It's Official

It is official, Sarah is now a volunteer ESL teacher. Tomorrow is the first official day Sarah will be teaching English at Mylongyee Learning Center. Sarah will begin testing students to see their academic level tomorrow, and end Saturday. Lessons begin next Tuesday. We found a curriculum available for free download that offers 4 levels of learning, beginner, pre-intermediate, intermediate, and advanced. This curriculum is a 2 year progressive course, that offers conversational English with reading and writing skills and also incorporates visual and audio comprehension with written expression ie.  audio book and movie reviews. We are really excited to see how this will all come about as this school is only in its' second semester and has no real structure. MJ, Sarah and I will be helping get a working structure in place. Please pray for all of this it is new to us, even though we homeschool, and we want the Lord to be glorified most importantly. The English camp that was scheduled for this week was cancelled due to lack of registration so, obviously, I have nothing exciting to share about it but wanted to keep you updated as to prior information.

I have been ill the last few days with a fever and alot of pain in all my joints and holes, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, etc. and a severe headache. It has lasted since very late Saturday night until present, however today about one I started to get some relief. This evening I am in some pain and have a slight headache, but I think it is passing. Thank you to all who received word and prayed and to those that did not hear, I did not want to worry you. So far I am the only one with any symptoms so you can pray that it stays that way, I can say it is nothing nice. Aside from this our health has been rather good, we are all in good health and spirits, as we pray you are when this letter finds you.

This past Saturday Pastor Eric, Joey, and I were invited to a Karen wedding by our friend Peter. The services were held in a nearby village about 50 kilometers away. I think we arrived late, as it was well under way, but it was neat to be there anyway. After the wedding we hung out for a while eating and fellowshipping before returning home.

The Friday Bible study is a continued blessing. This past Friday there were about ten young people in attendance, they were all from Mylongyee Learning Center. They said they enjoyed the time together and would return again next Friday. Pastor Eric taught Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those that hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled. It is neat to see the Word pricks the heart. I believe it will now be our Saturday Bible study to accommodate Sarah's teaching schedule. Please, please remember this in your prayers.

Below are some photos of the last week. Top to bottom: Man powered ferris wheel  (four seater), Jacob, and Aubrey loaded, Joey patiently waiting and Marissa taking her turn, round and round we go, Eric and I being presented Karen bags by the Pastor at a Karen church we visited, Pastor Eric gave the message, Bottom: Mylongyee family, this is our group of friends, some missing.

Prayer Requests
Christ to be known!
Sarah's teaching & Mylongyee learning center in general
Getting adjusted to new schedules
Friday Bible study
Our friends to know Jesus & new friends
Continued health
Finances  monthly provisions and vehicle

PSALM 30

                                   A Psalm. A Song At the Dedication of the House of David.

            I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning. Now in my prosperity I said, “I shall never be moved.” Lord, by Your favor You have made my mountain stand strong; You hid Your face, and I was troubled. I cried out to You, O Lord; And to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my blood, When I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy on me; Lord, be my helper! You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,  To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

September Gone!

We are now into our second month, and time is flying by. This last month has been interesting with many things happening as you could imagine, getting settled and meeting people. I hope you are all following weekly. Since our last post there have been some new events. Pastor Eric has been in the refugee camp, at the Bible college teaching there with Jead, a fellow missionary here, and Bem a short term missionary from the Philippines, he has now returned. Sarah and I are still teaching English in the near by Karen church, that we also attend. Mj started a women's study also that her and Sarah and Jead will be helping with, this was the first week, Sarah was not feeling well. As you may remember I was invited to the radio station with Tar, I was able to attend one Saturday evening and we played two Christian songs on the radio. It was pretty cool, Mj was flipping through the radio stations and heard Christian songs, that is how she found the station. Christian music is not played on the radio here.
Sarah and I have had the opportunity to go on two "dates", one was her and I and the other was with a group of people, both were quite nice. We went out to coffee shopping and dessert alone, and enjoyed a meal together with Pastor Eric, Mj, Bem, and Tar.
Starting today we, Eric and I, will start a prayer meeting and some training. Thai lessons are still trying but we are coming along rather well. We have learned most of the tones and have about 100 words in our vocabulary including numbers and colors. We are still trying to put them into sentences, although we do have several of them down pretty good. It is kinda cool listening to people speak around us and being able to pick up some, not much but some is better than none a month ago.
Last week I was able to travel to Chaing Mai, which is about 120 miles away, and purchase some things that we needed, hot water heater, and some clothes storage items. It has been really nice to take warm showers. It is also the first time the kids have really had somewhere to put their clothes, since leaving America. They did have a bookshelf in one house and one shelf in the other, but that is hardly somewhere to put their clothes. It was so neat when the kids got up, we arrived home about two a.m., to see how excited something like dressers got them. What a blessing to appreciate something so small and be able to recognize God for the gift He had given them.
We would like you to join us in prayer for a vehicle, car, truck, or van. We have the one scooter which is working for now, it takes two trips to get us all anywhere, which is fine, but we will need something more suitable to our family as time goes on. We have been looking around and have found some at a decent price, so please join us in prayer for the Lord to meet this need.
Teaching English is really being used by the Lord here to open up the door for ministry, we have been invited to teach in many different areas, and are planning to use them as the Lord confirms His will in each. On this note, this month, 15th and 16th there is a Sr. English camp through the English school that Sarah will be teaching at. This will be for students 25+. Sarah, Mj, Jead, and I will all be helping with this, please keep these dates in prayer.

Here are some recent photos:(top to bottom) Marissa eating a fried meal worm, Joey, Jacob, and Princess ready for bed, Tyler and I at a retirement party Namdib school, squid and beef on bbq Sarah and I dinner date, Tar, Sarah and I dinner date, Mj, Eric, Tar, and I dinner date, Tyler's dresser and space, and last our new water heater.

                         









Prayer Requests:
New friends
English opportunities
Salvation for Thailand
Thai lessons
Upcoming trip

English Camp                    
Provision (vehicle, monthly)