What would you think if a group of local police came knocking on the door of your training and ministry center, asking to meet with your latest group of young students? When this happened recently at the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) center in Bangkok, the leaders of the Discipleship Training School prepared themselves for the possibility of bad news. Instead, they were surprised to find that the police had come to ask for their help.
Thailand has been experiencing extensive flooding for more than two months. The floods started in the north of the country and now the central region of Thailand is struggling to cope with the consequences of local flooding. Many people have lost everything; they have watched their houses and businesses slowly get submerged under water.
In Ayutthaya province, the worst-hit area, one housing estate is said to be under more than 14.5 feet of water. Four factory estates have been submerged (those four factory estates alone will lose more than $3 billion) with more than 600 other factories affected. More than 200,000 people are out of work due to factory closures.
Bangkok is desperately trying to hold off the worst of the high water, but things are very uncertain. The government is focused on shoring up the capital’s city center by providing about a million sandbags to Bangkok and the surrounds within the next few days. Youth With A Mission has been helping. Its volunteers are filling sand bags as quickly as money is available to supply the quantity needed in the city. Financial donations are desperately needed.
For those who have already been hit by the floods, there is a critical need for fresh drinking water, non-perishable foods and medicine. The YWAM students from Bangkok who were approached by the local police have been helping by packing survival parcels for distribution in those places in most need.
Allison (name changed for security purposes), one of the DTS students, says of the flooding situation: “I have much more compassion for the people because I am here.”
There is no flooding yet in the area where Mayer and her fellow students are studying their Discipleship Training School. She says she has noticed price increases for many goods, as they begin to become harder to find. With a wry smile, she says that although there is no drinking water available in the supermarkets, there is plenty of Coke. People are not sure what to expect, but are preparing for the worst.
Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. For those that have already been affected by the floods, much love and compassion is needed as they rebuild their lives and communities. More than 300 people have already lost their lives and countless others have heartbreaking stories that will most likely go untold.
At this stage, helping hands and willing hearts will go a long way to saving the Thai people. YWAM in Thailand is doing what they can for those they can reach.
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