Monday, December 17, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
THE MISSION CHURCH OUTLOOK AND THE CHURCH FINANCIAL REPORT FOR NOVEMBER 2012
We plan to start our first church service in Thai-English on the 2nd Sunday of January 2013, as well as to start an exploratory testing of the waters in assessing the need and the level of teaching English to children.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
MISSION TO START A COMMUNITY CHURCH IN THAILAND
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
SERVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
ENCOUNTER THE PROBLEM DURING THE TRAVEL JOURNEY
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!
1 Corinthians 16 verse 13 says : “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong”.
Most recently.
e arrived at Diyarbakir (Southeastern Turkey, near to the border Iraq) yesterday and we took a walk near the old city along the Tigris River. Here, a most unfortunate thing happened to me. I lost my tablet PC! The only tablet PC I have brought along with me for this travel, which stores and keeps for me the Bible, travel, emails and related documents for my personal reading, was suddenly and forcibly snatched and taken away from me by thieves near the old town. Realizing this, I immediately gave chase, shouting very loudly … “Thief! Thief” ... with some local people trying to help by showing the direction the thieves were heading.
But I soon realized this chase would be pointless and so I decided to stop chasing, thinking of Jenny whom I have left behind, afraid that she would be lost in this unfamiliar surroundings. However, she soon caught up from behind and came to where I was standing. Some helpful men then brought us to a school building nearby to wait for the arrival of the local police. A few minutes later, the policemen came and took us to the police station. Three police cars escorted us along the way as if we were some kind of VIP!. At the police station, I made a report. The local police were very friendly and helpful. Of course, I felt very sad losing the only tablet PC I have with me, but thankful Jenny and I were unharmed and safe. Praise the Lord for His deliverance!
And now for the other reports;
Taking up this intended missionary journey to Iraq via Turkey had not been easy at all. There were many obstacles we had to overcome. Faith is the keyword in our life ... yes, we trust and love God, will obey and follow Him and keep praising Him whatever the circumstances.
On January 29th, 2012, we left Bangkok in transit to Kiev (Ukraine), before arriving at Istanbul (Turkey). The flight took 14 hours. At Istanbul, we waited for our luggage (containing clothes, toilette, electrical items, food and beverage) and waited there for almost an to two hours, but the luggage never came. Next, we went to the Lost and Found Department. The officer told us that our luggage was still in Kiev and asked us to get it the next day, (noon - 18 hours later). Had I taken travel insurance, I could claim for luggage delay, but I didn't buy it because we have no budget for it.
So reluctantly, we left the airport and headed towards the city. It snowed heavily as we reached the city. We felt so cold without much warm clothing. Then we tried to locate the Austrian who had agreed to sub-let a room to us for EURO 150 (RM 600/THB 6,000) for two weeks. We waited for him for almost an hour and he still had not shown up. This made us worry, as the time was getting closer to 5.30pm and the weather getting colder and colder, and freezing too. Our Thai mobile was almost out of credit. Then we decided to walk to a Chinese Restaurant to seek help to call our Austrian contact, so we would not end up sleeping in the street. Our Chinese friend tried many times to reach him ... at last, he was able to reach him! The LORD is my shepherd, I have all that I need - Psalm 23 verse 1.
The following day, we went to the airport to collect our luggage. Then another unfortunate accident happened. On the second day of our arrival, Jenny slipped and fell down on a slippery snow floor, injuring her tail bone (known as coccyx). For many day, she was and is still nursing this pain and has yet to fully recover from the pain from this fall.
During the past two weeks, we have met and talked to a number of local folks and have tried to befriend them. One day, I tried to shop around a CD Cleaner to help my Austrian friend to repair his notebook. While we were searching for this, trying to get the lowest price if we could, we found there was only one shop selling it. So without a choice, I decided to go back to this only shop to buy it, bargaining from TL 10 (RM 20/ THB 200) to TL 5 (RM 10/THB 100). Then the shopkeeper asked me where I came from. I replied “Malaysia”. He faced changed immediately and with a cheerful heart, he said “Free for you” ... Malaysian is a brother to Turkey. Thank God for this good man ... we never know when God will choose to bless us!. Praise the Lord!
Everything in Istanbul is so costly ... even the foods, transportation and accommodation. For example, a guest house costs EURO 30 (RM 120/THB 1,200) per night, cheap food like Kebab Chicken costs TL 3 (RM 6/THB 60), fried fish costs TL 9 (RM 18/THB 180) and public transportation costs TL 2 (RM 4/THB 40). During my birthday, February 4th, we decided to have Chinese noodle, just vegetables without meat ... that costs TL 10 (RM 20/THB 200) per bowl!
