Finding God in Thailand

This is a piece I recently wrote for sportsmissions.com, the official website of the International Sports Federation. The first-person approach is a little different style of writing than what I'm used to.

by Mickey Seward

Sitting here, I can't help but to think about life. My life, anyway. I don't usually do this; I'm not the brooding type. I don't sit around and wonder why I'm here or spend time working on to-be-or-not-to-be theories.

I'm not a deep dude at all.

But, honestly, the last couple weeks, my confidence has been shaken. Not so coincidentally, I also seem to be spending a lot less time with God recently.

So, I'm here now armed with two things that I know will bring me back to Him; a Bible and a journal that I kept during my SportsPlus mission trip to Bangkok, Thailand in 2006.

It's amazing how God can use two weeks and four Americans in a foreign country. It might be even more amazing how he can use that experience nearly a year after it occurred.

I had plenty of fear going into that trip. I was a pretty fair athlete once, but that was a lot of years and a lot more pounds ago. The man going to Thailand was an older, much less athletic shell of my old self who wondered if he could even do anything athletic enough to do what SportsPlus specializes in -- using sports to build relationships with people in order to share the love of Jesus Christ.

The fear of physical limitations was just the tip of the iceberg. I don't like flying; Thailand is on the other side of the world from where I live in Rome, Ga. I don't like Asian food, and I really hated the thought of leaving my wife alone while I was on the other side of the world. Of course, the fear of the unknown scared me as much as anything.

But God has a habit of taking fears and turning them into yet another way for Him to show off.

Many of my fears vanished in training camp, where I was introduced to my three teammates. Quickly, we went from being four individuals to one team with a mission to share Christ.

Training camp is a two day team-building time where we learned about each other and the culture we were about to encounter. I've never seen four people become so close so soon.

When we reached Bangkok, we hit the ground running. While we were there, we were to spend our time building relationships with university students on one campus. We spent our mornings in the "English room" just hanging out and helping Thai students with their English speaking skills. In the afternoons, we made our way to the university's gym to meet others while playing basketball, volleyball, badminton or soccer. At night, we would usually join our new college friends at the mall or movie theater.

A university student in Bangkok isn't much different than a university student in the United States. That was one reason Sarah Mitchell chose to take the trip.

"I loved the fact that it was on a college campus, so we could really get in there and impact students my age that I could relate to so easily," said the then-24 year old Mitchell, who is a middle school teacher near Houston, Texas.

"The non-Christian Thais mostly seemed like American college students," said team member Kristin Gassiott. "They are searching. Searching for something to cling to, for friends, for free time, for relationships. They were hungry for social interaction,and loved every second talking to us."

Gassiott is a high school coach who spent much of her time in Bangkok as the only woman on campus who would compete on the same soccer field with guys. Her competitiveness on the field was complemented by her love for Christ and for people off it. It made for a perfect combination.

"Sports have always been my passion," Gassiott said. "Sports are my career now, so it only made sense to me to be able to combine the reason I live, Jesus, with the talents and abilities He has gifted me with to further His kingdom."

Meeting people was hardly a problem. I imagine there are few places in the world with friendlier people. Thailand has earned its nickname as "The Land of Smiles." But underneath those smiles is a hurting nation with little knowledge of Jesus Christ. There isn't any Christian persecution in Bangkok, and sharing Christ's love isn't illegal in Thailand like in many Asian nations. But Thailand is undoubtadly a Buddhist nation in need of Christ.

As the educational and business center of its region, where many come to work, live and attend school before returning home, Bangkok is a great place to reach the lost in Southeast Asia.

Our team from SportsPlus realized that firsthand. As we built relationships, we felt God's encouragement. One night midway through our first week, the four of us sat in our room and shared our disappointment that we felt that we hadn't been sharing Christ as much as we were just "hanging out." The next day, we all were given opportunities to share in very specific ways. That's when we realized (remembered, really) that God was very much in charge of what was happening.

"I saw Thais ask questions about God and His word," Mitchell said. "He made teachable moments happen daily."

Those teachable moments brought project coordinator Mike Brown back to Bangkok for a third consecutive year. He's seen teachable moments change lives.

"I've been blessed to see the progression of a new Christian over the few years that I've traveled to Bangkok," Brown said. "The first year I saw this person begin to show interest in the gospel. After we left, we heard word that she had accepted Christ and wanted to learn more about being a Christian and learning His word.

"The second summer, I saw this same person help the American volunteers meet other Thai nationals, and translate many conversations," Brown continued. "After that summer, this person was baptized, along with at least half a dozen other new believers from Bankok.

"The third summer, she had graduated and moved into the corporate world in Bangkok; a light in such a spiritually dark place. From observing this, I learned that God is at work tranforming lives, and with every life changed, the presence of the gospel multiplies."

