Faith and Patience

Give me AIR! We are so busy it is hard to find time to breath. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness. Last week was my first week teaching the Thai church as the leader, it was rather interesting as has been every day since. The Lord did not provide an interpreter so I was blessed and challenged to prepare and teach in Thai, mind you my Thai has much to be desired. All things considered it went well, as well as reading notes in a foreign language could be that is, but praise be to God, most of it was understood. The Lord is really growing me and the members as we grow together in His grace and blessing. 

Each week we do home visits both Tuesday and Thursday, these I do in Thai only and pray for the day that I am able to actually pray and get into the word with them during these times. In the meantime while we pray for an interpreter we go fellowship and share the love of Christ. It is great to spend some personal time with the members while we build the relationship.

We are one of about ten churches currently hosting a large team from America, about 28. Here at Calvary Chapel Ban Namkhem we have 8 split 4 for each team Thai and Burmese. The Lord is so good at teaching us when we just listen and learn. As I stated before we are still without an interpreter of our own, for this team we had one lined up who cancelled the day of orientation due to a death in the family. WHAT? I have 4 people that are supposed to be doing evangelism and no interpreter? Oh Lord what do you have in store?  Just before bed last night after many phone calls and much prayer a local Pastor called me and would be able to help for service today. He had to find someone to teach in his place and would be able to assist both today and our midweek if we did not get something worked out. WOW! Thank you Jesus! Ok Sunday down and 7 more days to be covered. Tonight, Sunday, after dropping the team back off at their hotel we get an interpreter lined up until lunch time Monday, ok little by little Lord we will get through this. He is so faithful even when we are not, even when we are freaking out, not truly trusting all things into His hands, He has a plan. Shortly after this whole thought process we get someone set up for Monday afternoon until Wednesday evening, getting closer. As I write this that is where the Lord has left us, partly covered and fully relying on Him for the rest of the week. This few weeks has been a huge faith builder, I just hope I can hurry up and learn what this lesson is all about so we can move on already. 

Another praise report! Currently there are two offers for an interpreter we are praying for direction as to who the Lord would have us use to bring Him the most glory, who knows maybe both. 

All of us as a family are really being tested and tried growing daily in faith and grace. 

Bless you all and thank you for your prayers and support.

Prayer Requests:

Obviously we need alot of prayer.

Interpreter 

continued obedience

Growing in grace and wisdom

Strength and courage to share the gospel (personally and also for the body of beleivers)

Salvation for Thailand

Understanding and speaking of the language

March 9 2012

So much has happened already since arriving in Southern Thailand. The last two weeks have been really crazy, we had a team of Pastors visit and tour the country, followed by two from Cambodia.

We were so blessed to have the team of Pastors come and visiting us, including our Pastor, Pastor Cliff and Randy our Care team leader. We had a great time of fellowship with all the visiting pastors, all from California. Our first day with them was spent in Phuket, then we traveled here to Ban Nam Khem. We held a small encouragement conference for the body here with the Pastors teaching through Matthew 5, the Beattitudes. After the conference I was given the opportunity to travel back North to Mae Sariang with the team spending two nights there before heading to Bangkok to see off part of the team and spend some, much needed time with Cliff and Randy. It was so encouraging to have this time with them, it has been a long time since we have had the chance to really sit and talk. It has been about 17 months since the rest of the family has seen Pastor Cliff also. Our church sent many letters and cards from America and it was so sweet to sit as a family and pour over them, feeling the Love of our home body. We were so blessed and encouraged by them, thank you so much for the love and support!

While in Bangkok we met up with a fellow missionary and one of her leaders from Cambodia. This is the second time we were given the chance to visit and encourage and mostly be encouraged by them and their fervent love for the Gospel. They made the trip down from Bangkok to Ban Nam Khem (BNK) and stayed for two days, today we saw them off, headed back the the Lord's work in Cambodia.

The continued blessing is I got to visit with some other missionaries from our church that happened to be in Northern Thailand the same day we were there. They left for the field about two months after we did and so they got to visit with our Pastor as well as spend some time with me. We were waiting for this since we left home and then moved just before they arrived, however the Lord worked it out that our flight up North landed the same day they had free and we were able to spend a few hours together.

I am home now and really excited to see what the Lord is going to do. Pastor Pichai is leaving early Monday morning and then I will be leading the Thai church after that. It has been real nice to have this time with him and his family before they leave, not only spending time with them but getting to know the ministry here as well as all the people.

Prayer Requests:


Please Please pray for this new ministry
Salvation for Thailand 
Interpreter 
Health
continued steadfastness in the word
A women's ministry