We have wonderful praises to report to you this month. When you pray, we see great things happen in Thailand. Truly, we have no idea where to begin, so we will start with the most recent answer to prayer.
First, Allie and David Houle, Field Directors for the Blessing Centers, have been in the process of adopting Aden for four years now, and the adoption is finally approved! Thank you for praying for them for this whole time and not giving up. Allie and David and all of us at Thailand NOW are celebrating this long awaited blessing. God is good!
Please continue to pray for Allie and David, that they can quickly get a Thai passport and an American visa for Aden so they can bring her to they can all visit family, friends, and supporters of the mission back in the United States. Aden Houle is now officially their daughter, but is not yet an American citizen. So she will need the Thai passport and American visa for her to come to the States. Allie and David have not been back home in Georgia for over five years because they have awaited the finalization of the adoption of Aden.
Second, seven months ago, we asked you to pray for Pastors Jin and Fee (not their real names - for their safety we must protect their identities) who are a clergy couple that planted the first church in a region of 8 counties in Northeast Thailand, none of which had a church. (again, we cannot name the community, to protect them). Jin and Fee rented a two-story row building in their unreached city and started a church there. The abbot (chief monk) of the local Buddhist temple was upset that a Christian church was being planted in his city, so he organized an armed mob to invade the church. The abbot and the mob pushed Jin and Fee up against a wall, holding them by their necks, and forbade them from using their phones to take videos or pictures. Then they destroyed everything in the church and threatened violence if they did not move away from the city. The police did nothing and no charges were brought against the abbot or any of the mob. When they did not move away because they could not break the lease on the building, the abbot organized the mob for a second time, and they ransacked the church for a second time.
Pastors Jin and Fee left the city and moved to a member's home about 2 miles outside of the city. The room that they met in could not contain everyone, so efforts were made to buy land outside of the city to build a church campus. We paid for an architect to design blueprints for the sanctuary, housing for the pastors, and some classrooms. We asked everyone to pray that the government officials in the city would look favorably upon them and approve the blueprints and construction permits for building the new church campus. Jin and Fee contacted us to report that they finally received approval for the blueprints and that they now have the construction permits that are needed.
Thank you for praying for Jin and Fee for the last seven months and not giving up on them. Your persistent prayers are paving the way for this church to become permanent in the community so that the 62,000 people living in this formerly unreached region can hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and have new life in Him!
Third, for the past two years we have asked you to pray for God's provision for Phase Two of the Abundant Life Training Center. We needed $140,000 for the construction of a large meeting room, a house for the Director's family, and a Restroom/Kitchen building.
This past month, we received donations that put us over the top and fundraising for Phase Two is complete! We are grateful for your generosity that made this possible!
Now we will begin Phase Three of fundraising for the Abundant Life Training Center. Phase Three include the following steps to move the training center campus forward toward functionality:
1) Bringing in electric service (poles, a transformer, and lines);
2) The purchase and installation of 8 inverter air-conditioning units; and
3) Building a security wall with 2 gates around the perimeter. (This will also keep local water buffalo from walking through freshly poured wet concrete floors when we begin our Final Phase of building two dormitory/bunk houses... Yes. We had to chuckle when we first saw hoof-prints in the main room’s wet concrete!)
The total needed to accomplish these Phase Three tasks is $47,000. If you, your family, or church group would like to give a special gift toward this project for Christmas, we’d be so grateful! The Abundant Life Financial Training Center will make it possible to equip pastors, leaders, and Thai churches throughout the nation to grow in essential financial skills, and will provide Biblical training in stewardship—a vital area of discipleship that can bless and strengthen families.
If you would like to give for the construction of the Abundant Life, please designate your gift to the BUILDING FUND.
Donations can be sent by check to:
Thailand NOW, P.O. Box 56, Mannsville, KY 42758
OR give online at:
