We need a miracle

First, an Update on Rachel and Us: Sherri and I have been overwhelmed with the love and compassion that all of you have showered upon us and our daughter Rachel during the past 5 weeks. Rachel entered Jewish Hospital on October 30 for outpatient surgery to have feeding tubes inserted into her body, but many things went wrong. A few days later, we asked for prayer for Rachel and had a special request for prayers to be sent to her via email. We were flooded with prayers, and we printed them out. There were over 90 pages of prayers for Rachel, and she was encouraged by people cared for her. On November 16, I sent an update email on Rachel. At that time, Rachel seemed to have several days where she very slowly was turning the corner. She was getting a little bit of nutrition (which is an improvement from none), and her pain levels dropped from 10 to 7. Still very high but still a bit of an improvement. Shortly after sending out that update, Rachel took a downward turn. She has a systemic Staph infection, she had bad reactions to the liquid nutrition they were pumping into her body and the food pump had to be turned off for several days. And she was getting weaker and thinner. Today makes 5 weeks that Rachel has been in the hospital. She will have many bad days, and then she will seem to rally for a few days, and then she will sink lower than ever before. On November 23, Rachel tested positive for COVID. Now we cannot be with her and help her. She is alone. She cannot stand without assistance, and when she does, she turns blue and purple from lack of oxygen and must lay down again. She is still not receiving all of the nutrition she needs and is still losing weight. Last week she was at 103 pounds and still dropping. We do not know what she weighs now, but she must be below 100 pounds now. And she still is in pain and her eyesight is being affected too. We need a miracle. Please pray for Rachel. Because we were taking care of Rachel in the hospital, we have contracted COVID as well and have been quarantining ourselves ever since we received the news about Rachel testing positive. We have been blessed by many neighbors bringing food and by many people offering help. We are blessed to have moderate symptoms. We are exhausted and it is a bit difficult to breathe but our oxygen levels are high. So, we are taking things at a slower pace and getting rest. Now, updates about the mission: Lansaka Church flooding We have a prayer request from Pastor Sirigorn (who planted the 41st Pioneer Pastor Church in May of this year in Southern Thailand). There is terrible prolonged flooding in Southern Thailand and it is causing suffering which is compounded by the financial devastation that COVID has caused, bringing to a halt the tourism which they depend upon to make a living. Below are some pictures from around Lansaka Church. One is a flooded intersection near the church and the other is a the restaurant/house of one of the new believers that attends the church.

Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center Every Christmas, God’s people bless the mission with special offerings to help a specific need. We have had several people contact us to get an update on fundraising for Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center. We still need $12,000 to reach our goal of $80,000. The land has already been purchased. Now we need the remaining funds to fill up the land by 6 feet of dirt to raise it above flood levels and to build a tall retainer wall around the perimeter. We pray that we receive all of the funds needed this Christmas so we can continue construction now that Dry Season is here. We save a lot of money if we fill the land with dirt now in dry season. Fill dirt is three times more expensive in rain season. So timing is essential. If the Lord leads you to give to this project, please be sure to designate your gift to the Building Fund. You can give online at https://thailandnow.org/donate/ Or send a check by mail to: Thailand NOW, P.O. Box 56, Mannsville, KY 42758

Update on Rachel and Good News from Thailand

It was 2 weeks ago that we had asked for prayer for our daughter Rachel, who went in for out-patient surgery to get feeding tubes in her stomach and colon, but things went wrong. Rachel was in acute unbearable pain, had internal bleeding, her body was rejecting the liquid food formula, and she was getting so weak she could not walk anymore because she has not had proper nutrition for over three months. We asked you to pray and if you had time to send prayers via email to give her hope. WOW!!! God's people are GOOD people. Thank you for being God's people! Within just two hours of sending that blog update, we received over 150 prayers. Sherri printed them all out, and it was 19 pages of prayer. Rachel was moved and received hope from those prayers and she will send a thank you note when she gets better and out of the hospital. But for now, we want to convey her gratitude for your compassion. After that first burst of prayer emails, we received another 200 prayers. All of these prayers are making a difference. Rachel has been in the hospital for 17 days now and things got worse before they started getting better. But now there is hope. The nutritionist found a liquid food formula that Rachel's body will receive and not reject. The anti-biotics are working and Rachel is no longer coughing up blood and the places where tubes are inserted into her body are still very tender, but at least it is healing. Rachel is receiving some nutrition now. She still cannot bear the pain of having the full amount of liquid food pumped into her body, but she is half way there. If she keeps going in the right direction, she may be able to go home in three or four days. So please keep the prayers flowing. The last few weeks have been busy in Thailand. School is on break for 4 weeks, and it is the time that many of the Thai churches schedule revivals and baptism services. Scores of pastors contacted us to see if we could make it back into Thailand to baptize new believers, and since we could not, they took pictures and videos. For the past three weeks we have received videos of baptisms and testimonies of new believers from churches throughout Thailand. We wanted to share one of them with you. We added captions so you can understand what this new believer named Lake is saying.

Finally, please pray for two of our team members, Teddy and May. They are our administrative assistants and we rely heavily upon them for the Abundant Life Savings Group Program. They are now packing up two households of furniture, equipment, and belongings to move half way across the nation to Buriram, where the new training center will be built. Because there is so much stuff to move, it will be done in stages over several months. They will be looking for places to rent for all of us and they must do this without our help. Now is the time because as soon as all of the funds are donated, we will begin Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center. We have the land purchased already. Now we must fill the land with 6 feet of dirt and then build a tall sturdy retainer wall around the whole property.

