What We Resort to When the Pool is Closed
What to do when the pool is closed and it is super hot out?
Make do, right?
Actually, we are out particpating in the biggest holiday of the year in Thailand.
Thai New Year, or otherwise known as Songkran.
We do not have our truck available this year to go out driving around, so we camped at our mission office with another family and armed ourselves with buckets, garbage cans (don’t worry, they were clean and never used for trash), water guns and anything else we could fling water with.
Songkran is a huge event here in Chiang Mai, with people coming from all over the country to celebrate in this city.
The water part of the holiday began as a way of honoring the elders and recieving a blessing from them.
Of course it has changed into one big water free for all.
There are many spiritual elements to this holiday as well, being a Buddhist celebration in a Buddhist country. There are elaborate and special merit making ceremonies at every wat.
As we had fun joining in the water fight, we had many reminders of why we are here.
Truckloads of people passing us by, on their way to play and make merit, looking for peace and joy, but lacking the One who can actually give it.
We do enjoy the play and fun associated with Songkran, but know our real joy is Christ, because of Him we are secure in all circumstances and can rest in His care of each day and the next, no matter what comes.
Not exactly sure how Greg got the water to come of that side of bucket. He must have Songkran skills :0
Songkran ‘happens’ to fall right at the height of hot season, when everyone is looking for a way to cool off. We were using water right from the hose, so it was like bath water. But many of the passing trucks had stopped at one of the ice vendors and their water was very chilly! But welcome as we baked out there in the heat. 
As we encounter and particpate in these Thai holdiays for the second time around, there is much we appreciate and enjoy about the Thai people and their traditions. We are eager to see them celebrate their culture while at the same time glorify the Lord and know Him. Not apart from their culture, not rejecting what them Thai, but as the center of it, bringing meaning and fullness that was not there before.
