Everything is going well!

We have been given the opportunity to go into the schools here in PakChong and present that Gospel as well as teach English. This has been a challenging task for us all, but we have been able to learn some valuable lessons along with our students. After this week is over, we would have touched about 3,000 students in Thailand. What a blessing!

Last Saturday we had a youth Rally at the local church. We had advertised the rally through flyers and word of mouth everytime we visited a school. We got a nice response and were able to sing songs with the children, share the gospel and give out prizes. The most exciting prize was a bike! The kids and all of us on the team had a great time.

This week we are wrapping up all of our ministry and we will be moving on to debriefing our trip. Although we only have a week left, we have a lot of exciting things in store, some of which include elephants rides and going to a park. We are excited and after hustling through the whole month, it's nice to know we will have a little bit of fun in the midst of our hard work.

Everyone in the team has been in good health for the most part. We still have a few people who are having the normal traveler's stomach issues, but God has been faithful to all of our prayers and we are still able to minister.

We are excited to see our families and friends, but we are trying to say focused on the rest of our journey here in Thailand. It has been a beatiful experience thusfar and we are excited to see what the next few days have in store.

Sunday we experienced our first church service here in Pakchong. A group of us led the children's Sunday School class. We chose the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Andrea, Pastor Steve's wife said it went well with their previous lessons. She translated as we talked about the faith the men had that God would protect them from any harm when they refused to follow the king's law to worship the idols. It didn't dawn on me just how applicable this story is to their lives until Andrea explained to me. She encouraged them to do just as the men did and go against their families and the culture that 95% of their country lives by. Buddhism is such a focal point in their lives. Pastor Steve said that their lives consist of three things that are interwoven and never separated. Those things are their religion (Buddhism), their culture, and their traditions. So in order for these people to follow God, they have to go against everything they've ever been taught and everyone they know. The schools hold ceremonies every day for their prayers to Buddha. Andrea told them to refuse to participate in them. As I listened, it broke my heart for the children. As a kid, I never had to even think about the consequences of my faith. These people have to endure so much more for the sake of Christ than I ever have. Andrea translated as one of the young girls, Miaw (9 years old) shared how she had stood for God in school and told her teacher she would not participate in the daily ceremonies. Instead, she was given extra work to complete during that time. Their sacrificial devotion amazes me. After church, Andrea explained that two of the girls, Bai (7) and Yoht (9) had lost their mom just a couple months ago in an accident. They weren't told about it until the funeral when they saw her picture by the casket and realized that she had died. Since they had never known their dad, they lived with their aunt and uncle. Both of them are so precious and just overflow with joy. Their family has been such a huge blessing to us. Please keep them in your prayers.

Since then, we have spent two days in each of two different schools. The first was an elementary school in a more poverty-stricken area. They allowed us to come if we taught them English, but of course we had more important goals in mind. By the end of the second day we were hooked. Forget tugging at heart strings, these kids had stolen our hearts completely. When we first walked into the school they were afraid and very shy. By the end of that day they were playing and laughing with us, and even at us at times. The second school was a type of high school with around 500 students. The transition from working with young children to them was great, but of course, God did not fail us. God opened the door for us to share His love through teaching English. Although it may seem like a stretch to claim that, He assured us that He would use us in a mighty way and they would know we were different and be drawn to Him. I'm so thankful that God has placed Andrea and Steve, the American missionaries that have lived here for 17 years, here. Thanks to them, our ministry during this month will not end when we leave in 8 days but will continue on through their discipleship and outreach. Continue to pray for not only our team, but them as well. Thank you for all the comments! They were so encouraging. I love you all!!

After spending a week in Mae Sot, Thailand with the Karen people, the team is back in PakChong beginning a new journey in ministry. We will be working in different schools teaching children English. We are presenting skits and songs that reveal the message of Christ to children of all ages.

The schools we are visiting will range in social status and age. Our team is splitting up into smaller groups that will focus on teaching specific language skills such as: listening, speaking and stories. This is totally new to some of us while other have more experience in teaching, however we are all anticipating the next two weeks. Most of the children we will be ministering to come from Buddhist families. Many of these children have never associated with a foreigner before, which may be a challenge.

We are well taken care of in PakChong by our hosts Steve and Andrea. We are staying at their church and have everything we need. The Thai food is spicy but delicious. The mosquitoes are everywhere but thank God for bug spray. We have had a few rainy days, but nothing serious enough to interfere with our busy schedules.

