September 2013
Greetings from the beautiful land of Chiang Rai, Thailand!
We’ve been so blessed over the past couple of months or so in different ways. First of all, our family is healthy and strong. Elias is finally out of diapers and running around in “big boy underwear.” He’s growing up so fast. Both of us, Rob and Cy, are also doing well physically. Thanks be to God for His covering over our physical bodies. Thank you to those of you who pray for us regularly. Without your prayers we could not be doing what we’re doing.
TEACHING
Over the past months since our last update, Rob has taught the book of Deuteronomy in the SBS, Spiritual Warfare in the DTS and preached in Thai for the first time in our home church here. Cy has taught the book of Judges, Isaiah, Habakkuk and Daniel in the SBS and Bible Overview in the DTS. Apart from these times of teaching, we are also responsible to lead the YWAM base community forward into the new things that God is showing us.
NEW LAND PURCHASE ADVENTURE
One of the major things happening in our community at the moment is the purchase of new land. We have grown (which is a great thing) and we are now too many people for the buildings and property that we currently have. We have been forced to rent 4 houses off-base to accommodate this growth. So, after seeking God about it for a few months, He has opened the door for us to purchase the land beside us. Please visit our base website for more information: http://www.ywamchiangraibase.com/land-expansion-project.html and here is the link to the video: https://vimeo.com/73443913
And if you can share this website and video with your friends and family, it would help us to get the word out. We’re praying that God will raise up people who want to invest in this community-transforming project. If you want information about giving, please click here.
A MOVE OF HIS SPIRIT
Another major thing that God is doing is leading us into a greater level of humility and repentance. Though we preach, teach and lead people into greater discipleship through repentance and the forgiveness of sins, many people in our YWAM family have been experiencing new levels of conviction of sin in areas that have remained hidden to us. There is a great spirit of confession and repentance among us, leading us into a greater communion with God through His Spirit. In our own personal lives we have experienced this and though it often is uncomfortable, God’s grace is wonderful. Thank God we have the only Savior: Jesus Christ! Thank you for those of you who have been praying for a move of God in and through us. We’re beginning to experience it and we have expectation for more.
MISSIONS CONFERENCE (CANADA)
God has opened the door for us to serve our “home” church in Canada for a short while. We’ll be going to Canada for almost 3 weeks (Oct 17th-Nov 4th) and Rob will be speaking at our church’s mission conference Sunday night, October 27th. We’ll be taking advantage of our trip to Canada (we haven’t been back for over 2 years) and will be trying to connect with many of you. If you’re interested in getting together, please send us an email.
AFRICA OUTREACH
Another exciting thing is that we are going to be a part of sending Asians to the nations as missionaries. Our YWAM base is sending three teams out across the world: 1. China/Mongolia, 2. India/Bhutan and 3. Ethiopia/Uganda/South Sudan. We’ll be leading the team to Africa. We’re very excited about this because it has been God’s dream (as well as ours) that His people in South East Asia would rise up and go to bless the nations around the world, especially unreached places like the ones we have mentioned. For this trip we are going to need a lot of help.
Our monthly support doesn’t allow for us to save up any money for big trips like these, so we’re asking our friends and family to pray and see if God would have them partner with Him in fulfilling His dream. For our family to follow God into Africa, we’re going to need about $7,000USD. The team will be going for 2 months, while our family will be going for about 5-6 weeks. Please pray for God to supply all of our (and our team’s) needs. If you’d like to give towards this, please click here for information.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Here’s how you can pray for us:
1. Greater intimacy with God (we want to continue to go deeper)
2. Continued health and protection
3. Provision (both for ministry and for personal needs)
4. Wisdom to lead, preach and teach according to God’s will
Here’s an interesting video of how INTERNATIONAL our YWAM base community is: https://vimeo.com/73558340
iPHONE
We had a thought the other day. The new iPhone is coming out (or already out). We’ve always wanted to get one for both of us, but they are WAY out of our price range. So, we thought that maybe some of you are going to upgrade to a new phone soon and would be interested in giving away your old iphone. If you are, please let us know: robandcy[at]gmail.com
Thank you all for partnering with us by sharing encouraging emails, praying for us and by giving generously. One body part could not do anything without the rest of the body. Thanks for empowering us to obey what God has called our family to do.
Blessings!
Rob, Cy and Elias