Flooding

Thirty-four+ districts (counties) in the south have been affected by flooding. This weather has seen lower temperatures and flooding in our hot season. Waves have reached 6-12 feet high in both the Andaman Sea & Thai Gulf and stranded tourists on islands. Fishing boats couldn’t go out because of the high waves.

Travel on the Thai mainland has been affected too. The north-south Highway was cut in several places because of the flooding. Landslides washed away homes, household goods, vehicles, and killed some Thais (23 by the latest count). Because of the flooding, electricity was cut or erratic. Public water was polluted by the flood waters. Those who could flee to higher ground did and took refuge in homes of relative/friends, schools and Buddhist temples.

Thais here can not work their rubber trees. Thus, they have no income because of the rain. Most don’t have any savings. Crops are affected and the price of food stuffs has risen, just as it was a few months ago when the sugar & rice prices rose because of flooding in Thailand’s central region. Pray for the lives of those affected by the flooding. Pray for us to have wisdom in our disaster relief work through Krabi Baptist Church to produce people for God’s kingdom.

Annual Meeting

We attended a meeting with our fellow “m”s in the north of our country. We helped behind the scenes with office & other activities that needed to be done for the meeting. It was fun to be able to sing songs & worship in our own language. Many seminars were held to help with ideas in how to evangelize better, as well. A group of volunteers from Mississippi came to help with the children’s programs and they did a super job! Seniors graduating from High School were recognized and a gift sent with them to help with their re-entry to the USA. A skit/spoof, kind words from our supervisor, and a gift were given us in recognition of our leaving Thailand later this year & retirement late next year.

Prayer & Praise

1. Praise God for Ravi, an Indian working in Khao Phanom, who is coming to worship with our small group.
2. Praise God for the refreshment, & learning which took place at our annual meeting of “m”s this month
3. Pray for those affected by the flooding to be able to pick up their lives without much problem.
4. Pray that God will give us wisdom in our ministries to those affected by flooding will bring some into God’s kingdom.
5. Pray for the people of Khao Phanom to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
6. Pray for those Thais in Khao Phanom, who claim the name “Christian” to come worship with our group on Sundays.
7. Continue praying for Tik, & Duang-jai (whose husbands are Christian) to come to know Jesus as Savior.

El's Profession of Faith in Jesus Christ

We finished teaching El the foundational lessons. Then we asked the question, “Do you believe that Jesus is God, who came to suffer & die to wash away your sins? Her answer was “Yes, when I first heard that there was a God who was concerned about me, I was interested. I listened and decided to follow. I read my Bible daily (sometimes several times a day) and prayed for God to forgive my sins and heal my body. Since the beginning when you came, my body has steadily become stronger. I want to walk so that I can go to church to be with other believers, tell others about God and serve in the local church. I have started in this path already and I don’t intend to return to my old ways.”
Since studying with us, we have seen El change from hate for her husband (for leaving her and having a minor wife) to consideration for him. We pray for El’s continued physical healing – that she will walk again, serve God and that her spiritual life will show God’s love to many in her community.
At Christmas we had given her a picture of Jesus. (We put it up high on her wall like you would do to show respect for a picture of the Thai king.) Her husband saw the picture and said that Jesus was handsome and that he, himself, looked like Jesus. He wanted his picture placed on the wall alongside the picture of Jesus. We explained to El that Jesus was like the king & that we could not place her husband’s picture beside that of Jesus, but we would put it underneath the one of Jesus. Richard brought his drill and placed the picture of El’s husband below and to the side of Jesus’ picture. In jest, we also warned that we would change the husband’s picture for one of El’s cat, if her husband did not begin following Jesus. Pray for El’s husband to think and begin following Jesus too.

First Communion at Khao Phanom Baptist Church

The last Sunday in January, the worship group in Khao Phanom had its first communion. Everyone was very excited. A. Dusit, pastor of Krabi Baptist, preached a sermon on preparing our hearts to worship and follow God. After praying for the needs of the church members, communion was held. All were very excited to receive the bread and grape juice together as signs that they were followers of Jesus Christ as Lord. The communion set was provided by a Men’s Sunday School Class in Virginia. (Communion Sets have been hard to get in Thailand.)

Chinese New Year

Before Chinese New Year, many of Chinese descent cleaned their houses as preparation to welcome the new year. For us it began about 7.30 am with fire crackers going off at our next door neighbor’s house. They were calling down their ancestors and spirits to feast on food here on earth before going back to the land of the dead. The dragon dancers were out, as well, calling for money as they danced to bless your home or business. Most Chinese here celebrate by going to visit their relatives and friends. They give gifts to those they respect and to elders. The children love Chinese New Year too because they get red envelopes (ang bow อังเบา) from family (family friends) with money in them. (Most of Richard’s riding buddies did not go out riding their bicycles because they, as Chinese, were feasting as well.)

Prayer & Praise

1. Praise God for El’s profession of faith in Jesus Christ. (This is an answer to your prayers!!)
2. Praise God for some rest taken during the month.
3. Continue to pray for El’s healing – so that she will soon walk again.
4. Pray for El’s husband to become a Christian, as well.
5. Pray that not only more Christians in Khao Phanom will regularly attend, but also that non-Christians will consistently attend & believe in Jesus' work on the cross for us.
6. BePop, a Korean Christian, is marrying a Thai girl. PRAY that she will truly be come a Christian, not just a change of religious status on her national ID card.
7. Pray that God will soon provide a Christian pastor to continue the work in Khao Phanom before we leave.