Please keep our team in prayer. The next two weeks will be very challenging and tiring. We are constantly on-the-go. Besides our ministry sites at the school, we have teaching times, disciplship groups and worship. A few people have gotten upset stomachs and colds, but for the most part, everyone is in good health.

We want to thank all of our family and friends for their prayers and support. We want to thank our supporters who've made it possible for us to minister to the people of Thailand. The Lord is doing beautiful things here and we are so priveleged to  be apart of it.

Steve and Andrea, are the resident missionaries here. Their stories and their love for the Thai and Karen people is so amazing and it has been so encouraging to hear about the miracles God has done in their lives to bring them here, and to protect them. Its also amazing to hear how God has used them.  I praise God that he has brought them here because this nation is very dry and in need of God's love. Only .05 % are Christian and you can feel it. Some of our team has been having nightmares that don't usually and spirit of tiredness spread over all of us, right before we have ministry to do. Its been a struggle. I believe these are all attacks from the enemy.  Most missionaries don't last more than 6 months before they give up, Steve and Andrea have told us.

The enemy is more visible here, not because Thai culture is less Godly than American culture but because they invite spirits because of their idolotrous practices. It is interesting. Even though Buddha spoke against idols, everyone here is very idolotrous and very superstitious. Every house in Thailand has a little house outside of it that is decorated. Thai Buddists believe that evil spirits will live there instead of their home. Because they fear those spirits they make sacrifices to them and offer things to them. What they don't realize is that they are invited those spirits into their lives. It is so sad.

But as the Word says nothing can separate us from the love of Christ so we will fear no evil though God has brought us to this dark place. Our God is powerful and he is with us through all this. Steve and Andrea have led many to Christ, but it is a struggle for those Thai's to remain in their walk because it is such a spiritually repressive place.

We have been brought here for a purpose but that purpose is not as visible as other mission trips. Steve and Andrea have been here for 10 years but the fruit did not come for a long time. This is a difficult place, but that doesn't mean we should be here. It just means that it is a lot more difficult than a lot of our previous mission trips. We are excited though, because Steve has had  a vision of this nation becoming a kingdom for Christ. Who knows when that will be, but we believe and so we are here believing and serving. Amen.

I had heard about spiritual warfare before I came to Thailand, but never before had it been so real to me. During the past week, we have been staying in the mountains in western Thailand with the Karen people. Many of these people have fallen away from their Christian faith and have turned to the Buddhism of their neighbors and the animism of their ancestors. Because of this, they have resorted to appeasing spirits and building up kharma. The difference is so evident when you compare those who have maintained their trust in the one true God, and those who have turned away. The Christians have a peace about them, the husbands respect their wives and children. The ones who try to build up kharma and appease spirits are full of fear, and show a very clear lack of the fruits of the spirit. Many wear tight bands of fabric around their wrists to ward off evil spirits and depend on doing good deeds to keep them safe. But they know it's not enough, that's why they live in fear. Yesterday, as we were driving back to Pakchong from Maesot, we drove past several Buddhist shrines. I remember as we drove past one of them that was on the side of the mountain, and I could feel a heaviness on my heart. I knew that Satan was in control of that place. But I also experienced the greatness of God's kingdom. Everytime we came back to the Steadfast Love Church where we were staying every night, everytime we met people in the villages we vistited that were completely devoted to God, I saw God's kingdom. And His kingdom is spreading in Thailand

Over the past few days we stayed in teh mountains at a church. In there mountains near Burma the poeple are Karen, a tribe that is in Thailand and Burma. They don't speak Thai and the culture is different from mainstream Thai culture. That paster at this church Praphan has about twenty children from surrounding villages staying with him during the week. He stakes them to school and then on the weekends they go home.

While we were there we went to some of these villages to visit the homes door to door, visit schools, hold evening services and do programs in schools. The door to door visits were difficult. We broke up into groups and had a translator. We would go in to their homes, introduce ourselves and then tell them we came from America to share the love of God with them. Each of these villages that we went  to had a pastor and many of them had believers. The othersi nteh villages were Buddhist. I remember one house we went to where the grandfather walked from his house to talk to us. We told him why we were there and we asked about his family. He had come from Burma thirty years earlier, his family were all Christians but he was Buddhist. He told us it didn't matter what he believed because he didn't have much longer to live. Vikki explained the gospel to him and he listened closely and before we left he told us he was glad we'd come from America tp tell him about Jesus. We didn't try to make anyone pray a prayer for salvation. There were pastors there to continue what we started and to desciple.

