A letter from Annette George in Thailand
February 2010
Dear Friends,
February in northern Thailand is a change-over month. The weather is moving from cool and dry to hot and dusty, and the students are finishing their school year. Tonight we will have a good-bye party for our seniors, even though they have not yet turned in their final papers or passed their final exams. There will be costumes for everyone, skits presented by each class, jokes, speeches, food, fun, photos and ... tears. This particular group of graduating students has been fun to interact with, but puzzling to teach. They were named by their fellow students as The Great Improvisers — referring not to their musical skills in improvisation, but to their propensity in student retreats and meetings to lead without a plan and to come up with great games and speeches at the drop of a hat. Therefore, in anticipating their studying music therapy with me, I expected that they would exhibit loads of talent in coming up with songs and musical activities that would be appropriate to the various client populations. I was wrong; this past semester they have straggled into class unprepared and unable to fake the fact that they did not do their homework — the assignment usually being to lead their fellow students in therapeutic activities of their own design. This is a class that I teach in Thai, but I do not feel that the language barrier has been the problem. The early (8 a.m.) hour and the foreign concept of objective-based therapy have been major hurdles for us. It does not help me that so many products and services in our societies today are now labeled “therapy.” The stores sell their “aroma therapy” shampoos and soaps while the health spas make money by the fistful with their massages and special drinks. The most hilarious lately, in my opinion, is that people are being offered the “therapy” (at great expense, of course), of sitting with their legs in water full of friendly fish who will nibble their toes and shins. Is this a worldwide phenomenon, or is it only happening in ChiangMai where we have so many tourists looking for entertainment and relaxation?
This has been a typical weekend for me. There were concerts to attend on both Friday and Saturday nights. For Saturday, I had thought I would preview a DVD for my Monday history lecture and catch up on paperwork. Instead, I took a long walk with my dog and bought fruit at the street market. After lunch I responded to a neighbor’s request to visit me, and that ended up taking the entire afternoon. On Sunday, I attended a church out in the country because a Thai friend asked me to play flute at her son-in-law&rsquyo;s baptism. I assumed that the baptism would take place as part of the morning worship service, but no, the service started at 10:30, went until 12:30, then the congregation shared lunch, and then we walked to the lake where 7 persons received baptism. It was a beautiful setting, a friendly church, and wonderful time of celebration, but I did not arrive home until 4 p.m. — only a few minutes before the service at my international (English-speaking) church would begin. Now, in only a few minutes, I will be expected at the party for the graduating seniors, a celebration that typically goes until midnight. Early Monday morning we will start the final week of classes. There will be concerts every night, and a dress rehearsal on Friday. We will have one more cell group meeting on Wednesday night, before the concert, and one of the students has volunteered to do the presentation. He is trying very hard to convince two of the attendees to dedicate their lives to Christ. Usually he speaks in great detail, with emotional intensity for more minutes than we want to sit listening, so I am praying that he will not scare away the two seekers who have been brave enough to attend.
Interpretation Assignment in USA
I will be flying to the U.S. at the end of March for a short term (until last week of May) of speaking to the churches and renewing relationships with friends and relatives. My home base will be Ocala, Florida, where my sister and brother-in-law live. We are hoping to make a trip to Indiana (possibly late April/early May) to bury the urns of ashes of my mother and father at the family graveside near Shelbyville. I will not have a car to use during this short time stateside, but if your church or church group would be able to sponsor my transportation, I would be eager to share with you about my experiences in Thailand. I often play my flute and/or speak in worship services, and I have an up-to-date DVD that is appropriate for small-group settings or fellowship dinners. I do not have a telephone number yet, but you may reach me at this e-mail address.
I pray that your springtime and Easter experiences will bring you blessings, strength and hope. Please pray for my safety in travel and effectiveness in communicating with the churches.
Truly,
Annette
The 2010 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 126
