During the very first week of April I told BletJhaw to please forget my Birthday this year because:
- His parents are visiting from Burma. (He hasn’t seen his Father for 3 years, His Mother for 2 years). The reason being that it is dangerous for them to travel in Burma. They cannot enter Thailand without a great risk.
- They have no real home to call their own. At present they are living with his wife’s aunt in a location near where his oldest son, Jonathan will go to school.
- We are very busy in BYT and struggling with many things.
- I am too old anyway!
His only comment had been: “Well that will be hard to do.”
I said no more, but come my Birthday time, BletJhaw took the truck out by himself to buy supplies. That is unusual. I saw him pile the food up in the house. Because my Birthday was on Sabbath, he secretly told the people at church that it was my Birthday and they would have a meal together after church that day! Well, I preached a sermon titled, “Finishing the Race.” I was delighted at the presence of God, and the enormous crowd of people attending. Afterwards we all went under the church where it was shady and breezy and BletJhaw served wonderful food that he had prepared all by himself!! He served almost 70 people!! I think that is super incredible. They sang Happy Birthday and many people gave me gifts of hand made Karen bags, shirts and skirts. Even hand written notes by some who had children who had learned to write! I was so blessed! After that BletJhaw said we had to go to his family, they were expecting us. We drove all the way out and there was a Birthday surprise of cake and food and a pastor to do a special worship in my honor!
So you can conclude that BletJhaw does not listen to me, or heed my advice at all! You can also conclude that he really cares and appreciates me and I am so blessed beyond words! Furthermore everyone in BYT knows when my Birthday is now, so here come 2 youth that we have sponsored through school at ChiangMai Adventist Academy! They each one are carrying a gift!
Look what it is!!
Isn’t it beautiful? Hand made with love from those 2 families. This missionary’s heart is so warmed!
Things are not always easy here – it’s a hard road at times, but what God told Mrs White to write is so true:
“When He, (Christ), gives us a bitter draught to drink, He also holds a cup of Blessing to our lips.” 2SM 270.3
We really have no hardships at all when you think of this! —
“Can we look upon Him whom our sins have pierced and not be willing also to drink of the cup of humiliation? Our sins mingled the bitter cup which He removed from our lips and drank Himself, that in its place He might put to our lips the cup of blessing!” HP 36.3
Oh, Lord, You are the giver of all good gifts and I love You so much!