We are $12,000 away from completing $80,000 needed for Phase One fundraising. Our request is for churches, Sunday School classes, UMW and UMM groups, and individuals to pray about taking up special offerings during this Christmas season for this project. If you send offerings for this project, please designate it for the "Building Fund". You can give by check or online. Mail checks payable to Thailand NOW to: Thailand NOW P.O. Box 56 Mannsville, KY 42758 OR give Online at https://thailandnow.org/donate/

Children's Camps, a HUGE Answer to Prayer, and an Update

Children's Bible Camps

The school year in Thailand goes according to a different calendar than in the States because it is based upon the agricultural cycles of growing rice. October is the equivalent of winter break for Thai children, and many of the Pioneer Pastor churches are reaching out to the families in their neighborhood through Vacation Bible School.  In Thailand, we don't call it VBS.  Instead we call it Children's Bible Camp.  

Many pastors have asked for prayer for their Children's Bible Camp.  They want to share the Good News of Jesus with the children and their families so that many will become disciples of Christ.  So we are sharing some pictures with you so you can pray for them.  Please pray that whole families will come to Christ and be transformed through the power of the Lord.  The Thai pastors will be thrilled to know you are surrounding them with prayer.

(From top to bottom: Children's Bible Camp at Lamae Church, Children's Bible Camp at Phato Church, Children's Bible Camp at Prasiri Bangkok Church)

Your Prayers made the difference for David and Allie Houle

David at Blessing Home TaPhraya

You have been lifting David and Allie Houle up to the Lord in prayer for several months now as they
sought to obtain a work permit and visas so they could remain in Thailand.  COVID has created many crisis, and the Houle's were in need of divine intervention because all of the normal avenues of obtaining the documents they needed were cut off.  

On Friday, October 2, we received word that Allie and David now have a work permit and visas.  Please continue to pray for them.  The visas are for one month only, and they need to go back to Immigration Police at the end of the month to receive another visa for the remaining 11 months.  This is typical, but still a bit unnerving, because the process is not over until it is over.  However, obtaining the work permit is HUGE and we believe the largest obstacles have been overcome.

Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center UPDATE

We are getting closer each month to our goal of raising $80,000 for Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center.  Praise God, we have now received a total of over $67,000!  We have already purchased the land, now we need the rest of the funds to raise the land about 6 feet so it is above flood level and to build a strong and tall retainer wall around the property.  If we had all of the funds, we would begin now since rain season is coming to an end and it will be dry season from November through April.  Buying fill dirt is much cheaper during the dry season, and our budget is built around being able to be as economical as possible.

Members of the Abundant Life Savings
Group at Lamae Church come up front
to make deposits to their
Family Emergency Funds.

This training center is a vital need for our mission.  We have many more churches requesting Abundant Life Financial training then what we have the capacity to fulfill because we do not have our own facilities.  Since the COVID crisis, many pastors and Christian leaders have seen the need for the Abundant Life Savings Group Program.  They have witnessed how members of these groups were financially prepared for this crisis, and they want to be trained in the same way.

It is not possible for our staff to travel long distances to every church that is requesting training.  We can only meet the need if we can have the leaders come to us and be trained in a location where we have lodging and seminar rooms.  

If you would like to donate to this project, please designate your gift to the BUILDING FUND.

You can donate in many ways:

1.  You can donate online at https://thailandnow.org/donate/

2.  You can donate by check and mail to: 

Thailand NOW

P.O. Box 56

Mannsville, KY 42758

3. You can donate stocks and bonds and other estate gifts by contacting our treasurer, Terri Gabehart at thailandmm@windstream.net

Continued prayers needed for Allie and David

 Sherri and I want to thank all of you for praying for Thailand NOW missionaries Allie and David Houle.  They need continued prayer, so we are forwarding their blog to you.  

As you may remember, back in May we lost our jobs when the school that we were teaching English at closed down. This job had provided us with our work permit for our work visa for the past year. This forced us to begin praying and exploring other options to get a visa to be able to stay in Thailand. Under normal conditions, we would have had to leave Thailand one week after our school closed down to change our visa. However, due to Covid-19 the Thai government decided to give all foreigners already in Thailand amnesty until September 26. Praise God! This gave us the time necessary to start our own business, Peachtree Translation. Having a business in Thailand will be such a blessing because it gives us the stability to live and work in Thailand long-term! It also frees up our schedule to allow us to regularly travel to all the Blessing Home Centers.   It is a very long and complicated process to open a business in Thailand and you must have Thai people as co-owners of the business. Thankfully, God has provided many wonderful Thai people that are a part of our Thailand Now team who already translate materials and interpret when needed. Corn has her bachelor’s degree in Business English and Ploy has her bachelor’s degree in Thai Language. Their education and experience is perfectly suited for a translation company. Our new business, Peachtree Translation, will provide us with a work visa and it will provide additional health and social security benefits to our Thai team members.   While we are confident that this was the right move for us to stay and serve in Thailand long-term, we still have a huge need for prayers regarding our visa. Typically, when changing a work permit or visa type, you must leave the country and re-enter with the new visa. Most people are able to do a “Visa run” to Cambodia or Laos for just a couple days and then re-enter Thailand with their new visa. However, because of Covid, Thailand and other Asian countries have closed their borders. This means that we cannot leave Thailand to go to a neighboring country. If we leave Thailand, the only country that will accept us right now is America. And because Thailand is closed, we cannot re-enter Thailand at this time. We are asking you to pray that a border will open or a special exception for us to get our work visa in Thailand will be found.   Please pray for us and specifically that we can get a work visa before September 26. We know that God has plans for us to work in Thailand and that if we are shut out of the country it will only be temporary. We are so blessed to have an amazing team of Thai workers here in Thailand who can continue to provide these services for the Blessing Home kids in our absence if we must leave and return to America for a time. As stressful as it is not knowing where we'll be in a month, we know God is faithful. If we are required to be out of Thailand for a season, we know there are ways to strengthen the ministry through distance collaboration, until we are able to return. Please pray for us. Allie and David Houle

