Greetings from ChiangMai,

 

I just wanted to sit down and take some time to give you an update on things here. We've been back in ChiangMai about two months now and it seems like we've only just arrived. After having company for the first four weeks combined with getting our boys back in school, the last year of travel has finally begun to catch up with us. We are very happy to be home, however. 

Reflecting on the last year of traveling in the States causes me to feel a renewed sense of love and appreciation for all of God's people who have supported our family in this ministry here in the north of Thailand. Old friends and new ones who have a heart with us to ever expand the Kingdom of our Lord until His return. You can never know how truly important your prayers and support to us are.

Since our return to ChiangMai, these past weeks have been filled with stories of dozens of families who have given their lives to the Lord Jesus. Just four days ago in the ChiangDao district, the son of the witchdoctor in the village of BaanAwn with his family gave their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. This radical decision was made in the face of great opposition. However, it could not be denied that Jesus had raised up this man's wife after being bed ridden for many months from paralysis. She is now serving and giving hospitality to many of those who had threatened her family. The testimony of what  Jesus has done in that place will soon effect many others.  I am again reminded that the very heart of the Church is rooted in the great commission, and that evangelism still is a very normal part of the life of a Christian.

In this letter, I wanted to enclose several recent pictures of a ten day evangelism trip where some of our team leaders took four truck loads of Christians witnessing and preaching. They divided their efforts by holding revivals and teaching new believers as well. In one place, Pracha performed a wedding as an excuse to bring people together where the Christians were able to later witness. In another place, the unbelievers had been tormented by many demons that were nearby in a great tree. After the Christians witnessed Jesus to them, they climbed into that tree to demonstrate to the people that they had nothing to fear. Many there gave their lives over to Jesus. These past 20 years have been filled with many wonderful opportunities to serve people.  The ever constant burden of the Christian here is that others may know who Jesus is by finding ways of being involved with people. I am blessed to walk with great servants of the Lord such as Malachi, Pirod, Moses, Pracha and others . Their lives continue to teach me as they walk and do for others. I hope that you will see in these pictures just some of the excitement that we share as you see some of the faces of the new believers.

 

 

Prayer requests and needs:

 

Pray for Moses' wife who recently underwent a partial hysterectomy. She is home and recovering nicely.

 

Pray for Debbie. She had oral surgery a week ago and had all of her wisdom teeth removed. She's doing well but is still feeling the pain and after effects.

 

Pray for the children's hostel. This year, our long time sponsor has reduced our monthly food allowance from 80%  of it's total sponsorship to 20%. With 120 kids currently at our center, it has been quite a faith walk to continue to provide for them. We are praying that God will provide new sponsorship for us soon.( $1,200 monthly needed)

 

Pray for our family concerning visa renewal and labor office status. We've had a few snags this time, and things have dragged on longer than expected.

 

I am still needing a 4WD diesel truck. Used units go for about $12,000-$14,000. New units sell for $19,000-$19,500.  To date, no funds have been given for this purchase.

 

 

In closing, we are so happy to be home again. It's good to be with our teams and their families after so long a time away. We appreciate you so much for how you are a part of our lives. We pray God's richest blessings on you all.

 

 

Yours in Him,

 

Norman, Debbie, Micah and Mathew 

 

Click a thumbnail to enlarge the picture

Pictures of Baptisms and New Believers from this trip