Twice a week, we had fellowship with the Armenian brother who serves in the Bible Society of Turkey.
On February 3rd and 5th, 2012, we spent time in a the local Turkish church known as Istanbul Pentecostal Church. The elder of this church introduced us to his Church Pastor, who has served in this church for the last 15 years. He is from Spain. This church is the last Church approved by the Turkish Government, with its own church building design.
In the next report, I will talk about our mission in Antalya.
Due to Jenny’s injury (tail bone and panic attack) and also the visa issue we have decided to return to Bangkok as soon as we can get the air-ticket and our budget is very tight.
About Iraq Kurdistan Region.
There is not information I could get in the internet about this region, even after one month's search and contacted Iraq embassies.
To get into Iraqi Kurdistan, all travelers (except nationals of US, EU, Britain, Canada and NZ and recently Iran) are not allowed in. People wishing to enter here are required to get an invitation letter from a local resident or company. There are some other procedures that must be observed by the local resident or company ... such as, they must refer to the Ministry of Interior of Iraqi Kurdistan Government Region. It is not easy at all to get the necessary approval and there is always a long delay.
When entering Iraqi Kurdistan Region by land or air, one must show this letter of approval (most importantly, the letter must be stamped and signed by the Ministry of Interior of Iraqi Kurdistan Government) ... seeking/visiting an Iraqi Embassy or Kurdistan representative is no use.... they will never be able to help on the application.
To enter Iraq, only nationals from two countries are allowed in ... one is the American army with the valid military ID and another is Malaysian! But for Malaysians, you still need to get the aforementioned invitation letter from a resident or company from Iraq, then you can proceed to the border or airport, to get in on a 14 days free visa.
Next plan.
Maybe later this year, I will make a personal trip to Mosul, Iraq as I sense that the Lord is calling me to be there since 5 years ago ... for a reason, as the small community is waiting for me there, even though I don’t know them.
May the Lord guide and lead me ... in His time ... when and where He chooses ... for me just to follow Him and His Will.
All Praise to His Glorious Name!
Thank you and God bless!
Saturday, January 28, 2012
SITUATION IN MIDDLE EAST IS SENSITIVE
Saturday, January 14, 2012
TRUSTING THE LORD'S MISSION
Shalom All,
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!
We truly appreciate encouragement received from readers who emailed us as we prepare to leave for Turkey and Iraq for mission work.
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless...." (Philippians 1 verses 9 - 10).
This prayer of Paul is so wonderful and relevant, to this day and time even for today's believers. It is a good prayer for us to pray also.
Paul surely has the mind of Christ when he writes to other believers, "I pray for you with joy. I'm confident God will complete the work He is doing in your life. I have you in my heart and I long for you. I pray that your love would abound more and more, that you may be pure and filled with the fruits of righteousness."
As I have shared elsewhere, that was also how I felt as I prayed ahead of my departure to my new venture to the Middle East.
As I turned my thoughts towards God, He seems to assure me, "I have you in my heart and I pray for you with joy."
We know Jesus prays for us and the Holy Spirit prays for us. How do you think they are praying? Maybe much like today's prayer in Philippians and so much more ... what kind of persons will we be if God's prayers for us are answered?
On January 29th, 2012, we will depart from Bangkok, at 6.00am and arrive in Istanbul, Turkey at 2.55pm the same day by Aerosvit Airlines (one of the Ukrainian flag carriers). I have spent a few weeks searching for the cheapest guest house but still have to get one, because every guest house charges between USD 15- 20 per night/person and renting an apartment will cost around USD 240 - 300 per month. This is too expensive for us and so there is a possibility that on the first night, we will sleep in the airport to save one night cost.
I have tried to make contact with the local Turkish churches but failed to get any response from them after almost a month. Today is miracle day, two local Turkish churches from Istanbul and Ankara replied and will welcome us to their country and assist us with accommodation and fellowship arrangements. Praise the Lord for prayers answered.
We may encounter difficulties ahead of us in our missionary journey, such as shortage of funds, culture shock and belief resistance but we will move forward to fulfill the calling from God, sustained by our faith in our God, the provider and the protector.
There is so much for us to write or report on a our mission activities from April - December 2011, the past year, but I regret that due to constraints of time, I am unable to write a long detailed account in this email.
Kindly read from the captions of the photo stories attached below, or through the mission blog : http://faithwithyou.blogspot.com.
Please continue to uphold us in your prayers. God be with you, too, as always!
Blessings,
Launching New Revised Thai Bible (Thailand Bible Society) on April 2nd, 2011
Installed LPG (4 Valves Pump) on April 4th, 2011
Monday, January 2, 2012
NEW MISSION IN THE MIDDLE EAST FOR 2012
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!
Let me start the New Year 2012 with an illustration.
