Floods

I started crying in the middle of the mall the other day. Well, mall isn't actually the best word since for many of us it conjures up pictures of giddy teens hanging out at the food court, while SIAM PARAGON - the most prestigious shopping experience in Bangkok - feels more like a pristine marble palace. Surrounded as I was by high fashion (Gucci,Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton) and fast cars, (BMW, Porche, Ferrari) I felt slightly conspicuous with tears pouring down my cheeks, but I couldn't stop myself. In the very middle of this premier shopping center, I found a gallery displaying photos of the recent flooding in southern Thailand. Pictures showing houses and lives in destruction contrasted oddly and uncomfortably with the wealth so near to me. I cried not just for what they had lost - homes, family, life, businesses - but I cried also for what we had not given. I cried for what I had not given.

As we do campus ministry in Thailand, I find myself, the staff, and students of this ministry dealing with the issue of materialism far too often. The problem isn't just about stuff, but about the self-centeredness that leads to a materialistic attitude. Many American people assume that we don't deal with these issues in "missions," but the need to succeed and make money is a global problem. Students here at Thammasat University know that they've been accepted into one of the top ranking universities in the country, and they know their parents expect them to become doctors, lawyers and engineers so that they can live the high life. A campus community can ignite a passion for selfless surrender, in much the same way that a photo gallery in the middle of a fashion parade can stir a selfish person to tears.

This desire to impact Bangkok through students has always driven our ministry, The Grapevine, since it's founding 8 years ago. We see lives changing as our student leadership grows and our alumni move out into the city. These students, many of whom are not yet Christians, nurture community growth because they have experienced a difference in their own lives, and want others to experience the difference of living for someone other than oneself. The staff often tells them that “the grapevine is about God's love reaching out through us to draw other people in,” and they've taken that responsibility seriously.

It's a modest sort of ministry, because that's what we're seeking to reproduce - modesty and genuine interactions. Parties and Bible studies take place in a simple yet creative storefront, free food and English provide the appeal, and the Bible lays the moral foundation. But it is the "photo gallery" experience and seeing life from God's point of view that makes our student community so important. We hope to give our students a picture of "others," that will compel them to tearful action in the midst of a selfish world.

Love Your Neighbor
On Sunday afternoons grapevine students participate in a community program that we call LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR. It's a place for children to come and learn English with big brothers and sisters who care about them. At Christmas we have a special party and tell the Story of Jesus birth, which is the most significant example of neighborly love ever shown.

(above) Our Thammasat students volunteered their free time to go love some little kids.

(below) We put on a paperbag puppet show of the Nativity.

(below) Kids really loved the face painting station.

Oh, Christmas!
Christmas only comes once a year, so we try to have as many Christmas parties as possible. December is filled with makeshift Christmas pageants, Christmas songs, decorating, and making cookies. Students really love the change to celebrate Christmas with foreigners and to learn about our Christmas traditions. And it's the most wonderful opportunity to be able to share the Story of Christ's birth with people who have never before heard it. It's really too bad that Christmas doesn't come more often.

(above) Our worship band sporting Santa hats.

(below) Grab a SPOON! Da brought a waffle loaded with ice cream for the gift exchange.

(above) Fa La laing at Christmas Program at Church.

(below) Presents are not what Christmas is all about. But this game was sure fun!

(Below) Who says we don't have Christmas trees in Thailand?

Mo' Retreat
Means Mo' Friends, Mo' Fun, Mo' Grapevine

Every year in November Grapevine takes an adventure into the mountains. We go to relax, have fun with our friends, revel in God's creation, and learn how love Him and others more.
This year we explored the idea that God is a mystery, but He has chosen to reveal himself to us in Christ, in nature, and in the fellowship we experience with others. And not only has He shown Himself to us, He also wants to live in us and help us with all the mysteries in our life.



(above) The students insisted the staff race through the obstacle course, too.
We didn't have the fastest time.

(below) One of the several amazing waterfalls that we got to swim in.

(above) The girls in our cabin stop to take picture before getting on the bus.

(below) There's always time for a group shot.

Time to Give Thanks!
Well, we should really give thanks ALL the time, but on Thanksgiving Day we get to focus on filling our hearts with gratitude. Of course, we usually fill our stomaches with food, too. And good free food usually means that Grapevine is filled with students.

(above and below) Students enjoying American food with their friends.

(below) Buck and Da didn't need to carve the turkey, our delicious smoked chicken just fell off the bone.

Halloween at Grapevine
October 2010

(above) Our exchange students turned grapevine into a fun spooky place.

(below) A Blackeyed "P" meets Alice in Wonderland.

(above) All dressed up and ready for a photo shoot.

(below) Everyone enjoyed the pumpkin painting station.

International Flavor

Every semester we have many nationalities represented at Grapevine. Not only do we connect with Thai students, we also meet exchange students from all over the globe places as close as Vietnam and China, and places from further away like South Africa, Germany, and Brazil. This semester we celebrated the beautiful nature of our cultural heritages with an International Night. The event included foods from around the world, games, mixed languages and of course, PEOPLE.

One of my favorite aspects of Globalscope, the International Campus Ministry branch of CMF, is that we all have a passion for reaching out to students throughout the world. As we train up leaders we hope that they too will develop a passion for sharing Christ's love with the nations. In the past two years we've had the opportunity of hosting interns from two other Globalscope ministries. In God's timing, we hope that Grapevine will send out interns and exchange students into this larger community.

Above ( A delicious buffet of International foods)

Below ( students hang up a poster to mark "Where you've been" and "Where you're going")

Below (Intern Glaucia says goodbye to some good friends before returning to Spain)

Good People

We've been truly blessed this year with some great people at Grapevine. We've had several amazing interns, a great group of exchange students, and a wonderful Thai student leadership group. The core members of grapevine really form the heart of our ministry, and allow it to grow and flourish here in Rangsit. Please keep praying for our core members as we learn to live in community, and as we show the world what it means to love as Jesus loved.

Below (Some of our core members pose for a snapshot in front of Grapevine)

Last weekend Grapevine took a trip to the beach. We had 11 students, 4 staff members, 3 exchange students, and 2 interns (but we left the partridge in the pear tree.)

It was a nice getaway after mid-term tests, and a chance to grow into closer relationship with each other.

(above) Some people were up to see the sun rise. I wasn't.

(below) They say getting there is half the fun.

(below) We all stop for a group shot in front of our hostel.