Life on the road

Much of our life is spent on the road.   All of Thailand is our parish, so travelling to visit the churches we have planted and working in cities and villages where we will plant churches in the future is a constant part of life.  So we spend a lot of time in our little Kia Picanto car.  Mike is always getting teased about being a big man trying to fit into a sub-compact vehicle.  But it really is a good car and it really serves us well.

This is a map of Thailand superimposed on a map of the USA.  You can see we have extensive territory to cover.  It takes much longer to get from one place to another also, because there is much traffic and the roads are not as developed as in the States.

And then when we get back to the States, we spend most of our time on the road visiting supporting churches.  The Kentucky Annual Conference has been very generous to us, loaning us a Ford Taurus to use most every time we have come back to the States for itineration.  We spend large amounts of time in that vehicle as well.  We really feel like modern day Methodist circuit riders.  We have just exchanged cars for horses.

Since coming back to Thailand, we have been on the road quite a bit, and will be for the foreseeable future.  When coming back, we made it a priority to visit the pioneering pastors and churches that we have been privileged to help start.  It is important to encourage the pastors and members, because Christians are very isolated in Thailand and face much pressure.

While visiting the churches, we find ways to help the churches the pastors to make their members and churches stronger.  In Mai Ya, Pastors Jerron and On had to quickly move to another house.  They had been living in Jerron's sister's home, while she lived overseas, but she came back to Thailand unexpectedly and they needed to find a new place.  They have now rented a place on the main road (great location) and are using this new location as their parsonage and as a new church building.  The picture below is at the new church building on their first Sunday worshipping at this new location.

Our focus in on planting self-sustaining churches in counties (sub-districts) that have no church of any type whatsover.  So we help the pastors to start businesses that will support their families and ministries.  Pastor Jerron has a barber shop, and his wife, Pastor On approached us about starting a noodle soup restaurant at the market in town, which is a great location.  We worked together with Pastor On to create a business plan and TMM gave a grant to open this restaurant, which will soon be in operation.  Next time we are visiting there, we will take pictures of this new economic development project.

This is the leadership team of the Mai Ya church which was planted in August of last year.  

Please remember to pray for us as we travel and work in the outer provinces.  Please also pray for the Pioneering Pastors and their congregations, who face many challenges.  Your prayers make a difference.

Also please remember TMM this summer with your generosity.  We always experience a summer slump in giving, but our monthly needs for the ministries here continue.

Below are some pictures from some of our church visits.  If these do not show up in your email, then please visit our blog at msmorrissey.blogspot.com

Pastor Amnat of Pradumri Bowin church preaches in the new building the church purchased last year.  Bowin was the first church we helped to plant in Thailand and it is a great pleasure to visit here, where we have many friends.

Somchai is Mike's friend and we are always very happy to see each other.  Somchai is a strong leader at the Bowin church.  Earlier in the week, Sonchai, who is a truck mechanic, hurt his hand and had it bandaged.  When Mike saw the bandage, he decided he had to wrap his hand in tissue so he could look like his friend for this photo.

This is a worship service at Nakhon Pathom church.  The room is very small, but does not have a front entrance wall.  Instead it has an overhead door (like a garage).  They open up the overhead door and some people sit inside, but most sit outside under the overhang, which is behind this photo.  

Pastors Ekerat and Da have effective children's ministries at the church's Youth Development Center.  The children come on weekdays to learn music, to enjoy reading books, and Bible clubs.  This focus on children and youth is seen on Sunday mornings.  Nakhon Pathom church has three Sunday School classes for children and youth.

  

An opportunity to serve on a VIM team to Thailand

Pastor Ted Beam and Mark Pafford of Petrie Memorial UMC are leading a VIM team to Thailand from September 10-23.  Below is the information for this VIM team.  Please contact Pastor Ted Beam ASAP for more information at this email >> ted.beam@hotmail.com

Registration

We have limited this team to 12-20 members. 

Dates

The team will fly out of Nashville on Monday, September 10, through Chicago O'Hare with a plane change in Tokyo, arriving in Bangkok. The team is scheduled to return from Bangkok to Nashville on Sunday, September 23. We will use United Airlines.

Cost

We have settled on flights, travel insurance, lodging, meals, in country transportation, etc. for a total of $2,810.00 per person. We have already begun our fund raising efforts. If you do not plan to go but would like to help another person go, you may make your check out to Petrie Memorial UMC with "Thailand Mission" on the memo line.

Purpose

Children's evangelism. We will be conducting an "English Camp" for 2-3 days in 3 different communities. If we call it Vacation Bible School, the non-Christians will not attend. We will site see and shop 1-2 days.

Meet Sungwieng, one of our Blessing Home guardians

At Blessing Home, when we help save and protect children from trafficking, we also help the guardians and families of the children.  We want the children to know Christ and their families too.

Some of the guardians and family members of the children of Blessing Home are so touched by the love of God that they experience through the members of Life Center UMC in Pattaya that they want to learn more about Jesus Christ and receive Him as their Savior and Lord.

One that comes to mind is Sungwieng, a 68 years old seamstress who ekes out a living by herself.  Her daughter died and there she had to take care of her two grandchildren, Mickey and Nobita.  Sungwieng was in great distress, because there were no other family members to help her and she could barely afford to feed them, and it was impossible to send them to school.  When she found out about the ministry of Blessing Home, she found hope that she could receive assistance that they desperately needed.  The older brother, Mickey, was one of the first 10 children we received at Blessing Home.  A year later, Nobita also started to come to Blessing Home.

Sungwieng with her two grandchildren, Mickey and Nobita. 

Sungwieng was deeply touched at how well her grandchildren were nurtured and cared for.  She saw Christians who loved her and her grandchildren, even though they were not related to her and didn’t know her.  So when church members at Life Center UMC invited her to come to a Bible study, she was very interested to get to know more about Jesus, the Lord of these Thai Christians.  It was not long before she heard the testimonies of the Thai Christians and how Jesus Christ gave them new life.  After only a few months of attending Bible study and Sunday worship, Sungwieng gave her life to Jesus Christ.  Sungwieng will be baptized this summer and become a full member of Life Center UMC.

If you ever visit with us at Life Center UMC, you will be sure to see Sungwieng.  She is at church whenever the doors open, with her joyous smile that comes from the love of Jesus in her heart. 

Sungwieng says, “I only regret that I didn’t know God before now, I should have known the Lord much sooner in life.”