Being LIGHT in the Darkness

On Monday, we took members of the Deen Khao church group out to pass out gifts and tracts and share God's love with people in the community that we had contact with over the past couple of years. Altogether we gave out 18 gifts for adults, plus gifts for the children as well. It was a lot of fun for our group members as we strive to help them understand who they are as the church in their community and to BE the light of God to the people around them.

Merry Christmas!

We are home together for the holidays. Libby is with us. She is home from Chiang Mai during school break. this week has been booked full with Christmas preparations. Monday and Tuesday, we helped with a Christmas program for 1400 students at a local school in Phang-nga. Last night, we had a party for a group of older children and teens at our home. It was a lot of fun.

Thank you so much for your prayers during this holiday season. Pray for me as I share at a community-wide Christmas party held at a local church. It will be Friday evening here (your Christmas morning)

God bless you all and have a wonderful Christmas!
For the Kingdom!
Keith

Preecha and Arom

We had a good meeting with our Deen Khao group yesterday. I do need you to be praying for Preecha and Arom (older couple) as they are still having problems with drinking alcohol. Before they became Christians several years ago, they were big drinkers. For a while they gave it up, but over the past year they have drifted back into the old pattern. Please pray for them. All of the rest of the believers in the group are very concerned for their health. They are believers and are both in their late 60s. They are extremely poor, but they have enough for food. Please pray for me also that I will have wisdom to help them quit.

Tea Shop Ministry

Yesterday, I went out to a mus]im community to share. I was praying for boldness because I was going into a community where we hadn't been well received in the past. But praise the Lord, as I shared from house to house, many people were happy to listen and even asked questions. I spent a large amount of my time in two tea shops sitting and chatting with several interested men. Thank you for your prayers. Keep praying that the Lord will open a door for His message in these communities.

Keep on Praying!

Keep on praying for the Deen Khao group. We had a good meeting this afternoon. They appear to be doing much better. I definitely see growth in some of them. Today, before the meeting, Gao and his wife Nit went with me to share the gospel with some of their relatives in a nearby village. We got to share first with one woman and then with two others. It is hard to say how responsive they are, but they did have many questions. I am glad to see Gao and Nit with boldness to let their relatives know. Today, I did most of the sharing and they did more of the casual talk, but I am praying that next time, they will share also.

All religions are equally bad??

Yesterday (Wednesday) I went out with Noom to share the gospel. Noom and his wife, Namkang, are a sweet Christian couple who love the Lord but live in the middle of nowhere. (Actually, they live in an absolutely beautiful place surrounded by rain forest and mountains...kind of a hidden valley). Noom has been sharing the gospel several times a week as he goes from village to village looking for stuff to recycle. Yesterday, when we entered the first village, we talked to group of seven or eight men sitting in a small bamboo pavilion. It seemed to us that everyone was very hard-hearted---one man loved to talk and just went on and on about how all religions were good, because they teach people how to be good. He was unwilling to even listen much to any of the gospel. He also made it difficult for anyone else to listen. As he talked, I realized that in fact the opposite is true. All religions are equally bad!! (Note that here I am defining religions as man's attempts to be good through deeds and rituals.) All religions deceive men into believing that we can just do good, give to the temple, go to the assemblies, etc and that we will be good enough to get to heaven. They keep us from realizing that we need to be reconciled to God! It is so sad to meet people in this state, no matter what religion they ascribe too. Let's face it. Many people just want religion in Christianity too. They may never enter into a right relationship with God.

Praise the Lord! We did meet a few people later in the morning who were interested in hearing the gospel and even had many questions about God. Pray that God will open the hearts of the Thai people. Pray that He will distinguish clearly between religious duties and entering into a loving relationship with the one true God.

A New Hope

A few weeks ago, Tracy and I started working with our believers at Deen Khao and teach them what it means to BE the Church in their community (Light in the darkness). We have been encouraging them to pray for the lost, help meet the needs of the poor, pray for those who are sick, sharing the gospel with others, etc.

Ba Sian had told us that she had visited and prayed for a friend (Ba Dap) in another district. Today, I took four believers from Deen Khao village to visit this friend and pray for her son, who has had brain damage and seizures from hitting his head on a rock many years ago. We shared the gospel with the mother, Ba Dap, who is a Buddhist nun.

Ba Dap informed us that her son has had no more seizures since Ba Sian prayed for her son (Tom). From our conversation, I gathered also that Ba Dap is ready to believe. She does believe that God has brought some healing to her son. She said that she is trying to figure out what she should do since she is a Buddhist nun.

She provided a nice meal for us of curry over rice noodles. As we sat and talked, she told us that her husband (the leader of the village) is also believing. This is such exciting news.

God is really working in this family. However, this is not an easy road for them to take. Pray for Ba Dap that she will be determined to embrace Christ and leave behind Buddhism with its teaching and idolatry. Pray for her son, Tom, to receive further healing. Pray for her husband to receive Christ from his heart. Pray that they will read the Bibles we have given them. May the Lord shine His love into their hearts and into this community in Pla praya.

Good Meeting!

We had our Monday afternoon meeting and it went well. Yai Wiang didn't get to come, because she had guests. (She did say she would come next week). Pretty much everyone else came. We watched a Southern Thai version of the Jesus film that has just come out. What a blessing! It really amazes me how effective the Jesus Film is in explaining the gospel clearly. After the film, we practiced telling the gospel story. It was fun. Several of them are eager to go with me to share the gospel, so next Monday we are going to go to another village and give them that opportunity. I also really encouraged them to love and forgive Yai Wiang and especially to pray for her and she seems to desire to continue on with Jesus. SO KEEP PRAYING!

Yai Wiang

Who can know a person's heart? I went by and visited Yai Wiang this past week. I was intending to lovingly tell her that we could no longer meet at her house due to her going to the temple and participating in Buddhist activities. I must say I was surprised. She told me that she didn't participate in those activities and that she didn't bow down to the idols. She said she only went to see her grandchildren do a Thai dance. (this has nothing to do with Buddhism). She also told me that she didn't participate in the GinJay rituals (Chinese Spiritism). I was a little skeptical, but she assured me that she wasn't throwing away Christ. I did tell her that we were not going to meet regularly at her home anymore. (this is due to the fact that Gao and Nit cannot come). She seems to be willing to come to their home, so I encouraged her to come. I really hope she is telling me the truth and that this is all just a big misunderstanding. I know in the end the Lord will reveal the truth. Please continue to pray for her. Pray also for the other group members. I understand that Ba Siang and Yai Wiang don't get along. Pray that the Lord will bring his healing and love to this relationship also. Pray that I will have wisdom and discernment in all of this. I feel a little helpless in trying to understand their southern Thai dialect and read their attitudes and feelings as well. I cannot do this without God's help. Tonight is our weekly meeting. Pray that the Lord will help them to be His Church for this community and that HIS love will confound those who are looking in from the outside.

