Dear Partners in Ministry,
It all happens very quickly
One day we are noticing the rice plants have small rice grains forming and then it seems the harvest is starting and now it is almost over. This year the harvest is disappointing - lack of rain, a disease and now at harvest time non-seasonal rain. Our neighbors seem to take it without complaint, being used to the vagaries of nature.
It all happens very quicklyWe were joined by two students and they helped us with our program, got involved with our community, asked lots of questions and have returned home. Jen and Jenni have been replaced by Michael and Julia and their children who are with us for a few weeks. The kids Josiah (2) and Tillie (6 months) have proved to be crowd stoppers. Josiah quickly learned to "wai" (a Thai greeting) and has won the hearts of young and old.
It all happens very slowly
Making relationships in the community we have now reached a point where we feel we have the trust of our neighbors and are starting to be more overt about sharing our faith. At a recent festival, Loi Gratong, small floats were made from banana stalks and leaves, and elaborately decorated and floated on the river on the full moon. Different meanings have been assigned to the festival but the most significant is that of asking forgiveness of the river spirit for all the damage done to the waterways. We put crosses on ours which, made them stand out and when we were asked, we told people that Jesus had died on the cross to forgive us for our sins and the cross is a symbol to remind us that we are forgiven.
Who wrote that? What does it mean?
Our porch is almost on the road and Larry has been writing in an old northern Thai script on a white board that we use for teaching. Our neighbors recognize the script but only a few can read it. Larry admits to having written it and then reads the scripture he has written to them. This impresses our neighbors. We pray that the words will be impressed on their hearts, as they are verses that we believe will interest them.
We pray that the reality of the gift of the babe in Bethlehem will shine in your heart and out to the ends of the earth. Merry Christmas.
Prayer points
- Please give thanks with us for students and teams that join us for short periods, they add new dimensions to the ministry and often provide us with opportunities to share. Please pray that God will continue to challenge them to be involved in Kingdom building opportunities.
- Please pray for our friends and neighbors, may they be challenged at a new level to see their spiritual need and how Jesus can meet that need.
- Please pray for wisdom in relating Jesus to our friends.
Love,
Larry and Jan