The Christian Home of Love: September 2010

“Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the Name of the LORD. Blessed be the Name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S Name is to be praised” (Psalm 113:1-3, KJV).

Praise the LORD! In June, by God’s enabling, Dara had obtained her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instructing. Upon completion, God led her straightway to pursue a Ph.D at the same University, this time majoring in Education and Social Development, to further equip her for the future ministry that God has in stored for us, namely the starting of a Christian School. The course actually commenced in June, which is to say, if she were to obtain her Master’s degree a month later, she might have to wait for another 3 years for the next enrolment. God’s timing is indeed perfect. Praise be to the LORD our God!

Since June, we have been traveling every weekend to Chiang Rai (about 100 km away from CHOL) for Dara’s studies. We have to leave the Home every Saturday morning and return on the Sunday to worship the LORD. Her entire course, God willing, will take 2 years, provided that she has completed her doctoral thesis by then. THANK GOD! Dara has already started working on the thesis. Do pray for wisdom in her studies and the writing of her thesis, as well as for journeying mercies,especially during this period - the rainy season.

By 19^th September, Dara will be completing the first term of her course. The second term will begin in October. Every month will begin with one new subject and every end of the month will be the exams. There are alot of books to read and assignments to do every week besides finding time to prepare her presentation for each subject. Please pray for her for strength to cope with the heavy workload over her daily responsibilities. God is always faithful! God has enabled Dara to do well in the previous endeavours and surely, God will continue to enable her to do the same for His own glory and honour, as it is written, “Faithful is He that calleth you, Who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, KJV).

Praise God! Grace has also successfully finished her Bachelor of Arts in April this year. Thank God for His goodness in providing financially for her throughout the past four years of studies through a godly Christian family. May the Lord bless all those who have been giving to missions, as it is written, “God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, KJV). By God’s enablement, Grace has served the Lord with us for almost 10 years already. Thank God for her faithfulness to God. She is a wonderful helper and a humble servant of God. Indeed, “a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised” (Proverbs 31:30, KJV). Thank God for her. She is such a blessing and encouragement to all of us in the Church and the Home.

Thank God also for John. He is currently undertaking a Bachelor’s degree at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. He has taken 3 subjects for this semester (from June to October). He has 6 thick textbooks to be read and some home-works to complete. His exams are at the end of October. May the Lord grant him the ability to manage his time efficiently everyday between his studies and services in the Church and the Home. Do remember him in your prayer.

As many of you may have heard, during the hot season this year, many provinces in Thailand were hit by drought, and our village was no exception. However, thank God again for His provision of the 150 meters deep bore well for the Home. With it, our Home was not affected by the drought. And not only so, it has become a blessing to the villagers as we help to supply an amount of 2,000 litres of water to the village a few times a week.

Nevertheless, we are reminded of what Jesus says in John 4:13-14, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Pray that the villagers will come to the saving knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who alone could satisfy all their spiritual needs, as Jesus says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, KJV).

Click here to view pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/robertdara/SummerSchoolHolidaysApril2010icasaweb.google.com/robertdara/SummerSchoolHolidaysApril2010#

Since August, we have started a

series of messages on Evangelism and are providing practical training to the people here. Do pray for Robert as he preaches on this vital subject each Sunday (till end of September) and teaches how to apply to life the lessons learned during the weekdays, as well as for the people here to be well equip for “the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18, KJV). John, our church deacon, chairs the Sunday worship on every Lord’s Day. Robert is the Lord’s messenger and Dara the Thai and Lahu interpreter. Do continue to uphold us in prayer.

We are still in the midst of the rainy season. Lots of mosquitoes everywhere. For the last 2 months, almost everyone in the CHOL was down with fever and some had contracted even the dengue fever. Thank God for His healing. They have all recovered. God is always so good! “Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust” (Psalm 40:4, KJV).

The Apostle Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “if any would not work, neither should he eat.” Thank God for giving us strength everyday to work in the paddy field to grow our own crops to reduce the daily expenses of the Home. Thank God especially for all the older boys in the Christian Home of Love who work tirelessly day after day on the field. After two months of hard work, we have finally completed ploughing the land and scattering the grains. Let’s pray for a good harvest in due time. “The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 24:1, KJV). Amen!

As concerning our Church building project. God willing, we will start the work once the rainy season is over. Do continue to pray for wisdom in planning and decision making in this area as well as asking our faithful God to provide the rest of the building fund. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7, KJV).