John 20:26-29 A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
This morning we got up and Wat took us into Nan after breakfast. We really didn’t know why we were going into Nan, but off we went; Wat had his own plans : ).
We ended up at Wat Phumin in Nan and Wat pointed out the mural painted on the wall of a man whispering into a woman’s ear, specifically called “The Whisper of Love” and local legend says that if you make a wish for eternal love with your partner in front of this painting, your wish will be granted. The whole inside of the temple depicts the history of Nan by means of a beautiful mural that stretches the entirety of the temple, even the ceilings. The temple dates back to 1596 and this mural, while have been renovated a few times, still remains as beautiful as ever.
After a beautiful experience at the temple, we ended up at the Nan Museum where we got to learn about the history of Nan. As you walk up to the Museum you will see a beautifully lined path of Frangipani Trees (I swore I took a picture of this, but I can’t for the life of me find it, so here is a picture of just the tree!). These have become my favorite trees because of the amazing flowers that bloom; they are the most beautifully smelling flowers I have ever experienced.
Little did we know that Wat had a celebration planned for us when we returned. I tried to go upstairs to finish packing (since I didn’t get much done yesterday or today!), but that wasn’t going to happen. As soon as I sat down to pack, Lucia came running upstairs to let me know that we needed to be downstairs right away for a party. When we came downstairs there were 7-8 family members waiting for us, including a “Doctor of Celebration”. This ceremony was beautiful, though everything was in Thai and I had no idea what was being said. At one point Wat did whisper that this was a ceremony to give us blessings of health, safety, and well-being. After the Doctor of Ceremony did his part (which was about 20 minutes), the family members there tied pieces of string around our wrists while giving us their own personal blessing. I am blown away at how thoughtful and wonderful this afternoon was and my heart is overflowing with joy and love towards these people. We have been accepted into their home and they have allowed us to be a part of their customs. We have learned so much from them and they will forever have a special place in our hearts. I just can’t believe we will have to say goodbye on Tuesday.
Here are some pictures from this wonderful afternoon.
Today was a day filled with love and compassion. I can’t describe how many times I saw Jesus today. He has blessed my family in so many ways and today we got to feel His love through these wonderful people in Thailand. We have laughed and learned with them, and have felt a great amount of love from them. We can only hope that we were able to not only show our gratitude, but also our love for them. God was truly present today and among us. God knows no limits, and even with those that do not believe He is the Son of God, He is able to show us what love looks like through them. These wonderful people in the pictures above are a part of our family and I am so grateful for all of the time with had with them. I will miss them greatly and they will always have a place in my heart, and in our family.
Sara's Daily Scripture and Journal 