Two prayer requests

For all of our prayer warriors: Two urgent prayer requests.

First, summer slump has hit our finances at TMM pretty hard.
We have had two slow months in a row, and this past month was very slow on financial support.
We need received only $2,132.76 for our general budget, but we need $10,194.42 to meet our expenses.  Please pray for God's provision.

Second, the political situation in Thailand is getting very intense.  The Supreme Court of Thailand is considering whether to abolish the ruling party, Puea Thai, which won a landslide victory last year.  If the Supreme Court of Thailand does this, it will be the third time in the past five years that they would disband a ruling party which has won the popular vote of the people.  Civil war is highly likely if the court makes this fateful decision.  We cannot comment on this matter more than this, because we must be careful to be neutral.

Below is an article from BBC news.

Thai court to rule on new constitution plan

Friday's ruling could spark a new wave of political protests in Bangkok

Continue reading the main story

Thailand's constitutional court is set to make a ruling on Friday which could spark a new round of political unrest.

It will vote on whether politicians can start work on drafting a new constitution, or whether that process could undermine the monarchy.

If the judgement goes against the ruling Pheu Thai party, it could be dissolved and senior members banned from parliament.

Security is reported to be heavy at the court ahead of the hearing.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Bangkok says any decision to disband Pheu Thai would almost certainly trigger mass demonstrations by the party's supporters.

It is headed by Thailand's Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of deposed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Although a decision to disband Pheu Thai may not bring her down, the constitutional court has already disbanded parties linked to her brother Thaksin twice in the last five years.

Mr Thaksin was ousted by the military in a September 2006 coup and is now living in self-imposed exile in Dubai.

Rivalry between his supporters and opponents, known and red shirts and yellow shirts, has been a frequent cause of political unrest in the country.

The yellow shirts were behind the huge street protests that led up to the military coup of September 2006 and the ones two years later which led to Mr Thaksin's allies being forced from power.

In April 2010, the red shirts occupied Bangkok's historic and commercial districts in an attempt to topple the government. The demonstrations turned violent when the army tried to disperse protesters, with at least 17 civilians and four soldiers killed in clashes.

We thank you for your prayers and support.

If the Lord leads you to donate, you can give online at thailandmethodist.org
or send a check to TMM at
TMM
P.O. Box 56
Mannsville, KY 42758

Mai Ya church now has a noodle soup restaurant

In a previous blog, we told you that a plan was formed to start a noodle soup restaurant that Pastor On and some of the members of Mai Ya church would operate to help support the pastor's family and the church.  At that time, we did not have pictures of the restaurant, but we met last week with Pastor Jerron (On's husband) and he gave us these pictures.  Pastor Jerron still has a barber shop, but it is now at a better location on the main road.  It is through economic development projects like these that churches become self-sufficient.  And self-sufficient churches are permanent ones.

One of the members of Mai Ya church works at this restaurant with Pastor On.

From the inside of the restuarant looking out towards the road. 

Looking at the restaurant from the main road. 

Please pray that these businesses that help to support Mai Ya church and Pastors Jerron and On's family, will thrive and prosper.

Grand Opening Service

We had an absolutely fantastic weekend.

On Saturday, we spent the day at Nong Nooch Garden with Beth Coale, who is serving as a short term missionary at Blessing Home.  Beth is a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and is training to be a missionary.  She is spending her summer break working hard at Blessing Home and going to language school in the evening to learn some Thai language.

We are very blessed to have Beth working with us this summer.

Beth uses Facebook and constantly writes about her experiences here in Thailand.  Here is one of her articles in Facebook.

There are Buddhist temples in every village. There are shrines and idols with offerings outside buildings on every street. The smell of burning incense is everywhere.

There are so many children, young girls, women, and men (some only former) everywhere in this city with the beach (where they sell their bodies) looming in the near distance. For a poor person (in Pattaya or in the outside regions) the tourism Pattaya is known for is always in the back of their minds as a last resort for money. Children are vulnerable to being sold while they are young and innocent and have no say.

“It makes you feel as if you couldn’t sit still. You must do something, try to do something, anything! … Oh to get into that stronger, calmer current, out of the feverishness of human haste. Do please, dear friends, ask that we may exchange the eagerness of the flesh of the Spirit and so move in the force of that Holy Wind that we shall be carried along by His great calm.” (-Amy Carmichael; Taken from A Chance to Die, pg 126)

Please pray this for the Thai Christians here and me. The circumstances here are so saddening and overwhelming. Ultimately, the purpose of Blessing Home is to keep as many children as possible away that. It's like the man who was throwing back starfish into the sea. Though there were so many and it didn't seem like he could even make a dent - each one mattered.  

Beth Coale is serving the Lord at Blessing Home this summer.  Beth is feeding the children, who are all have powdered faces to keep them cool.

This past Sunday was the Grand Opening Service for the new Blessing Home building.  We had a soft opening three months ago, but this service was very big, with Christians from other churches and ministries in the region attending to consecrate the new building.  There were so many people in attendance, that most of the church members had to stand outside during the service to make room for all of the guests.

Pastor Neo translated for Mike at the Blessing Home Grand Opening service.  There were many foreigners there, so the service had to be in both Thai and English.

We were honored that special guests, Rev. Cherlue Vang, GBGM Thailand national director and Mrs. Mang Vang, blessed us with their presence and support. 

GBGM missionaries, Mrs. Mang Vang and Rev. Cherlue Vang

Pastor Ahlung and members of the Pattaya Akha UMC also came to the Grand Opening.  This church is a thriving church that struggles financially.  They meet in a small building, packed together tightly as they worship the Lord each Sunday.  The Thailand Methodist Mission purchased a video projector and screen for their church and gave it to them after the Blessing Home Grand Opening service.

Now for a prayer request, but it is not for Thailand.  It is for a precious church in Kentucky.  The members of Dennie Memorial UMC in Lebanon Junction, KY have been faithful and enthusiastic supporters of TMM.  They have had many special events and regular monthly giving to support the mission, and they have given generously so that Blessing Home and the Life Center UMC in Pattaya can have a beautiful building.  Last Wednesday, we received an encouraging card in the mail from the members of Dennie Memorial, who signed it and sent it with their prayers.  On the same day, we received news that their church building had burnt to the ground. 

Please pray for the members of Dennie Memorial, as they rebuild their church.

The members of Life Center UMC in Pattaya and all of the Christians from other churches in this region of Thailand are praying for the members of Dennie Memorial, that the Lord will help them to rebuild and that they will grow stronger than ever before.  Our hearts are burdened because they have given so generously so that we can have a building, and now they do not have one.  Brothers and Sisters of Dennie Memorial UMC, you have hundreds of Thai Christians praying for you.  God has great plans for you.