Renewing Friendships

On Sunday we drove 2 hours to go to church in Rayong Province.  The pastor, A-new-cha, was glad to see us. We knew him as an energetic child in south Thailand many years ago when we lived in Phattalung.  As a youth, he had a hearing problem, which made him speak Thai unclearly.  When he finished high school, no one could image that God would call him to become a pastor (especially since the Thais don’t think that someone with a handicap can do much).  But a missionary worked with A-new-cha teaching him the Bible and modeling what a good pastor should be. In seminary, he got new and better hearing aids. This helped him to begin to speak more clearly.  Since overcoming this handicap, he has become a respected pastor of a church on Thailand’s eastern seaboard. His wife, also from south Thailand, teaches the Bible to the children of the church.  We have been told that he has good administrative skills, has become an effective communicator of the gospel, and is well loved by the members of the congregation.  

Once he was through with the sermon last Sunday, he recognized Richard and asked him to pray for the communion service.  It was really good to see the fruits of some missionaries who have gone on before us.  Pray for more godly Thai men to prepare to preach and proclaim the Gospel message.