Deen Khao Update

Yesterday, I went to our regular Monday afternoon group at Deen Khao village. (It has been moved from Saturday mornings to make it easier for Gao and Nit. It addition we are no longer meeting at Yai Wiang's house. We are meeting at Gao's house instead - he is paralyzed in his legs). Before the meeting, I went to see Yai Wiang again. I wanted to get a chance to talk to her again about her returning to her old religion. I really wanted to lovingly share with her once again that she could not follow Jesus and return to these demonic rituals. I took Ba Siang with me as a witness.

However, she was not at home. She was sitting with some neighbors (non-Christians) instead. Since we could not talk to her there, I simply told her that we were having a meeting at Gao's house and invited her to come. She told us that she couldn't come because she was going to the wat (the Buddhist temple). Again, we were blown away! While Yai Wiang has never been vocal about her faith, she had always seemed to enjoy our worship times.

At the meeting, we shared what happened with the group. Most were already aware of the situation, but everyone was still devastated. HOWEVER, I was so pleased to see how strong in the faith the others are. May the Lord be praised. He knows those who belong to Him.

Please be in prayer. Pray for Yai Wiang: the Lord knows her heart and if she can yet be brought back to Him. Pray also for this group. Pray that they will be faithful to the Lord and to each other. Pray that the Lord will give me wisdom to teach this group and to help them develop into His Church!

Sad News

This blog should have been written last week. Sorry about that....

I went to visit our house group members at Deen Khao last Monday night (over a week ago now). We were supposed to have a meeting, but Gao (we meet at his house) would not be home in time from visiting relatives. I thought I would also stop by and see Yai Wiang. We were meeting at her house on Saturday mornings, but it had become apparent that she was going to the Buddhist temple for Buddhist activities. This has upset all of the church members, many of whom believe that Yai Wiang has left the faith. When I stopped at her house, several neighbors were there. They told me that Yai Wiang had gone to be part of the Vegetarian Festival (Gin Jay - This is a pagan Chinese festival that worship demons and invites possession). If anything can be worse than Buddhism, this is it! WOW! I couldn't believe it.
It appears that Yai Wiang has indeed returned to her old religion.

Dressed in White

All of this week, some of the people here in southern Thailand are celebrating a festival that makes us want to weep. The world looking in calls it the "vegetarian festival" which sounds innocent enough. This is not Buddhist. It comes from Chinese spiritism. It is demonic and ugly. Many of the tourists think it is neat to sample the vegetarian foods and go see the parade. That is where the fun stops.

The parades are filled with people dress in white. Some are flogging themselves bloody. Some have knives or poles poked through their cheeks. It is an effort to atone for their sins. They dress all in white for ten days to purify themselves, eating no meat. Certain people are selected to bear the punishment for the people in their village. They are usually dressed in red. Then spirits are called to enter the bodies of these people to help them through the torments that they inflict upon themselves.

So this week, as I drive down the road and see all of the people dressed in white (little kids too), I am praying for them. Will you join us in praying for these people? May the Lord open their eyes and their hearts. May they respond to His Word and find the hope that they need. May they find the one who has already paid the price for their sins so that they don't have to.

Religion or something more?

In working among the Buddhists here in Thailand, one thing that becomes crystal clear is that God calls us to a relationship with himself and not religion. By religion I mean this....the world thinks of Christianity as one of the main religions of the world, along with Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and a variety of others. What are these religions but an expression of a worldview with its practices and rituals, commandments, doctrines, and beliefs.

One thing I hear over and over again from the Buddhists is this: "All religions are the same. They teach us to be good people." To the average Thai Buddhist, it all boils down to this - My religion helps me to be a basically good person and avoid more suffering in life. The Thais will often compare their priests to our priests (mostly Catholic), their buildings to our buildings, their rituals to our rituals, their teachings to our teachings, etc. Why should they change if we are offering them religion?

So.... how are they different? The Bible teaches us it is not about rituals, or buildings, or even good works. The most important thing is for us to be reconciled to God - that God is drawing us back into a right relationship with himself. He is calling us to love him and to seek him. And He has opened the way for us to get back to Him when Jesus died on the cross.

It seems to me that the pitfall for all of us (including Christians) is this. We want to make a religion out of it. We want to reduce our relationship to God to rituals: get baptized, go to church (sometimes), try to do good stuff. This is not God plan for you. He has so much more to give you than that.

I write this as I am praying for some of my friends out there on both sides of the planet. As I consider all of these things, I realize that the one thing that is important is to "love the Lord your God with all of your heart." Seek after him. Let him be to you a Father, and that you may be to him a son or daughter.
May God bless each of you.

Finding Belief

Yesterday, a local pastor and I went out to share the gospel together and to follow up on responsive people in the village of Ko Khiem. What a blessing! First, we met a lady in her 50's named Ba Lang. She told us that she first heard the gospel from her granddaughter who attends church in Bangkok. She then heard the gospel at our mobile clinic in June. She has never had a Bible or any other Christian literature. She has never seen the Jesus Film. Yet, she told us that she does believe.

Then, about three houses down, we met a young couple who sent in a response card to ask for the Jesus Film. I spoke with the young man named Eng. He told me that he and his wife have watched it, and that they believe it is the truth.

Praise the Lord! As I looked in the young man's eyes, I sensed that he was truly believing. My heart went out to him, because I think that he feels he is alone.
Please join us in praying for Ba Lang and also for Eng and his wife. Pray that the Lord will open up their hearts and homes to receive him. Pray that through these homes, the Lord will send out His light to the surrounding community and that many people will respond to the Word.

Deen Kow village update

Today, Tracy and I went to our house church group in Deen Kow village. It had been 3 weeks since we have been able to meet with them there due to travel, meetings, and RAIN! It has really been raining (just pouring!) this past several weeks. Finally today we were all together again! We had a really good time of sharing and praying for each other. We studied Acts 15 together. This week, we are challenging them to BE the church of Christ in their village by praying with and for each other.