Visa update for Allie and David, and praises for church construction project victories

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Every time we entrust a prayer request to you, we try to keep you updated so you can give thanks to the Lord for His divine intervention.

ALLIE & DAVID HOULE   

Last month we asked you to pray for Thailand NOW missionaries David and Allie Houle, who serve as Field Directors for the Blessing Home Centers in Thailand.  (On the picture on the left, Allie is teaching the advanced Blessing Home students in their home).

 Every missionary must have a long term visa so they can legally stay in the country, and the David and Allie had employment visas through teaching part-time at a language school near Blessing Home in Pattaya.  But the language school went out of business in March, an economic victim of the COVID crisis.  And when the language school closed, their work permits and visas were cancelled.  The Thai government gave all foreigners in Thailand amnesty until July 31 to either leave the country or obtain a new visa.  So Allie and David chose to start their own translation business, called Peachtree Translating (you can tell they are from Georgia), which would enable them to obtain a work permit and visas to be able to stay in country.

They hired a prominent law firm in Pattaya that specializes in this kind of situation, and they began the process.  But because of COVID, everything slowed down and the process has taken longer than expected.  And then just two weeks ago, they found out that the lawyer they hired gave wrong advice and they would need to resubmit new documents and start over again.  They would not have enough time to meet the deadline.  If they could not meet the deadline, they would need to leave the country and would not be able to get back until the COVID crisis is over in the States.

So we ended up praying that the amnesty would be extended by the Thai government.  For many days Thai government officials were saying that the amnesty would not be extended.  This made us pray more fervently.  Then last week the Thai government announced that they would extend the amnesty through September 26.  We give praise to the Lord that David and Allie have more time for this process.  Please continue to pray for them.

 FIRST SUNDAY MORNING SERVICE AT THE NEW CAMPUS OF GOD IS GOOD CHURCH

On the left are pictures of the new church building of God is Good Church.  They love the bling, and the ceiling looks like a blue sky with clouds.  This past Sunday, August 2, was their first time worship celebration at this new campus.  The old campus is still in operation about 10 miles away, so not only did they construct a new beautiful building but they multiplied the church as well.  They really needed a second campus because they were overcrowded at the old campus and needed room for growth.

They are still constructing Sunday school rooms and office space next to the sanctuary, and this will be complete in the next few weeks.

We are very happy about the new campus because it is adjacent to the busy expressway and has great visibility.

NAKHON PATHOM CHURCH - 90% complete

Nakhon Pathom Church is a Pioneer Pastor church planted 11 years ago through the generosity of St. John's UMC of Aiken, S.C..  Under the leadership of Pastors Ekerat and Da, this congregation has grown strong and is a three-self church (self-supporting, self-leading, and self-multiplying).   Last year they purchased land and began construction on a new church building.  Construction is taking awhile because they make progress when they have funds on hand, and then they stop construction when.  According to Thai law, Thai churches cannot borrow money, so all construction must be done with cash on hand.

Last week, Pastor Ekerat notified us that construction was 90% complete and that they asked for prayer for funds to take them "across the finish line".  Because of your generosity, we were able to send money to them, and it should be enough to complete this construction project.  We want to thank you for your prayers and support which made this final donation for this project possible.  On the left is a picture of the new church building that is almost complete.  We hope to hear news of a Grand Opening worship service for some time next month.  Sherri and I wish we could be there, but we will ask our staff and missionaries to go represent Thailand NOW in our place.

AN UPDATE ON PHASE ONE OF THE ABUNDANT LIFE TRAINING CENTER FUNDRAISING.

We have had many people inquiring about progress on fundraising for Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center.  We chose to temporarily pause focus on raising funds for this project so we could focus on the immediate urgent need for food relief in the urban Pioneer Pastor Churches and Blessing Home Centers.  Phase One is purchase of land in Buriram province in Northeast Thailand (on the left is a map showing the location of Buriram province), construction of a retainer wall around the complete perimeter of the land and filling the land above flood levels (about 4-6 feet deep).  This first phase would cost $80,000.  We have received a bit over $61,000 so far.

This was enough money on hand to purchase land and we started this process back in February, but COVID had already hit Thailand, bringing everything to a total stop when the Thai government implemented a hard shutdown, closing most government offices and prohibiting inter-provincial travel.  On June 10, our staff were able to complete the purchase of the land and the land has now been purchased and we have a title deed in hand!  God is good!!!

We still need $19,000 more to build a retainer wall and to fill the land.  If there are funds left over, we may be able to sink a well too. 

If you would like to donate towards Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center, please be sure to designate your gift to the BUILDING FUND.

Checks can be sent to:
Thailand NOW
P.O. Box 56
Mannsville, KY 42758

OR give ONLINE at:
https://thailandnow.org/donate/

“So…When Are You Going Back?”

