...With an "Oink Oink" here and an "Oink Oink" there...

As Sherri and I wrap up our term as GBGM missionaries and will soon begin our new ministry in Thailand with the Thailand Methodist Mission (visit the website at thailandmethodist.org), we are trying to tie up some loose ends. One of the projects we have been trying to complete is an economic development project at Almighty God UMC in Northeast Thailand. The economic development projects are designed to provide income for the pastor and church to become financially independent.

A new economic development project has just begun at Almighty God UMC under the able leadership of Pastor Nampon. The project which was chosen and has now begun is a pig farm. We have been told that it takes about 4 months to raise pigs ready for the market, so the plans are for the first 5 cycles, the vast majority of profit will be reinvested in the project to make it larger and more profitable. Hopefully this project will help this church to not only become self-sufficient, but also have self-generated funds for mercy and outreach ministries. We know God will use this project to be a blessing to the church and the whole community of Nonsomboon.

New Blog Feature

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Serving the Lord Together with Rich and Betsy Castle of CBSI

It has been a while since we blogged because we have been traveling doing the ministry in Thailand.

This past week, we had the pleasure of serving together with Rich and Betsy Castle, missionaries with Community Bible Study International (CBSI). CBSI is an organization that focuses on making disciples through starting cell groups that provide intensive Bible Study and nurturing spiritual care. CBSI provides digital copies of their high quality Bible Studies free of charge. Please visit their website at http://www.cbsinternational.org/

Rich and Betsy are retirees (Rich served his career in the U. S. Air Force and Betsy is a retired teacher) who come to Thailand 3 months out of the year to serve with CBSI. We traveled together this week through Central, Northeast, and Eastern Thailand to Bangkok, Suphanburi, Nonsomboon, Bowin, and Sriracha. There, church members of the United Methodist Churches as well as pastors and leaders from churches of other denominations gathered to be trained by Rich and Betsy. They did a great job and were well received by the Thai Christians. We are grateful for their ministry, which perfectly fits with the strategy that we use for planting churches in Thailand. We hope to continue working together with Rich and Betsy in the future.

After Rich and Betsy left us, they had meetings in Bangkok that had to be cancelled because of the protests happening there. They are in our prayers.

Even more wedding pictures

Allen and Jap's Wedding, More Pictures

Allen Metcalf and Surat (Jap) Saensuk's Wedding at Sammuk Christian Academy

Praise God, the day we have been anticipating arrived.

Allen Metcalf, a young man who was our parishioner in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, came to serve as a missionary teacher in Thailand at the Sammuk Christian Academy two years ago. Allen is like a son to us, so we were delighted to have him serve together with us. (Allen is a faithful supporter of the orphan and street children ministry at Blessing Home. His support has helped this ministry in its beginning phase). While there, Allen met a wonderful young woman named Jap. They fell in love and now they are married.

The wedding took place at Sammuk Christian Academy, and their fellow teachers and staff helped to put the wedding on. Our son Michael was the Best Man and Anthony was one of the groomsmen. Our granddaughter Madeline was the Ring Bearer.
I (Mike) preached at the wedding and also had the privilege of signing the wedding certificate as Allen’s adopted father (in Thailand, the bride and groom do not sign the wedding certificate, instead the parents sign).

It was a boiling hot day. We have no idea how Allen and Jap survived the heat in the formal wear they donned. It was wonderful seeing the joy on their faces. God is good!

There are many pictures, so they are spread out over three posts.

Meet Pastor Guy

We want to introduce you to Pastor Guy, a Pastor from the Akha tribe who will be planting a new Akha United Methodist church in Chiang Rai province on April 1. Pastor Guy is presently serving in a church of another denomination in Chiang Mai. However, God has called Pastor Guy to go back to his home village to serve the Akha people. We admire Pastor Guy, because we know this comes at great sacrifice to him. He is leaving the comforts and benefits of an established church in a prosperous region for the trials of starting a new church in an impoverished village.

Please keep Pastor Guy and his wife Wan in prayer as they take on the God-sized challenge of pioneering.