One thing that is happening here is that in addition to the Saturday morning meeting, we now have a small group meeting at Gao and Nit's house on Monday nights. (Gao is the man paralyzed from the waist down). Ba Siang's husband has been to the hospital again in Hat Yai. He is still recovering from a motorcycle accident almost 2 years before. Before the accident, he was highly antagonistic to Ba Siang following Christ, but just this past week, he told me that he now believes. He is not able to come to the group at present due to physical limitations, but he said he would welcome me to teach him at his house. WOW! So I am excited because we may possibly have 3 different meetings going on in 2 adjacent villages.

Pray for these people and these meetings. Pray that the family members of our believers may also come to Christ through these meetings. Pray that the Church at Deen Kow will be a LIGHT to the people all around them!

Lampi VIllage update

Yesterday (Friday) I was able to get back in contact with Gosone and his wife. They are the ones who have been listening to the Bible on the MP3. They really enjoy it very much. I sense that both are believing, although there is still some confusion. I spent about 2 hours with them. At first, I thought that Gosone was really not getting it at all. He kept on comparing Christianity to Buddhism and other religions. But at the end he told me that he is believing what he is hearing. He told me he had a dream that Jesus was sitting in his house across from him and that He invited Gosone to come. Gosone said that he asked for a little more time. I really believe he is counting the cost. I sense that his wife will follow also if he will lead the way. Please be in prayer for this couple and their two children. Their daughter, Bim, was seek today and went to the doctor. I had the opportunity to pray for her also. Pray for this family in Lampi village!

He Who Has Ears to Hear

I spent the day today trying to find people who responded to the message of Christ during the medical clinic in June. I was excited to find people responding to the Word of God. I had given a man (Goson) a mp3 version of the New Testament. When I arrived at his home, he told me that he and his wife listened to it so much that the ran the battery down. He said that they are both believing, but he is concerned, because his family has not responded well. I am actually excited about this, because it means that he has been telling his family about Jesus also. In fact, he told me that he thinks it is important that they all receive Christ. (I am reminded of the jailor who believed along with his house-hold after hearing the message from Paul and Silas).

I also went back to visit a granny that was believing. She says she still believes as does her husband. Her neighbor, a young woman in her early twenties, also responded affirmatively, but asked if she could believe in both God and idols also. She said it was important in her family to give food to her ancesters, to take care of the spirit house, etc. She was concerned when I told her that she could not do both, because her father is a maker of idols. She is in a very difficult situation, but I assured her that if she trusted in the Lord, he would help her through it.

Please be in prayer for these: Goson and his wife, the granny and her husband, and the two young women who are their neighbors. Pray that the Lord will bring his light into this village and establish his church.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read and especially to PRAY!

Only God Knows the Heart

Well, today I stopped by Narong and Jaan's house to see how they were doing. (Last week, we were prevented from baptizing them due to rain and Jaan running a fever.) But today Jaan gave me some bad news. She said that Narong has never given up his drinking and his mistress and that he is now living with his mistress. This came as quite a shock to me of course. Jaan assured me that she is believing in the Lord, reading her Bible everyday, and that her happiness is not dependent on Narong anymore. She is depending on the Lord.

I don't know where this puts our group meeting. It is still possible that we will be able to have a group around Jaan at the house there, but we will have to see. Her friend, Lek, she said is still believing, but has many problems also.

Please join us in praying for this family. Pray that Narong will come to his senses and truly give his life to the Lord. Pray that this group will be established in Bangkan village. Pray that the Lord will help these that are believing (Jaan and Lek) to grow in him and be baptized.

New Meeting in Deen Kow

Gow and his wife Nit and believers in Deen Kow. They are part of our regular group there, but can't attend often due to his being paralyzed from the waist down and his wife works on Saturday. Tonight, however we had a Bible study at their home and it went really well. In fact, they want to have a regular Bible study there every week. I am excited about this, because it is opening up a new home in a different area of the community. Pray that the Lord will use this new meeting to draw many more people to him.

Rain Rain Rain

We had a good day at our meetings Saturday, although it was a little iffy at times due to a HUGE amount of rain. Turns out we were in the middle of a monsoon. I guess I should watch the weather report occasionally. Our morning meeting was encouraging due to the joy and faith of the believers in attendance. I was pleased that although we didn't have any special childrens activities, they still stayed and took part in the Bible study.

We had planned to baptize Narong and his wife, but it was absolutely pouring rain, the river was way too high, water was edging toward their house, and his wife, Ba Jang had a fever. When it rains, it pours! haha. We just had a short meeting together and prayed for his wife fever to leave her. Please continue to pray for this couple that the Lord will strengthen their faith and that they will be baptized soon.

Encouragement and Hope

We had a really good meeting this morning in Deen Kow. Grandma Lan, who has been sick for over a month, was back at the meeting and really looking well. She is able to eat again, for which we all praise the Lord. It was mostly adults, but our worship and Bible study time went well. We also asked each of them to give us the names of 2 people in their family for us to pray that they will come to Christ.

This afternoon, we went to Bangkan village hoping for the opportunity to baptize Narong and his wife Jaan. But we were disappointed. I sense that he is ready, but right before we arrived, there was an accident and some friends of his were waiting at his house for it to be resolved. He told us that tomorrow would be good, but unfortunately, I have to be in a meeting in Chiang Mai this week. It will have to be next Saturday.

Will you please pray with us that Narong and his wife Jaan will be baptized soon. Pray also that their faith in the Lord will grow and be from sincere honest hearts.
Thank you so much for praying..

A New Friend

I had a good conversation today with a M@slim man about 35 years old. His name is Laai. Today is Friday which is the day all of the men go to the mosque. He had just returned when I showed up at his house to ask directions. He wasn't really able to help me much with finding this particular person, but I gave him a few booklets and asked if he had ever heard this story before. He said he hadn't, so I asked if i could take a few minutes and explain it to him. This began about a 35 minute conversation. He was very interested. I saw that he was interested in the Bible I had, so I asked if he would like it. He accepted it graciously. When I left, I felt like I had made a friend.

Pray for Laai that he will read God's Word and that it will powerfully touch his heart. Pray that the Lord will lead us to the person of peace in this village and that He will open the door for many to come to the Savior.