“So…When Are You Going Back?”

If you read Mike’s post on March 28^th, you may recall the topsy-turvy experience we had while trying to get to the U.S. when COVID-19 was emerging. Our original plans for our U.S.-based time included itinerating among churches to share mission updates, connecting with family, and renewing our visas so we could return to Thailand. Little did we know that COVID-19 would lead to temporary church closures, meeting postponements, periods of self-isolation, and a halt to visas being issued.

If all had gone as planned, we’d already be back in Thailand. Yet, here we are, still in Kentucky! Lately, it seems the most common question we hear is, “So…When are you going back?”

The short answer is, “When COVID-19 in the U.S. is brought down to a level that our citizens are considered ‘safe’ by the Thai government.” As we look at the news and current projections --- that may be a while.

Our situation is not unique among missionaries and other cross-cultural workers serving globally. In the last few months, we’ve had online meetings with other missionaries who’ve not been able to return to their places of service. Not only is COVID-19 impacting individuals, churches and communities here at home, but it is impacting the sharing of Christ throughout the world.

We Can Make Plans… But Sometimes We Need to Wait

Rather than being overcome by discouragement or frustration, we’ve found peace for our situation through God’s Word.  For example, in Acts 16:6-8 we find:

“Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.”

As we read of the Apostle Paul’s work and the early church’s expansion, we’re reminded we are not the first who’ve had a door to Asia temporarily closed! We’re also reminded, “Plans may change…so make the best use of time in the situation.”

While we’ve been able to be productive here at home, developing curriculum and working with folks in Thailand for programming purposes via Zoom, things are definitely not the same.  Yet as we reflect on the shift, Mike has marveled more than once, “God is making lemonade out of our lemons.”

“So, we see how the U.S.  is dealing with COVID… how about 

Thailand?”

Thailand has implemented a very coordinated, consistent policy for addressing COVID-19, and it shows. As of this writing, Thailand has recorded less than 3,200 cases, with 58 deaths. Presently, 65 people are receiving treatment for COVID-19. While the nation (and particularly the cities) had been on strict shut-down (causing no small economic hurt), step-by-step controlled opening is now in process.

For example, as stores are opening, shoppers’ temperatures are monitored (below, left). “Check-ins” are also done with phone apps at the entry of shops. This way, if a COVID-19 case is identified, reporting and contact tracing can more rapidly be carried out. (Below, right, David is “checking in.”)

Last week, schools were able to begin re-opening. From communications with our missionary team & Thai partners from various locations, we know that schools have different plans by which they are operating. For example, May and Teddy’s kids (see photo) have rotating schedules: on Week One, they go to school on Mon., Wed., and Friday; on Week Two, they attend Tue. and Thursday. At another school where some of our Blessing Home kids attend, girls go to school part of the week, and boys go during the rest of the week.

In all locations, before children enter the school yard, they go through a temperature check, sanitizing and hand-washing station.

(Click to see a short clip from the first day back to school.)

“Practice of true community involves responsibilities and actions that do not come naturally to us.” — Jerry Bridges

(Author of books such as: The Pursuit of Holiness; Trusting God When It Hurts, and True Community: The Biblical Practice of Koinonia).

Despite these good signs, it could be easy to forget the challenges affecting our Thai brothers and sisters. Currently, borders are still closed to international tourists. This is a blow to the national economy, and to the “everyday finances” of families – especially in urban areas, where costs are high. (Thailand NOW is continuing to provide funds to city churches for emergency food relief, and we are so thankful for your faithful giving, which makes this possible!)

The challenges our Thai friends and family are experiencing are not light. In fact, the heaviness is such that it would be easy for people to turn against one another out of frustration. Instead, it seems they are committed to practicing “kreng jai,” a Thai cultural value that is hard to translate.

The closest explanation would be to say they practice a type of ‘consideration’ for each other, which seeks to put the feelings and well-being of others first, before themselves (similar to what is described in Philippians 2:1-14). A prime example of this can be seen in the photos above, where the wearing masks in public during COVID is the norm.

(In our earlier years in Thailand, I was confused by Thai people ‘masking up’ when they were feeling sick, or ‘had a cold coming on.’ Why would they put on a mask after they were feeling bad? Wasn’t it ‘too late’ to protect themselves from getting sick? At the time, I didn’t yet understand how deeply “kreng jai” – or consideration for others was woven into all parts of life. Thais were putting on the masks not for themselves, but out of care for each other.) Though wearing masks may feel strange, and does not come naturally, this act of consideration is a part of practicing “true community” and is admirable.

While We’re Waiting to Return to Thailand, Here’s How 

You Can Help…

Please pray for doors to open, so missionaries waiting to return to their place of service can be re-deployed globally.

Please continue to pray for our Thai brothers and sisters, many of whom truly struggle, financially living ‘day-to-day.’

Please pray for our own nation. For protection; healing;  peace, and that we may have hearts of humility and “kreng jai” (deep consideration) for one another, knowing that our decisions and actions -- no matter how small -- always impact others.

  “Practice of true community involves responsibilities and actions that do not come naturally to us.”

 Blessings in Christ Jesus!

Going back to Plan A

Hello Thailand NOW Prayer Warriors,

We know you are praying because we see the Lord at work.  Thank you for being the powerhouse of this mission.

Pastor Sirigorn and her husband John and her oldest son.

