The Christian Home of Love

31 January 2011 - Praise and Prayer from Robert & Dara Peh

“THE LORD IS GOOD, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7, KJV).

PRAISE GOD! Like Moses going up to Mount Sinai alone to meet the LORD, Dara has prepared herself to go to the hospital and spend all her time alone in the ward with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in prayer and in the reading of His Word for the next few days. Besides the Bible, we have printed out some hymns for her to bring along to sing praises unto the God of our salvation. Pray that she will have a wonderful time fellowshipping with the Lord. “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:8, KJV).

This morning (31 January), Dara will be admitted to the Singapore General Hospital for a 3 day treatment for thyroid cancer. She will be given high dosage of the radioactive iodine and her body will be radio active for a while. During this period, it’s better for her not to have close contact with people, especially the pregnant women and children under 5 years old. So, she will be confined to a room to herself. No one could visit her, not even her love ones. Yet, the Lord will always be her companion. Pray that she will be fully healed and physically strong after the treatment. God willing, she will be discharged on Wednesday (2 February 2011).

For those who are interested to know more about the I-131 treatment for thyroid cancer, click the following link: http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/thyroid-cancer/treatment/radiotherapy/radioactive-iodine-treatment-for-thyroid-cancer

After her 2 thyroids were removed on 8 December 2010, she is not on any medication and is lacking of hormone in her body. Till today, 8 weeks have passed. The lack of calcium and other chemical in her body has caused much cramp on her body and made her out of breath at times and headache and tired easily. Thank God. The day has come for her to go for the treatment. May the Lord grant her a complete recovery!

“He only is my rock and my salvation: He is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:6-8, KJV).

Thanks for praying.

Cheers,
Robert, Dara, Evangel & Lin
31 January 2011

29 January 2011 - Praise and Prayer from Robert & Dara Peh

“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7, KJV).

Thank you for your partnership with us in prayer. Thanks for praying with us for our Christmas outreaches last month (Dec. 2010). By God’s grace, everything went on well and smoothly. Many had come and heard the gospel. Have attached a few pictures on this blog for your viewing.

THANK GOD! We arrived safely at

Singapore

on Tuesday night (25 Jan), with 8 baggage. GOD IS ALWAYS SO GOOD! It was an eventful trip which God used to teach us the lesson of TRUST.

Firstly, at Bangkok airport, we were not allowed to check in because Dara’s passport is less than six months from the expiry date. They knew that if Dara could not go to Singapore, than all of us would not be going too. We told them that Dara would be going for her treatment in Singapore. They asked for the hospital letter from Singapore but we didn’t have it with us. So, what should we do? Prayed and prayed. The Bible says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, KJV).

We Knew that we have to call Si

nga

pore

to fax us the letter. THANK GOD! We managed to get hold of Elder Victor Wee who contacted the doctor for us and had the letter fax over. Thank God for Elder Wee who was always so willing and ever so ready to help us. After calling Elder Wee, we informed them that the letter would be in soon. PRAISE GOD! Somehow, they just believed what we said. It must be the Lord’s doing. They could have let all of us wait until the fax came in then let us check in but God worked in such a way that while waiting for the fax to come in, they allowed us to check in all the baggage first and let Dara, Grace, Evangel and Evangeline to go in. As for me, they wanted me to wait till the fax reached their office. Thereafter, Dara said, “THANK GOD FOR CANCER.” If it’s not because of cancer, she would not be able to come to

Singapore

on that day. Yes, “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, KJV).

We actually arrived at the Bangkok airport quite early at about 2.30pm, slightly more than 2 hours before checking in. We could have gone for lunch first, but thank God that we didn’t. The queue was very, very long. When it reached our turn, it was about 3.40 pm. The departure time was 4.45 pm. When they finally allowed Dara, Grace, Evangel and Lin to go in, it was about 4 pm. I waited for them to call me but they didn’t, though I was just standing in front of the counter. At 4.30 pm, I decided to ask them and tell them that the fax had already reached the office. To my surprise, they said that they had forgotten to inform me about it and that the aeroplane was about to depart. They wanted me to quickly run in before it was too late. Quite exciting wasn’t it?

Then when I reached the airport immigration, know what, the queue was also very long. I knew that it would take quite a while before my turn and I would be late. What to do then? Prayed and prayed. I called Dara to inform the air-stewards about it. They said they would wait for me till 5 pm. If still I could not make it, then they would send someone there to help me clear the immigration quickly. 5 pm finally came and there was still a person before me, but the airplane couldn’t wait anymore. So they sent an air-steward to look for me at the immigration and found me at the counter. Thank God. I finally reached the aeroplane safely being the last person to board the plane. GOD IS SO AMAZING!

