A saintly model

I am not presenting myself as the saintly model for life.  Instead I am presenting St Peter Chanel whose feast day was this week.  He was French, living from 1803 till 1841.  So as to follow his missionary vocation, he became a Marist Father, which led him to a remote island in the Pacific near Fiji, named Futuna, where he met his sticky end and so became a saint in the Church.

Why does he appeal to me?  Simply it was a line from a biography on him that absolutely grabbed me. It went like this:
"Anyone who has worked in loneliness, with great adaptation required and with little apparent success, will find a kindred spirit in Peter Chanel."

Being in Thailand as long as I have, I could so identify with this description of mission for, no matter how long I am here, I never cease to be overwhelmed or shocked by some of what I experience in both society and church.  The whole Thai approach to life and religion is so different as it is utterly rooted in a culture and psyche whose guiding principles feature hierarchy and obediently and blindly following orders from above. 

When applied to Church, with its own set of hierarchy and norms, it all becomes mind blowing.  A crucial reason why this is so is that the local way always overrules the universal Church way, no matter how out of proportion or irrational the resulting scenario may be.

You may be wondering where this is coming from.  Yes, there is an issue of the week that hit me in the face on Sunday at church.  A sad reflection on the nature of here is that, with its various sensitivities at play, I cannot even name the exact issue as it revolves around highly protected strands of Thai culture which, no matter what, I have to respect.

I have never lived in a country where culture has such a high priority, where it has to be absolutely adhered to by all at all times.  It is all contrary to my nature as a down to earth Aussie.  There may be no deepest, darkest jungles here where cannibals are lurking after me but it can be every bit as foreign, frightening and dangerous.  Such was the impact of the news of the week in my Bangkok.

ATMs

An Easter message from Pope Francis

Life can be very fickle and fragile, especially in my Bangkok where I see so many western males indulging themselves.   These men come here to pursue their paradise, otherwise insensitively named as entertaining their needs.  Instead of paradise what they enter seemingly unknowingly is the ultimate local game where they become the victim, while they think they are getting all they want for little investment.  I lay no judgement on anyone but neither do I join them.  I just observe and learn and share wisdom gained.

Yes, they find love, they find freedom, they find pleasure and that is okay, but what they lack is a sense of perspective, a sense of  consequence.  The latter hits when it is too late and their paradise is lost, as their lot has been built on meaningless pursuits sadly, and maybe unconsciously, based on their and other's vulnerabilities.

They come looking for love, companionship, filling a gap, answering a compunction.  Whatever their quest, it has been met by ones here who have needs as well and it is done unwisely.  For the locals, the game is summed up in meeting two basic needs - money and opportunity.  So both parties meet to have their needs met.  They presumably do not voice those needs to each other.  What I see results is that the local party is much smarter in the partnership, getting their needs met.  Meanwhile, the western male has fallen prey to what transpires, becoming angry, shocked or just resigned to the inevitable.

What is lacking time and again is wisdom and a shared sense of everyone's vulnerability.  The resulting picture put bluntly becomes one where the western male is named in local jargon as an ATM and the Thai partner is identified by the western male as the evil or conspiring victor.   

Rather than recognizing the vulnerability of each other in this narrative and responding to each in good ways, this social phenomenon in my Bangkok feeds off the vulnerability of all parties for the sake of pure and ultimate conquest.  It is about victory by one party where there are only winners and losers - never is it all winners in this unfair dynamic.

All parties playing in this local "ATM syndrome" would do well to first read the Easter message of Pope Francis shared here and take it to heart for the sake of their own good and well-being.  This message is so apt for our world, one divided and suffering and ever vulnerable.  We can all be winners.

Let the year begin!

The annual rigors of Thai New Year celebrations have been faced once again.  For a foreigner, that means dodging the ever present danger of a bucket of cold water being chucked at you on the street from any direction or any person.  Thankfully, by now, I know how to navigate the ins and outs of Thai fun with water during Songkran.

That done, it is now back to navigating the rigors of everyday life in my Bangkok.  Even after so long here, that remains ever a challenge - just as daunting and dangerous as ever.  For one thing, you keep realizing how little you understand about here, being ever the victim of unwanted surprises. 

I discover only now that Songkran, the Thai word for naming their New Year, means "to move across".  How apt.  We move from one year to the next and the movement is engaged through action with water for blessing, cleansing and drenching. 

With or without Songkran, I am endeavouring to move across to something new and different in my life for the sake of good and healthy life and mission.  I just do not want to become stale or comfortable in my lot here.  Just as I have learnt to navigate the games of playing with water at Songkran and survive, so I know I can navigate life in my Bangkok so as to reach that new direction, that new goal for a fuller life experience.  I just need to work at it and take my opportunities.  It is all possible.  Let the year begin! 

Happy New Year!

Songkran in Silom - my local area

Yes, it is Thai New Year again, otherwise known as Songkran.  Given my last couple of posts, I judge that I am ready for some outrageous time off. This is the real holiday time in Thailand.  It is when everyone goes home or goes away.  It is the time of the year when the streets of my Bangkok empty out of the day to day population and become alive with water sports.  It can be wild but in the midst of all this is the chance to spend a few quiet days tucked away in one's room.  Therein lies the golden opportunity to spend not just quiet time but time in solitude and nourish the spirit.

What a great way to start a new year.  Happy New Year! 

Language is fascinating

Yes, it has been a few big weeks in my Bangkok and the toll is telling as I noticed on Sunday when reading the gospel.  Without any warning, I proclaimed that the distant land suffered a great salmon instead of a great famine.  It was a great reminder to me - loosen up and keep a sense of humour.

Then after mass, another issue arose.   This time it began with the surprise news that next Sunday we have six children making their first communion.  Really?  I never knew but I will go with the flow.  Then I meet their catechist and am greeted with the news why this church project with the children has been kept a secret - they are frightened of me.  I was shocked and even somewhat hurt to think children are frightened of me.  Why?  I do not even know who they are.  Then, I think as always, what is really at play here?

So I do what I do best here and face the issue directly, face to face.  On meeting the catechist the next day, I approach the subject.
"You say the children are frightened of me?  What does that mean?" 
Some conversation seeking clarification follows and I see that the children are not frightened of me but they are nervous.  The catechist had chosen the word "frightened" to describe the children's behaviour but that is not the right adjective. 

They were nervous.  Now I understand and it makes sense.  It is not about the strong overtones of being frightened.  Now I can rest easy.  It is all about language.  Language misused or misunderstood can create all sorts of upsets.  It is best to keep an open mind and seek always clarity.  Language is about much more than sharing of ideas.  It opens the door to much more.  It gives one insights into how others see the world and opens up cultures we never knew.  Language is truly fascinating.  I ever see that living in my Bangkok.