A New Pioneer Pastor Church in Southern Thailand

On the mission field, you get used to having to modify plans and go with Plan B.  And the COVID crisis has made our mission have to do this on a lot of things.  One of the Plan B changes had to do with a Pioneer Pastor named Sirigorn who was the pastor of Tha Chana Church in Suratthani province in Southern Thailand.  Pastor Sirigorn applied with the Pioneer Pastor Program to move in April to an unreached area of Southern Thailand in Lansaka, Nakhon Si Thammarat province.  Lansaka is an unreached county with no Christian churches in the county nor any of the surrounding counties.  There are over 55,000 souls living in this unreached area, most of whom are Muslim and Buddhist.

We had already trained Pastor Sirigorn and had provided a stipend more moving and for renting a commercial row building. They would live on the second floor and the first floor would be where the new church would begin meeting.  Her husband John had given his two week notice and was no longer working, getting ready to move and find employment in the new location.  All of their belongings were packed and ready to go.  The church where Sirigorn was serving already called another pastor to lead them.  They were all set for Plan A.

 And then the Thai government ordered a full lock down.  No one was allowed to travel.  Pastor Sirigorn said she would need to stay put.  It looked like they would be delaying for a full year because their children would miss the beginning of the new school year (which usually begins in May).  So we were onto Plan B, to delay until next year, which was fine with us because finances are very tight due to the COVID crisis.  Donations are down and are expenses are higher because we must provide food relief to the Pioneer Pastor churches in the urban areas where people cannot work because of the lock down and they do not have any food.  So delaying this church plant was helpful to the finances at this time.

And then we received a message from Pastor Sirigorn this past week.  The lock down is over and Thais are now allowed to travel between provinces.  They must move because the new pastor is coming to the church where she used to serve.  So they moved to Lansaka and are beginning this new church plant.  It is back to Plan A.

They rented a commercial row house unit.  They will live on the second floor and the first floor will be where the church will meet.  The backyard was a real mess with lots of trash and weeds.  John worked hard to clean it all up and he has planted a garden to help feed his family.  

Pastor Sirigorn and John need your prayers.

• Pray that John will be able to find employment, which is a real challenge during with a horribly depressed economy.
• Pray for Pastor Sirigorn as she begins to build relationships with her neighbors and shares Jesus with them.
• Pray that Pastor Sirigorn will find a market where she can sell Dorayaki (Japanese pancake sandwiches with creamy filling) and that her business will thrive.
• Pray that her they are allowed to register their children to attend public school, this is always a bit tricky and difficult to navigate.

We give praise to our Lord that He has blessed our mission to be able to work with Thai pastors and Christian leaders to plant 41 churches in 41 counties that were previously unreached.  It is our prayer that every county in Thailand will have a vibrant Christian church because Everybody Needs Jesus!

Continue to Pray for Allie and David

2 weeks ago, we asked for you to pray for Thailand NOW missionaries Allie and David Houle who serve as Field Directors for all of the Blessing Home Centers.  The language school where they worked part-time (so they could have employment visas to stay in the country) closed due to the COVID crisis, and now they were scrambling to find the best way to get a new visa.

After much gathering of information and praying for the Lord's guidance, Allie and David have decided to start a business so they can receive business visas.  This is a long process that required them to retain the help of a law firm that specializes in helping foreigners to start businesses in Thailand and obtain business visas.  They have been busy at work getting all of their paperwork done, and they will be going to government offices in Bangkok to submit this paperwork. 

Once their business is incorporated, they will begin a separate process to obtain a work permit.  And after they receive a work permit, they will begin a third process to obtain visas.  Please keep them in prayer since all of these processes are complicated and it is vitally important that they are able to have long-term visas so they can serve in Thailand.

How to Donate

On a different note, we have received several emails asking about how to donate to the mission, so it is time to share the information again.

Donations by check can be sent to:
Thailand NOW
P.O. Box 56
Mannsville, KY 42758

Online donations can be given through QGiv or through PayPal (Just click on these links).  Our website also has information on gifts of stocks and estate gifts https://thailandnow.org/donate/

If you give online, there is a check box for recurring gifts (gifts can be set to be automatic either monthly or annually).  Many people choose this convenient way for recurring gifts.  Please be sure to make sure this box is NOT CHECKED if you do not want to have a recurring gift.

Good News To Lift Up Your Spirits!

We have so many blessings to lift before the Lord.  And many of these blessings are serendipitous, not having been planned at all.   Here are some of them:

• The ministry of Global Theological Institute is as strong as ever because it is a Distance Leaning institution.  In fact, because students cannot work, they have more time than ever for their studies, and we have seen a great increase in the amount of courses being completed, especially by our Pioneer Pastor students.  The increase is so great that we expect next years graduation to be a "bumper crop"
• We and our Thai Team have been writing and formatting books, producing and editing training videos, and creating other curriculum resources for the Abundant Life Financial Training Program and for the Pioneer Pastor Program.  Usually we all travel to do seminars all over Thailand as well as create resources. And to be honest, we all usually have too many "irons in the fire" and get behind on our production of resources.  But now that all of us cannot travel, we have been able to catch up on our book and video projects.  We praise the Lord for the ability to carve our larger amounts of time to make much needed educational resources.
• Sherri and I are at our home near Campbellsville, Kentucky now.  Usually when we are in the States, our home in Thailand is vacant.  But we praise God that May and Teddy, who serve full-time with us, were able to move their family into our home during the Coronavirus crisis.  They live in a tightly packed city lane where COVID-19 has hit hard because most of their neighbors work in the tourist industry.  In the overcrowded city neighborhoods, it is almost impossible to isolate to stay safe.  We praise God that they can live at our house where it is much safer.

