Dear Partners in Ministry,

Greetings from Thailand. Our local scenery is changing daily as fields are plowed and planted. The new rice plants seem, at best, tenuous, but farmers are happy and looking for a good crop because an early wet season has provided good water.

We see the rice growing each year and watch thin little plants grow and produce fruit. We see that, also,  in the folk who have come to know Jesus, shaky beginnings producing firm believers that are producing fruit that is glorifying God.

In our cluster meeting yesterday we discussed how individuals have grown and changed because of knowing Jesus and how some of the group are keen to share their faith.

At our Bible study last week Inn, reflecting on Acts 5, said she thought people in her community are “impressed” by Jesus, but are afraid of what others would say if they came to our group. People here often think that because they are Thai they are Buddhist, and following Jesus would be like denying their Thainess.

A New Room in the Making

We have been asked by the Public Health Department to help fund a room for an elderly woman who is unable to walk. We are helping to put a room under her house so she can be closer to the bathroom facilities and be able to get out into her community in a wheel chair. Grandma Wan had an accident a few years ago and is unable to walk. She lives with her son, who is out much of the day, and she is lonely and depressed. The new room will hopefully give her opportunity to get out a bit and be a part of her community again.

The Public Health Department has also asked our teammate Anna to visit other shut-ins. Anna is looking at ways to encourage families to provide better care for their old folk.

Back Again

Another family are back with us for a short time. We need to get their paper work sorted out this time so we can secure a visa /work permit for them. They are planning to move here permanently in September.

Thanks again for your partnership.

Larry and Jan

Prayer Points

Dema and Carolyn’s paper work, visa, work permit and housing

Anna as she fills in for us working with the Public Health Department and later as she helps Dema and Carloyn settle.

Pray for the people Inn shares with. May they be drawn to Jesus so strongly that they don’t worry about what their neighbors think.

That we have a good time with the whole family as we gather to celebrate Larry’s Mom’s 90th birthday. We are having a celebration at home; then kids, in-laws, and grandkids are heading to the beach for a couple days.

Speaking engagements in September, October, and November—May we inform people and encourage them in what God is doing.

Dates

Leave here August 7—Team meeting
Leave Thailand on the 11th
August 13-17—90th birthday celebrations; vacation with family
August 18-26—Holiday (vacation)–just us.
Deputation starts

Just for fun:

When new staff members arrive it is fun to recount language bloopers that have been made in the past.

Jan was asked back in her early days why she was late coming home. She answered, “I left my gra prong (skirt) at the office and couldn’t get on the bus without it.” She meant she had left her gra poaw (purse) at the office.

Larry messed up the tone on “tua” (ticket) and asked to buy a body at the train station.

Jesus is often nailed on a pair of pants, “gung gaeng,” instead of on a cross, “gung kaen,” by newbies.

And some mistakes are made even after twenty years. Jan bit into a chili, thinking it was a bean, just the other day. Larry had done that in his first couple months in the country and got a blister in his mouth.

 If you would like to support this ministry you can do it through the IM web page at www.internationalministries.org/missionaries/76