Krabi Boats 8

It's a record!!!! 

Just over 2 years ago we almost bought a nice little 4-wheel drive that we thought would be good for our ministry in Thailand. Unfortunately the sale fell through which disappointed me greatly.

 Later we bought an older vehicle, a 2000 model Ford Ranger station wagon from a pastor in a church in Chiang Mai. It used fuel quicker than I would have liked, and at the time fuel prices were climbing rapidly. I started to wonder if our purchase had been a wise one indeed. Then I started seeing the advantages of the car.

for_blogMany people ask me, “What do you do all day?” a question that is not always easy to answer. The reason is that each day is so different. For example, last week I spent most of the time teaching my son, Matthew. Then this week I have been helping two girls from church. They are sisters. The older one started her first job and the younger one started at a new college. They come from a poor family who live out of town.  They are the only believers in their family. Together we prayed about the job and the studies, drove 2+ hours to the job interview, cleaned the flat at the worksite, moved her in, went to uniform fittings for the younger sister...etc etc.

Being a missionary is not just about preaching the gospel.  It is about sharing your life with others and walking with them as they walk with the Lord.  Sometimes this means teaching the Bible, other times visiting them in hospital, teaching them to budget or helping them to find work.  Often it means hanging out together and just doing things like walking in the market or sharing a meal.  Jesus spent time with his disciples that they may be with him and learn from him..... may we reflect Him as we too spend time with people.

house_smallAmongst the coconut and palm oil palms, papaya and banana trees it is quite a pretty place to be ..... except for the sliippery mud after the recent rains and a few mosquitoes here and there.  We arrive and crowd into the tiny area in front of Sut and Suay's parent's house.  In view of the mud and the tiny (dry, mud-free) area we quicky change the choices of games to play.  At first the kids are hestitant to join in but they begin to see these "farangs" (foreigners) are pretty normal and speak Thai so it is okay.

We play a few games then sing some songs about Jesus.  This is probably the first time most of the group have ever sung about Jesus.  Suay plays the guitar.  It takes a few practices but everyone seems to enjoy it even "Mum and Dad" who haven't been interested in Jesus in the 4-5 years that Suay and Sut have been Christians.