The Inspirational Birthday Party

hey it's me again. i just got back from the party we heard we were going to. we went to nan, an hour away, and it was for a missionary's 60th birthday. his wife put on a huge bday party at this nice hotel downtown in the ballroom. 90 people were invited and were mostly thais or missionaries from the region. i am so honored we were able to be a part of it. these missionaries have literally lived what you would call a missionary life. they were in laos for a while before it became communist and had to flee the country back in the 70's with only two suitcases. they have been missionaries for 30 years. that's something to celebrate in addition to his 60th bday. it was awesome to see how everyone is inspired by them. they are just normal people. in fact, one of their closest friends on the field brought the spirit of home to the party by playing his guitar and singing songs like john denver's "country roads." we all sang along. it was fun. he then started singing some backwoods songs from deep in the heart of the south that i was pretty sure i heard yodling in. :) it was a very organized evening. each form of the entertainment were sentimental things for him and his ministry. there was a really cool slide show showing their history in asia. wow. i wish you could see how much they have served God over here. i think i probably have prayed for them at some point back in acteens. the ashburns said they are inspired by that couple and that they are like heros to the mission field. i could tell. afterwards, we talked with doug, the birthday man, and he told it plain and simple to julie and i, "if you just let God do it, it will all work out the easiest way in life." i agree. it just has to be turned over to Him.

i realized that this is not a normal medical rotation for med students. this is one of the most enriching opportunities. it's not a day job, but a 24 hour thing. i could look around the room tonight and see living examples of testimonies at every table of people who have transported their homes and lives and started new ones in order to work for the Lord in Thailand. it was not something of the ordinary, but of the extaordinary.