“Protect Your Memories”

“Protect Your Memories,” encouraged me an advertisement quite some time ago on Commerce Street here in Kaitaia.

“Special memories,” it says at the top of one of the pages at the beginning of the Life Application Study Bible I bought second-hand from a bookstall at the beach in Ahipara for about NZ $1.00 not long ago.

At the end of the page I find Psalm 118:29 where it says: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

In the middle of the page is room to record four special memories. There is place to record the events, the places of the events and the dates of the events.

And here is one of my special memories. It is standing out.

The EVENT

I was on my first journey to Thailand, where I worked as a missionary for 13 years. It was a journey by boat from Marseille in France to Bangkok in Thailand.

The PLACE

The place I will never forget is the Suez Canal and the passage through the Canal.

The DATE

I arrived in Thailand  just before Christmas 1966. That was just before the Suez canal was closed in 1967.

Psalm 118:29 reminds us to “give thanks to the LORD” for guiding us, for his goodness and for his love.

“Protect your memories.”

No, I did not protect my memories; I don’t even remember if I took photos of the voyage from Marseille to Bangkok. After all the cruise happened almost 50 years ago!