Pray for two outstanding Pioneer Pastors

We would like to introduce you to a Pioneer Pastor couple, Rungroj and Somchit, who planted a new church in an unreached sub-district in Tak Fa, in the central region of Thailand.  They are a courageous, persevering, and hard-working couple who gave up comfort in order to reach the lost for Christ in this region that has four unreached sub-districts… meaning that there are no Christian churches there.  They are pioneering new territory for Jesus Christ, and it is difficult work.

Pioneer Pastors are modern day circuit riders.  They ride scooters and mini-motorcycles, rather than horses.

TMM helped provide funding and coaching for an agricultural project.  They hand dug a well (back-breaking work in the tropical heat)and installed an irrigation system.  They grow and sell Jerusalem artichokes (a new product for Thailand… meaning they can create a new market and not compete with others), as well as raise chickens.  In the future, they will build a fish farm.  They run the farm and go to the markets three nights per week in different places to sell their produce.  While they work full-time, they are also serving at their church as well as planting new cell groups in neighboring sub-districts.  Now there are three sub-districts that were unreached before that now have a church and three cell groups.  Two of those groups are growing well, and we expect their ministry to be a two-church circuit soon.

Pastors Rungroj and Somchit grow Jerusalem artichokes and other produce to sell at the fresh markets.

Because they serve in a region with many unreached sub-districts (counties), they must travel far.  They go to the cell groups on this mini-motorcycle (they call it a “motorcy”).  In past times, circuit riders would go from place to place riding their horse to start cell groups.  Here in Thailand, the pastors go around on scooters and mini-motorcycles.

Please pray for Rungroj and Somchit, that their farm will be productive and that they will be successful in selling their produce, so their family can do the ministry.

Also pray that the Lord will give them strength to persevere and that they will have good health.

Both Pastors Rungroj and Somchit are seminary graduates.  One thing we found very encouraging was that two lay leaders from churches in an adjacent region attend one of their cell groups.  These lay leaders have never had the opportunity to study at a Bible college or seminary.  Rungroj and Somchit are providing training for them to help them be lay pastors at their churches.

It is a great honor to work together with Pastors Rungroj and Somchit.  They are “salt and light”.

Camp Ground VIM is a huge blessing to the Thailand Methodist Mission

We have had an exciting 10 days serving together with the mission team of 6 members from Camp Ground UMC of Bonnieville, KY.  Camp Ground UMC has supported Blessing Home faithfully for several years, and they worked hard to raise the funds to send this team.  All six were hard workers and also a great blessing to us and the Thai people. 

WOW!  Did this Campground team really accomplished a lot in a few days.

1.  They built a new large storage room on the third floor and built new shelves as well.

2.  They moved everything from our old 2^nd floor storage room and old 3^rd floor storage room into the new storage room.  This freed up the 2^nd floor storage room to be used as a new classroom for the Blessing Home ministry.  They gave funds to install an AC unit in this new classroom.  We really needed the new classroom because we now have 71 children in the nursery (a total of 101 children are now served by Blessing Home).  We desperately needed an extra classroom to cope with the large increase of children being served here.  Now that the old storage room on the third floor is empty, it is available to serve as a room for Pioneer Pastors to stay when they come for training.  Now we have two rooms available for Pioneer Pastors rather than just one. 

3.  The team painted the cabinets on the second floor, the ones that the team from Petrie Memorial built.  The cabinets look fantastic.

4.  They bought the equipment (TV, Blueray, and computer) for a new teaching station on the second floor.  We are now able to use new resources for teaching both Thai and English to the children as well as Christian education.

5.  Our kitchen had some awful plumbing problems, which caused the sewers to back up and make a horrible mess.  Pastor Banya made a temporary fix, but unfortunately it did not meet code.  This team bought a new grease trap and pump system that allows our kitchen to function once again and meet code.

6.  Andrea and Kelly, two sisters who were members of the team and are both teachers, lectured at a special seminar at Burupha University (a workshop on connecting with students to develop critical thinking skills, and also a workshop on teaching special needs children with an emphasis on autism).  They were so well received that they received invitations to come back to teach at the University.  Kelly also led a workshop with some of the guardians of the Blessing Home children on nutrition.  We were very pleased at the questions that the guardians had.  Kelly really connected with them.

7.  The team also did repairs on the apartment of Khao Haum, a young girl with severe mental and physical disabilities.  The cramped ghetto apartment was unsafe for this young girl.  The stair railing was broken.  The safety rail on the balcony was broken (they must leave the balcony door open to get air circulation in the steaming hot city, so this was a dangerous situation).  Also the door did not have a proper handle or lock.  The team fixed up the apartment and made it much safer.  They also bought some of the jewelry that Khao Haum’s mother sells to make a living.  They greatly blessed this poor family.

8.  The team also helped missionaries Carol Fare and Vicki Brown to teach English to the older students at Blessing Home on Saturday morning, enhancing their education.

9.  They also brought and made many teaching aids for Carol and Vicki to design special learning stations for the children.  The children loved the blocks and other educational toys and manipulatives that they made and brought to Blessing Home.

10.  Last, but not least, they were a great encouragement to the Blessing Home Staff and the United Methodists here in Pattaya. 

Zack, the youngest member of the Camp Ground Mission Team, was a tireless worker for the Lord.

Thank you for everything, Camp Ground UMC.

If you are interested in coming next year to serve on a mission team in Thailand, see our TEAM THAILAND website at http://thailandmethodist.blogspot.com/

Go on a Mission Trip to Thailand with the Thailand Methodist Mission

For 2014, we have two mission team opportunities for serving the Lord in Thailand.

WHEN:  There are two teams.

Spring Team: March 13-25, 2014

Summer Team: July 31 - August 12, 2014

COST: $1,500 (includes $500 non-refundable deposit).  FLIGHTS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE COST.  You will need to reserve your own flights. .

WHAT YOU WILL DO ON THIS MISSION TEAM:

• You will visit Blessing Home.  Meet some of the children that you help to save and protect from sex and drug traffickers.
• You will learn how you can make a difference in stopping the trafficking of Trafficking Awareness Workshop.
• You will help with Construction Projects at one of our Pioneer Pastor locations.  No construction skills necessary.  Be a part of making history as you help expand gospel to unreached areas of Thailand. 
• You will go on fun cultural tours, and may even ride an elephant.

INFORMATION:

We have a special website for the Thailand Mission Teams at http://thailandmethodist.blogspot.com/

Please visit that website for more information and to download the application form.