Over the course of our trip, we continued to compete athletically, laugh constantly and share Christ's love willingly, praying that teachable moments would continue to occur and leave a mark.

Our time in Bangkok was an experience that will impact each of our lives for a very long time. As I've said many times since that trip, I realized in Thailand that there is nothing more cool than seeing God do something and knowing at that exact moment that I was seeing God work. And I saw it over and over again.

Reliving the experience through my own words in the journal while going through this "crisis of confidence" remind me of something I recently read. Paul wrote in his letter to the Phillippians that, basically, you don't need to have confidence in yourself. In fact, it really doesn't matter. Instead, just be confident in Jesus Christ and make your goal His goal for you.

If you are wondering if He can make Himself known to you, try spending a couple weeks with SportsPlus in Thailand. You'll find Him there.

Check out the International Sports Federation and Sports Plus at www.sportsmissions.com.

Tour de Georgia Fighting Cancer

The Tour de Georgia rolls through Rome April 17-18, so in honor of that, I'm posting a story I recently wrote that appeared in the March/April, 2007 issue of Directions. This article gives a little different insight into the race.

by Mickey Seward

For the fifth consecutive year the Tour de Georgia, North America’s premier cycling event, will roll through Floyd County this spring, giving residents and visitors a pair of opportunities to see many of the world’s greatest cyclists right here in our own backyard. Competitors will come into Rome, one of seven host cities, April 17 from Thomaston to finish off the second stage, then will start the third stage the following day, leaving Rome on their way to Chattanooga, Tenn.

“The Tour offers something to Rome that very few communities have the opportunity to host,” said Steve Kemp, CEO of United Community Bank, which serves a Founding Partner. “It’s a family event, and there is no cost to come out and watch.”

While the Tour de Georgia provides entertainment for cycling enthusiasts, general sports fans, residents and visitors alike, it also benefits the Georgia Cancer Coalition, which has been designated as the charitable beneficiary of the tour each year since the race’s inception in 2003. Funds raised during the Tour de Georgia go directly to the Georgia Cancer Coalition’s Research Fund.

“Cyclists have a lot in common with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Bill Todd, Coalition President and CEO. “We both work with a team of professionals, setting our sights on an uphill battle, facing twists and turns, with confidence that we will succeed in our quest. The support of the Tour de Georgia and of the communities of fans around the state helps the Coalition on our path to improving cancer care in the state of Georgia, and we are very appreciative of those efforts.”

Rome’s Harbin Clinic is a leader in the treatment of cancer and is the largest, privately-owned, multi-specialty physician clinic in Georgia. Harbin Clinic Cancer Services focuses not only on diagnosis and treatment, cancer prevention and post-treatment care, but is also involved with clinical research. Harbin Clinic also works closely with the Georgia Cancer Coalition.

“Right now we are working on two future projects with the Georgia Cancer Coalition,” said Dr. Kenneth F. Davis, Harbin Clinic CEO. “One is called the GCC Demonstration Exchange Project, in which the GCC is gathering data from different parts of Georgia, but mostly from here and Savannah. The different entities throughout the state feed information into the project to better understand the effects of smoking and its correlation to lung cancer. The main reason Harbin Clinic was chosen for this project was for our progress in using electronic medical records throughout the Clinic.

“We’re really excited about another project, also,” Dr. Davis continued. “The National Cancer Institute has several sites located throughout the United States, but there is not one in Georgia. These sites are on the cutting edge of cancer work. The NCI is setting up a pilot study to select six sites in the U.S. Harbin Clinic, along with the GCC, Savannah and Columbus, have applied for one of these six sites. This would allow us to offer NCI clinical trials here in Rome.

“It’s really pretty neat to think that a little town like Rome, Ga., can offer services that you can usually only obtain in the largest cities across the nation,” Dr. Davis said. “It serves as a validation that we are on the cutting edge when Bill Todd and the GCC continue to come back to us. It’s something you don’t see in towns this size.”

The NCI will make it’s decision on the site selection in April, according to Dr. Davis.

“We feel very good about our chances,” Dr. Davis said.

One cancer survivor is well aware of the Tour de Georgia’s competitiveness. In fact, cycling legend Lance Armstrong won the Tour de Georgia in 2004. The Tour’s winner has gone on to win the coveted Tour de France crown in two of the past three years.The event will again cover over 600 miles of racing and maintains its stature as a tune-up for the Tour de France on the international cycling calendar.

“This is such an exciting event,” Kemp said. “We’ve had the opportunity to see stars like Lance Armstrong along with the future stars of cycling. There has been a united effort from city and county officials and several other groups to keep Rome as a destination on the circuit, and it has paid off. This is a great community for cycling enthusiasts.”

