DON'T GET SICK and DON'T DIE ! by Rita Stella Galieh

George, naming parts of the violin

Language and the way things are said is very different in every culture.What is polite in one can be a little impolite in the other.

My unusual heading is what was said in parting as we left Thailand last year. We kept a straight face as it was meant to encourage us as many schools and churches wanted a return visit.

Each year we minister for a month in Buddhist government institutions such as hospitals, schools, correctional centres, shopping malls, orphanages etc. We are able to do this presentation of music and art to explain the meaning of Christianity. Where free to do so, we can tell how to pray a simple prayer inviting Jesus into hearts and lives.

We leave the artwork in every place visited together with thousands of John's Gospels in Thai which are happily accepted. We have found Bible stories translate exceptionally well in other cultures. It also helps when they watch the drawing as the message is shared.

A little piece of history: if you've ever seen the film Anna And the King, we actually had a presentation at the school where British woman Anna Leonowens taught English to the children of Rama IV, King Mongkut. The school has moved from the palace but that's where it had its beginnings. It is now a thriving Christian school where Thai parents book their children years ahead to gain entry.

We really enjoy our return visits there. The children are so beautifully behaved and respect their elders.

A few times a year we post or email our COMMUNIQUE to report on our Arts in Evangelism ministry. If you also need to write and send reports of any sort, it's worthwhile taking the trouble to make people want to read it. We do all the setting up and KWIK KOPY prints it. Pictures are important as people don't have the time to read through scads of printed pages. They can see at a glance the folk to whom we've been ministering and the interesting venues to which we've been. Capturing shots with our smartphones make things all that easier.

Besides large institutions, we have visited prisons, set up in car parks at night, slums and street outreaches. There's never a dull moment with our friend / interpreter, Somchai Soonthornturasuk! I have experienced things well out of my comfort zone...and thoroughly enjoyed them...after an initial double-take. Ah, well, we need to grow, don't we?

Rita and her husband present Vantage Point, a five minute Christian program broadcast on FM stations around Australia. She has two published books by Ark House Press and Signed Sealed Delivered, her Australian historical romance, can be found on Amazon Kindle.