The work in Thailand is not done...will you go?

It has been a challenging time of transition as God has called us back to the US for a season.  Despite the relocation, God is continuing to do amazing things in Thailand and we are privileged to be able to participate in His work both from a distance and through leading short term teams.

Later this month Kelly will return to Thailand for several days of ministry before meeting up with an E3 team in East Asia.  During his time in Thailand he will participate in strategic planning meetings with other church planters to coordinate efforts to reach the Northern Thai people.  Despite missionary activity in the region for more than 100 years, this people group remains unreached.  Kelly will also be training pastors from the Lahu people group in church planting techniques and challenging them to begin reaching their neighbors, the Northern Thai, in addition to making disciples of their own people.  Finally, he will be meeting with several key players who work to stop slavery in the region.  He will be presenting the first draft of the new evange-cube type tool we are developing to educate people about the dangers and realities of human trafficking.  We will then use their input to make whatever adjustments are necessary for the tool to be understood and effective. 

Part of the E3 strategy is to use short-term teams from America to partner with local churches.  As of part of the training done ahead of time, pastors prayerfully prepare an action plan for how to reach their own communities.  Once our short term teams arrive they partner with the pastor and other local believers to implement the plan.  Working together with the nationals the American team prepares the soil through prayer and plants seeds through evangelism.  They are enabled to communicate and have an impact through a translator.  Do you love the idea of adventure?  Or are you terrified of flying? Are you intrigued by the mystery of other cultures? Or do you have a phobia of speaking to strangers even in your own language?   Great, then you are a perfect fit!   We need you. God can use your strengths and weaknesses for His glory.  Please consider joining us on the field for a short term trip in October.  Click HERE for more information. 

Jessen Video January update!

Wow January 26th already!!!  Thanks for tuning in to see just a glimpse of the work in Thailand.

Compass 31 Freedom project

Photo by Jay Milbrandt.

Illegally crossing the border on a moonless night with only what she could carry on her back, she ran for her life. Many things were left behind including a crying two year old son. She quickly integrated into her new culture. She went to work in a factory. She was safe but nothing could comfort the ache she felt for the child she left behind. Hope came dressed in black. A man offered to bring her son to her. For a small fee, of course, the child could find his way “safely” again into her arms. Though, her heart warned against trust, temptation won the day. The man kept his end of the bargain and two weeks later a two year old boy-child was again in the familiar embrace of his mother. But then, the “too good to be true,” became a living nightmare. The agreed upon fee was doubled, tripled, interest was added and then multiplied. An ultimatum was given and the mother faced an unthinkable choice. In three weeks the debt would be paid, one way or another. On the last day of December either she had to pay the debt in full ($267.00 USD), or she would be taken to work off the debt in a brothel, or she would have to surrender her child to the slave traders. She had no way out, no money to pay her debt and nowhere to go. It was in this place that God decided to intervene.

Compass 31 has many goals and objectives, but they can all be summed up in our desire that God be glorified by captives finding freedom in Christ. When we heard of this woman’s situation we were moved to tears and we were driven to our knees on her behalf. While wrestling with the right thing to do here in Thailand, God raised up some modern day abolitionist half way around the globe. From the safety of their suburban homes, with passion for justice burning hotly within them, they raised the money to ransom this woman and her son. But the one email, the one announcement and the many prayers resulted in more than just physical freedom. God did what only God can do. Our project administrator, armed with prayer and money in hand, went to meet the woman and her son. She explained to the woman that there is a Most High God, One True God and that He cares deeply for her. She explained that the Most High God had provided for her debt to be paid and gave her the money that would pay for her and her son’s freedom. But that was only the beginning of their hour long discussion. Our administrator was able to use the woman’s experience to help her understand that we are all held captive, living in darkness. She explained that we all have a debt that we cannot ever, ever repay but that the Most High God sent his one and only Son to walk on the earth, to suffer the same ways we suffer, to live a perfect life, to pay our debt…to buy our freedom. The light bulb went on…the woman’s heart cracked opened to faith…she understood. A foreign message in a foreign world often gets lost in translation. Unfortunately that is how the gospel is usually received in Thailand. But this, THIS was different…this was no foreign story…this was the woman’s own story. She knew her role and she knew God’s role. Our administrator, who has 12 years of ministry experience, said she had never, ever seen anyone respond to the gospel so openly the first time that they heard it. Make no mistakes about that God is determined to set the captives free. Despite the pervasive darkness, despite the struggle and the loss, God wins. He wins EVERY time…and every once in a while He lets us have ring side seats to the action.

Making of a Merry Christmas

It’s been SOME year let me tell ya but through the good and the bad, the successes and the challenges, God has showered His grace on our family. You can also tell from the video that…we still love each other! As we look ahead at 2012 it looks like a long hard road from here but we are not alone and we have His strength to help us along. Thank you for your prayers.


Merry Christmas everyone!

Team provides many opportunities for Truth in Thailand

Dark and impoverished, the village is carved into a lush green mountain. Got Pa Bong, and many like it, is a visual reminder that God’s grace surrounds us, even in the most remote places. With 75 homes totaling over 500 people, they have many needs. There is a small remnant in the church that is faithful but religious legalism, drugs, alcoholism and lack of direction keep this village in bondage. The pastor reports that 60 of the 75 households are either addicted to or sell drugs. The issues of poverty, lack of education and drugs addictions puts the village children at an extremely high risk of being trafficked.

One muggy afternoon our team spread out to go to homes where they were to encourage and disciple local believers. I entered a typical home in northern Thailand which was raised on stilts with bamboo floors and walls. Twelve people gathered where the pastor had asked me to teach on prayer. After a great interactive time of teaching I opened it up for any other general questions. The head of the household asked about when Jesus turned water in to wine. I thought that was an interesting choice and in my mind I began to wonder if he was looking for ammunition to judge those around him since alcohol addiction is such a rampant problem in this area. After digging into that passage together, he then asked what sin was. I laid out the Biblical definition and examples of sin in hopes that he would relate that knowledge to the others he had in mind with a humble and loving heart. Then he asked one final question and at that point I began to catch on, realizing that he wasn’t pointing the gun of condemnation at someone else but the barrel of conviction was pointing right at him. Head hanging low he asked if you can sin too much that God wouldn’t love you anymore. With all the pieces of the puzzle sliding into place the man shared he drank too much and needed Jesus’ help. He wanted to be a good husband, father and witness and that day he decided it was time to change. As we finished praying for him and his family he raised his head with a look of determination that he was now on the road to restoration, and he wasn’t walking alone.

The team from America had many conversations of truth in home after home in four different villages with believers and pre-believers alike. Over the trip, 285 people heard the full Good News of Jesus and 61 decided to begin their new journey with him. The pastors or leaders in the communities are now ready to begin the real work of helping them to learn and obey the commands of Christ.

The follow up work now will include continued encouragement and discipleship approaches for oral learners. We will be working with each village to facilitate ownership, empowerment and training as they begin to trust in their Creator to begin to transform their village. It is an incredible privilege to watch them move from bondage and into the light. Pray for wisdom and discernment as we attempt to guide them along that path for His glory.

 
 
*Thanks Jo for the great photos!