{"id":24453,"date":"2020-06-01T18:08:38","date_gmt":"2020-06-01T23:08:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/"},"modified":"2020-06-01T18:08:38","modified_gmt":"2020-06-01T23:08:38","slug":"bangkok_may_2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Bangkok\u2014May 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Read:\u00a0 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Christian friends and church members here in Thailand keep asking me about the United States in the current COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0 They are shocked and concerned that the disease is causing so much heartbreak and tragedy, and they want to know how to pray.<\/p>\n

Because of this I want my readers in the U.S. to know that you are loved.\u00a0 People all over the world are praying for you.\u00a0 I am reminded again and again the words of the hymn, \u201cThe Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended\u201d (John Ellerton, 1870, alt.), where it says,<\/p>\n

As o\u2019er each continent and island <\/em><\/p>\n

The dawn brings forth another day, <\/em><\/p>\n

The voice of prayer is never silent, <\/em><\/p>\n

Nor die the songs of praise away.<\/em><\/p>\n

The sun that bids us rest is waking<\/em><\/p>\n

Our kindred \u2018neath the western sky,<\/em><\/p>\n

And hour by hour new lips are making<\/em><\/p>\n

Thy wondrous doings heard on high.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m told that this same hymn was played when the British government officially turned Hong Kong back over to the Chinese government in 1997.\u00a0 Today, it is likely that we are at another moment when the \u201cday God gave us is ended.\u201d\u00a0 Historians are saying now that many cultural and economic changes in the world have been rather sudden, instead of gradual.<\/p>\n

Folks here in Thailand, like many people around the world, are beginning to talk about the \u201cnew normal.\u201d\u00a0 Of course, it\u2019s hard to know what it will be.\u00a0 Will we have required temperature-taking stations and bottles of hand sanitizer at the entrance to every business, temple, church, government building, historic location, etc., etc., as we do now?\u00a0 Will people wear masks from now on, as the law currently requires?\u00a0 How long will the curfew (11 p.m. to 4 a.m.) go on?\u00a0 Will there still be checkpoints at every border between provinces?\u00a0 When will commercial airlines begin to come into the country again?\u00a0 People wonder, but do not complain, because such criticism is not legal.\u00a0 It is patriotic to protect others, especially elders, who are greatly revered.\u00a0 (Even I receive great respect for being \u201colder.\u201d\u00a0 If and when I return to the U.S., I will probably find myself missing that.)<\/p>\n

Like people around the world, Thai people also have a sense of humor, even or especially in times of great stress and danger.\u00a0 A local artist has begun hand-painting face masks based on the mythical characters of the Ramakhien (the Thai word for the Indian saga of the Ramayana). I received a very fierce one as a birthday gift from a pastoral colleague here.\u00a0 It is the face of Nang Akaad Tdalai,\u201d<\/em> or, \u201cWhirlwind Woman.\u201d\u00a0 Something like that.\u00a0 She is one of thousands of characters in the epic\u2014and she fought on the side of the bad guys. \u00a0I look seriously frightening when I wear it.<\/p>\n

I know that friends and supporters in the U.S. also wonder about me and if I feel safe where I am.\u00a0 I know it is partly due to the lockdown in my apartment building in early April\u2014as there were two COVID-19 cases among the residents here. Interestingly enough, because of the national emergency laws, Thailand has been one of the safest places in the world.\u00a0 Total COVID-19 cases as of this writing: 3065.\u00a0 Total number of deaths:\u00a0 57.<\/p>\n

The above hymn ends with words of hope and longing; something many of us are feeling these days:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So be it, Lord; thy throne shall never,<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Like earth\u2019s proud empires, pass away;<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 But stand and rule and grow forever<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Until there dawns thy glorious day.<\/em><\/p>\n

So continue encouraging each other and building each other up, just like you are doing already.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u20141 Thessalonians 5:11, CEB<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anne Gregory serves with the Church of Christ in Thailand. Her appointment is made possible by your gifts to Disciples Mission Fund, Our Church\u2019s Wider Mission, and your special gifts.<\/em><\/p>\n

Make a gift that supports the work of Anne Gregory<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Read:\u00a0 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11 \u00a0 Christian friends and church members here in Thailand keep asking me about the United States in the current COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0 They are shocked and concerned that the disease is causing so much heartbreak and tragedy, … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20060,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[],"topic":[20271,20322,20246],"region":[20017,20096],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBangkok\u2014May 2020 - Global Ministries<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bangkok\u2014May 2020 - Global Ministries\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Read:\u00a0 1 Thessalonians 5:5-11 \u00a0 Christian friends and church members here in Thailand keep asking me about the United States in the current COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0 They are shocked and concerned that the disease is causing so much heartbreak and tragedy, … Read more\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Global Ministries\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-06-01T23:08:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Anne Gregory\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Anne Gregory\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/\",\"name\":\"Bangkok\u2014May 2020 - Global Ministries\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-06-01T23:08:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-06-01T23:08:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/#\/schema\/person\/e142ccca00bc834867b1de5db66d2ca0\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/bangkok_may_2020\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Bangkok\u2014May 2020\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/\",\"name\":\"Global Ministries\",\"description\":\"Global Ministries is a common missional witness of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. 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