Experiences in Thailand

Last updated on: November 4, 2013 at 5:41 pm by Brian McLaren

Experiences in Thailand 2013-11-04T17:41:58-04:00 Brian McLaren

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Mesa – a new global network of emerging Christian leaders – has had its first in-person gathering in Thailand this week. Our time began with two days in a rural village where we shared life with a family there. We slept as they sleep and ate as they eat. (Although each meal was probably like their best holiday meal … home-cooked dishes, lovingly prepared with local foods from their own fields and gardens.) We also worked as they worked – some of us joining them planting rice, others harvesting chilis, others harvesting corn.

We have been in a large city for the last few days, and last night a group of us walked the streets and beaches where sex tourism is the primary industry. Our group was guided by a young Christian woman who was formerly in that industry. Her story was unforgettable.

Of course, the rural and the urban are closely related. A young woman who does back-breaking work for eight or ten hours in the fields might earn a dollar or two per day, which means maybe twelve cents an hour, or thirty dollars a month. If she comes to the city, she can make a thousand dollars a month or more. Many of us came away seeing that our typical focus on the degradation and immorality of the sex industry – real and horrible as it is – can easily distract us from the degradation and immorality of the global food industry that underpays workers and makes slum life look so attractive. It’s impossible to convey in the impact of this in a blog post. Suffice it to say that many of us have had our understandings of the world and how it operates significantly shaken and reshaped.

Those who pray – please pray for us as we discern our next steps and develop a plan for Mesa over the next four years. That discernment and planning work now underway and will continue until we finish our time together Wednesday night.

You can learn more here: https://www.facebook.com/mesafriends

Uncategorized

Previous Post

October 21, 2013

Q & R: Just Some Vague Hope in the Distant Mysterious Future?

Next Post

November 19, 2013 Q&R: Calling Myself a Christian

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Faith and Climate Uncategorized

Select a Month November 2017 September 2017 July 2017 October 2016 June 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 May 2015 April 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 November 2012 October 2012 April 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 June 2011 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the Christian principle about judging by appearances?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Do not judge by outward appearance See clothes first Judge quickly Copy others' opinions