Turmoil in Bangkok

We want everyone to know that we are OK here in Thailand. We live far from where the bombs exploded and we are taking appropriate precautions. We do need your prayers for safety, because we must travel into Bangkok at least once per week and two of the bomb sites are places we must travel past to get to language school and to do our banking. This week we will also need to go to the American embassy, and we will be cautious.

Many of you have known about Anthony's dog, Saphira. Saphira is a Shih Tzu puppy which Anthony received for Christmas. We asked for prayers from family and many friends when Saphira contracted a deadly intestinal virus. The vet gave her a 30% chance of survival. Saphira died on New Years Eve and we just had her burial service this morning. The neighbors all helped. When I went to one neighbor to borrow a shovel and told her the dog died, she contacted the other neighbors and soon they were all in action to help us. One neighbor saw that I was struggling to dig the grave in the rocky and very hard soil, so he took over and soon another neighbor helped. Others brought food and flowers and participated in the service. They are very kind people.

Please also pray for our visa situation as we seek to obtain a one year worker visa. Obtaining visas and other Immigration documents here is very complicated. We have been making multiple trips to the Immigration office and each time there are requests for additional documents. These matters take up a large portion of our time.

We thank you for your prayers.

Your GBGM missionaries in Thailand,
Sherri, Mike, and Anthony

Limited Internet Accessibility

Just in case you don't hear from us for a while, or our communication seems very sparse, we want everyone to know that international internet service from Thailand has been dramatically affected by the Taiwan earthquake. We're presently very fortunate to have gotten on-line here at the internet cafe. (Internet service was hooked up at the house this week, but is now 'down.' With all of the current challenges to the communication system, DSL/internet trouble-shooting at home will take a while).

We hope everyone has a wonderful & safe New Year. Tomorrow, we'll be thinking of all of our brothers and sisters in the US who are possibly participating in a Covenant Service, or corporately praying Wesley's Covenant Prayer... We'll be reviewing this ourselves, and again, dedicating ourselves to God's Work for the new year. We hope you'll join us!

Sawadekha,
Blessings
Sherri, Mike, & Anthony

**The Wish List ** - Updated August 8, 2007

Wish List - Updated August 8, 2007

Help Start New Churches in Thailand

Help with the equipment expenses of starting a new church
Remodel building, Furniture, Books, Church Supplies $5,000.00
Musical Instruments and Sound System $2,500.00
Used Pickup Truck $5,000.00

Total Launch expenses for one church $12,500.00

Help with pastoral support for a church planting pastor
Pastor Salary $5,400.00
Rent $8,000.00
Total Pastoral and Church Support for One Year $13,400.00

(1st floor of the building is used as the church sanctuary and the 2nd floor is the children’s Sunday School room and pastor’s apartment)

Become a Sister Church!
Churches that help start a new church in Thailand will have a sister church relationship with the new congregation. Sister churches connect with each other through e-mail and letters, and VIM missions trips

Help Start New Homes for

Orphans and Indigent Seniors

Help with start-up expenses for a home
Staff Salary $5,400.00
Rent $8,000.00
Used Pickup Truck $5,000.00
Operating Expenses (Food, Clothes, School Fees) $12,000.00
Total expenses for launching the Home $30.400.00

If you, your mission committee, church, or district would like to contribute to covering the costs of these items and strengthen the work of the Thailand Mission, please follow these easy steps:
Your church (or district) treasurer can forward funds to your Conference Office, with the Project Advance Number written in the memo section of the check. (Thailand Advance # 00403A).

Please contact us by email and let us know which project you are supporting, with information on how we can contact you / your church, so we can thank you.
Email Address: thailandumc@gmail.com

VIM teams needed:

• Music teams for evangelism and outreach
• Construction teams for re-building homes
• Connectional teams to bring needed supplies and discover what the Lord is doing through the UMC in Thailand.

Serve as a layworker here in Thailand. There are many job opportunities teaching English in schools here in Thailand. If you want to work here in Thailand and help serve the Lord at the same time, please contact us.

God's People are good people, and you have been generous and thoughtful in your support of your mission in Thailand. We give you are heartfelt thanks for all that you do to make a difference for the Kingdom of God!

Mike and Sherri Morrissey

Sherri & Mike Morrissey