What is going to happen??!

Thursday, Yo, my intern, and I stopped for a few minutes in a little coffee-shop near our house before heading home. Since there were few customers, Yee, the owner came and sat down with us. Yee and I have been friends for over a year now and I have already shared with him a few times. We talked about our coming Christmas party, family and the Malay language and going to Malaysia. The whole time I was trying to think of a way to steer the conversation toward Jesus. Suddenly, he leaned toward us and asked, "Does a person have to join a church to become a Christian." We began to share with him how the Bible teaches that it is a matter of belief and of the heart. We explained that if he, a Mus!im man, wants to become a Christian, he first needs to believe in his heart and accept it with his mouth (Romans 10:9-10). We happened to have a Bible in the car so we showed it to him and began to explain it to him as he had never seen one. He told us that he was very confused when he read the Koran and saw many contradictions. He didn't take the Bible when we offered it to him. He said that he would surely face opposition if he did. So, we have invited him to meet with us at our local English center. Pray for this man and 3-4 others like him who are at the door (figuratively). May the Lord lead many key people into his Kingdom from this people group!

Bang Heem

Today is a holiday in this part of Thailand where the majority are Mus!im. Most places were closed that we normally visit, but we happened to stop for coffee where I have had conversations with the owner in the past. At first, Bang Heem was busy. We drank our coffees and talked, but he didn't come and sit with us (as is his custom). He was working to remodel his store. Finally, we decided we would try again another day and got up to leave. He talked to us then, and asked us where we had been. I told him that I had gone to church in a nearby town (about 2 hours away). I asked if he had ever visited a church and he said no. He then began comparing Christian beliefs with Mus!im beliefs but confessed he didn't really understand. In the end, we were able to sit down and share with him about the Bible and leave him a nice copy that Yo was carrying with him. Pray for Bang Heem that he will read God's Word and believe! Pray for his wife and sister-in-law and his mother also. Pray that God will open their hearts and give them understanding.

Sacrifice Day

This time of year is a good time to talk to Mus!ims about the Lord because of Eid Al-adha, the day of sacrifice. On this day once a year, Mus!ims all over the world come together as a family and pay to have a goat or cow slaughtered and a portion of its meat given to the poor of the community. While most Mus!ims do not relate sacrifice as a way to cover over sin, it is a great time for us to explain what the Bible says about sacrifice and its meaning. Just last Friday, my intern Yo and I were walking through the neighborhood and made some new friends of one of the families there. We asked about their sacrifice day and they explained what they do on that day. Yo and I shared about how our Bible also speaks of sacrifice. One of the men there asked if I had a Bible. When I answered, "Yes", he asked, "Is it in Thai?" I told him that it was and asked if he would like one. He said yes immediately! We told him that we would come back in a few days and bring him one. Please join us in praying for this man that he will accept and read God's Word. Pray also for his family that many may join him in responding to the reading of God's Word.

The Lamb of God

This Sunday, Mus!ims all over the world will gather at their local mosques and then begin the annual sacrifice festival, called Eid Al-Adha. This is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a ram to sacrifice instead. This is also an excellent opportunity to share with our friends about the sacrifice which God himself has given for us. Today, we were able to share a little of this story with a friend of ours, Sop, who runs a local diner here. Please pray for Sop. Pray for us also that the Lord will give us much boldness this month and enable us to share His great love with the people of this province. Pray that they will know and understand the meaning of the ram in the bushes and that they will recognize the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Very Devout

Last night, I was virtually accosted by the father of one of the students who is learning to speak English with us. He stood fairly close to me and was using his hands in a fairly aggressive manner, so at first I thought he was angry about something. He is apparently a VERY devout Buddhist in the community and wanted to let me know what they believe. (This all happened as a result of one English lesson last week in which Tracy asked his son, Cowboy, what he believed about hell.) I don't think that the father was angry, but he was very determined to tell me what they believe. Fortunately, I have been trying to learn to listen first. Instead of talking about what we believe, I let him speak and then asked him questions. God - The hardest thing to communicate is the idea of God. If we talk with an atheist, at least the atheist is able to know what we mean by God. However, many of the Buddhist think of god sort of like a exalted man. This man told me that anyone can become god. He also insisted that if one meditates, he will know himself and understand that the universe came into being naturally and of itself. Hell - As a Buddhist, he clearly believes in hell. However, he told me that really only the really bad people go there (at least for very long). He told me how it is judged by another being which is half good, half bad and is very exact in his punishments. He told me he has had an outer-body experience where he visited hell. We talked about other things as well. I did get to share a little with him, but this man (His name is Ah) and others like him need your prayers. I thank God that he wanted to talk with me. I pray that God will use this conversation to spur him to try to understand what I am saying. Pray for me also that I will share God's Word faithfully with my neighbors, no matter their religion.

The beginnings of a harvest are coming. Last week in Deen Khao, three people were baptized. Gao, who is the group's leader, called me this morning while preparing this week's lesson. We both think that God has been causing people in that area to think favorably toward this group. Many of those who used to oppose them no longer do. These neighbors and family have seen the miraculous changes in the believers lives. Several other seekers are coming to the meeting regularly. In addition to the adults, the children's group is growing. Pray for this group of believers that they will be protected and kept strong in their faith. Pray for the newly baptized believers that they will read the Word and pray and grow in their faith. Pray that they will share God's story with others. Pray for the villagers that many will hear and believe. Pray for God's marvelous work in this community!

