The view from here... a week on...

It is now a week since we left Thailand. To be accurate, only 7 days ago, our group was lapping up the shopping in Bangkok. Last night I started to edit the nearly 3000 photos and nearly 2 hours of video I took during our time in Thailand. Add this to the myriad of photos taken by others in our group and the hours upon hours of video shot by the wonderful video team, and we have the most comprehensive record of any trip undertaken by St Heliers Church in it's history.

But what does it tell us?

As I look through the countless images and pick the ones that will make up the slide show, I see a common thread. I see a land and it's people torn apart at it's roots. On one hand I see a beautifully innocent group of young people who have a love of God that is staggering in it's simplicity yet wonderful in it's devotion. A`love that sets apart self from selfishness. A love that gives not demands... a love that is an action not mere emotion. I see a wish for good, a love of peace, and a goal of achieving one's best.
Yet....

In this same beautiful land I see turmoil... I see a society torn apart by greed, I see the faces of the oppressed, the agony of loss, the turmoil of a displaced society and the bitterness in a mother's eyes. There is violence, there is hatred... there is greed there is the love of evil, and there is sin.. more sin than could be imagined.

I am referring here to Thailand however many of the same issues face our on country. In fact, the same could be said of any country. No society is all good.. no society is all bad.

So... why did we, 21 ordinary folk from Auckland New Zealand, travel nearly 18 hours by land and air to go to a little compound in a country that has very little to do with our society? What difference did we make? What results can we see for our efforts, money and time? What benefits have been achieved?

The answers to these questions can't be put simply. There were 21 individual souls who travelled on this great adventure.... 21 people with many different idea's ideal's and expectations. These people however formed a group. This group became more powerful than the sum of the individuals. It was similar to a marriage where two become one but with conviction and dedication became more than the sum of the individuals... (to be continued)

The view from here... a week on...

It is now a week since we left Thailand. To be accurate, only 7 days ago, our group was lapping up the shopping in Bangkok. Last night I started to edit the nearly 3000 photos and nearly 2 hours of video I took during our time in Thailand. Add this to the miriad of photos taken by others in our group and the hours upon hours of video shot by the wondeful video team, and we have the most comprehensive record of any trip undertaken by St Heliers Church in it's history.

But what does it tell us?

As I look through the countless images and pick the ones that will make up the slideshow, I see a common thread. I see a land and it's people torn apart at it's roots. On one hand I see a beautifully innocent group of young people who have a love of God that is staggering in it's simplicity yet wonderful in it's devotion. A`love that sets apart self from selfishness. A love that give's not demands... a love that is an action not mere emotion. I see a wish for good, a love of peace, and a goal of achieving one's best.

Yet....

In this same beautiful land I see turmoil... I see a society torn apart by greed, I see the faces of the oppressed, the agony of loss, the turmoil of a displaced society and the bitterness in a mother's eyes. There is violence, there is hatred... there is greed there is the love of evil, and there is sin.. more sin than could be imagined.

So what country am I talking about? Good ole New Zealand, or that far away Asian nation Thailand?