Monday, November 1, 2010

MOST WANTED


KHUN FONE – Wanted: to become a Christian. This young married woman came to live in the south with her husband. She works with her husband in the rubber industry, but is often sick. She has migraines which hinder her understanding what she studies with us. Pray that she gives her life to Christ.
KHUN SOM – Wanted: to become a Christian. He is a middle aged rubber farmer. He learned about God from Branee and Bird. He studies with us on and off as we teach Branee & Bird. He tells us that he reads his Bible we gave him and prays each day. He quickly understands the Bible teachings and asks questions. Pray that he give his life to Christ.
KHUN BUN – Wanted: to come to church. She is a young mother, who moved to the south because her husband abandoned her after their daughter was born. A local family is adopting her baby and Bun lives with the parents of the adopting family. She is expected to care for her baby, clean, and look after the fertilizer shop while the family is out selling. She has little money, no vehicle and is living 12 miles deep in the countryside. Pray that she have the opportunity to worship in the city of Khao Phanom each week.

Vegetarian Festival


The Chinese gathered not far from our house in the provincial field next to the city pillar for the opening event of this 10 day festival honoring the 9 emperor sons of the Queen of Heaven. There must have been around 700 people who came including small children. All the Chinese shrines were represented from throughout Krabi Province. Participants came in trucks to transport their small ceramic Chinese gods. Most had big drums and cymbals to bang on along the way. Once in Krabi, they gathered at the field, beat on the drums as if competing with each other. At times the noise was deafening! Then in certain areas, mainly woman dressed in special Chinese style costumes, danced in front of their ceramic gods. There was a group of men with whips that marched around looking as if they were in a trance ready to crack the whips at a moment's notice. Before traveling to Krabi city, most had called down the Chinese gods at their local shrines to inhabit them. (Some were no doubt demon possessed.) Then there were the men & woman who pierced themselves with rods through the cheeks, who were constantly being hydrated. They at least got to sit in chairs until the ceremony was over. The mayor & governor of Krabi said a few words praising the tradition of the Vegetarian Festival. Then the parade into the downtown began.
Each group gathered their gods to carry in palanquins on their shoulders. Other people drove the gods on the back of their pick-up trucks. Loud firecrackers were lit often and Chinese dragons were winding their way along the roads among the gods. Supposedly, the gods had come out to bless their believers. Those mediums for the gods were dressed in Chinese clothing with their eyes rolled back in their heads, drooling, and acting crazy. Some adherents routinely used swords, knives, or axes to cut their tongues. Sometimes large wooden blocks were thrown to guarantee good luck to store owners. At some homes/businesses tables were set with paper money, rice, chrysanthemums, pears, apples, pineapples, drink - all for the gods to spiritually eat and bless the people.
Vegetarian food was everywhere - guaranteeing to cleanse the soul according to their belief. On into the evening trucks drove around with people banging drums and singing. On the last night of the festival, the ceramic gods were driven down to the river to go back into Chinese heaven to the sound of firecrackers and fireworks.
Pray for the people who follow these gods to soon come to know their true creator and Savior.
"For more pictures of the festival, click on the link below":
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2105646&id=1419370438&l=487e5048e9

Vacation


Our schedules are usually busy, so a vacation of peace and quiet was great. We walked on the beach, Richard rode his mountain bike, but most of our time was resting and reading. One day we even went to a tin mine museum. (Tin mining, up until 30 years ago, was the economic mainstay of Phuket island. Now its tourism.)
Walking down the street each night to get supper, we were mobbed by vendors trying to get us to buy all kinds of merchandise from tee shirts to pirated DVDs of all the latest movie hits from the USA. (Many displaced Nepalese and Bangladeshi people are now selling instead of Thais at many beaches in south Thailand.)

Prayer & Praise


1. Pray for the church in Khao Phanom to grow numerically and be a light in their
community.
2. Pray for those who worship the Chinese gods to come to understand that the true
God wants them to be reconciled to HIM.
3. Praise God for the young adults at Krabi Baptist to continue to seek to do God’s
will.
4. Richard was bitten by a dog in the countryside. Pray for our safety as we go out
to visit and pass out tracts.
5. Pray for Som to seek God more than other things in life & become a Christian.
6. Pray for God to open the door for Bun to get to church and have contact with
other Christians.
7. Pray for Fone to be healthy, understand the truths of the Bible as she studies,
and become a Christian.