More information, including up-to-the-minute news and a complete tour schedule, are available at the Tour de Georgia website, located at http://www.tourdegeorgia.com/.

Better Days...My Testimony At XL in 2006

Instead of posting a story today, I'm posting something a little different. Click this link to see the video from the first ever XL service in Rome, when I gave my testimony in May, 2006. The program that night was called "Better Days." My testimony is split into two parts, with Jarrod Roberts speaking in between. If you are interested in learning a little about me and who I am, take a look at the video.

Also, make sure to check out the rest of the XL website at www.xlwired.com.

You Can Count on This Restaurant!

I write articles for a bi-monthly magazine in Rome called Directions, which publishes, among other things, an article about a restaurant each month. Usually, the articles are about restaurants that are more local to Rome or more "date-night" kind of establishments. But, just for fun, I decided to write about one of my favorite restaurants in the upcoming May/June, 2006 issue of Directions.

By Mickey Seward

It’s the staple of every city and town in the Southern portion of the United States, and one of the few things in life you can truly count on day-in and day-out. Friends and family members may come and go, the slugger on your favorite team may be traded, and your trusty vehicle – the one you named after your first girlfriend – may even break down.

But there is one thing you can always count on. There’s one thing you know will always be there for you.

Waffle House.

Open 24 hours a day, 365 days per year (plus a bonus day once every four years), Waffle House won’t let you down.

That expectation keeps bringing customers back. In fact, drop in sometime and you’ll notice that there are plenty of others enjoying signature items like the award-winning Waffle House Classic Blend Coffee, Alice’s Iced Tea, Walt’s Soup and Bert’s Chili; or any number of breakfast foods, melts and dinner items.

Of course, any place named Waffle House better do waffles right. And by the looks of the empty plates that once held original sweet cream, pecan, chocolate chip or buttermilk waffles, it’s not difficult to figure out how this place got its name.

But the food is just one slice of the Waffle House experience. The restaurant is somewhat reminiscent of a classic roadside diner, and when you take it all in, you’ll notice that there’s a lot going on. The waiters and waitresses are bopping from table to table, taking orders and sharing stories, dropping off food and making new friends. The classic jukebox belts out hits from all genres, including a few Waffle House originals such as “Waffle Do Wop,” “844,739 Ways To Eat A Hamburger,” and “I’m Going Back To The Waffle House.” Sure, it’s laid back, but it’s plenty active.

But after eating at Waffle House, a few questions are likely to enter your mind. Questions like, “Do they have locks on the doors at Waffle House?” and “What’s the difference between the people at the tables and the people at the counter?”

And, of course, “How much better would life be if everything was scattered, smothered and covered?”

Find out for yourself at the Waffle House located at 601 Turner McCall Blvd. in Rome, a valuable member of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. It’s open now, and they are waiting for you.

You can count on it.

Playing Smart

The following article appeared in the winter, 2002 issue of UTA Magazine, the official magazine of The University of Texas at Arlington Alumni Association.

by Mickey Seward

No one doubted Donny Beacham could play basketball.Signed by UTA after leading Dallas' James Madison High School to the state finals in 2000, he knew how to electrify crowds with acrobatic dunks and intimidate opponents with his long arms and 37-inch vertical leap.

Turns out he also can think. And study. And he's not alone among UTA student-athletes, as 45 percent earned a spot last year on the University's honor roll.

Beacham owns a 3.67 grade average as an information systems sophomore. He was valedictorian of his high school class and finished first in the Math Olympiad as a member of the National Honor Society.

No question the term "student-athlete" applies.

"Basketball is how I got to UTA. But I'm here to do more than play basketball," said Beacham, who averaged six points and six rebounds in 22 games as a freshman. "I'm in college to become a positive person and a leader, to receive an education and make myself somebody my family will be proud of. Still, I want to be the best basketball player I can be, too."

A matter of priorities
Last season started off as a frustrating one for Beacham, who missed the first six games after injuring his knee in the initial practice. Once back in uniform, the 6-5 forward quickly gave head coach Eddie McCarter reason to rave.

"Donny's a great rebounder and a great defender," McCarter said. "He may not always be scoring, but he's always making something good happen.

"I wish I had 10 guys just like him who are going to be as successful as he will be."

Assistant coach Scott Cross has some experience at meeting goals himself, being named an Academic All-American by Verizon and the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America when he played for the Mavericks. He said Beacham excels because he puts in the effort.

"You have to be very disciplined to do what Donny is doing," Cross said. "He has his priorities in line, and that has made him very successful."

The fourth-year assistant told of how Beacham shows up at study hall even though he's not required to, and of how Beacham helped a teammate study for an exam that he had struggled with earlier. The teammate passed with points to spare.