He Must Be Glad :)

Many of you have been following our blog and know the story of Na Nui. Last week he went to be with the Lord. We are thankful that he did not suffer long and is now in the presence of the Lord. Often in our witness to Thais, it is their funeral that seems to be a stumbling block for them. Funerals are a social event. The whole community gets together for several days of eating and enjoying fellowship with family members they may not have seen in some time. The fellowships often take place at the Buddhist temples, but can also be at family’s home. Na Nui’s funeral was at the temple, as most of his family is Buddhist. However, his brother is also a Christian and a member of our Deen Khao group. We wanted to have a Christian presence at the funeral,so that meant doing something at the temple.


Ong’s family and a few members of Krabi Baptist Church came down to help with the ceremony. We gathered up our church members from Deen Khao and headed to the meeting. We were greeted by a man we have known for sometime now. He has heard the gospel many times and has come to our meetings as well. The first thing he said to us was, “Na Nui should be happy now, because he knew God before he died.” This is encouraging, as we believe it is God who puts thoughts like that in the hearts of people. The Thai people are very warm, and as we have been in the community for two years now, were very excited to see us.

After we ate together, we began our part in the funeral. Keith spoke of Na Nui and how they met and his relationship with the Lord. We sang some songs, and then Ong shared the good news of the hope we have in Christ and what death means for the Christian. At the point where Ong read the passage about being with Christ, Aunt Siang and Uncle Preecha started clapping, so I joined them and even gave out shout! We sang some songs again and then closed in prayer. It was an exciting time for us! Our group is very strong in their faith and voiced several times over the weekend that they are no longer afraid of death. They praise God that they know Jesus.

Please pray for the Deen Khao community that they would not be afraid to come to our meeting on Saturday mornings. Ask the Lord to give our church members understanding of the Word of God and to be able to share their faith effectively.

God Bless,
Tracy

Bangkan Group Update

I just got back from our meeting at Bangkan village. Narong and his wife, Jaan, were both present. I was also thrilled to find their neighbor, Lek, was there along with Nan, the other young man who has been fairly regular. We had a wonderful time of worship and praise. Lek expressed thanks to God for healing her son who was sick.

Today we studied about baptism: what it is, commanded of believers, and how it is a witness to those around. When I asked who was ready to be baptized, both Narong and his wife said that they are ready. We set next week as the time we will baptize them.

Let me ask you to really pray hard for these this week: Narong, Jaan, Nan, and Lek. I am praying that all four of them will want to be baptized! Pray that I will have wisdom this week in encouraging them and preparing them for this important step.

In the Hands of God

We got word today that Na Nui passed away. He had been in the hospital in Phang-nga for several weeks. The hospital sent him home a few days ago. We (and they) knew that he couldn't survive much longer. We trust that he is now in the hands of our Savior and is now disease and pain free.

His family (mostly Buddhist with a few Christians) is planning the funeral. Pray that Christ will be honored in the outcome. We ask that our Lord give glory to the name of Jesus in all of this and draw many others from this family to himself.

Please pray for Nui's mother, his brother Gao, and the rest of their family during this time. Pray that we will also have wisdom with how best to give glory to God.

Also pray for our family as we leave Libby behind in Chiang Mai to attend school and travel back to Phang-nga on Thursday and Friday.

And the Lord gives the increase!

It was exciting today for Daniel and I to go and worship with our house church in Bang Butae village. Fourteen people were present! What a blessing to see this house group growing strong. One husband has finally started coming to the group. He says that he believes and wants to be baptized the next time we have a big meeting. In addition, 3-4 teenage girls came. All were excited to share the good things that God has been doing. Many of these grow watermelons for a living. They were sharing how God answers their prayers for rain and is blessing their crops.
I am reminded that it is God who is working in these believers lives. He is the one who helps them to grow in Christ and to share the gospel with those around them.

Pray for these believers that God will use them to boldly share with those around them and that His light will shine brightly through them.

Fishing

Today, Daniel and I went to our meeting in Bangkan village. Only Narong and his wife Jaan were present, but they were eager to receive us. They seemed to be doing much better and said so. Last time, Narong had asked if was okay to fish (Buddhism teaches that it is a sin to kill animals.) Today, Daniel shared a passage in Mark where Jesus calls his disciples ... who were fishermen. Narong really liked that! Now, he wants to take us fishing. He even pulled out all his gear!

Today, I would ask you to pray for Narong and Jaan that they, like Jesus' disciples, will become fishers of men.

Reaching the Many

The diversity of peoples living among us in southern Thailand have given us numerous opportunities to learn of different cultures and peoples. The Burmese are one such group. The Lord has brought many into our lives and used each of them to humble us and teach us that we are to be about reaching all those around us when God opens doors to do so. One such chance came last weekend when we teamed with colleagues who are targeting the Burmese people. Through a translator, it was good to finally be able to say the things we had been showing them in small ways. Again, we were humbled and reminded that we are a people of many comforts. At one home I picked up a beautiful baby that had been born on a cardboard box just two hours before we arrived. Mother and baby were doing well. Please pray that in the next year as we await personnel focusing on these people, God would begin opening hearts to the Truth!
Tracy

The Power of the Word

Today I went out with Daniel (volunteer from Florida) and together we went to visit several of the folks who said that they were interested in knowing more about Christ following medical clinics in June.

We met with a woman, who has been reading little booklets we have been giving her which explain the gospel. As I went back over it with her, she was saying parts of it with me and showed that she was truly understanding the gospel message. We gave her a Bible and marked John for her. She began reading it immediately. We sat and watched her for a few minutes while she just read. Praise God!

The next man we visited was Gosan. He is 48. He loves to read, but needs glasses. He said he couldn't read the books we gave him. I reviewed the gospel with him, and he seemed very responsive. He had very good, intuitive questions. I remembered that I had the NT on MP3 player in the van. (Bible Stick). I gave it to him and showed him how to use it. He immediated seemed to become obsorbed by it. We really think he will listen to it. Again, praise God for His Word which is so powerful to change lives.

Pray for these who are reading and listening to his Word. Pray that God will grant them faith in Him and transform them into His image.

God's Grace

We just returned from a meeting a Narong's house. He was there! He has returned home and seems to be doing well. The Bible study and worship songs went very well. Daniel (from the Florida team) shared his testimony with them. I just praise God that he seems to still be determined to follow Jesus. Please keep praying for him that he will trust Jesus to be able to remove his sin habits from his life. Pray also for his relationship with Jaan, his wife. Pray that they will truly experience the grace of God.

1200 Students!

Over 1200 buddhist and m@slim students heard the gospel over past 10 days as a volunteer team from NW Florida went into the schools and taught English, led games, sang songs, and shared the love of God. What a blessing! We praise the Lord for opening the doors in each of these communities.

