Happy New Year!

On New Year's Eve, we had a little party right in front of our house in town. Many of our neighbors came by for some punch, cookies, and popcorn. Libby and Emily were home from school, so our whole family was involved. We had given special invitations to many of our Mus!im friends that we have met this past year. Two of them, Chem and Soap, stopped by along with Chem's family and sat and chatted with us for over an hour. Chem then invited us to go to the seaside with his family and to visit some of his friends in another county. So... all day Monday, we were privileged to spend time with these friends. Despite a rainy forecast, the Lord gave us a beautiful day yesterday and we saw some beautiful scenery. I sat and talked with many of the men for hours and Tracy was able to spend a lot of time with the ladies. She also learned how to toast coconut treats over the fire. It was truly a great way to celebrate the New Year. Please be in prayer for these friends of ours this year that the Lord will lead many to trust in Him. Please also pray for us that the Lord will give us boldness and opportunity to share of His love with others. --- Keith

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.