NEW CHURCH: Just about 10 weeks ago Patong International Fellowship signed a lease on our very own house of Worship. We have been praying about this opportunity since beginning our partnership in this work. We now have a three story building that should open the first week of April. We are so blessed to have the Lord provide this place, buildings this size in our area usually cost about $3000, the Lord really showed Himself faithful as our building is $500. It was in great disrepair and in desperate need of being made new. I know it is only a building but that is what the Lord is in the business of doing, restoring and making brand new. We started at the ground floor and have worked through all three, a complete new plumbing system, from incoming water to outgoing waste had to be installed, new electrical, all three floors, paint, block, doors, windows, tile, basically everything that goes into a building has had to be redone. Thankfully the Lord also was faithful in providing for all this work both financially and physically. All in all the total cost of repairs has run close to $3000 all provided through prayer and from the people here in Thailand. The sanctuary is 99% finished with some touch up paint and the like remaining. Thailand also has many legalities to opening a church and again He is faithful, we have found somebody that is willing to cover us in every aspect of ministry and we are now free to do anything the Lord opens up, both inside the church and personally. Please pray for this endeavor.
Bible Training Courses: I have spent 5 of the last 6 Tuesdays and Wednesdays away from the family as I travel back to the area we ministered before moving to Phuket. The area of Takuapa. I have been leaving after lunch and returning Thursday at lunch. Teaching two classes Tuesday and Wednesday night from 7:30pm to 2:30 am. I have been instructing the Burmese church members in the Inductive Bible Study method of study that enables us as readers and students of the Bible to correctly interpret the scriptures so that we are not led astray by false teachers. What a stretch this time has been but last night I wrapped up with the final lesson.
Bible College: Over the last few years as we combat false doctrine the need for a Bible training Center in Southern Thailand has become very apparent. For the last few months Pastor Eric Johansen, who has been doing this sort of ministry in the North, Pastor Ehkhaw, and myself have been organizing a 12 week Bible semester. We begin classes May 19th
Burmese Community Center: Last month, February, we began construction on a Community Center for Burmese factory and Migrant workers. The Lord has opened the door in an area not too far North of us to be able to repair/remodel 5 three story units that will serve as an outreach to the Burmese in the area. A friend of ours operates a factory with many Burmese workers and the Lord placed in on his heart to do more than just employ, he asked if we could assist him, organize and teach this project. Once open we will teach English, parenting, life skills, and of course the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the same location we assisted in setting up a Burmese day care. We are hoping to house 150-200 men, woman, and children on the upper two floors and have the actual center on the ground floor. There is much prayer needed as we go forward in this area of ministry, as we have just begun.
English lessons: Both Sarah and I have been teaching English lessons at our home, we each had one student but the Lord saw fit to excuse my student so that I could have more time for the other tasks at hand. The village we live in is upwards of 80% Muslim and everybody wants to speak English, this will prayerfully become one of our bigger areas of ministry as the Lord brings those students in. Please pray for Sarah and her student as she teaches English and evangelizes her student.
Family: As a family we are doing ok all things considered. The schedule and the move, and school, and and and. Joey and Jacob are both in online schooling, and Tyler and Marissa are back in homeschooling, with the move we saw fit to not place them back in public school until we got more familiar with the area and the people of the area. Not knowing what to expect due to the current ratio of residents. There are very few Christians in Thailand and in our village aside from our family I am sure I could count on one hand the others. We have been here now about 6 months and are really starting to make friends and be accepted into the community. Joey has friends at several of the local motorcycle mechanics and it is neat to watch him learn how to fix the different things wrong with them. As mentioned earlier the Lord provided somebody to cover us in ministry and upon my return from the Philippines March 28th we will begin the process of attaining our volunteer permits and visas that will allow for us to stay in the country and operate legally. I promised to keep it short so with that I will close, thank you for all your prayers and support, please prayerfully consider partnering in what the Lord is doing here in Thailand. There are many areas, not just financial. God bless
This us a great update! Love you guys.Lisa L
ReplyDeleteThat is soooooooooo exciting to hear all that the Lord is doing through you all! We would love to come for a couple of months each year but are unable to right now due to jobs but we'll just trust the Lord and see what His will is. He is so good! Thanks for the awesome update! As always, we love and miss you guys very much. Be not weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we faint not!
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