In addition, we spent a couple of days going from house to house sharing the gospel in both Krabi and Phang-nga villages. I stopped and spoke with one young man in a m2slim area. He allowed me to share the gospel with him. He had heard of Jesus, but had never heard that he had both died and risen from the dead. Pray for him and others like him as they are confronted with the Truth from God's Word for the first time.

Pray for Narong and Jaan

I took my friend, Larry, with me today to our new group in Bangkan village. However, I was dismayed to find that our person of peace, Narong, was not home again. His wife, Jaan, invited us to come and sit down and she told us what happened. She told us that Narong has many problems (alcoholism, drugs, gambling, and women). He told her that he can't be a follower of Jesus because he can't give us these things. He has not been at home in several days, and she doesn't know where he is.

Jaan told us that she however, has been reading the Bible and really believes. She wants to keep on following Jesus and continue in our group meetings. I was really blessed by her statement of faith.

Pray for this couple. Pray that God will draw Narong back to himself and show him that HE is the one who can free him from these sins. Pray for Jaan that she will grow in her faith and be an encouragement to the others in the group. Pray that we will have wisdom to love them to Jesus.

Maknoi Island

We woke up to blue skies and calm waters. God really used the team on the island of Maknoi. It is a muslim island. We discovered many of the school teachers there are buddhist and put there by the government. However, they gave us the freedom to share the gospel with the kids. This school alone had more than 270 students.

We rotate groups of students to four different areas: music, games, English, and the story of Jesus. Today, as I shared the gospel and translated for our team, I was again amazed when I held up a picture of Jesus on the cross and asked if anyone had ever seen this picture before. Not a one.

But they have now. The PTBC team did a great job of sharing the gospel, loving on the kids, and even blessing the teachers.

Pine Terrace Mission Trip

What a joy it is to go into the schools and share Christ. We have been in 4 schools so far. The last two days have been quite hectic. We have been leading games, singing songs, teaching English, and sharing God's Word. The last school we were at had more than 300 kids. Pray for us today (friday morning). Our plan is to board a boat and go to a M@slim island school!
More later...

The Thick Book

So I went to my 5pm meeting tonight in Bangkan village. BUT, Narong wasn't there. He had to go to Bangkok to bring someone back from the hospital. It looked like things weren't going to happen. As I talked to Jan, his wife, the lady next door came out. Her name is Lek. She had come to the very first meeting, but didn't come back. But she told me that she had been listening to our meetings from inside her house and had finished reading the book I had given her. I asked her which book? She said the thick one. She went and brought it to me. It was the New Testament. She had finished reading the New Testament in two months! I asked her what she thought of it. She said when she reads it, it makes her cry, but that it comforts her and gives her peace. I asked her if she believed it was true. She said yes. She told me that she has a 10 year old autistic son who has seizures. She told me that she has been reading how Jesus healed people. She has been praying and asking God to heal her son. WOW! So, right there, we three (Jan, Lek, and I) prayed and asked Jesus to heal her son. It is amazing what God's Word can do!

So, we didn't have a meeting, but it was a great meeting anyway!

God is always at work!

Recently, we were given a device called a Proclaimer. It is a device like a CD player that plays a recording of the New Testament. It can be used anywhere, because it can be played using electricity, batteries, sunlight, or even wound by hand.

Before we left for Chiang Mai, we gave a Burmese Proclaimer to a family in Tapliang village. We can't speak Burmese and they are not our people group, but we can still give them the Word. Today, I stopped by and talked with one of the Burmese men in the group. He said that he and his family are listening to the Proclaimer every day. In fact, many others have been coming to his house to listen. He also told me that others in the village are now requesting Bibles of their own.

It is truly amazing the impact of God's Word. Pray for this family and the other Burmese in this area that God will draw them to himself and bring many to Jesus.

Traveling Blues

Well, we had a great meeting in Chiang Mai with so many friends. On the way home, we have had a little trouble with our van, first in Chiang Mai and then when we stopped to visit friends in Korat. God is always faithful. Our alternator went out, but never once did we have trouble on the road. We were blessed to get to spend an extra day with the Mackins. The van was fixed this morning and has worked great today. We are in Bangkok tonight and heading home tomorrow to get ready for our friends from Milton Florida.
God bless you all!

Be praying for our annual meeting in northern Thailand. We will return home around the middle of July and you can expect more updates then.

And the Deaf Will Hear

Well, maybe they are not totally deaf, but the older ladies in our Deen Kow group are sure hard of hearing. This is a huge problem for two of them, because they can't read either. But today, we saw something amazing. We have received Bible Sticks (MP3 Players that play the NT) from Faith Comes by Hearing Ministry. Today, we gave some to these ladies to see if they could possibly hear the Bible being read to them, and they CAN! Grandma Wian, Grandma Lin, Aunt Rong can now listen to the Bible every day! In addition, FCBH sent us a Proclaimer which is a special box that reads aloud the NT in Thai so everyone can hear. Aunt Rong said that she could hear that too! I believe we are entering a new day in the Deen Kow ministry. Please be praying for these ladies and the others that they may be grounded in the Word of God and that God will use these tools to help them to grow in Christ.

Final Day

On the last day of the NC team, we went into Lampi village to follow-up on people from medical clinic #3. We split up into four teams and went house to house finding the people who were interested and drawn to the gospel. I just praise God! At least half of the people were found and we had the opportunity to share with them. One team reported went to visit a man who possibly gave his life to Jesus. He wasn't home, but his wife had read all of the materials given to him. After sharing with her further and praying with her, she herself prayed and asked Jesus to help her. May the Lord gloriously save both husband and wife. My team got to share with G, 48 years of age, who was very interested in knowing the truth. He is in need of glasses, but he is doing his best to read the Bible. He had many questions. Pray that God will reveal Himself to this man.

In addition, Kristen and Holly from the Missouri team went with our two girls into the local schools to teach Engish. God has really blessed us and opened many doors for the gospel through their efforts. Pray for these two girls and the NC team as they are traveling back to the states.