These are just a few of the many serendipitous blessings from our Lord.  Thank you for praying for us!  Your prayers are the engine room of the mission that keeps this ship sailing.

For such a time as this

Esther 4:14  
For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?

God had placed Esther in a special position to be able to help her people during a crisis that she probably never could have predicted would happen.  When Esther was chosen to be the queen, she had no idea that she would be in a unique position to help her people when they needed her.  Looking back, we see God's hand at work.  Our Almighty God who knows the future had a plan for Esther.  It was our Lord who chose Esther to be the queen, for such a time as this.

We believe that the Thai Pastors and Christians, and the missionaries of Thailand NOW have been put into our positions of ministry during this COVID-19 crisis for such a time as this.  The urban churches have been hit with a sledge hammer of poverty.  Almost everyone is out of work and many have been out of work for 2 months now.  These are families that live on less than $250 per month.  They have no food and no way of earning money.  The pastors and church leaders have had so many people come to them for help that they have used up all of their savings buying food for hungry parishioners and family.  

Pastor Somsri of Fire of Glory Church already had a food relief program that gave milk and eggs to children who were terribly undernourished.  The children not only were too thin, they had suffered for many years and had not grown like they should.  There was one child that I thought was either 7 or 8 years old, but she was 14 years old!  And there were many others like her.  Pastor Somsri continued to help them and now cannot feed her own family.  So we are giving extra help to make sure that Pastor Somsri's family and her parishioners have food to eat during the next several months, until the crisis resolves.  In Thailand, all of the churches are closed, like they are in the States.  So the urban pastors have no means of income.  We praise the Lord that He has placed us in the position to help.  God appointed us as missionaries for such a time as this.

Pastors Sila and Wassana of Prasiri UMC in Bangkok, have been shopping for food and bringing relief packages to their neighbors and parishioners who had no food in their homes.  The members of Prasiri UMC also made face masks to give to their neighbors in their time of need.  They are the hands and feet of God for such a time as this.

Pastor Sila wearing his face mask.

Shopping for groceries to give to those in need

Bags of groceries ready to deliver

Pastors Det and Dao who serve at Blessing Home TaPhraya have been delivering food to the homes of the Blessing Home kids and seniors who have no food.  There are no many more people needing assistance than ever before, and they are giving all that they have to help. 

At Blessing Home Pattaya, Thailand NOW missionaries David and Allie Houle have been making sure every child and their families receive food.  Allie and David have not been able to isolate themselves at home, because they need to make sure these children are cared for.  Allie and David have also been helping the members of Life Center UMC who are out of work and have no food.  The need is huge and they know they have been called by God to serve at Blessing Home Pattaya for such a time as this.   Please pray for them as they serve the Lord faithfully, that they will be safe from the coronavirus as they do their ministry as the compassionate hands and feet of God.

Allie gives an activity book to a Blessing Home kid so she
can learn while staying safe at home.

David delivers food to one of the Blessing Home
kids and his father.

So we would just like to say, Thank You!!!  Your prayers and faithful support during this time is making a world of difference in the lives of these people in desperate need.

Ploy packs emergency bags of food.

March: the month we felt like we were Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

WOW!!! We arrived home in Kentucky on March 18 and we are thankful for your prayers, because it was only through your prayers that we made it back home.  There were so many pits and traps that would have left us stranded that we felt like Indiana Jones escaping from the cursed cave.

For two weeks before our flight, we self-isolated in our home in Thailand so we would have the best chance of being healthy for the flight.  We knew that if we were sick with COVID-19 we would not be able to fly (nor would we want to because it would endanger others).  Our original itinerary to fly back home included a layover in Milan, Italy.  When COVID-19 hit there, we decided to change our flights to avoid Milan.  That involved 4 hours of waiting on hold until an agent could help us, and we had to pay quite a bit to make the change.  No problem, we did what we had to.

Then there was talk of airports and airlines closing down.  We were flying on Emirates Airlines, and the government of United Arab Emirates was beginning to ban people flying in from one country after another.  Thailand was not on the list, but we were holding our breath because we could not be stranded in Thailand.  Our visas were near expiring, and we would not qualify to extend the visa in country.  We had to get back to the States to get a new visa.  If we stayed illegally, we could be arrested, put in jail, fined, deported, and worse of all, blacklisted from coming back to Thailand this year.  This would have been disastrous for us.  We did all that we could do: we prayed and asked others to pray for us too.

 Then we read on the news the next day that Emirates and other airlines were cancelling a large percentage of their flights.  The next day, we received an email from Emirates that our flight was cancelled and that they booked us on a new flight but would not let us choose seats (even thought we paid for that service already, TWICE).  We just had to wait until the day of the flight and check-in online as soon as possible to secure a boarding pass, because the flight would be massively overbooked.  Many people would show up for this flight, having purchased a ticket, yet would not be able to board.  We still did not know if we would be able to leave Thailand.

The day came when we were to fly and we receive an email from Emirates that we could check-in online, which made us happy.  We could finally get our boarding passes and know we can get home.  But when we attempted to check-in online, the app said that we could not check-in because we had not yet paid for the tickets (and we had actually paid for them TWICE).  So we before calling Emirates, I tried to use our bank's website to get proof that we paid for our tickets, but our bank's website was down for the day.  So we had to call Emirates, with no way to prove that we actually paid for the tickets.  After over 4 hours of waiting, an Emirates agent helped us.  He could not assign us seats and give a boarding pass.  He said they would take care of that when we arrived at the airport.  We were not really convinced we actually had tickets.  He could not send us a ticket confirmation by email.  It all just felt wrong, and a bit scary.

