“Fill your world with love and laughter. Never mind what anguish lies behind you. Forget, forgive, love and laugh.”I have just returned from a short mission trip to Northern Thailand. As I visited the villages, drug rehab centers, children’s homes and numerous churches and schools set up by Christian groups and missionaries, I’m again amazed at the passion and joy felt by the local Christians. To us “big city” folks, they may appear to have so little, yet we are truly unmatched in the simple passion they have for God and the gratitude they show for little blessings they receive.
At one small little “church” in the middle of an Akha village in particular, I was moved to tears as I watched one man played his guitar and sang songs of praise. I couldn’t understand a word, but the passion I see on his face…. my tears just flowed.
I was particularly moved by the children at the Agape Children’s Home in Chiang Rai. Started by a Malaysian pastor some 18 years ago, I watch as 37 kids from age 3 to 17, joyfully celebrate Christmas with us (there were 36 people in our group). They sang and danced for us, and laughed gleefully when we played a simple game with them.
Yet, they have so little – lunch for them was just rice and a cucumber stew with bits of sausages. We brought a roast chicken along and again, the joy they showed was priceless. Our partner who came along with my husband and I, Dr Kevin Ong did a quick health check for the kids and found they were mostly undernourished, many suffered from tonsillitis and various infections.
Well, as one of our group members, Belinda said, being moved emotionally is not enough, we need to be moved to action as well. If you want to know how you can help, do write to me and I would love to share more with you.
I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to make a difference in some lives. Here is something from a book called God Calling which I hope will inspire you as much as it did me: “Leave every soul the braver and happier for having met you. For children or youth, middle or old age, for sorrow or sin, for all you may encounter in others, this should be your attitude. Love and Laugh… Fill your world with love and laughter. Never mind what anguish lies behind you. Forget, forgive, love and laugh.”
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