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,