Pray for Yo, Ote, and Jet, three young single Thai believers who gave this past week to ministry in our province. We spent time in prayer together. We spent time learning how to share the gospel, start groups, and make disciples. And we went out to spread the good news together. It was a real joy to see their excitement and intention to be servants of the Lord. We shared with people from every religious persuasion this week. On Thursday, we shared directly door to door and were able to share with around 15-20 people. On the other days, they shared with people they met in the town and in villages along the way using a more conversational approach. Pray that these young men will become fishermen for the Lord. Pray that they will give this vision to others in their own provinces. Pray for southern Thailand that the Lord will begin to reap a great harvest.

Last night I went out for a walk and started talking with some neighborhood men sitting in front of a little shop.  They invited me to sit and we talked for a while.  After a while, one of them made a comment that Thais were Buddhists and westerners were Christians.  I tried to explain a little to them, and didn't seem to get anywhere.  It really reminded me again how difficult it is in some places (here for example) to even understand the word "God". 

Pray for our two volunteers, Jessie and Brittany, as they are teaching English is a community school this month.  It is hard work, there is no air conditioning, and can be chaotic.  They will be joined by their team from Fort Worth at the end of the week.  Pray for this team that doors will be opened for the gospel.

NC Team Opens Doors

We are so thanking to have the team from Gastonia, NC here this week. This is the first time have had a team here in Satun. As they work in schools teaching English and doing activities, they are opening doors for us throughout the community. Our objective is to be able to enter these cousin communities without objection and to talk with anyone we can about what God has done.

Keep on praying for this team of 5 from Flintgroves BC as they continue to serve the Lord here another 2 days. We are also thankful to all of those who are praying for us and for this team as they help us here in southern Thailand!

Blog Update

I realize that I haven't been faithful in keeping everyone posted and I am truly sorry about that. I am going to try to be more faithful with that beginning with this one:
First, let me give a summary of what has been going on and how you can pray for us.

Yo, (our seminary intern), and I met a man who was formerly a cousin, but who has been a believer for about 10 years. His name is Ote. He is greatly interested in sharing with other cousins and began to join with us in our training times every week. He has also been a great help to us in determining effective language to use with the people here in this province.

In addition, he and his wife and another young believer wish to start a small group. This will in essence be a group from which we hope to begin sharing with others and starting many new groups. It will also train these believers in how to lead house groups. This first group is meeting this Sunday night. Yo and I will be working with Ote to lead the group himself. Please be praying for Ote and his wife. Pray for this group as it begins that it will give them vision and hope for their families and neighbors.

This week, we are privileged to host our group from Gastonia, North Carolina. They have been working the past few days in Phang-nga and Krabi with Ong to train the believers there and to share the gospel in the Deen Khao neighborhood. They will be coming to this province to work with us here in the local schools in cousin communities. Pray for this team that the Lord will use them to open many doors to people hearing the message.

On a special note: Pray for Ong's wife, Ning, as she was in a car accident yesterday. She has hurt her arm and shoulder. We thank the Lord for his protecting her.

Pray for this NC team, for Yo and myself as we share with individuals over the next few weeks. We have found several people who seem to be responsive. Pray that the Lord will tear down the walls that keep them from hearing. Pray that he will open their hearts to believe. Pray that His Word will be effectively presented.

Again, thank you so much for your patience. I realize this is many blogs rolled into one. May the Lord teach each of us to be men and women who pray on our knees for his Kingdom to come.

Remember: As light shatters darkness; so truth shatters deception.
For the Kingdom
Keith

Island Friends

What a day! Yo and I were privileged to be invited to a big county office competition on a nearby island. Eight counties met together for this annual competition in soccer and volleyball. We left in the morning by boat and arrived at the island an hour later. We ate a big lunch of mussels, crab, lobster, fish, shrimp, rice, and watermelon in two different homes. I got to meet the heads of several counties as well as the mayors of several villages. Really, they treated me like an honored guest. They even gave me a Jebilang county t-shirt and announced my arrival at the playing field.
I got to make many new friends. I really believe this will be instrumental in allowing us free access to many villages and islands in the area. We arrived home very tired around 9 p.m.

By the way, Yo is a seminary intern who will be working with us for 1 year. I will introduce him more in another blog. Please keep on praying for us in this work! Thanks so much! Below are a few pictures of events of the day.

Jacob

Today, I met Jacob and Adet at the local teashop. As soon as Jacob saw me, he gave me his chair and insisted I sit down and talk with him. I ordered some food, but they were backed up and it took a long while. I think God planned it that way because I got to share J with both men. Jacob wants me to come and see him at his house in Jebilang. Also, Yee and his wife (the one's who run the cafe) invited me to a circumcision this Saturday--- their son is 8. (Here it is much like a wedding ceremony with food provided all day.) Jacob told me that he would meet me there. I am just praying that the Lord will lead me in all of this and give us many opportunities to share with these men. Please be praying.... I am not sure, but I think that Jacob said that he saw my face in a dream. Very interesting. May the Lord lead him to the knowledge of grace.