So we arrived at the airport almost 4 hours early wearing surgical masks and using alcohol gel every time we touched anything (we went through several small bottles in just two days).  When we went to check-in, the agent looked at her screen and a look of concern came upon her and she said she needed to contact her supervisor.  The supervisor came, and after a long time was able to give us a boarding pass to fly to Dubai but could not give us the boarding pass to fly from Dubai to JFK airport in New York City.  She also informed us that our luggage would not go directly to JFK airport since our layover in Dubai was longer than 24 hours.  We would have to pick up our luggage in Dubai.  But, in order to pick up our luggage in Dubai, we would have to enter the country through Immigration Control, and we did not have the medical clearances to allow us to enter Dubai.  So we checked in our luggage, thinking that we might not see it again.

The flight was a bit nerve-wracking.  Almost everyone had a masks on, and most of the other passengers were like us, using sanitizing gel like it was going out of style.  When we arrived in Dubai, we went to the Emirates Airlines help counter to try to get a boarding pass for our next flight and to see what could be done about our luggage.  The agent was very helpful with our luggage, typing information into the computer so our luggage would be found and then sent to America.  But he said we had to wait another 12 hours before we could get a boarding pass for the next flight.

We were blessed to be able to book a room at the airport hotel, so we slept comfortably.  The next morning we went to get a boarding pass, but were told that there was something wrong with our reservation and that only the supervisor had the authority to help us and that he was in a meeting.  We were instructed to come back in 2 hours.  We are very grateful for the help of the hotel worker who went to the desk 4 times to work out whatever the problem was with out ticket.  Just 2 hours before the flight, we had our boarding passes.  We were relieved because it would have been awful being stranded in Dubai.  We would have to live at the airport because we could not enter the country.  (We thought we might be like Tom Hanks in the movie "The Terminal").  Every day, more and more flights were being cancelled and the chances of getting back to the States would get slimmer.  Your prayers paved the way home.

So we boarded the flight, and there was never a better flight.  We always feel great joy at flying home to the States, but this time was different.  We were felt incredibly blessed and happy to come home.  When we arrived at JFK airport, everything went smoothly.  We went through Passport Control quickly and we waited at the luggage carousel, wondering if our luggage would actually arrive.  God answered our prayers and both of our bags arrived!

We booked a one-way car rental and drove that night to a hotel in Queens.  We were thoroughly exhausted and fell asleep on the way down to the pillow.  The next morning we drove all the way home to Campbellsville, Kentucky.  Good friends had come and prepared our house for us, cleaning the place and stocking our kitchen with food, knowing we would need to self-isolate for at least 14 days (looks like it will be considerably longer).

The whole month of March was a series of pits and traps, any one of which would have left us stranded, either in Thailand, where we would have expired visas, or Dubai, where we would have been stuck in the airport.  God is Good!  We are home!

Our prayers extend to all of you, as we all hunker down to fight COVID-19.  We pray that this time of isolation is a time that you can use in some positive way.  Do things you enjoy that you usually don't have time to do.  Get tasks done that you have not been able to get to (Last night Sherri mentioned the first "Honey-Do" chore for me, painting shelves in the bathroom.)

Although we and our Thai team are isolated in our homes, in Thailand and Kentucky, we now have time to focus exclusively on creating curriculum, both books and videos.  We use Zoom to have meetings now, and it has actually made us quite productive.

Thailand Now missionaries, Allie and David Houle are taking care of the Blessing Home kids at all three centers, making sure they are fed and well nourished while they are isolating at home.  Here is the link to read their latest blog > https://davidandallieinthailand.blogspot.com/2020/03/covid-19.html

Thailand Now missionaries, Carol Fare and Vicki Brown are hunkering down, making specialized furnishings for special needs children.

We know this is a tough time for all, emotionally and financially.  Please remember to pray for the missionaries and ministries of Thailand Now.  We will continue to feed and help Blessing Home kids and pay salaries to our Thai team members.

If the Lord leads you to give, you can give online at our website >https://thailandnow.org/donate/
OR send a check to:

Thailand NOW
P.O. Box 56
Mannsville, KY 42758

Hello Friends,

First, we have a new email address > morrisseys@thailandnow.org
Please begin using this new email.  Our old email addresses will keep working for a year or so, but this email will be permanent.

Second,we need for you to pray for this mission, so we hope you will add these requests and praises to your daily prayer list.

Shelby Gillespie and Blessing Home Isan 

Shelby is completing her missionary service and will be heading back early in March. Shelby has been a great blessing to this mission.  Blessing Home Isan has been a fruitful ministry under her leadership and she has developed Christian education materials which are used in churches throughout Thailand.  The impact of her ministry goes way beyond this one location.  We are going to miss Shelby and we wish her the best as she goes back to the States as she prepares for married life with her fiance Jeremy.  On the left is a picture of Blessing Home Isan kids honoring Shelby at her final Sunday on location.