"He didn't need that much help, really. I just gave him a few tips and showed him some strategies for passing the test," Beacham said. "Sometimes people need other people to motivate them. It's our responsibility to do well and to make sure our teammates are doing well."

A winning mix
Junior forward Mack Callier, a preseason All-Southland Conference pick this season and an Academic All-SLC selection in 2000-01, knows how difficult it is to mix athletics and academics.

"It's tough trying to study and play basketball as best you can all the time. It's a challenge," he said. "We know it's difficult for Donny to do that. What he does says a lot about him as a person and as an athlete."

Beacham, who plans on becoming a computer programmer, credits several coaches and teachers for his success. "I had a lot of teachers in high school who cared enough to put me in more difficult classes that would challenge my mind. A lot of coaches went out of their way to help me become a top-level player."

Now he's passing it on. He has strong opinions about what education has done for him and what it can do for others.

"Learning is a tool to use in life. If you succeed in school, you can use that to succeed in life. … If things get hard and you give up, you will be left in the cold."

Don't expect Beacham to feel the least bit chilly any time soon.

A God Lesson in Africa

The following article first appeared on www.sportsmissions.com, the official website of the International Sports Federation, in Nov., 2006.

by Mickey Seward

Kelly Womack knows God’s word. But for Kelly, just knowing isn’t enough. And so, with that in mind, she made a decision.

“I know that we are called to go and make disciples of all the nations, but I’ve never actually gone to other nations,” Kelly said. “It was time to go.”

The adventure took root when her friend, Jennifer, told Kelly about a mission trip with SportsPlus to Burkina Faso the previous year. That got Kelly thinking. When Jennifer invited Kelly to go back to Burkina Faso with her this past summer, Kelly began to pray.

“The more I prayed about going, the more peace I felt about my decision to go,” Kelly said. “This adventure that God was inviting me to take part in was such a privilege and an honor. It was all in God’s timing. I also knew going in that I didn’t have to be a professional athlete to serve alongside the missionaries in Burkina. I just had to expect the unexpected and be willing.”

Going into the trip, Kelly wasn’t necessarily sure what she was supposed to be willing to do, but she found out that just being willing to serve was enough to build relationships.

And she learned a few other things along the way.

“I learned how to de-corn corncobs, plant cotton and corn, shop and bargain at the market, make African tea, communicate in an unwritten language, wash clothes with a ball of soap and three bowls of water, and pump water, to name a few of my learning experiences,” she said.

“I initiated a relationship by helping out where there was a need. Of course, I wasn’t good at most things I tried to help with, but it opened a door. They usually ended up laughing at my efforts, but I would laugh with them.”

Laughter turned out to be a big part of the trip for Kelly and her SportsPlus teammates. They spent much of their time with children, playing games and teaching them about Jesus. One game they played was similar to the popular American game “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Only when they played in Burkina Faso, the game became, “Baa, Baa, HEEHAW.”

Serving where there was a need, and being available to play with the children, allowed Kelly to share Christ’s love, despite cultural and language barriers.

“Every chance Jennifer and I got, we would sing songs of Jesus, or Jezi, as they knew Him from their Muslim beliefs,” Kelly said. “We drew pictures of Jesus on the Cross and acted out how He loves us. We really didn’t know how much they understood. The last day we were in the village we were making a cross with some magnetic trinkets we’d brought, and a young boy we’d been hanging out with pointed to the cross and said ‘Jezi.’ Wow!”

Kelly’s awe of God continued to grow throughout the trip. She remembers numerous examples of God showing Himself to her during her time in Burkina Faso. Months after returning home and to her life as a third grade teacher, Kelly remains inspired.

“The trip inspired me to live a missional life…to live on purpose for Christ,” she said. “It inspired me to pray for the advancement of His Kingdom overseas, and sparked an interest in international missions. It was a new challenge to me to not forget what He’s doing in West Africa and in the world outside my little bubble. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not reminded somehow of my experience in Burkina.”

The blessing of that everyday reminder comes because Kelly understood that just knowing God’s Word wasn’t enough for her. She also knows it’s not enough for a lot of others, either.

Kelly states, “I just want to encourage my brothers and sisters to answer God’s call to go and make His name known to the ends of the earth.”

Kelly Womack knows from personal experience that answering the call changes lives. She just didn’t realize how much it would change her own.

Long Time Reader, First Time Blogger

All my friends are blogging now. Of course, they don't really have anything to say, but that's ok. Honestly, I really don't have much to say, either. I do love to write, though, and I want to have some of the articles I've written posted somewhere, if for no other reason than to know they are backed up somewhere. So, from time to time, I'll post another story that I've written.

I hope my friends will like to read my blog as much as I like to read their blogs.

Thanks for reading!

Mickey