Loy Krathong and a YWAM Conference

In a moment of distraction from my language study (which I can be totally uncommitted to at times), I thought I'd write about two fun events that happened this week.

First up - Loy Krathong!  Some of you may be aware of what happened to me at this event last year.  Namely my friend Rosy and myself being kidnapped and stuck on top of a float...
But, this year's experience was a lot tamer (thank God!)  I managed to avoid any public events, instead opting for a quiet stroll along the local river boardwalk.  From my inconspicuous vantage point, I watched people celebrating this event, and reflected on the year past.

To explain, Loy Krathong is a Buddhist celebration that is celebrated every November, when the moon is full.

It stems from a traditional religious practice that seeks to both honour the Buddha, and worship the river goddess Phra Mae Khongkha.

Krathong

The practice consists of various different symbolic acts.  The primary one is to make or buy yourself a krathong (which is a small float usually made of banana leaves or bread), light the candle and incense stuck in the krathong, say a prayer and gently place it on the water so that it floats away, down the river.  (If it sinks, bad luck, try again!)  It is regarded as an act of floating your sins away.

Komloi

The second practice is to light a komloi to float your sins away into the night sky.  A komloi is a big paper lantern that has a ring of multi-layered wax paper wired into the centre of the bottom of the lantern.  Once lit, you hold the lantern up and let the smoke from the ring of wax paper fill the lantern.  Once it's fully inflated, you let it go, and it floats away.  Like a small hot air balloon.

 And then there's illegal firecrackers from Burma and China in the hands of 8-year-old boys, young Thai girls competing in beauty pagents, and people selling over-priced turtles and fish for you to re-release back into the river as another act of worship to the river goddess.
It certainly is a beautiful celebration, especially watching hundreds of komloi floating up into the balmy night sky.  I appreciate it for its gentle simplicity.  But, as a person saved from her sins by the grace of God, I know that a banana leaf floating down a river won't save me from myself.  It makes me long to see all of Thailand - ah, who am I kidding?  The whole WORLD - understand the reality of our sinfulness, and come before God to ask Him (He's the only one qualified to do so) to help us.

Speaking of this awesome God brings me to the other event I attended this week: the Northern Regional YWAM Conference.  A fantastic 3-day affair of worship, prayer, healing and listening to the wisdom of God (either from Himself, or through others' sermons).  My understanding of this organisation of Christians (otherwise known as Youth With A Mission) has been expanded.  But more importantly, I witnessed many people humbling themselves before God and before each other, asking forgiveness for past hurts, and being restored and re-enthused for serving God.

This was a wonderful time for me, especially, to be able to find encouragement from other Christian workers, and to have the Lord speak to me about the purpose He has for me.

And do you know, I reckon that same purpose He whispered to me applies to all of us:

I was so concerned with where I was, what I was doing, who I was working with, how I was serving God.  But on Saturday morning, during worship, He stopped me and said, 'It doesn't matter where you are or what you are doing.  I have called you to love Me.  Love Me, and My love will guide you to serve me anywhere.  My love will flow through your fingertips.'

Let Him speak to you, too.