Truth and Darkness

Tuesday, the NC team went with us into a m@slim area to find people who indicated that they were interested in knowing more about Jesus at the medical clinic. Scott and I went to visit an elderly gentlemen. He wasn't home, but his son came over from across the street to talk with us. This young man (about 25-30) seemed determined to convince us that God did not have a father or mother (and thus no children), that Mary was of Arab descent, etc. i showed him a few things that the Bible says, but after a few minutes it became obvious that it would take quite a long time to talk with him. In addition, I rather felt that he could be preventing us from seeing the people the Lord intended for us to see. We parted on good terms. I hope to be able to go back and talk with him again very soon. Please pray for this young man. (I don't know his name). It is so disturbing see that people are so misinformed and living in darkness apart from the truth. Pray that God will start a fire (a church) in this small village of Ko Khiem and that His Truth may be known among this people.

Taking it to the Streets

Today, the team from Gastonia and I went to Krabi province to work with Ong and share the gospel in several villages where he is working to start a house church. It was a really neat time. We broke into four groups (each with a translator so that everyone could get a chance to share). I think every team got to share quite a few times. Most people were hearing for the very first time. A few had heard a little before as another team had gone through.

My team met several people who seemed to be quite open and listened intently. We followed a little road into the rubber trees and found a little house with a young couple and their mother. Mike shared the gospel while I translated. I noticed that the girl seemed to be finishing what I was saying, so I asked if she had heard the gospel before. She said no. I thought that was strange. Then I realized that she was understanding Mike while he was sharing in ENGLISH! Praise the Lord! When we finished, they asked for a Jesus VCD and so we gave them one along with several other booklets explaining the gospel.

Pray for this family (names unknown). Pray for the NC team over the next four days that the Lord will use them to make his name known in this area!

Two Beautiful Meetings

Every Saturday, we have two group meetings.

Yesterday morning, our team from NC joined us at our Deen Kow meeting. It is really amazing, because a couple of men from this team helped find the original couple that received Christ there (Preecha and Arom) nearly 3 years ago. God is so good! We had a wonderful time of praise and then spent the time sharing testimonies from both the NC team and the Thai believers. Ba Siang shared how the Lord delivered her from the evil spirits and Chinese spiritism which is prevailent in our area. Then Jiu shared how the Lord brought her to saving faith in him and healed her from seizures. It was truly an amazing time.

In the evening, I took Ken and Mike, along with Mamee our interpreter, and went to our seeker meeting in Bangkan village (pronounced Bonkin). There we met with Narong and his wife Jan and two others who have been seeking the Lord. We studied Romans 10:9-10 which tells us how we can be saved. Narong had already told me that he had asked Jesus to be his Lord. Now, last night, Jan told us that she too has given her life to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Thank you for praying for these new believers and seekers! Keep it up! Your prayers are being heard!

Help from North Carolina

As the medical clinic wrapped up, we were so pleased to have a wonderful team from NC here to help us follow up and visit all the interested people. How good God is to work this out this way.

Yesterday, we went back into the Deen Kow area to follow up many interested people from day one of the medical clinic. Many of these even indicated that they wanted to follow Jesus at the clinic. My team met one lady who works in a shop in front of the school. She invited us in and gave us the opportunity to share with her further. She also asked about the group (house church) that is currently meeting in the village. I encouraged her to attend the meeting. She said that she would if she was free. (One problem that Ong later related to me was that several in the village are interested, but have had issues with the lady who lives in the house where we meet. This was before she became a believer). Pray that God will open the door for forgiveness, and allow many of these interested people to start attending the meeting.

Also, yesterday I put a bunch of Burmese Bibles, tracts and Jesus films in the van thinking that we may encounter a couple of Burmese along the way. (While I can't speak the language or disciple them, I know that God can do amazing things!). Anyway, as we were hunted for an older lady who lived way back in the forest, I ran into at least 3 different groups of Burmese who gladly took the Bibles, tracts, and Jesus Films VCDs. Pray for the Burmese of this area, that God will raise up workers to lead them to Him.

Sun Shining Through

Yesterday, we hosted our second medical clinic in Ko Khiem village and school, which is a predominantly M*slim area. Although it poured rain all around us, we had very little rain all day... and the people came. Over 215 people came to see the doctors. Many were sent by the health clinic across the street. Around 80% of the people were M*slim. Everyone who came got to hear the gospel and was invited to seek the truth about Jesus. Many people seemed to be very interested in knowing more about the Lord.

As we reflected on the day, we remembered that God's Word does not go forth void. We remember that most are hearing of God's love for the very first time. Pray that many will open their hearts and homes to the Lord as we begin follow-up this week.

Rains of Mercy

Today was the first medical clinic in Phang-nga and it poured rain all day. But what God showed us today is that He is in control. Over 200 people from Deen Kow area came to the clinic. A little of half of those were students at the school. We were so blessed to see many people who were responsive to the gospel. Ten people indicated that they would like to receive Christ and another sixty said that they would be glad to have us come and visit them. Many students told us that they would like to start attending our Saturday morning house church. How exciting!

This is not the end of the matter, of course, and we really need the prayers of many on behalf of the people of this community. We ask you to join with us in praying that whole families and whole sections of the Deen Kow community will give their lives to Jesus. Pray that the powers of darkness will fail and that the Kingdom of God will prevail.

We also pray that God's rains of mercy will continue to use this medical team over the next few days. For the Kingdom!

Saturday Group Meetings

Hello friends,

Keith was gracious to me this week in that he took Emily to Bangkok for her four month check-up. Doing this means two eleven-hour bus trips as well as all the waiting that comes with going to the doctor. Her appointments went well and she is a healthy girl. Thanks you so much, Keith, for doing that for me.

With him being gone I had the joy of guiding our Saturday group in Deen Kow through the Bible study, worship, and best of all prayer. Praise the Lord Nui was feeling strong and was able to come to the meeting. That has been his prayer, that the Lord would give him strength.

In Tapriang, I found all the ladies gathered at my friend's home playing cards (gambling). This is an illegal activity, but no one seems to care. Only God has the power to penetrate a heart and change it forever. Please beg the Father to do this in Tapriang. Pray that Nam, the young Christian girl, will have the courage to follow the Lord in baptism and be a light for those around her.

Interested Teacher

Yesterday, while out sharing with Num, we met a teacher who teaches in a public school. More than half of the students in his school are M*slim while the rest are Buddhist. He told me that he teaches his students about all the major religions including Christianity. As a result, he was very interested in what we have to say from the perspective of a teacher.

He was eager to compare and contrast these differing religions. Most people here think all religions are the same, so I was encouraged to see that he could see the differences. He was eager to get both the Jesus film and the Bible, so I gave him both.

Pray for this teacher that as he watches the Jesus film and reads God's Word, he will immediately recognize the Truth. Pray that he will be convicted and put His trust in Jesus.

