We are returning to Thailand with a team from the USA.

We are retuning to Thailand in a few days! This time we will lead a team of 7 from the USA to teach English at a University in Bangkok. Part of the curriculum will be an English course designed by missionaries experienced in teaching ESL. The week of teaching will end with a presentation of the Christian world view to introduce students to the gospel.

Please pray for our team members: Steve and Christi, Jennifer, Katie, Jacquilyn, Richard and Linda. Saturday and Sunday we will be trained on how to teach the course at the University. Teaching begins on Monday morning July 18th.

1. Pray for safe travel as we leave from Houston on July 14 and the adjustment to the different time zone (Jet lag) in Thailand. 
2. Pray for good health for all team members and travel mercies while we're in Thailand. 
3. Pray that God will prepare the hearts of those we teach so that they will want to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. 
4. Pray that we can build relationships with both teachers and students which will continue beyond our time at the university.

The team will leave on July 25th. However, Richard and Linda will continue to work in Thailand helping other missionaries for the next 20 days. More details to come in later blogs - please stay tuned.

5 Believe at Yilan Prison

A. Nikorn and A. Chachuwan Pray for New Believers

It took 2 ½  hours to reach Yilan from Neili.  At this center the government only allows the Christian Coalition to enter once a month.  It was Richard’s and my first time at the prison.  The meeting was held on the prison’s enclosed roof, which had a view of colorful rice fields, a Chinese cemetery and mountains.  A program of singing in 5 languages and  several movie clips showing God’s love was presented before the prisoners  were separated into  language groups.  Linda used pictures telling the creation to Christ story to the Thai inmates.  Then Richard talked about how Jesus who would lead their lives in a positive direction if they would believe and listen to His voice.  When finished, the 2 Thai pastors asked who wanted to accept God’s love for them.  All 5 Thais raised their hands and were led in a prayer of salvation.  As the inmates were leaving, the Christians gave them 2 kinds of fruit, a bag full of food, and some orange juice.  

Argument in English Bible Class

Linda Teaches 

As Linda was reviewing the past lesson on Noah, an older man in the group began saying, “God made a BIG MISTAKE!” He was getting louder and louder to where the students were looking at him rather than listening to the teacher.  So Richard asked him privately why he was upset. The man replied pointing to a sentence in the book, "Look here, God made a BIG MISTAKE." Not wanting the man to become a further distraction to the teaching, Richard said we'd talk after class.  At the end of class, the man continued his argument that God made "a big mistake" in bringing a worldwide flood destroying all the people of the earth except for Noah’s family.  Basically he was saying that God had unjustly killed thousands with the flood. We tried to explain that God was punishing those that had done evil. These same people refused to listen to Noah's warnings of impending disaster and stubbornly refused to repent.  However, the gentleman was solidly convinced that he was right and everyone else wrong. He didn’t want to reason. Instead, he became even louder and finally stomped out of the room.  Pray for this 92 year old man named Toby. Ask God to open his mind to understanding.

Celebration of Thai Mother's Day

Praising God in Worship

On August 25^th seven of the Thai Churches came together in Neili to celebrate Thai Mother’s Day which is August 12^th (the Thai Queen’s birthday).   After eating a special meal, we walked upstairs to use the sanctuary of a Chinese Church. The women were responsible for the worship.  Worship songs were sung with great gusto.  Special songs and a Thai dance were performed by the different churches for the occasion.  Alyssa, a volunteer from Germany was recognized for her work in Taiwan.  A. Erica spoke about the fruit of a godly mother.  Mothers were called to the front, honored and given gifts.  Then Richard and I spoke about our time in Taiwan and encouraged the believers to hold fast to God.  The Queen’s Anthem was sung and 2 delicious butter cakes with cream and chocolate crunch icing were cut for all to enjoy as we headed home for the evening.

Last Visit to Sansua Prison

150+ Prisoners at Sanxia Prison

On Wednesday, the main program at Sansua prison was about God’s love and sacrifice.  Once we split into 5 different language groups, orange juice was distributed for all to drink. Linda taught the Thais about the plan and power of God in creation and about how mankind is different from other animals.  A Thai pastor explained the trinity to the 5 inmates, a story that they heard for the first time and had a hard time grasping (as we all do).  Later Da-ru-nee told them about what it meant for man to be created in God’s image.  Before the prisoners went back to their dormitory, some fruit and a snack were given to the inmates.

Sending the Spirits Back to Heaven

Chinese Monks Chanting

Saturday we ate breakfast in our apartment to the sounds of monks chanting across the street.  In front of our apartment building, a Chinese ceremony was taking place.  Tents were set up.  Tables were neatly arranged underneath with gifts of cakes and fruit for the spirits of the dead.  Burning incense on each of the 100 tables filled the air with a sweet smell making it hard to breathe.   At the front were Chinese gods on an altar and Chinese monks chanting.  People stood around the monks reverently praying.  According to Chinese custom, spirits of the dead are released from heaven during this time of year. They usually call them down to earth by setting off hundreds of fire crackers. The Chinese believe that the noise alerts the spirits that a ceremony is about to begin. After a month of burning money and offering food, people were finally sending these spirits back to heaven.

Prayer and Praise

1.  Praise God for the ministry we had in Taiwan.  Pray that many will come to know God.

2.  Pray for effective Thai leaders to work with Thai guest workers in Taiwan.

3.  Pray for increasingly more Thais coming into God's kingdom in Taiwan.

4.  Pray for God to bless the work of the missionaries that we worked with in Taiwan.
5.  Pray for God's leading in our lives and future ministry.