These two things do not go together, I know. It just so happened that within one 24-hour period we went to an “Entering the Monkhood” bash and also had our office’s First Annual Bowling Tournament. You learn something new every day. In this case, I learned 1) what it means to enter the monkhood 2) that bowling is, according to Thais, from America (what Thais call the U.S) and 3) that it’s also a sport. I also found out that Thais use the same word for “bowling pins” and “bowling ball”. I did not know these things before Saturday.
Our English school put on the bowling tournament and it was a big success for it’s first year – also good to have a fun activity outside of the office since most of our events happen there. Pray for these students that their hearts will be more open to and interested in the Gospel! Many of these students have had a relationship with our team and foundation for over 3 years.
Many Thai men will serve as a monk in their lifetime, even if for just a short time, in order to increase their status for the next life – as in increasing their merit so that when they pass on they will be at a higher status because of their good-deed doing. So many men prefer to enter the monkhood to accomplish this. Even the King of Thailand has done it! We attended the “Night before entering the Temple for the 15 Days of Monkhood” Party last night for a friend of ours’ son. The bash took place at Mahatthai, a community we have been increasingly involved with over the last 2 years. It very much resembled a wedding – a stage with performers and live music, huge round tables serving a sit-down dinner, with the hyper mother-of-the-monk running around as the social butterfly, greeting all the guests. We had a good time seeing some of the women that come to my weekly brunch and Andrew hung with some of the guys he knows at Mahatthai.
