The morning starts with a bit of excitement as I'm crossing the footbridge to the bus stop. I look to the right and happily see a number of sisters waiting. Yay! I'll be able to find the territory! Then I look to the left and see the number 7 bus coming - this is the bus they'll be taking. I speed up my pace and run most of the way to the bus stop - who knows if when another 7 will come and IF I'll be able to find the territory on my own! But I make it okay - and not even particularly out of breath. Sister Yoko is smiling at me - tells me I was fast :) Hey, catching the bus is serious business!
We took the 7 Bus up Petkasem rd, past Seacon mall first. I see Seacon is celebrating Christmas right now with several Santas in sleighs being pulled, randomly enough, by horses painted in a variety of colors and patterns. To the side, 3 of these circus horses are sitting dog-style watching. Not really sure how this relates to the holiday, but it's a curious display nonetheless, I'll have to take a picture if I get the chance - words don't do the wackiness justice. It just demonstrates, to my mind, what Christmas is like to people that only celebrate it because it seems the fun thing to do - there's not really religiousness, or tradition involved - last year's decoration was giant gummy bears, some of which wore Santa beards.
Next we pass Tesco, Bangkok's version of Walmart, and finally the Mall Bangkae, (also unfortunately decorated for Christmas, but more traditionally and no spelling mistakes). These are my general landmarks on Petkasem. If something is far away it's past Bangkae.
Territory was past Bangkae, but only by one road. The bus turns on Petkasem 69 and we continue on our way. I didn't make it out last week so I watch the sisters I'm travelling with for cues as to if it's close. No one seems to be collecting their bags, so I settle back to watch the scenes go by until we get off.
We reach the destination and the group of us disembark and turn down a side street - this, I notice, was the road name on the territory board at the hall that I'd been unable to understand. So we get to walking, and it is a fair distance. At one point the group pauses to discuss if we were supposed to meet at the bok soi - mouth, or entrance of the street - but the discussion ends when Sister Wan Sai goes buzzing by on a motorcycle taxi, motioning us onward.
We make it to the meeting point and Brother Sexton breaks out our breakfast snacks - crackers and mayonnaise. Okay, here I'll admit that I thought ew for a moment. Who puts mayo on crackers? But, now having tried it it's actually not bad. And brother Sexton is insistent that we eat it all - he's such a sweety :) This is actually a normal Monday morning - Brother Sexton always provides snacks in the morning and then lunch at the end of group - and Brother Suchan will regularly treat the group to waters or sodas or coffees during our midmorning break - and for the record you can't say no. The generosity is heart touching.
I also always find this to be so remarkable.
When you venture into the touristy areas of Bangkok you find a vicious cycle being played out. Foreigner tourists are suspicious of the Thais, convinced they're all out to swindle them, and don't necessarily treat the locals with respect - and Definitely don't respect their customs or even bother to learn them (not to mention the number of tourists that come to Bangkok for immoral purposes). In turn the Thais in the tourist areas are used to being treated not so nicely, are the ones that move there wanting to make a quick buck, are willing to put up the tourists and now may, in fact, be out swindle them if they can (though it's a bit of chicken/egg scenario). At the very least, the view is that Foreigners have lots of money and could be their meal ticket - or piggy bank.
Don't get me started on the number of couples you see that are an old white guy and a very young cute Thai girl.
Yet with our Thai brothers and sisters we see the exact opposite. Rather than seeing us as an income source, they recognize that we're living simply in order to serve here and help with their territory. They are amazingly kind and generous, even if they don't have much. Just last Sunday Sister Weena treated Jennifer and I, along with several others to lunch after the meeting - and Monday another sister paid for our bus and songtao back!
Truly this is a demonstration of love being the defining mark of true religion! Particularly when you consider we're in a country where "rice Christians" (people that go to Church because they'll receive food) are still fairly common.
All in all, it was a good field service day - never worked territory again per Sayaka. Though there were lots of dogs which made some nervous. I had one heartbreaking door of a Grandmother watching her two grandkids, who were darling. Seeing there were kids, I focused on our offer for the month (special to our part of the world) "How to raise responsible children" brochure. She seemed interested, yet admitted she couldn't read. How sad! It's also not terribly uncommon; off hand I can think of at least 4 instances where I've understood this to be their reply. Sadly yesterday I didn't even have the Listen to God brochure...I'm thinking I may try back with the new brochure for little kids, gage interest in learning then try the Listen to God brochure - after all Jehovah isn't biased against those who can't read!
It's also always a big help to have Sayaka as a partner - she's a language whiz! Came to Thailand for the first time just a bit before me, yet is now amazingly fluent. She's always so generous about helping me to improve my Thai and answer language questions I have. Though a good portion of yesterday we admired Sing Song Saang - things created (i.e. creation) and talked about what we appreciated from last week's Watchtower article. This came up because of the large number of butterflies we saw yesterday - so delicate, yet as we read the Monarch butterfly travels vast distances.
Our Creator is amazing. :) And travelling only reinforces this conviction. Though Alanna made the comment - and I wholeheartedly agree - that it's when we travel and connect with Jehovah's organization that our travels are most memorable, no matter how exotic or ordinary the locale.
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