Monday Ministry Highlights: Buddhism

As in any other part of the world, Thailand and her people are very religious. From the way they take their shoes off before entering a building to the way they give food and drink offerings at spirit houses, Thai people are Buddhists - through and through. Simply put, the concept of Buddhism is to be the very best you can be in this life so that you can come back in the next life as something better. No one wants to come back as a bug or a cow, so Thai people take their religion very seriously and hope for the best.

It breaks my heart to see dedication to something that will never be achieved. I'm so saddened to walk in downtown Bangkok and see a shrine set up where people will bow and offer lotus flowers while burning incense. Other times I've seen people kneel in front of a monk and make their offering, all while the monk is chanting over them. So, so empty.

This past Wednesday I was reminded of all this when I stepped into a Buddhist temple. My (Christian) Thai co-worker's grandmother died and so we made a trip to my co-worker's province to support and encourage her during this very hard time.

Pookie is the only saved person in her entire family. Stop and let that sink in for a moment. Most of us have at least one other saved family member, but all of Pookie's family members are Buddhists. Several are even monks right now. When Pookie received the phone call saying her grandmother died, Pookie knew that lady stepped into a Christless eternity. She was so burdened for her family members that she broke out in hives all over her body.

The funeral was intersting, to say the least. When we walked into the temple, I noticed a lot of flowers and statues everywhere.

In addition to that, loud music was being played by several different men.

We also saw the crematorium where the casket and body would be later burned.

I kept thinking over and over again that if you take away the loud music, if you take away the flowers and the statues, if you take away the monks, all would be quiet and the reality is that a soul departed this world and entered eternity. No matter how much stuff was at a funeral, it won't make a difference.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to have the experience, if for no other reason than the fact the Lord reminded me that these dear, precious people are lost and in need of a Saviour. It is too late for Pookie's grandmother, but a difference can still be made in the lives of other Thai people!

~Anne Hammond~
From My Perspective...