For the past 2 months, Shelby has been training the new director of Blessing Home Isan, KaoPoat (which means Corn).  KaoPoat is a Blessing Home Isan scholarship kid who received a full scholarship to study Business English at St. Theresa International College.  After earning her B.A. degree, she worked in Bangkok as a Office Manager and also in the H.R. department of a second firm.  KaoPoat has often expressed her call to ministry, and was eager to serve the Lord at Blessing Home Isan.  Please pray for KaoPoat as she takes on this new challenge.  KaoPoat will also begin Master of Divinity studies at Global Theological Institute, so her plate is very full.  On the left is a picture of KaoPoat with her new scooter that she can use to visit the families of Blessing Home Isan kids.

New Field Directors of all the Blessing Home Centers

Thailand Now missionaries, David and Allie Houle, are taking on the responsibility as Field Directors to lead all three Blessing Home locations.  They will still serve as Directors of Blessing Home Pattaya, but will also supervise Blessing Home TaPhraya and Blessing Home Isan.  They will be travelling frequently like we do, so please keep them in prayer.

David and Allie have also been helping us create English language videos for the Abundant Life Savings Program.  On the left is a picture of them at our home office doing a recording.

The 40th Pioneer Pastor Church launched on February 9

Pastor Somchai and Teacher Aun, leaders of Promise Church, have a vision to plant churches in every county in their district of Phanat Nikhom as well as a neighboring district of Phan Thong.  They have several cell groups started and leaders being trained for these new locations.  We are blessed to have worked together with Somchai and Aun for many years now and we are excited because several of these cell groups have thrived and one launched as a new church a few weeks ago.

Huathanon Church is the first Christian church in this rural county with a population of 4,900 people.  Pastor Pranee, who used to serve as the youth and children's ministry pastor at Promise Church, has been leading this ministry for over a year and is now the Pioneer Pastor for this new church.   Please place Pranee on your list of daily prayers.  This is a God-sized task and we must empower her. 

We give praise to God for all of the prayer and financial support we have received that has made it possible to have planted 40 Pioneer Pastor churches in 40 counties that used to be unreached.    These counties never had a Christian church throughout history and with your help the name of Jesus is being proclaimed in these previously unreached territories and thousands of Thais have come to believe and serve Jesus.  For Sherri and I, it is a great time of joy and blessing to go baptize believers in these Pioneer Pastor churches.  Because there are now 40 churches, we cannot go to most of the baptism services, but we rejoice when we have the opportunity to go. 

This past month, we baptized 15 new believers at Fire of Glory Church.  They dug a large pit for the baptism service and covered it in plastic and tried to fill it with water, but the water pressure at the church dropped very low, so we only had about four inches of water.  Baptism by immersion is the typical method used in Thailand, but there was not enough water for immersion so this time I scooped water with my hands and poured water on their heads to baptize them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The majority of the new believers being baptized were young adult men, and when the men would come down to be baptized, most would burst into tears of joy.  I don't know about you, but when adult men cry, I start to tear up as well.  We had a chain reaction and all of us were moved by the joy of the Holy Spirit.  There were no dry eyes at this service.

2 New Church Buildings being constructed for Pioneer Pastor churches.

Sherri and I will be coming back to the States for itineration in a couple of weeks from now.  So we are going to miss the Grand Opening services for two new church buildings at Pioneer Pastor Churches.

God is Good Church is constructing a new church campus right next to the expressway about 10 miles away from their present location.  It is modular construction, so construction quickly.  The Grand Opening Service is on April 6, so we will miss this one.

God is Good Church will still keep the old campus open, so there will now be two churches located in different counties.  The Pastors at the old location are Pastors John and Apple, who we have served together with since we first came to Thailand 14 years ago.  They were at our home office last week for a series of consultations as they take on leadership of the church at the old location.

Another Grand Opening Service of a new church building we will miss is Nakhon Pathom Church, which was planted 11 years ago through the generosity of St. John's UMC of Aiken, SC.  This church was planted because of the burden on the heart of a Thai Christian teacher named Lake.  Miss Lake taught English at an elementary school in Nakhon Pathom in a region of several counties that did not have a single Christian church.  She would share Christ with the students and their familes and many became believers in Jesus Christ.  Miss Lake would give the students Gideon New Testaments, and they would read the Bible to their whole family at dinner time.  She told us how the students would be beaten by the other teachers at school for carrying the Gideon New Testaments in their backpacks.  She said we must have a church for these students and their families.  Every week she would plead with us, and when we had the funds and the right leaders in Pastors Ekerat and Da, this Pioneer Pastor Church was started.

On the left is a picture of Sherri and I standing together with Pastors Da and Ekerat at the new 2 story church building on the new campus. 

Construction is expected to be completed by end of May and we expect that the Grand Opening Service will be sometime in the beginning of June when we are in the States attending the Kentucky Annual Conference.

When both of the church building are complete for God is Good Church and Nakhon Pathom Church, this will make 14 churches that own buildings and do not need to pay rent anymore.  Our Lord provides and takes care of His people.  Praise be to the Lord!

Update on Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center

We now have received $56,600 of the $80,000 needed for Phase One of the Abundant Life Training Center.  Phase One is purchasing land, raising the land by 4-6 feet to bring it above flood level, and to build a retainer wall.  When we are in the States, our goal is to complete fundraising for Phase 1 and begin fundraising for Phase 2, which is building an Office/Seminar Room building and a house for staff.

Please pray that we can quickly raise the funds needed.  If the Lord leads you to give to construct the Abundant Life Training Center, please designate your donation for the BUILDING FUND.

You can give online at https://thailandnow.org/donate/

Or send a check to this address:

Thailand NOW
P.O. Box 56
Mannsville, KY 42758