Dear Partners in Ministry

 

Making pancakes, tic tac toe, the memory game, all make for a good English camp, yes?  No, actually that was the leadership training day.

 

English Really Is Fun

The English camps, based on the Family, Food and Fun theme, involved games and songs set around a family theme: food tasting, a picnic, French cricket, sandwich making, hot dogs, spaghetti, and way too much running around.  The kids had a ball and--we hope--learned some English.  We all had fun but went home completely exhausted.  Twelve-to-fourteen-hour days are beyond us these days, and we were grateful for the youthful energy of Ben and Hannah, who gave their all in playing sports with the kids in the breaks.

 

A New Dimension

The leadership training day was good, too, as we worked in two groups to develop skills.  We had some new attendees this time. Po Don, Mae Kwii and Mae Yin were to join us, and Larry was to take the two ladies off to do some lessons not based on the written word but on pictures. 

 

You Got Plans?
Forty-five minutes before we started we found out that Mae La had jumped into the car and was coming along to find out what we are all about.  We quickly had to rethink our program for the second group.  Mae La is Po Don’s wife, and she hasn’t even been to our fellowship meetings.  Larry and Mae Kwii were able to give an overview of the Bible with pictures, and they played jenga to talk about creation and the fall.  In the afternoon Jan made pancakes with them both with and without baking powder to talk about life needing to have all the right ingredients to be all that it is meant to be.  Mae Kwii was quick to pick up on the point and shared with her friend how Jesus is that special ingredient that gives life a lift.

 

Work and Play Go Well Together

The others were hard at it looking at lesson planning and development, looking at a story from the life of Abraham.  They were stretched and they struggled to comprehend the story but were willing to work at it to see how God worked in Abraham’s life, and they could see parallels in our lives today.  We also spent time playing games as a review of old lessons, and discussing ways we can be Jesus to our communities in culturally appropriate ways.

 

Got Roped In

Hannah, (here for two months) had a baptism of fire, arriving in the middle of our landlord’s three-day election victory party, and was amazed by the size of the speakers, tables, chairs, tents, etc., set up in our yard and in the road in front of our house.  She has managed to rise above it all and is settling well.

 

These special events, along with our normal teaching and visiting, have made this a busy month.  We thank you for your partnership through prayer for us. We pray for you, too, as you strive to be salt and light for Jesus in your communities.

 

World Mission Offering

Many churches will take a mission offering during the fall.  We thank you in advance for remembering us and our support needs.  As the world economy changes the amount we need to raise continues to go up just to meet basic needs.  God will supply our needs.  Thank you for praying.

 

Together in the Kingdom,

 

Larry and Jan

 

Prayer and Praise points

 

·       Give thanks for the events of the past month. Pray for Mae La as she thinks about the things she learned at the leadership training day.  Pray, too, for direction as we look for ways to bless our communities, especially around Christmas.

 

·       Pray for Villy and Tuk (Bus’s mom), who will both have babies this month.

 

·       Pray for Bus, who has cerebral palsy, that he won’t get pushed to one side when the baby arrives.

 

·       Pray for the World Mission Offering.  It is very important for our support.

 

 

Upcoming Dates

·       Oct. 10-14       The Church of Christ in Thailand will have its biennial 

                              meetings in Bangkok.  We will both attend for two days.

·       Oct. 15            Meeting with mission leadership in Chiang Rai

·       Oct. 29            Farewell events for Michael and Julia