Growing Faith

This morning, at our Saturday house church, I was again praising the Lord for the faith and the growth that I see in these new believers. Following our Bible study, one of the women, Jiu, confessed to us that she was struggling with how God could forgive her that she had had an abortion in the past. What a joy it was to share scripture with her and see how she could put her trust in the Lord. We were again reminded that the amazing GRACE of our Lord is much greater than our sin, no matter what it was.

As we were reading from scripture, I was also excited to see how Preecha, a man in his late sixties and former alcoholic, was determined to read God's Word. It is amazing how he is able to stay with the lesson and is determined to learn and grow and as a believer.

I also see Narin growing. In the past, she has looked down on Na Nui because his faith wasn't very strong and he was struggling. But today, I saw her go out of her way to visit him and to pray with him. We could see that the love of Christ is growing in her.

What a joy it is to see people growing in the Lord. Not because of anything we have done, but because of the Word of God taking root in their lives and growing. Please continue to pray for these and others as they grow in the faith. Pray also for Narong, pictured here, as he has just recently prayed and asked to receive Christ.

Open Hearts

Today, Ong and Ning joined Pastor Bragop and I as went went out to share the gospel in a couple country villages. We went first to the home of Somchai. Ong had previously shared with him and he seemed interested. Ong shared with him first, and then he told us that he still had a lot to consider. He is realizing that if he decides to follow Jesus, he will have to leave behind Buddhist and that many big changes will happen in his family. While he was talking, however, two other ladies showed up (members of his family). They seemed VERY interested, so we shared with them further. Pastor Bragop also shared with them and invited them to his church in town. We pray that the Holy Spirit will touch their lives and open their hearts in surrender to him.

Pray for Na Nuey

This morning I took Na Nuey to the doctor again. I mentioned a few weeks ago that he has a mass near his liver. It turns out that his problems are much greater than that. He has been HIV positive for some time. I found out a few days ago that his wife died from AIDS a few years back. Honestly, he look like he has AIDS. He is all skin and bones. He can hardly eat and now down to about 100 pounds. His life is really in God's hands now. The doctors cannot do anything for him.

Over the last couple of months, I believe his faith in the Lord is getting stronger. Please pray for him that he will truly believe and trust God. His life is very difficult right now and he has no one to care for him.

Bangkan Seeker Group

This evening, we had another meeting with our newest seeker group in Bangkan village. We had three of our regulars present plus two ladies who sat in for the first time. It was a good meeting. I was greatly encouraged by the faith of N'rong and his wife and his friend. The other regulars could not be there due to jobs. N'rong recommended we try meeting Saturday night instead, so we are going to try that.

Tonight, we studied what the Bible has to say about idols. We look at a passage that showed what the early believers did with their idols and sorcery paraphenelia. I was encouraged, because they each said that they had no problem getting rid of the things of this sort in their homes. (Most of these come from a Buddhist background with assorted idol worship on the side).

N'rong's wife comes from Chiang Mai in the north. I think that much of their desire to become Christians is due to members of their family in the north becoming Christians. It is exciting to see that what happens in one place can affect people in other parts of Thailand as well.

Please keep praying for this group. This Saturday evening we will meet again. God bless!

New Believer

It was an exciting meeting this evening in Bangkan Village. Narong (the person of peace) told me and everyone there that he had given his life to Jesus. Not only that, but tonight six people were present. We sang six or seven songs. They all seem to really enjoy the worship music. Then, we studied John 14 and the things Jesus promised to those who follow Him (i.e. the Holy Spirit). We also talked a great deal about the difference between man's idea of good works and what it means to be obedient to God. As they read the scriptures aloud, I couldn't help but sense that most everyone there seems to be believing and excited about what they are studying. I left the meeting just praising God all the way home. He is so true to His promises! Please continue to pray for these who are seeking God: N-rong, S-tin, Yai Bot, and the others. (I don't know all their names yet!)

On a side note, I saw a cobra today on the road (alive!). It was pretty big! I was driving to where we were going to evangelize, and everyone started yelling. I don't actually see those very often. I know... that is probably good!

Ba Siang, a believer in our Deen Kow house church group, shared this experience with us this past Saturday. She said that she traveled with several people in her village to Bangkok to see the King of Thailand on Coronation Day. On this day hundreds of thousands of Thais packed Ratchadamnoen Avenue to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the King's coronation. She said it was a very exciting time.

Afterwards, many of her friends decided to go to Wat PraGow (a huge Buddhist temple located near the King's palace). She shared with them that, as a believer in Jesus, she couldn't go in and bow before the idols.

This is not an easy stand to make in this country. Praise God for her strong faith and that she gave witness to Jesus. She also told us that she shared with everyone in the van about her relationship with God through Jesus. Pray that God will continue to use her witness to bring many more into saving faith through Jesus Christ. Pray for the other Thai believers in this community that they will also be emboldened to share!

God is Working!

Thursday evening, I met again with a group of adults studying the gospel in Bangkan village. Over the past several weeks, we have studied God and Creation, The Fall of Man, A Savior is Born, Jesus the Son of God, His Death on Cross, and His Resurrection. Last night, we studied how he will return and all of us must stand before the judgement seat of God. We looked at scriptures regarding the Book of Life and whose names are written there. They had many questions. At the close of our study, there is an example prayer of how one can invite Christ into their life. I encouraged them to take this step seriously and make sure they are ready before they commit their lives to Jesus. At this point, Narong (the owner of the house) said that when I meet him next week, he will have invited Jesus into His life!

You can just guess how thrilled I am! Please be in prayer for this small band of adults, that they will indeed decide to follow Jesus and commit their lives to Him. Pray for me that the Lord will give me wisdom to disciple them correctly and teach his Word faithfully.

Songkran Water Festival (Video)

This video was taken a few weeks ago during the annual Thai holiday where everyone goes out and engages in a big water fight. It is rather fun! Emily and Josh rode in the back of the truck in this video. I rode in the cab with the driver, my neighbor Jarin. You will hear him laughing in the video. Josh had a great time until people began throwing ICE water on them. He didn't enjoy that so much. Please be praying for Jarin and his family. We have shared the gospel with them, but they have not been responsive. Pray that the Lord will open their hearts and give them eyes to see.

Ko Khiem Village

Here is a picture of a granny I met last week while passing out tracts.