Here is an open book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words into it. The book is now called Opportunity. Its first page, first chapter is entitled New Year's Day. First words. ": I will live for God, today, tomorrow and every day hereafter ... Last page, last word : "Amen".
In 2007, I responded to the call of the Lord to serve in the mission field. I started by first going to Thailand then India and later Thailand's neighboring countries, Vietnam and Cambodia. Still later, China.
In Thailand I met and then married my wife, Jenny in mid 2008. Jenny then accompanied me to serve in India, for my second mission trip.
Throughout my mission trips these past years, the Lord has made it possible for me to meet various local people, sharing with them the Good News, evangelizing, equipping, preaching and helping in whatever way I could in meeting their spiritual needs.
Looking back, when I took up this calling in 2007, my home church (the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal denomination) did not recognize or empathize my mission zeal. But I took the bold step forward nevertheless, walking by faith without the blessing and support of my church. It seems as if I and later with my wife, was simply too bold and foolish to go to places unfamiliar and foreign to me and her, to share with so many strangers and new people we have met along the way, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and without any connecting links whatsoever - Seems like quite a crazy thing to do!
But we drew strength from Matthew 10 verse 16 : “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves”.
The Lord also provided and protected us in the way of Genesis 28, verse 20, “If God will indeed be with me and protect me on this journey, and if he will provide me with food and clothing”
It is so good to be reminded of the command and promise given in Deuteronomy 30, verse 16, “For I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways. If you do this, you will live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you and the land you are about to enter and occupy”.
So my wife and I live in obedience to this command and promise and will give all Glory to our Almighty God!
Since early May 2010, we have been back to Thailand, serving the people here until our next calling.
There is now an open door for us ... Northern Iraq! A challenging opportunity.... who shall I send, the Lord seems to say ... but we will go boldly forth, Lord, if you direct us there!
So once again, we will be taking another bold step forward to walk by faith without much financial resources, heading to the nation of Iraqi Kurdistan Region (northern Iraq).
I am not sure why I need to go there, but I can sense the Lord speaking and calling me to go and serve the people there for past few years ago.
My wife Jenny will accompany me. I know that the situation in Iraq is not very stable, there has been reported are violence since the US - Iraq war and local churches have been targeted and bombed.
This challenge is testing our faith and we believe and trust that the Lord will protect us in our mission journey and work.
Early December 2011, we went to the Turkish Embassy in Bangkok and tried to apply for one year multiple entry for Jenny but the consular staff say that they need to submit her application to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Turkey for approval and that will take at least 1 - 2 months. I have feared that the application for Jenny would be rejected and that would make me go alone to Turkey as I don’t need a visa to enter Turkey, leaving Jenny in Bangkok.
When we were in Kuala Lumpur for 6 days recently, I gave another try in the Turkish Embassy there, I have had a long discussion with the consular staff there, they saying my wife is Thai and she should apply in Bangkok, also the same procedures. I told them I have tried there, but their Bangkok embassy is not accommodating at all but I need my wife to accompany me. The consular officer then went in to speak to the Ambassador. Then he returned to report, “Ok, I will now issue you one year multiple entry visa for your wife with 90 days per entry." Praise the Lord!
So we plan to leave from Bangkok to Istanbul on January 29th, 2012 with the cheapest one way flight ticket we can get. We are not sure whether we have enough funds for the return journey. It is easier to go into Iraq from Turkey, rather than any of the borders like Syria, Lebanon, Iran and Jordan.
While in Turkey, I will try to get as much information as I can about the situation about their border entry into Iraq. We hope to reach Iraqi Kurdistan in March 2012.
Northern Iraq has a rich history of early civilization. In Genesis 10 verses 11 - 12, we find: “From there he expanded his territory to Assyria, building the cities of Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and Resen (the great city located between Nineveh and Calah)”.
It is interesting to note that the Garden of Eden is near there, see Genesis 2 verses 10 – 14; “A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. The first branch, called the Pishon, flowed around the entire land of Havilah, where gold is found. The gold of that land is exceptionally pure; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. The second branch, called the Gihon, flowed around the entire land of Cush. The third branch, called the Tigris, flowed east of the land of Asshur. The fourth branch is called the Euphrates”.
Further on ion Daniel 10 verses 4 - 6, “Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.”
Interesting place and fascinating account, to say the least!
Because of the Christmas and New Year holidays, it might take awhile longer for the mission agency I am contacting for a confirmation reply from them on the opportunity of serving in Iraqi Kurdistan Region and also in Cairo, Egypt.
Below is our financial report for your review;
Nothing is impossible if we have Jesus Christ in us.
May God continue to put a new hope for you and a fresh New Year to serve Him.
God bless!
Blessings,