“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:15-17, KJV).
THANK GOD. God is always so good. The children in the Home were happy to have completed their final examinations last week. Thanks for praying for them. They are now having their school holidays.
During school period, the children spent the whole day in school (8 a.m. – 4 p.m.). Time of interaction with them became shorter. So, we plan that throughout this holiday (till mid of May), we will be able to spend more time together, especially in the area of strengthening our spiritual lives. One hour a day of family worship together is not enough. We are hungering for more. “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God” (Psalm 42:1, KJV). Thank God for enabling us to come out with an appropriate programme. Having shared with them, everyone is happy and excited about it. We pray that this summer holiday will bring us closer to God and to one another in building up and edifying each other in the Lord, as we work towards an enriching and uplifting season together.
As regarding the holiday time-table, God willing, the mornings will be set aside for the development of our spiritual lives: spending time with God personally, family worship, meditating on the Word of God that we have learned, listening to Robert’s audio messages, writing personal devotional notes, thinking of ways to apply God’s Word in our lives, examining how we have been doing in our spiritual walk with God and the application of God’s Word in our daily living, praying to God, singing and learning songs, memorizing the Scriptures, reading through the Bible in a year etc. In the afternoons, time will be allocated proportionately throughout the week and month to: outdoor works, area cleaning, gardening, learning workshop knowledge and skills training such as sewing, weaving, drawing, painting, woodwork, baking, cooking etc. And the evenings will be used for: learning music, practicing piano and guitar, playing games, fellowshipping with one another, personal time and rest. Please pray for Robert & Dara as they work out the daily activities for everyone in the Home. This plan will begin tomorrow (12 March 2010), if the Lord be willing. “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4, KJV).
The weather here is contaminated, think haze everywhere. As if the air pollution is not bad enough, to make the matter worst, besides the forest fire, many villagers are burning their own fields to prepare their lands for the next round of farming. In addition to that, many places are experiencing a drought. Den Luang village too is no exception. Many water wells and ponds have dried up. However, we thank God for the 150m deep bore well of the Home that is still serving us faithfully everyday without ceasing. May the Lord send the rain soon!
You may have been told of the current political crisis in Thailand. May you join us in prayer for the Thai government for wisdom to handle the situation peacefully!
“Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth” (Proverbs 8:14-16, KJV). Our Lord is still on the throne! Daniel 4:32, “…the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will. ”
All of us took turns to fall sick. After Evangel was restored to health, Grace and Robert got food poisoning. When they had recuperated, 3 days later, Lin was down with fever. And after Lin had recovered her health, Dara was ill. Yes, it was tough, falling sick one after another on top of our daily commitments, but God is always good. Looking back to all these years of our lives and ministry on the mission field, such encounter is no stranger to us, but God is always faithful. His grace is indeed sufficient for us, as it is written, “for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, KJV). Thank God for healing Dara. Most of the children are also recovering from flu. Some are coughing. Besides medicine, everyone in the Home is given some vitamin supplements for daily intake. Thank God for His provisions. May the Lord grant speedy recovery to the sick and a stronger body resistance to all! Brethren, pray for us.
Dara will be taking her oral exams this coming Thursday’s afternoon (March 25). She is still working on her power-point presentation (20 minutes long). Do pray for her, for clarity of speech and wisdom to present her work. May the Lord grant her good success in her examinations and give her favour in the sight of the examiners!
We will be travelling to Chiang Rai one day earlier (on March 24) before Dara’s exams to look for a suitable campsite for our church camp. Please pray with us as we wait upon the Lord to show us the venue for this year’s camp.
Dara is also the person in charge of the Sunday School. Each week, she will go through the previous Lord’s Day’s message with the people with some modifications of her own, incorporating dramas or role playing and visual aids to her teachings, followed by arts and crafts. Thank God for enabling her to come out with so many new and creative ideas for every Sunday. You could tell how much her Sunday School students, young and old, really love it and enjoy the lesson. Thank God for granting her the strength to cope with all the works that God has called her to do. Jesus says in John 15:4-5, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” Please continue to uphold her in your prayer.
As concerning the church building project, thank God that the authority has given the approval to build the church. Thanks for praying and thank God for answering prayer. We are still working things out with the construction company. At the moment, we are getting the building materials ready for the fencing at the back and the side of the church land. We may start working on the fences, God willing, next week onwards. May the Lord help us in this undertaking! Let’s keep praying and trusting.
Thank God again for last year’s camp. Through it all, 3 teenage boys and an adult have come to know Christ. Loong Phat, the step father of Jacob and Sarah joined us for the camp. He was a non-believer then but was very receptive to the gospel message. He came to know Jesus Christ later as his personal Lord and Saviour. He is now in prison for something he did wrong 8 years ago. We have given him a Bible and some Christian literature to help him in his Bible studies and spiritual growth. Thank God. He has been reading them. Through his letters to us, you could tell that he is indeed growing in the Lord, though confined in prison. Thank God for saving his soul and for giving him hope just before he entered into prison so that he could face his imprisonment and knows that there is always hope in God. He is now 58 years old. He is sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. He keeps telling us in his letters that he is hoping in God. He also said that he wants to be baptised once he comes out of prison. Thank God indeed for what He has done and for the living hope that He has given us. “The LORD is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9, KJV)!
We have uploaded photographs of our last church camp (year 2009) at Picasa web album. To view photos, click this link: http://picasaweb.google.com/robertdara/TruthBPChurchCamp2009#