Written on the Plane, Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Monday October 15
We arrived at the gleaming, soaring, glass airport of Bangkok shortly after midnight, and after well more than 24 hours in transit from Louisville to Chicago to Seoul and now here.
A small mishap with our luggage meant that the first hour on the ground in Thailand was watching seemingly hundreds of people claim luggage, wrestle it into carts and disappear past Customs and through the door. Actually, it was quite entertaining because I observed a fashion of young Korean couples - dozens of them - which is to wear matching shirts and sometimes whole outfits.
There were couples in preppy striped shirts, logo-laden black ones, bright pink, slogans, patterns, the gamut. And yellow. As we sat, Insik Kim, our PC(USA) area coordinator for Asia (who by this tidbit confirmed my impression that the extent and depth of his knowledge of the region is extraordinary) explained that each day of the week in Thailand has a color in which people dress, and that Monday is yellow, the color of the King, because the King was born on Monday. (I added to Insik's cultural observation by pointing out this couples' dressing thing, something neither he nor our other travel companion, my husband, Chris, had noticed, until it was pointed out to them.)
Outside, we are greeted by Banchong Chompoowong, Vice Moderator of the Church of Christ in Thailand.
Since it is now 11:30 p.m., I will continue this entry tomorrow. We had a wonderful and inspiring day meeting church leaders, hearing of our historic connections and desires for more, learning of ministries of health, education, and church planting, and making new friends. The day was long, sleep was short. More tomorrow.
I am about to set out on an Asian journey with my trusted friend and
PC(USA) colleague, Insik Kim, to experience firsthand the vibrant congregations and the vital witness of our brothers and sisters in
Thailand, China, and Korea. It will be a time of tremendous learning,
in which I know my knowledge and my faith will be greatly increased.
For personal reasons, I am especially looking forward to my travels
in Korea. My interest comes not only from my relationships with Korean
Presbyterians but is greatly enhanced by a recent addition to our
family. This past July, my nephew Jacob married Yeunbee Jeanette, who
came to the United States from Korea as a young girl. This was the
first of my children's generation to be married, and we have been very
close to Jacob all of his life. Part of the celebration was a
traditional Korean ceremony -- what a delight it was for us to share in
that celebration.