Hello again,
The cold season of beautiful 70 degree F weather has come to an end. Soon we will be saturated in an inescapable overpowering sauna. Fortunately, that also means impending citywide water-fights, which mark the Thai New Year. The Bad Air Index topped out at 268 on March 17 but fortunately we were in Malaysia at the time doing our visa run (Again only 3 months.)
Citywide Water Fights
We are on an amazing faith journey in life. Recently, as Anne was praying, she had a picture of a rushing river between us and our goals. There seemed to be no way across. But as we stepped out in obedience and faith, God provided a stepping stone, then another and another, leading the way to the ‘goal’. We want all the stones to be provided from the outset, and we much prefer bubbling brooks to raging rivers. But God has called us to walk closely with Him, in His steps.
This newsletter is really long but people have been asking us for more information. Let us recommend that you read only those topics that interest you.
Networking
As I network, I sense a new direction in which the spirit of God is moving in Thailand. We still have time to empower the indigenous Saints of God to do what God has called them to. Anne and I are actively are working hard to equip and empower the future Christian leaders of Thailand. Please pray that God will direct our path as we choose which future leaders to invest our lives into.
Village children
Assisting a Homeless Man
Sometimes following the Promptings of the Holy Spirit means performing duties outside the narrow confines of vision. We all have the duty to be Jesus to everyone we meet, even if that person falls outside of our “target group”.
A couple of weeks ago, I went over to visit a man that was in a desperate situation. Apayaw is a 39 year old Ahka man from ChaingRai who is a builder by occupation. He has 2 children from 2 women. He says that both mothers are dead. Now he is desperate to find a way to care for his 8 month old son as well as hold down a steady job. He felt so hopeless that the only option that seemed left to this man was to beg. I contacted Pastor Luka Chermue on my cell phone and he was able to reason with the man and gather lots of information on the situation. Apayaw and I had a great discussion and he explained his heart-breaking situation to me.
Apayaw's Son
Friday, February 19, I packed a gift bag of children's clothes and toys and drove over to meet him, as I knew that he was being evicted. I met him on the street, walking away from where he had been staying. I explained that I wanted to help him get to ChaingRai. He seemed especially excited and said that I was an answer to prayer. In fact, usually he went another road but today felt he should go down the same path that I drove up. He felt it was God speaking to him. I held his son while he went inside and got his stuff together.
We loaded up my truck and went over to a small village community on the other side of town where he knew some people who could help. They were exceptionally friendly. They offered a place where he could store his stuff for free. Then we drove over to the bus station. I bought him a ticket to ChaingRai and gave him some travel money. He was so grateful that I would go out of my way to bless him like that. He promised that he would call me before he returns to Chaingmai. He is looking forward to getting some help with his youngest son and he can't wait to see his oldest son (who is 8 years old and staying at a Christian Children’s Home).
Most of the world deals with this kind of poverty and hopelessness everyday and Jesus is the only answer who can meet their every need. Please pray for this man as he tries to get his life in order.
Coming Events
April is a big month. We’ll be involved with the City Gate Church camp April 13-15, and then celebrating Thai New Year (Songkran). Anne’s sister will be visiting April 14 to 20. At the end of April we’ll attend YWAM’s Leadership Training Week in Bangkok. We’ll drive to Bangkok with the kids – about 8-10 hours, the longest road trip we’ve done since Samantha was a baby. Pray for us!
Let's Circle Up and Pray
Finances
God has been miraculously providing for us. Last month we sent out a plea for financial help. We haven’t done this over the last 10 years even though we have always had a very tight budget (I think we were trying to be tough.) The outpouring of love for us has been overwhelming. We received enough to cover all of our bills for January and February. Also a family we never met has just pledged to support us. Amazing. We still need support to get through March but we are not worried. We don’t have savings, or medical insurance, but it is far more foolish to play Jonah and disobey God. If we didn’t care about reaching the lost then we would quit today and go and get high paying jobs so that we could save for our children’s futures. But frankly, we trust our children’s futures and our own to a loving God and not to money. Seeing God move this last month in keeping us alive is a testament to the God we serve. I’m excited to see how God will protect us next month. Please pray for us as it is still a scary walk of faith. Psalm 27:13-14 – we have already seen His goodness in the land of the living, each day He gives us breath.
Thank You!
Visa Situation
For 10 years we have been on a Type “O” volunteer visa. We had to get it in America or Australia yearly and then every 3 months we had to cross over the Burmese border for our “visa run.” This time we only received a 3 month visa. We considered going to Australia to try to get a new 1 year visa but we felt like God was leading us to do our “visa run” in Malaysia. We met with the leaders of SIB-KL and were incredibly blessed. They housed us, fed us, and transported us everywhere we needed to go. We only got another 3 months but it was worth it to network with very Godly and helpful people.
Animal Park in Malaysia
Please pray that we could find a new way to stay in Thailand. The government is reacting to the revival in the North, and to the large number of western criminals who have recently used Thailand as their base of operations. Each year it gets harder and harder to meet with the new restrictions. Westerners are being kicked out each week for doing volunteer work without a Work Permit. Pray we will find a way to get a 1 year visa and Work Permit so that we can continue to teach/preach, do humanitarian work, and train up leaders.
Fun in Church
Politics
There is a lot of political instability lately. Even though there were seven bomb attacks at banks in Narathiwat and traffic often gets bogged down by the red-shirt or the opposing yellow-shirt rallies, we are not really in any physical jeopardy.
No, our main problem is that the government is cracking down on everything that opposes their ideology and religion. There has been talk by one political party of even kicking out all Westerners and Western investment. We are not fearful, we are just trying to figure out how to maintain our balance while the nation is in upheaval.
Who is Worshiped?
Culture/Religion
March 4th was the Buddhist holy day of Makha Bucha. This Thai word, from Pali, literally means "third month" (Makha) and "worship" (Bucha). Makha Bucha is one of the three holiest Buddhist days that remember events in the life of Buddha. It commemorates the unplanned assembly, ordination, and subsequent enlightenment of 1250 of the Buddha's disciples. As a result, 3 principles of Buddha’s teachings were given: To do good works, to abstain from bad behavior and to purify the mind.
On this day, Thai people go to their local temple in the morning to make merit, listen to sermons and also to take part in a candle-lit procession around the chapel. In this beautiful ceremony, where the ancient pacts with this religion are corporately re-established, and where candle-light fills the temples, may God's power be released to free people from bondage so that there may be a reflection on the source of the "true Light" as they silently circle the chedis and temples. May there be a continued hunger in hearts for true enlightenment, even after the self-satisfaction of performing religious ritual is completed. (Edited from excerpts written by Joy Jitaporn, Bryan Presson & Carol Chawla)
May people turn to the True God who
hates religious ritual and ceremony.
Family
The kids have been sick off and on for a while. It has a lot to do with the bad air quality in Chiang Mai during the ‘burning season’, exasperated by drought. Both have had fevers, hacking coughs and tummy troubles. Sean & I also continue to fight the bugs and pollution daily. Pray for rain – both spiritual and physical.
Thank you everyone who sent us letters of encouragement and support. We are here as an extension of your prayers and cares.
Thanks for Praying
International Standard Version (©2008)
"And my God will fully supply your every need according to his glorious riches in the Messiah Jesus."
In His Precious Name,
Sean, Anne, Samantha & Timothy
PS: Our post box in Thailand has changed from: 410 ----> 401
so the full address is:
PO Box 401
Chiangmai Post Office
Chiangmai Thailand 50000
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