?

But have we seen those bobbing in the icy seas?

Their cries vanish in the vastness of the ocean

Our system was inadequate

There were not enough boats

Who knows how many will survive?

Who knows if rescue will come in time?

They cry out

They thrash

They cling to scraps of wood

They lose hope

Their strength is fading

Some have already gone under

How long O Lord?

O send our lifeboats back, O Lord

Extend your hand through us before it’s too late

Help us to see them

Through the mist of our own fear and anxiety

And forgive us O Lord

For building a cruise ship with not enough lifeboats

For the arrogance of thinking that our ship would not sink

For disregarding the plight of those in lower decks

Forgive us and make us whole again

Have mercy, O Lord.

It is not too late to turn around
Unlike the Titanic, our lifeboat will not tip if we go back in
We hear the cry and will not stay silent
We see the suffering and will not sit back
Use us O Lord
To reach out in love and compassion
To pull them from the icy seas
To cover them with our blankets
And to build from the wreckage a new ship
Where justice and compassion reign
And where there are enough boats for all.
May your Kingdom come, O Lord.

Thai Village home visits - a volunteer's perspective

Only a handful of our artisans at Thai Village work out of our small office in Pa Daet, Chiang Mai. The majority come in for training and to pick up materials, and then take their work with them to complete at home. It's for this reason, that home visits are a really important part of taking care of our Thai Village team.

Occasionally I get to go with our Thai managers on one of their home visits, as I did this week. We sit on the floor together over lunch and hear our artisan's struggles, their hopes and dreams and how we can support them. We hope it's an encouragement to them. It certainly is to me and here's why:

1. Purpose: A lot of my work at Thai Village is paper-pushing behind the scenes. I actually quite like it and I'm happy to do it but the home visits remind me why I do what I do. On home visits, I get to see in person the impact of a stable income on our artisans, on their families and on their communities. We hear how it is enabling them to climb out of difficult situations and how it has brought hope and dignity. For me, this is the "why" of the number-crunching on the inventory and the following up of sales contacts. That "God is Good" banner that I just sold is more than just a pretty decoration; it's a livelihood; it's a medical bill paid or school fees covered; it's a true symbol that God's goodness has reached a small cement room in a corner of Chiang Mai. That is what spurs me on. 

2. Inspiration: So often, I find that visiting our artisans leaves me inspired and motivated by their example. It's a challenge honestly when I meet a young Mum, working multiple jobs, barely sleeping to provide for her family or a Christian convert so passionate for Jesus that he is spending all his spare time and money visiting neighbors and villages to share the good news. I often leave with renewed vision to live my own life with more faith, more perseverance and more gratitude. 

3. Perspective: It is too easy for all of us to live a life separate from those who are different to us, who have not had the privileged life we have. Here in Chiang Mai, my kids go to an international school, we have air conditioning in our home and access to health care and travel opportunities. This is a privileged life for sure but if I didn't see first-hand the paths that my brothers and sisters have to walk, I could easily forget that. I could feel hard done by that we can't travel to the US/UK as often as we would like or that our car is old and falling apart. I'm so glad for work that adjusts the lens on my view of the world and helps me keep things in perspective. 

4. Responsibility: On that same note, it is being with our artisans that reminds me of the responsibility I have to use what I have to serve those less privileged - to give, to pray, to volunteer, to buy ethically, to speak out for justice. We know the command to "love our neighbour" but we don't always know how to do it. I often stall at this. But the home visits help me see tangible ways to help, to hold hands in prayer, to encourage and to help sell our products so our artisans can make a living. You can make a difference too. Our customers are a hugely important link in the chain of self-sustainability here at Thai Village. We all have a part to play.  

5. Connection: Finally, I love home visits because it gives me the chance to connect, to build relationships across the lines of culture, language and economic status. To be honest, it is not easy or fast. My language acquisition is slow. I don't get a lot of what the conversations are about over our lunch and I rely on our bilingual team members to fill me in, but I am learning, I am growing, I am present and that bond is somehow powerful. I feel a connection with these new friends and I hope they feel it too.

Today I got to meet this lovely family. 

Jalern is a skilled carpenter and is currently working on a new Easter design for Thai Village. He and his engaging wife are hard-working, talented, creative, humble and kind and the visit hit all five of the above points for me. I know many of our team left inspired, encouraged and energized in our work. These are salt of the earth people and we are so honored to be partnering with them.

On behalf of Jalern and many others, thanks to all of you who support Thai Village with your prayers and purchases. It makes a difference.