Thailand Tidings

English Camp 2008 and Staff and Lay-Leadership Retreat

2008-11-25T19:13:00.000-08:00

Staff and Lay-Leadership Retreat (October 2008)

We were getting ready for big adventure at Khao Yai ( means big mountain) National Park. The truck is very old and we had 12 of us in there, also some belongings and foods etc...

Taking a rest and eating together. The main dishes are sticky rice and spicy papaya salad.

Proud to announce that we made it to the mountain top :).

It's exciting and refreshing for each one of us to see God's creation.

Pat said " Everyone has gifts to serve". Therefore, you need to know what kind of gift that you have. So, in this picture, everyone is serious to find out what kind of gifts that they have.

Luaun and Suban (husband and wife) enjoy colouring. Pat talks about 3 colour ministry. The three colours represent Creator/ Wisdom (blue), Jesus/Commitment (red) and Spirit/Power (green). These colours help the participants to find out where they are in the ministy.

English Camp 2008 in Borabu Church

We have a mini-English camp for children living in villages closed to the church. Through the English Camp, many kids come to the church on Sunday.

We thank God for providing us teachers in unexpected way. Mr "T" comes from Cameroon. He lives and works at a local high school.

Linda Horn is teaching teenage students. We appreciate Linda's help and we thank God for Linda's partnership.

John and Grace from Canada who came to visit Thailand in October. They heard about our English Camp and volunteer to helped out. So, God knows about our needs and sent these teachers to help out.

Sharing the Good News with the youngsters. This Skit is played by our youth group.

kids tried to act like roasted chicken

The kids enjoy making crafts

Our dear friend Helen Harm in Canada prepared all these crafts for children and youth.

Medical Mission Team, Hosting a Seminar/Retreat for Contextualied Churches

2008-09-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

Mobile Medical Clinic in Villages

August 25 & 26 2008

We thank God for our mission partnership with Mark Coldwell (International Mission Board). He brought a medical mission team to help us in reaching out to Sophara and Kumet villages.

As you can see, many people were waiting to see doctors. While they were waiting, we were able to do One to One sharing of the Good News.

A Buddhist Monk (in yellow robe) came to see the treatment. We were able to share the Good News and to pray with him as well.

We also had a dentist doctor to do tooth extraction. It's very exciting to be in this ministry.

Waiting to receive their medicines.

Before they go back home. we also pray for God's healing touch on them.

Contextualized Churches Gathering at the Living Water Church for Worship and Learning

Worship God in Isaan way. Doing Isaan dancing is a part of worship. These are the leaders from several churches. From September 16 - 18, we get together for 3-days retreat/seminar.

Using the Isaan music instruments for worship.

One of the games that used for learning about unity is that we work together as a team by holding on the lemon at their foreheads and move forward together.

Playing a game by blowing a balloon until it pops :). Grandpa Nah tried hard but couldn't make it though :( .

After spending 3-days of learning and worshiping God together, the participants have learned many things and built a stronger relationship with each other.

Attending Rachel's Graduation and Visiting of Rad's Siblings

2008-08-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

Rachel's Graduation

It was good to be back home to be with our family again and to celebrate Rachel's graduation. Pat's Mom came from Regina, Sask. She was very happy to see all of us, and be able to attend her grandaughter's graduation. Philip is very tall compares to the rest of us:)

Congratulation Rachel! We thank God for His goodness and His blessings upon our daughter.

Our dear friends from our home church at Bethel Mennonite Church set up a party for Rachel.

The food was good and delicious!!! We trust our Mennonite ladies :).

Visiting of Rad's Brother and Sisters

Rad had her siblings came to visit in early August. They were so exciting because they left the country for so long and this is their first time to return since 1980. Starts from the left, Rasmy (from Menisota) as my youngest sister, Joy Chai (from Washington state)who is a year younger than me.

No matter where they go, can't get away from drinking coffee :).

Rad's older brother from Nebraska also joined them too. We took this picture in Vientian Laos. We were happy to be back at our birthplace after all these years.

Church Dedication on May 17, 2008

2008-05-30T01:10:00.000-07:00

May 17, 2008 was a joyous day. We have completed the building projects and had a dedication service. This is the only church in Borabu district. We invited guests of honor to cut the ribbon.

The doors of the church is offcially opened by the district chief of Borabu.

The youth of Ban Daeng was performing a dance in the beginning of the dedication service.

The church is filled with people from differnt towns, cities of Thailand. Several guests came from oversea.

Gordon Janzen is our mission director. ( Mission Partnership Facilitator of Mennonite Church Canad Witness) He gave a congratulated speech to the Living Water Church. We appreciate Gordon for coming yearly to visit and give support to the ministry.

Isaan style of worship

Meal and fellowship time with one another after ceremony

Our missionary friends in Thailand

Sheldon Sawatzky is the Director of East Asia ministry of Mennonite Mission Network. For the last 12 years, Sheldon comes to visit, encourage, and give advices to our ministry. We appreciate for his support, prayers and his insights for the ministry of Borabu.

2008-02-29T23:36:00.000-08:00

In November of 2007, our new Church building inBorabu was completed.

This was at our ground breaking service for the building of the fellowship hall and kitchen.

We then prayed over the pillar for the building of the fellowship hall.

This is the completed fellowship hall. The new bathroom building is in the background as well. It is almost fully completed.

This is the kitchen located at the rear of the fellowship hall.

This is a picture of Church members who volunteered to help build the fence around the Church property. They are digging the holes for the posts. Young and old came to help.

Here is the fence. Most is barbed wire, but around the entrance is a concrete fence.

This is the Church through the new fence. The fence has yet to be painted!