How Lek and I Met

I have been asked this question by several people recently, so I thought I would write it up. I met Lek when I was finishing up my post-semester-abroad internship in Thailand. Most weekends I would spend with my host family in Chiang Mai. One Friday my host mother asked if I wanted to go to Chiang Rai for a family reunion. I had heard about how beautiful Chiang Rai was and I was eager to spend some time in the country so I accepted.

Saturday we drove up and my host mother dropped me off at a soccer game. I sat next to some relatives I knew. When it was over I found my backpack in a small car, so I cautiously sat in it and waited. Thai people piled in the car, one of whom I recognized, so I decided to just go with the flow. The driver was Lek, who is my host mother’s nephew. He tried to talk to me in English, but since I was grumpy about being abandoned I responded in short Thai phrases, putting as much sarcasm into this language I hadn’t mastered as I could. When we got to a house, Lek’s house, I decided to wait for my host mother by practicing reading my newest Thai book: Puss in Boots. While everyone else ignored me, Lek approached me and sat next to me. He helped me sound out words and explained words that I didn’t understand. He was the first Thai person to ever give me the chance to try reading it on my own before being corrected. I decided to stop being grumpy with him. Our conversation drifted to what I was doing in Thailand and that I wanted to help trafficked women. Lek was pleased to hear I was a Christian and told me he was graduating seminary in a month. He loved music. Well, I had a Thai hymnal with me and took it out. For hours we poured through the music; Lek playing guitar and singing in English when he could and myself singing in Thai when able. One song he sang for me was particularly beautiful and I asked him to teach it to me. He accepted the mission and had me sing it over and over and over again until it was almost midnight. Then he announced that we would sing it at his church tomorrow morning. I cautiously agreed assuming I could just be very quiet. Then he informed me that church was at 6:30am (Ahhh!). He drove me to his grandparents house where I was to spend the night (I guess my host mother informed everyone except me!) It rained the whole night and I had to pee so bad but I had no idea where the bathroom was and didn’t want to give grandma or grandpa a heart attack by waking them up to find an American in their room. I got no sleep.

Finally 6am rolled around and I got dressed (and found the bathroom.) Lek picked me up. The church service was in Karen. At the end Lek and I went up, and Lek told me to introduce myself. I remember being so embarrassed and flustered that I forgot my mini thai speech; I said my name and loudly proclaimed that I loved Jesus, while giving everyone the thumbs up sign. I sang, Lek harmonized. After church everyone came up to me. We all ate lunch together. At some point I mentioned to Lek that I have heard about land leeches in Thailand, but I have never seen them. So, in our first act alone together, Lek motorcycled me into the jungle on a hilly mud path about 4 inches wide on a leech hunt. We walked a ways when the path was blocked by a tree. I was trying to look cute and walked into a sharp branch, was knocked flat, and tried to hide my face in embarrassment. Lek gently but firmly took my face in his hands and wiped the blood away. We got to a meadow and Lek told me to take my shoes off and wait. After several minutes we inspected our feet. Lek had seven leeches on his. I had none. We teased each other for a while, talking, climbing trees and throwing fruit. Then realizing the time we hurried back to Lek’s house, when my host mother was waiting to take me back to Chiang Mai. I had half a second to collect my things and get Lek’s phone number and then we were gone—no hug, no goodbye—and I was left feeling like a balloon filled with emotions I had never felt before. Excited? Scared? Confused? Warm? I really liked Lek. And it was obvious he was head over heels for me. But I was leaving for the States in less than 3 weeks. What type of trick was God playing on both of us? 

That, my friends, is how I met Lek. Other bits of our story will come later!

Land leeches, but this smart person is wearing their protective shoes and socks!