Dear Partners in ministry,

Often we look at the New Year as a time of finishing and new beginnings.It can also be a time to reflect on how God is continuing with us, blessing us and building on the past to create a new future.Yes, we've been on a trip down memory lane, last month we were able to visit Bang Plee where we both had our beginnings in Thailand.We left the church there many years ago, but God certainly hasn't! The church continues to grow and be a blessing to the neighborhood.Reaching out to their community is still a priority.

We have also had opportunity to visit and share with the church at Payameng Rai and are continually encouraged with the way the church there is growing both numerically and in spiritual depth overcoming opposition.They are excited about being constituted as a church this year.

Christmas was a whirlwind here with different events as we looked to find ways in which to use the commercial Christmas to show, Immanuel - God with us, in our communities here.For our first Christmas event a team of four ladies joined us.They worked with 48 youngsters to share the Joy of Christmas.This was followed by many others including a fun night at our home where we invited neighbors in to have a meal and some fun – we took the opportunity to share not only Christ in the manger but Christ on the cross, and the risen Christ.

At New Years, we joined with the new believers at Ban Sra for a Thanksgiving service using some traditional elements and asking Jesus to continue with us through out this year.A number of neighbors gave into their curiosity and came over to see what believers in Jesus do.At the end of our time we were able to go around and tie strings around their wrists and ask for God's blessing on them too.(note strings on Neuk's wrist)

As our term finishes in June and as we look to God to lead us in the future we would ask that you join us in prayer that we may be found in His will be it here, another location in Thailand or wherever.

May the New Year find you walking with Jesus and experiencing His Blessing in your lives.

Prayer and Praise points:

• Thank God for the work he has done, is doing in His church here - pray for the fellowships at Ban Sra, Payameng Rai, Bang Plee and Ekachai – That God would continue to Bless and grow them.
• Pray for Sanae, at Payameng Rai, who formally committed his Life to Christ at the Christmas service after seeing the changes Jesus has made in his wife and family.
• Pray too for Ba Wun who was elected as a deacon on that day as well.
• We have a number of teams joining us this month– Pray that they will be encouraged and challenged.
• We have been invited again to be part of"the Good Things in Ban Luang" festival.Praise God this year a group of young people will be here to add some energy!
• Team meeting (Jan 26-28), pray for God's leading as we look to the future
• Larry –has some traveling to do with meetings in Mae Sai and Chiang Mai(Jan 13-15)
• Future direction (here, there, where??)
• Pray for Thailand – On New Years Eve bombs were let off around Bangkok and Chiang Mai horrifying this normally peaceful nation.

Thank you again, for your partnership in every way.

In Christ,

Larry and Jan