Open Windows

Today, as I drove through the village looking for the headman's house, I determined to keep the windows down and be vigilantly ready to stop and talk with men that I found, wherever they might be. I talked to people in a teashop, a noodle shop, a man standing in front of his house, and some men sitting (and laying) on a wooden porch beside a little shop. They were so nice. One man in particular, Bang Sak, bought some coffee for me and talked with me about 20 minutes. Then, i was surprised to see the head of the district walk up. (I had previously shared with him). his name is Sahat. When I told him I was looking for the headman's house, he offered to go with me (along with another young man and his wife) and take me to see another headman. We went on a pretty long trek through the country and stopped at a wedding party for a dinner and conversation with a group of about five or six people. Then, we stopped and talked to the headman at another little teashop. So, all in all I got to meet and visit with many people today, but I was disappointed because I didn't get the opportunity to share JC with any of them. Then, on the way back, Sahat asked me a great question, "What do Christians do when they sin?" I got a great opportunity to explain what JC has done for us and how he helps us to live for him through his Spirit. In addition, I gave them each a book of Luke. Join with me in praying for Sahat and Don and his wife. May the Word wondrously open their eyes to the Truth.

Forever Man

Exhausted is the way I feel sometimes after sharing with my Thai friends. A couple of weeks ago, I gave a Bible to "Forever Man" (this is the meaning of his name). He accepted it but said that he needed some reading glasses. So today, I took some reading glasses to him. He immediately brought out the Bible and to read at the beginning. This led into a discussion in which I was able to share at length with him. I really felt that he was listening intently and that God was working on his heart. I was so disappointed, however, when at the end he reasserted some of the basic beliefs of his religion. He is like a man who is born and raised in a small room and told never to go outside, never open the door or even look out the window for fear of hell. It is so difficult for this people group to know the "big outdoors" of who God really is. Join me in praying for "Forever Man" and the many others like him. Pray that Jesus will reveal himself to him in dreams or like Paul on the road to Damascus! May the Lord open his eyes that he may truly see!

Niran means Forever

Yesterday, I went to see Niran again. (Niran means Forever in Thai). He is a 50 year old man who lives in a village not too far from our town. He likes to practice his English with me and teach me a little Malay. (His village speaks both Thai and Malay). After about a half-hour, the call to prayer sounded from the mosque behind his house. He said that it was a sin if he didn't go, so I told him that if he needed to go, it was okay. Instead, he decided to stay and talk with me. After this, we spend some time talking about God and our beliefs. We read some from the Bible together and I gave him a copy. The whole time we were talking, I was praying that the Lord would open his ears to the gospel. Please pray for Niran that the Lord would reveal himself to him and that he would read the Bible I gave him.

Teashop Talk

Today, I got to visit with Lang and Mang again at the local teashop. Lang is determined to teach me a little Malay language (some of the communities by the coast speak Malay as well as Thai here) so I studied with him for about 30 minutes. I am trying to help him with his English in the process also. Before I left, I gave them both the gospel of Luke. Lang said that he would read it and wants to talk with me about the Koran also. Pray that the Lord will give me wisdom in these conversations and that in everything His love will be evident.

Waterfall Conversations

Sunday, Tracy and I went to visit a couple that we met at a local waterfall, Tan and Dtik. We took some pictures that Tracy had taken and also a VCD and the book of John. We had a really good visit. They seemed to really appreciate our friendship. We hope to take them out to eat soon at a seafood restaurant that they mentioned near the dock. Pray for these two that they will read and listen to the Word of God and that He will touch their hearts.

The Book

Today, I went out with new brochures that tell of the volunteer teams that will be coming this year and the benefits to the schools and communities. This gives me a great reason to be out in the villages talking to village leaders, principles, and people along the way.
I had a really good visit with the head of a district named Abdullah. After I shared about the teams, we talked about the religion in the area and I was able to share about J also. He seemed really interested in reading the book, so I was able to give him a NT before I left. He wants me to teach him a little English, so that may allow me to talk with him further. Be praying for this man and the community of Kuan Kan.

Jebilang fishing village

Niran is a 50 year old man that I met in a coffee shop a few weeks ago. He had invited me to his home in his village outside the city, so today I had the opportunity to go visit him. He seemed excited that I came and we sat down in his home and he began to share about his life, family, and his religion (!slam) among other things. The Lord opened up an opportunity to share with him about Jesus. We talked the better part of 2 hours about the Messiah, the cross, and things which the Bible teaches along with what is taught in the Koran. While he is eager to talk about these things, it is very difficult for him to consider that he has been deceived. However, he tells me that he is free most every day and seems eager to talk and even study the Bible with me. Let me ask you to join with me in praying for this man and the other men in Jebilang village. Pray that God's Word will penetrate their hearts and that they will have the courage to believe.

I am going to try to put these up faithfully (at least once a week if possible)! May the Lord make each of us men and women of prayer!