Many of the Karen people are animists and are plagued by demonic forces. They are very fearful. I nthe same village we prayed for a sick baby whose wrists, ankles and neck were tied tightly with string. Praphan told us that thisshowed to attack that this baby was under. When we went into homes we told them about Gods deliverance from fear and many were receptive to that.

During the time we stayed i nteh mountains we were so blessed by the love and hospitality shown to us. When we stayed in the villages they ave up their beds and served us every meal, waiting ot eat until we were finished. We couldn't speak their language but they would constantly bow and smile. One of the things that blesses me most is how we can worship together singing the same songs in different languages. I'm so excited to tell members of hte body of Christ in America about their Karen brothers and sisters.

God's love surrounds us in this place, within the team and among the missionaries and pastors we work with it is impossible not to feel it. We are uplifted daily by the love that each person here has for the Lord and through the passion that they have to spread his word to the people of Thailand. The people are so eager to learn more about what Jesus has to offer them because he is loving them through each person on this team. Even with the language barrier stading in our way, the Lord makes a way for us to share his word with his people here in Thailand.

The things that the Lord has done up in the mountains of Mae Sot and what he is planning to do over the next few weeks in the schools is going to be through his love. He has used every pastor, missionary and translator that we have seen to show us how God is working here in Thailand and how much love he has for his people here. All we can hope for, is that we can show these people the same love that God shows us, so that they know how important they are in the eyes of Jesus.

   This week after our arrival in Thailand  we have been serving the Karen people who live by the border between Thailand and Mynmar. They live in the jungle in poorly constructed huts. They have nothing at all. I began to ask myself what have I to offer them? I know nothing that would help them and make their lives better. The fact of this scared me tremendously.

   Then I started thinking about my life back home in Philly and everything that I have that they do not. How is this fair? How can I, a person who has so much, reach out to those who have so little. It was then that I realized that I have nothing to offer them but it is the Jesus in me that offers them everything.

   I can share with them how Jesus can provide for all of their needs. I can share stories of how he has worked in my life and taken care of my needs. He is there and ready to be their everything and remove the pain and sadness from their lives and replace it with His joy.

   This completely takes the pressure off of me when it comes to witnessing to them. No longer do I need to be concerned to say the "right" thing because God already knows what they need to hear and will reveal that to them through me. I am a vessel bearing the good news for them to receive.

   This does not remove responsibility from me though. It is my job to be in communication with my Savior. I cannot go and show Him if I do not first know Him. This is a lesson that is completely humbling to me as a prideful human being. I like to imagine myself as being a Savior to these people and be able to fix all of their probelms on my own and then turn them over to God. The reality of this is that God is in control of their lives from the very beginning and I have nothing to do with that. I am now content with knowing and serving an amazing God!

After landing in Thailand we traveled for two more days to the mountains. Words cannot discribe the beauty that we saw as we traveled into the jungle. Driving along a small road we came to the Stadefast Love Church of the Karen people.

While we were there we went to different villages to share the Gospel. Our first day was the most difficult for the people there were not willing to share their lives with us. I saw that these people lived in fear and they really did not have any hope. The last hut that we went to was of an elderly buddist man who was very inerested in us as Americans. As we were talking with him he said "I will believe in whatever someone tells me to believe in". I was really put back by this. I didn't know what to say or how to react. I didn't want to just go into the Gospel after he said that, but I didn't want to leave there without showing God's love. As a team we continued to talk to him and explained that he needed to follow his own heart and not follow other people. We invited him to the service that we were having that night and he came.

Steven, our host in PakChong, said that the Thai and Karen people are very people pleasing. I had no idea until I talked with this man. I realized even more than before how lucky I am to be born in a place that allows freedom and to have parents that want me to be my own person. These people are not free. They live in fear of evil spirits and they don't have hope. Jesus is the only hope that they do have. You could see that in the village that we went to the next day. They had a strong Christian community there, they were not in the dark. Even though the first day was the most difficult day for us I believe that it was one of the most productive. We may have not lead anyone to Christ that day (or we may have) but we planted seeds there. There is now a chance for that village to have peace and I cannot wait to hear how that village is doing in the future.