Now that exams for the children are over and the school term winding down, my family turns our thoughts to our family holiday. This year, we are doing something quite different for our family trip. In the last ten years, whenever we go to a further country, it tended to be a developed country with modern facilities and good traveling accessibility. This time, we are spending a week in a rather underdevelped place near Chiangmai, Thailand. The villages that we are visiting are near the Thai-Myanmar border and mostly occupied by descendants of Myanmese refugees. It is a contact that we obtained through friends in our church - the ministries in the communities there are partially supported by the church.
One reason we are taking a departure from the usual tour places is that we want our children to experience third world conditions - and thus have a good dose of different realities that children around the world are facing. It occurred to us some time ago that while my wife and I experienced life from third world to first world as we grow up in Singapore, the same can't be said of our children - they have only seen the first world Singapore, and is thus easy to forget that their life experiences are actually quite unique relative to that in many other parts of the world. We think it is important to bring home to them that millions of other children live an alternative lifestyle - that of far fewer resources and far greater
constraints - and yet stay happy and contented. We hope they will learn that we can live happily with far less material resources and that adversities can strengthen us.
We think there will also be many opportunities there to enjoy the simple, price free and yet priceless things of life - the waterfalls, the mountain trekking, the birdwatching, the football, the interaction with local children. Perhaps, through these experiences, we will also learn that the best thongs in life need not of the expensive-latest kind.
But actually, now that my wife and I have enjoyed first world luxuries for so long, we are perhaps the one who can't re-adapt back to basic amenities. Pray for us.
We do will pray for all of you. But sometimes I feel so confused about the way how people define "luxuries, first world, third world":-)) Several years ago I had a chance to go to visit a christian village in Yunnan, china. So far a way from the city in the big mountains. The poor villagers treat us all the simple food they had. Simple but all organic, air dusty but never polluted.... When we step into their simple small wooden church they built with their own hands, when we hear them sing the hymns passed from their great grandparents, generation after generation, when we see the sparkles shining in their eyes during the worship...maybe that is a kind of luxurious life which we have lost long ago, or have not tasted yet. Sorry, nothing to do with your topic, brother. Just the iPad, can't help writing sth. Have a blessed trip!
ReplyDeleteThank you again sister for posting a comment.
ReplyDeleteYes, those who are poor in this world's goods can be rich towards God.
But we all want an 'easier' life of material prosperity. Can material wealth coexist with spiritual wealth?
Possible if we have attained the level of 'kung fu' like Abraham and Job. But a great challenge for us and our children who have been so accustomed to well-provided lifestyle. Rich in faith - a prayer item that needs to be constantly on our list.
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