Dear Friends,

A map of Thailand shows some areas that are well developed and highly modernized like Bangkok & Chiang Mai.There are also some empty spaces where maps show no roads, and no towns.Apparently, there just isn't much there.For most people, these empty spaces mean there is no point in going there.A few though, are called to go to the empty spaces on the map.Thra Edmond is one of those people.

A map of Thailand shows a rather large empty space south of Mae Sot and north of Sanklaburi.In the early 60s we as American Baptists built the Kwai River Christian Hospital in the Sanklaburi area and began other associated mission work to reach out into the area.Unfortunately, an armed insurgency moved in which limited early evangelistic efforts in that direction.However, Karen Baptists were able to begin working their way south from Chiang Mai.Progress has been made and continues, but it is a long way from Chiang Mai to Mae Sot, let alone Sanklaburi.

About 10 years ago, Thra Edmond was forced to leave Burma and came to live in Thailand.He lives on the edge of what is empty on the map but found it isn't empty at all.It has long been populated with people of the Karen tribal group and is dotted with many villages, large and small.In addition to the local Karen population, many other Karen are migrating from Burma as we wrote about last week.

Edmond has a heart for the Lord and a heart for evangelism.Almost all of the Karen that live in this blank area still worship spirits sometimes mixed with Buddhism.Gradually, the Thai government is building more roads improving access.As access improves, Buddhist temples are being established.Edmond and the Karen Baptist Convention know it is often easier to reach Karen for Christ as an animist rather than as a Buddhist, so there is urgency in their evangelistic efforts.

Adding to the urgency is that almost all the Christians living in the area have come from Burma.The result is that many local Karen feel that Jesus Christ is for the Burmese Karen and westerners.Edmond is looking for help among Thai Karen Christians, so that the people can see that Jesus is for Thai born Karen as well.

Help is coming from a Karen church based in Mae Sot, and from the evangelism staff of the Karen Baptist Convention.Teams visit from time to time and some are being won to Christ (Next week we'll write about one such trip into this area).Still, Thra Edmond is hoping a Thai born Karen evangelist will be able to help him full time.Please remember Edmond and this "empty area" in your prayers.

The Karen Baptist Convention is also reaching out to another empty area in a remote corner of Chiang Mai province.There are over 20 villages in this area that do not know Christ.Access is difficult, as some villages do not have even dry season roads that reach them.Likewise the Lahu, Chinese, and Akha in Thailand have a strong heart for evangelism and work hard to make Christ known to their tribal brothers and sisters where ever they live.Along with Edmond, please keep them in your prayers.

Maps may show blank and empty spaces, but God knows they are often full of His children.For 190 years American Baptists and local Christians have been working together, reaching into the empty spaces on maps as well as in the more developed urban centers.The empty places on the Lord's map represent the empty hearts of His people that do not know Him.God is calling missionaries and local evangelists like Thra Edmond to reach out to those empty hearts no matter where they live.Your gifts to the World Mission Offering continue the work that has been going on in Thailand and around the world.We see so many opportunities for ministry here and at the same time recognize the challenge it will be this year to increase the World Mission Offering just to maintain the ministries we already have.Thank you for doing all you can to make this year's offering an extraordinary effort.

Duane and Marcia Binkley