Pass With Merit

Yesterday seemed a slow day. When the student I was timetabled to teach didn't arrive I wandered onto campus where I hung around at the statue of King Naresuan the 'father of the university'. He sits rather benignly in front of a marble plaza, hot under your bare feet. In the 20 minutes I lingered there was a steady stream of visitors, all doing more or less the same thing. Burning incense, bowing down and leaving garlands of flowers. Some with greater zeal took out mops and cleaned the plaza. There's no awkwardness in their coming either, most come with friends, some chat as they drive their mops up and down the marble. It seems that here the wise student will revise hard for their exams and then make sure that they have 'made merit' to maximise their chance of success, it can be busy during exams! It's also here that during the induction ceremonies first year Christian students have to set themselves apart and choose a term of ostracism when they refuse to bow to the spirit of Naresuan 'father of the university' .

More than curiosity took me to the statue, I was hoping to have the opportunity to talk with some of the students. My boldness failed me though and I went home disappointed. How much more exciting then that 3 English language students came in late to the Youth House. They were enquiring about interviewing us for a project but were full of questions - about Samson and Genesis! They study the Bible in their 'literature of mythology' classes.

There's a lot coming up: English club tonight, film night on Friday and a student outing on Saturday. Several of our conversations have reminded us that for many of the non-Christian students we are playing one part in a chain through which God is drawing people to himself. We want to be bold and faithful servants.

Matt

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