After I had boarded, the plane was all ready to take off. They shut the door and in no time, the plane started to move. As usual, I would count all the passports. And since, I was not able to go with them earlier, I told Grace to look after them and their passports. But, something happened again. Lin’s passport was missing. She remembered that she had already given it to Grace. Where had it gone to? The plane was already moving. It was too late to go back now to the airport and find the passport. With the seatbelt on, we tried searching around where we were sitting but the passport was no where to be found. Lin and Evangel was sitting in the row in front of Grace. Grace bended forward to see whether she could find the passport under their seats but couldn’t. What to do now? Prayed and prayed. When the seat belt light went off, Grace bended down to search under her own seat and to her amazement, she saw the passport lying down there. She cried. God was so merciful again. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 89:1,KJV).

However, it was not the end yet. We have not reached Singapore. What if the Singapore Immigration couldn’t allow Dara to enter Singapore because of her passport? We actually told the airline in Bangkok to print out a copy of the letter for us so that we could show it to the Singapore Immigration officer. However, because they had forgotten about me, they had also forgotten to photocopy a copy for me. It was too late for me to rush to the office and ask for a copy now. What to do then? Prayed and Prayed. We hoped that the immigration officer in Singapore would not notice the expiry date. But, guess what? He did. However, God had shown Himself once again to be faithful and merciful. God had soften the heart of the immigration officer to let Dara entered Singapore for a month. Pointing at Dara’s passport, he just reminded Dara not to forget to renew her passport after returning to Thailand. PRAISE THE LORD! “Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds” (Psalm 36:5, KJV).

Through all these happenings, we know that God was teaching us to trust Him ever more, even before we reached Singapore. We know also that it is God’s will for Dara to have her treatment done in Singapore. We went for the hospital appointment on Thursday (27 Jan). The doctor confirmed that Dara has to go for the radio iodine on Monday (31 Jan). She will be admitted to the hospital for three days, until Wednesday (2 Feb). During the treatment, she will be isolated, not because she is carrying any contagious disease but that she will be radioactive. So, no visit will be allowed. To be honest, it is not the treatment that is painful for her but the separation from us for 2 days and 2 nights. But, God is so good. Unlike Thailand, she is allowed to make phone calls in the ward. Thank God for this arrangement. This will definitely reduce her loneliness and longing to see us. PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Thank God again that the timing is just perfect. The doctor said that she will be discharged from the hospital on February 2. So, she will be physically present for our family reunion dinner, though she may still need to abstain from certain food. Besides, she will also be able to join us for the Chinese New Year visitation. GOD IS ALWAYS SO GOOD AND SO GRACIOUS! "How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy Wings" (Psalm 36:7, KJV).

Do pray for everyone in the Christian Home of Love during our absence that God will keep them close to Himself. Pray for John our church deacon as he leads the Sunday worship services and preaches the Word of God. God willing, we will return to Thailand on February 10. Do continue to pray for Dara’s recovery.

Wishing you all a blessed Year 2011!

In God we trust,

Robert, Dara, Evangel & Evangeline Peh

29 January 2011

13 December 2010 - Praise and Prayer from Robert & Dara Peh

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, KJV).

God has been very good to us. Before we knew that Dara had thyroid cancer, Robert was preaching on a series of four messages on the topic, "When Disaster Strikes." Thank God that God has used the sermons in a very personal way to prepare Dara and all of us for her sickness. Thank God also for yesterday’s sermon (12 Dec.) on “Not I but Christ” that has again brought much encouragement to Dara. Presently, Dara is still feeling weak physically. “yet the inward man is renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16, KJV). God has been comforting and encouraging her and is still doing so today. We know that God has a purpose in allowing such thing to happen in our lives and God has a plan for it. God is always sovereign and is in complete control of every event. Thank God for His sustaining grace which is sufficient for us everyday. Let’s learn to submit to Him and His divine will no matter what happen. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2, KJV).

Dara’s desire is to do her best for God in every area of her life, and this includes her studies too. If possible, she doesn't want to miss any lesson at all but she was really so sick last Friday night (10 Dec.) due to the numb that came upon her body (starting from her feet and went up to her face) that she had to cancel her plan of going to school on Saturday (the second weekend of Dec.). However, unexpectedly and for the first time, her lecturer couldn’t make it on the first and third weekends of this month and so they were given assignments to do at home to be presented on the last weekend (the fourth weekend) of this month (25 Dec.). Praise the Lord! The Bible says, “…all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28, KJV). God knows that Dara needs more bodily rest. This coming Friday (17 Dec.), we need to go to Chiang Mai for Dara’s medical check-up. If there is a class on this weekend (18 Dec.), then she will need to travel to Chiang Rai. I think it will be too exhausted for her to do that at the moment. So, thank God. Our God is Omniscient. He knows before hand what Dara truly needs and has ordained in advance the class to be cancelled so that Dara could have the much needed rest. “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23, KJV).

