Hill Tribes: "The Part Where You Let Go"_ (See "more info")

You may want to play "I Spy" with this video montage.
Clip #1: It did not rain a drop the week I was in Thailand so I had to use a brook in the opening clip. A few days after I returned home, they had a rare downpour in the dry season. Clip #2: Look closely—-there is an old sandal embedded in the hardened clay, leftover from the rainy season. (A foot probably got stuck in the thick mud and the sandal just hardened there as the path dried.) Clip #3: I thought it was interesting that the boys demonstrated that in their culture a vehicle's primary worth is in carrying loads of beams or bamboo. Clip #6: The small children sometimes play "sidewalk soccer" with stones. Clip #7: Look closely at the upper edge of the clip when the boy is running in slomo. You'll see a satellite dish. In the past few years, nearly every village has installed one. Clip #8: The man is wearing a "U.S. Army" shirt. Needless to say, he wasn't a GI, but the hill tribes often get cast-offs from the "irregular" bins of the many Thailand textile companies that supply "name brands" and familiar logos for the rest of the world. Clip #10: Holding this dying man's hand during prayer was all the doctors could do. Little did I know when I took that shot, that I'd be holding my mother's hand under similar circumstance exactly one week later. Clip #11: Akah woman with cataracts.
Clip #12: Behind the sad boy hugging the post is an old man smoking opium from a PVC pipe. Clip #14: Girl with soccer ball and baby. The team gave away two new soccer balls to each village. Clip #16: Detail of Akah vest on young girl. These colors and patterns are unique to the Akah tribe and they sell many handmade items like this at the markets. Clip #17: Lady in purple walked all the way up the hill by herself. It took 20 minutes. She had severe arthritis. Clip #18: Booted women coming in from the rice fields for the clinic. Clip #21: Small Boy crying after tooth extraction. He had a hard time. Afterwards, I wanted to give him something. All I had in my pocket was a penny, so I gave it to his father to give to him. They had never seen one and were very grateful. I hope they don't someday misunderstand the gesture when they find out a penny is our least valued coin.
Clip #22: I have used this girl in the window three times. I call the video file "Eyes." Clip #23: At the end of the clinic in the very far village (where they were making brooms), these girls brought us plates of fresh fruit.
Clip #24: This is the wife of our Akah translator, John. Her name is "Nut," and in that language it has only positive connotations. She and John are a remarkable couple. Clip #25: I call this clip "Number 97" because I have a photo of this Lahu woman proudly holding up her "take a number" ticket. She was thrilled to get the ticket but did not know that 97 meant there was nearly a hundred in front of her. After a few hours, she was sitting against a wall (#97 still in her hand...look closely). Her countenance went from bright-eyed to pensive. I did not notice it was the same lady until weeks later when I began editing. Her face and eyes show the wisdom and weariness that comes from shared life.

In closing , I'd like to add the same thought that I have included in each of these explanations about our team's medical mission work in the Chiang Rai Province of Northern Thailand: This is an on-going ministry that focuses on the people and not on the team. We do not arrive at a village as "well-meaning Americans" who show up, take over, and disappear never to be seen again. Our approach in dealing with the hill tribes is more quiet and respectful as we recognize the beauty of their culture. We are not there to "westernize" them, we are their to meet practical needs and to show the love of Christ in the sense described in Matthew 25:40 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?... and to share the good news as He encouraged us to do. When we leave, there are local tribal leaders who continue the "follow up" work with each village, and we make return visits as needed (and as medical manpower and funding allows).

The focus of this video project, as you may have noticed, is not so much on "the team"--as rich as their experience is each year. Christ did not "brow beat" or expect some sort of immediate return on his ministry. (Remember the time He healed several blind people but only one stopped to say thank you?). Likewise, our team humbly serves each village with the assumption that the love we show that day (as well as the truth we share in word and example) will continue to play out over time. Through the years, this relational approach to serving these beautiful people has been very effective, and we hope it comes through as you watch the videos presented here at Patterns of Ink.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• hill
• tribes
• Chiang
• Rai
• Thailand
• Hem

[denisasitis]

@ellycat Sounds like a plan. I'm trying to get out of here on the 14th and head north from Bangkok ASAP after arrival. Do you know Thailand?

[ellycat]

@denisasitis And yourself. I'm staying at the Baan Bua Guest House in Chiang Rai and I'll be there till Dec. 28th. If you want to hook up for a beer or anything else, let me know ;)

[denisasitis]

@ellycat I kind of got that from your post but couldn't help myself . I'll be there in Dec. , Enjoy the trip

[ellycat]

@denisasitis I think you misunderstood my comment. We're both singing from the same hymn sheet. That's why I said 'or is it' at the end. Arrive on the 28th of this month to lend a helping hand. Organised religion is not for me in the slightest ;)

[denisasitis]

@ellycat No it's not a pity , their culture far out dates christianity , why do we in the west feel a need to inflict our religion on others. If you want to lend a hand do it because it's the right thing to do

[ellycat]

I've stayed with a few northern Lahu hill tribes, sometimes for weeks, where it's obvious that Christian missionaries have been. Pity that the churches that have been built there are empty everyday. Or is it?

[Aleperuswiss]

wonderfull video... even more if you have been living once with them...

[abk1s8]

thats the worst song i ever heard.absolutely horrible.