Learning Thai

Today is King Bhumipol's birthday and it is a national holiday here in Thailand. In honor of that occasion our community held a sai-baat ceremony this morning. One of the important components of Thai Buddhism is contributing food to monks - as a way of providing for the monk and making merit for the one giving the food. Every morning, as I walk to the bus stop, I see two or three monks making their rounds. Since our community does not have temple (wat) these monks come in from somewhere else (riding on the back of motorcycle taxis). But today, in honor of the King's birthday, a truckload of monks came in from another province. People from our community gathered along the main street with bags of food, and the monks walked the length of the street collecting the donations. After they were finished they performed a chanting ceremony in the park and then they, and the people who had gathered to watch or participate, ate a meal.

The paper today is full of tributes to the King with full page advertisements sponsored by corporations (including Honda and Nestle). Tonight there will be candle-lighting ceremonies in His honor. We had read about the importance of the monarchy before coming to Thailand, but we have been suprised at the depth of feeling that is expressed on such a large scale. Of course there is never negative press about the King, but from what I have read, he is a man who has done a lot of good for the country and who takes seriously his role as the "lord of life" for Thailand. There's really nothing from our experience as American citizens that we can compare it to. It comes much closer to our experience as Christians worshipping The King and it is interesting that we will be celebrating the King of Thailand's and our King's birthdays so close together.

Most Thai people will not celebrate Jesus' birth in a few weeks. Christmas exists here, but it is a foreign holiday that exists primarily to promote Western-style materialistic consumerism. However, the love and devotion that we are seeing expressed by the Thais today challenges me to approach Jesus' birthday with a similarly humble and grateful reverence.

Here are some pictures from today...

The monks collecting gifts

This monk sat in the back of the truck and sprinkled water on people's heads

The monks chanting while holding a white thread

Claire and Eliza enjoying some rice and pork from the meal that was served following the chanting.