This incidence has reminded us again that life is so fragile. Just last year, Dara went for a surgery to remove her uterus because of a growth in her cervix. This year, a hard lump was found on the front of her neck. None of us could be certain what will happen to us the next moment. But, thank God. The Bible assures us that God “knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and His righteousness unto children's children; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them (Psalm 103:14-18, KJV). Praise the Lord! God is merciful! Our lives are in His hand. He reigns over all the earth and is forever in control of every affair of our lives, as it is written, “The LORD hath prepared His throne in the heavens; and His kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19, KJV). “My times are in Thy hand” (Psalm 31:15). Let us therefore trust Him wholeheartedly and strive to do His will every day till we see Him face to face.

Thank God that we could record Dara’s singing for the Christmas outreaches before her surgery. Thank God for a successful surgery done on December 15. Do continue to pray for Dara’s recovery with no complications. Pray that in due time, she will regain her vigour. Pray for wisdom to complete her school assignments and be ready physically for the presentation on the fourth Saturday, December 25. On the very same day, we will also be having our annual Christmas Outreach at Den Luang village. Thus, God willing, we will go to Dara’s school in the morning for half a day and then return to serve in the Christmas outreach at 6 p.m. Please pray for a safe journey to and fro. Remember also to pray for all who are involved in this event; for the villagers to be able to come (expected about 150-200 souls to turn up); for the sound system to work well; for the preaching of the gospel and the saving of souls. Preparation is still on the way. Everyone in the Christian Home of Love (CHOL) is diligently rehearsing the play, dance and songs. We will be acting out from the Bible “The Rich Man and Lazarus” and Rev. Robert Peh will be preaching from Luke 16:19-31. Peigang and Tair are still working on the wooden castle for the stage. Abigail has a few more costumes to sew. Do remember all of them in prayer. As usual, biscuits, candies and presents will be given out. Food will be provided at the close of the meeting. Abigail will do the cooking.

There will be a Christmas Celebration at the CHOL on the 24 December (Friday afternoon), followed by Christmas Caroling (Friday evening). Baptismal Service is on the 26 December (Sunday morning). Christmas Family Gathering is at 3 p.m. (Sunday afternoon). Christmas Outreach to Pu Men Mountain falls on the following day, December 27 (Monday) at 12 p.m.

Thank you for co-labouring with us in prayer.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas!

His unworthy servants,

Robert, Dara, Evangel, Evangeline Peh

& all in the Christian Home of Love

& the Truth Bible-Presbyterian Church

Chiang Mai, THAILAND

8 October 2010 - Praise and Prayer from Robert & Dara Peh

“Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people” (1 Chronicles 16:8, KJV).

Thank God for the 3 weeks of school break. Second school term will start on Saturday for Dara. It will begin on the 9 October 2010 and end on the last week of January 2011. Thank God for enabling Dara to complete almost all the given assignments in the last 3 weeks. Do pray for her for good success in the new semester, for good health and for strength to manage all her responsibilities and for us as we travel every weekend together as a family.

Praise the Lord! Children had just completed their mid term exams this week. Holidays have already begun for them. School will resume in November. Pray that they will use their time fruitfully. This month (October), we are teaching them on the topic of prayer and God willing, we will use the holiday period to help them to spend more time praying, working out what they have learned in their daily lives.

Thank God that every year we could organise Christmas outreaches to proclaim the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through messages, songs and performances. We have already started cutting the costumes and creating our own props. Do pray for Robert and Dara for wisdom in preparing the messages and writing the scripts for all the performances, for ideas in composing songs and music, for creativity for Dara in designing the costume and the props as well as for Abigail our seamstress and her husband brother Tair who sew the cloth together. Do also commit all our rehearsals to God in your prayer. Everyone in the Christian Home of Love will be actively involved in this endeavour together with some of our church members, as the Bible admonishes us, “not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11, KJV).

John is working hard digesting his school books. He is three quarter way through his reading and still has slightly more than 1,500 pages to go. Thanks for praying for him. Do continue to uphold him in your prayer as he prepares for his coming exams on the last week end of October. May the Lord bring to remembrance what he has learned and help him to do well for His own glory and honour!

Do pray also for Evangel and Evangeline in their studies. Due to the constant traveling and many activities in our lives and ministry, since young they were both trained to readily adjust themselves to fit in to their daily activities. Thank God that we could do home schooling with them. It allows them to study by their own paces with flexibility. By God’s grace, they are doing well according to their own standard. Pray that they will continue to grow healthily and strong in the Lord, “in favour both with the LORD, and also with men” (1 Samuel 2:26, KJV).

Do remember our paddy field in your prayer. The older boys still have to go to the field every day, checking the water level, removing the weeds, giving fertiliser, cutting grass, and making sure that everything is fine. May the Lord grant us a good harvest in due time! Harvesting may begin around the end of November, if the Lord wills.

It’s raining lesser now. We will be contacting the construction company soon to make arrangement and preparation for the Church building project. There is a need to dig a bore-well to bring in the water supply. May the Lord help us and lead us as we work things out in the days ahead. We covet your prayer in this enormous work that God has laid upon us.

“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, KJV).

God bless you all!

9 September 2010 - Praise & Prayer from Robert & Dara Peh

“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).