Yesterday, I went to Ko Khiem village where we have an outreach group that meets every Sunday afternoon. This particular group is mostly children, but on this day most were absent and had gone out with family. However, the Lord gave us a delightful opportunity to share with 2 middle-aged ladies, about 6-7 children, and another 85 year old grandmother. Because they have been studying the basics of the gospel over the past several months, I took some time to review what they were studying to see if any were believing and ready to give their lives to Jesus.

Honestly, the children don't seem to be ready, the two ladies appear to be hesitant, but the 85 year old grandmother (Yai Nam) said that she believes. I talked with her a little and feel that I need to talk with her further, but I was excited that she was not hesitant to declare her faith. Please pray for Yai Nam that she will truly understand and come to the place of giving her life to the Lord.

This evening, I took Ong with me to visit our newest seeker group in Bangan village. What a blessing! Mr. Narong was ready and waiting on us along with his wife, Jan. Within a few minutes, they gathered together 2 other adults who have been coming to the meetings. In addition, a 25 year old man (Ot) drove his motorbike up and sat and listened the whole meeting. We took a CD with some worship songs and took a few minutes to introduce to them what it means to praise God with singing. They happily joined in as we sang. Ong then reviewed the last couple of lessons to make sure they understand everything. Tonight, we studied the crucifixion of Jesus. What a joy it was to see them make statements of understanding and even belief! To top it off, they then asked about how they should pray to God. After sharing a few scriptures with them, we prayed with them again and drove home rejoicing.

Please join us in prayer for these people God is calling to be his own: Narong, Jan, Ot, Lek, Yawn, and a few others. Pray that God will draw them to himself, solidify their faith in him, and help them to stand even amidst reproof from their families and friends.

Long day today. Na Nuey is about 56 years old and has been a believer now for more than a year in the Deen Kow house church. He has been very sick this past month and not hardly able to eat anything. I took him to the hospital (again) this morning. I finally persuaded the nurse to let me look at his chart and it looks like he has a mass near his liver. I am taking him back to see a surgeon on Friday. Please join with me in praying for him. Pray that God will heal him and that he will be a testimony to those around him.

This evening, I also had a Bible study time with Gao (Nuey's brother) and Nit again. We had a good discussion about marriage. Pray that the Holy Spirit will help them now that they are believers and that they will allow him to tranform their lives and relationship to what is pleasing to God. Gao is the man who is paralyzed from the waist down.

Hope for Thailand!

Here is a picture from a few weeks ago when the team of Thai seminary students was here. We had gone to do a children's activity in one of our villages, and found out that the husband of one of our faithful housechurch members had passed away. Even though the husband was a Christian, the people of the village will still hold a Buddhist ceremony for him. We asked permission for the team to have a Christian ceremony there at the Buddhist temple. We sang several songs for the curious onlookers, and then Ong shared the gospel and the reason why we have hope as Christians. It truly was a very memorable and moving experience!

I was reading this this morning and wanted to share it with you. It is from E.M. Bounds on Prayer, which I highly recommend. Here it is:

"Little prayer is the characteristic of a backslidden age and of a backslidden church. Whenever there is little praying in the pulpit or in the pew, spiritual bankruptcy is imminent and inevitable. Around us is a world lost in sin, above us is a God willing and able to save. It is our duty to build the bridge that links heaven and earth, and prayer is the mighty instrument that does the work."

One of my favorite things this month is that Tracy is going out with me (married for 21 years now) on Wednesdays to visit with members of our groups, disciple them, and share the gospel with their family and friends. This past Wednesday, we visited with Yai Wian and Yai Lin, a couple of old grannies in our groups. We also stopped by to see Ba Bow, a lady who prayed to receive Christ a few weeks ago, but unfortunately has a real drinking problem.
Then, we had a special Bible study time with a young couple, Gao and Nit. Gao is the one who is paralyzed from the waist down and who was baptized last week. His brother Nui joined in also. Gao hadn't been able to come to our regular meetings, but he now seems to be stronger, both physically and spiritually.
Pray for these I have mentioned above. These young believers need your prayers!

Yesterday, I thought I would see if the son of a local pastor could go share the gospel with me. However, he wasn't feeling well. His dad, the pastor, said that he would like to go. So we went out together to share the gospel. The first place we went was a Islam village, because we had found several people there who seemed interested a few weeks ago. However, yesterday it seemed like they were afraid to say much. (There can be a lot of pressure in the Islam communities to avoid us.) We were talking to one woman, and a man came up and said that they were all Islam. We did give her and another woman a workbook which uses scripture to take them through the gospel, but it was an uncomfortable situation.

Following that, we went into another community (primarily Buddhist this time). We were able to pass out tracts and share the gospel with a few people, but no one seemed very interested. Then, we were able to spend about 30-40 minutes talking with two ladies and a man. At first, they weren't interested, but after explaining a little more about Jesus, they began asking questions. We ended up with a good conversation. They also said that they wouldn't mind if we came back and shared some more. Pray for these people in Grasom village.

As we were driving home, Pastor Bragop told me that he would like to go with me often, as in several times a week. Pray for this pastor that God will use him greatly in sharing, in preaching, in discipling, and give him a big vision for reaching people in this area.

What a great day to Praise the Lord! Today, Gaow was baptized. Gaow is a young man (around 30) who was injured in a tree accident about 4 years ago and has been paralyzed from the waist down ever since. He became a believer along with his girlfriend about a year ago, but was hospitalized due to a bedsore which prevented him from being baptized.

For the last month or so, I have been visiting him once a week for the dual purpose of discipling him and also to help me learn to speak southern Thai. This past Wednesday, when I visited him, I asked him if he was ready to be baptized and he said YES! Baptism is such an important step (especially for the Thais) as it signifies them crossing the line in the sand and saying, "I am on the side of the Lord Jesus!"

Please be praying for Gaow and his girlfriend Nit that they will grow in Christ and become a godly man and woman in the Lord.

New Seeker Group

Yesterday, I met for the second time with a group of adults in the Bankan village. The man who invited us to his home, Narong, is very excited to learn about Jesus. I honestly believe God is calling both he and his wife. The first week they had 5 other adults present. Yesterday, it was just four, but I can see that they are all genuinely interested. From what I can tell, each has already watched the Jesus film. They kept telling me that the movie told them the same things I told them, (except more clearly I am sure). Narong also told me that he has relatives in Chiang Mai (north Thailand) who are also learning about Jesus and attending church there.
Soooo.... please be praying for this group of adults (Narong is the man of peace).
Keith