Noi

Noi, on the other hand, is full of questions for me:

--“Why does God love the whole world?”

--“Does Jesus especially love kids?”

--“Why did he have to die?”

-- “Will you be at church tomorrow?”

Noi listens carefully to make sure my answers are good’n’orthodox, interested not so much in me as in the consistency of this Jesus she’s heard so much about.

God loves the WHOLE world because it all belongs to him! So he wants to take care of it, just like you want to take care of your cat and your dog, right? Noi smiles and buries her nose in the front of my shirt. Apparently this sniffing is an affectionate thing around here. And somehow Noi does manage to give her cat, Mai, and her dog, Mee, the same kind of affection, even though 10-odd people live in their shack.

Jesus very VERY especially loves kids. One time his grown-up friends tried to stop some kids that came running to see him, just like you and all your friends came running to see us today! But Jesus told his friends to be quiet, and guess what he did? He let them sit on his lap, just like you’re sitting here with me! I wonder if Noi, at eight years old, has had the chance to do this very much. Her father is a question mark, though an uncle of sorts is in and out -- busy with drugs. The mother-figure in their home is usually gone, selling helium balloons up and down the Pattaya coast. Older sisters beat on the little ones until they move out in search of dubious jobs, and Noi’s grandmother is worn threadbare keeping the remaining kids together, so there may not be a lot of room in her lap for someone small needing a snuggle.

Can YOU tell me why Jesus had to die? Noi is in her element here, and fires off a no-fail answer – “Love!” She also fires off today’s memory verse, complete with actions: “Don’t be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good!” And that’s just it, because Jesus’ action on the cross is the best example we’ll ever see, of good overcoming bad. Noi and her next-oldest sister, Nung, are sharp as tacks and both so diligent in filing away these gleaming bits of God’s word. The difference He makes is palpable, and sometimes seemingly impossible. Will Noi and Nung be free to follow their minds all the way through school? Instead of stopping after grade six, like so many of their friends, to sell gum on the beach? -- or worse things, in worse places? Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good…

(Pause) I’m sorry, Noi; I won’t be at church tomorrow. I’m only here one day. She’s disappointed, but starts counting off everyone else who will be there: her and Nung; their older cousin Mem; Khun LeeAnn, who first told them about Jesus; Pi Bon, who plays guitar for their songs and has a really cool tattoo; Nong Boom, who can only see from one eye because his dad hit him; and maybe even Baifern, though she has to work a lot more, now that she’s twelve.

She’s in good company, this little girl who asks big questions.