The Countdown

As it was approaching midnight I found myself kind of sitting alone as the boys I was sitting with went to watch wrestling and I was watching the dancing and those behind us had gone home. It was about half an hour til midnight and I found myself feeling alone, so I started praying for these people, praying for my work here in this upcoming year, praying that God would use me, praying that I wouldn’t be lonely.

Then, with about fifteen minutes left until midnight several of my sixth grade boys came and sat behind me. We started talking and checking our watches and phones to see how many minutes were left until the New Year. Talk started up about doing a countdown, but they were too shy to do it at the seats where we were sitting and where people were still dancing, so with about two minutes left until midnight we got up and ran to the middle of the football field where it was pitch dark and you could look up and see the stars so clearly it was amazing. One boys phone had an app or something that was a clock that had a second hand, so with fifteen seconds left they put the phone on the ground and the seven or eight of us stood in a circle around it and held hands. We had an awkward countdown where some were on the wrong number, but the final result was that when the second hand hit the twelve we all threw up our hands and shouted HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!! They then all shook my hand and said Happy New Year, not the typical New Year hugs I’m used to from home, but still precious and treasured none the less.

Then they had each person get out their phone to see that it said either 00:00 or 12:00 mine still said 11:59, so when one boy saw that he called all of them back and they stood around my phone yelling one, one, one, one, until it changed to midnight, then they yelled HAPPY NEW YEAR again before they started walking across the field and heading for their houses.

In that moment I found myself in the middle of the football field alone, but full of love and happiness. I looked up and the stars were bright and shining, and I could feel God’s love as I do so often when he provides. Just half an hour before I felt lonely, on the verge of homesickness, ringing in another year overseas away from my family. However, in that moment he provided seven or eight teenage boys who I’ve taught and gotten to know a little over the last two months to bring me into their circle, and to make a special memory that I’ll treasure and remember forever.

2014 was the year I rang in with a group of teenage boys, most if not all of whom live at children’s homes away from their families. Who were worried that my phone didn’t say midnight yet, so counted down a second time, who shook my hand as they greeted me with a Happy New Year in English instead of Sa-was-dii-bii-mai. Boys who joke with me, but respect me and care for me. The year I celebrated Karen New Year for the first time. 2014 is a year I plan to spend the entirety of in Thailand with these people, a year I hope to fill with memories of spending time with these people, teaching them English, and learning from them as we grow and learn together. The first seconds and minutes of this year were spent feeling loved and cared for, and I think it’s a sign of a good year to come. As long as I stay present and focused on what God wants to do through me for these people, and continue to seek Him to learn from Him as I grow each day.