Yes, it was time for a miracle!
Greetings from Chiang Rai, Thailand.
God has been so faithful to us as a family and us as a faith community here at the YWAM Chiang Rai Base. In May we made a commitment to send out teams aimed at reaching the unreached in three places: China, NE India/Bhutan and South Sudan/Sudan. We have never gone to such distant places before as a base. However, by God’s grace and miraculous provision we were able to send a team to each of those locations. Our family had the privilege of going to Uganda and helping a team get to South Sudan (they are there right now). God provided about $12,000 for our team over the course of the last 7 days before we left. In fact, we only received the money to go to Africa 4 days before we flew out. God was faithful to take us where He wanted us to go.
The trip was two-fold for us as leaders:
1. We went to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the people in Africa. One short story was of a woman about 30 years old from South Sudan. We were going house to house visiting people and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rob used a simple illustration to show our sinfulness in God’s eyes and our helplessness to save ourselves from certain death. He explained how Jesus died for us and makes us clean through His forgiveness when we repent and believe in Him. After sharing this Rob asked her what she thought about it. She simply responded, “I have one question…what must I do to be made clean by Jesus?” (Just like Acts 2:37) She came to understand and believe the gospel and is now a follower of Jesus. Praise God for His wonderful grace.
2. We went to help Asians capture the heart of God to reach all nations, peoples, tribes and tongues. Our team was made up of an American, two Canadians, two Thais (if we include Elias), one Vietnamese, one Venezuelan and six Mongolians. All of the Asians had never gone to Africa. Their eyes were opened and hearts burdened for the people of Africa. Many of them shared about how God was speaking to them about returning to serve these people as long-term missionaries. As we continue to serve in Asia, one of the things that God has been calling us to do is to raise up Asian leaders who will also go to other nations and peoples just as we have gone to them (and just as Jesus came to us). Praise God for this privilege and His work in all of our hearts.
As we close the year with Christmas and New Year celebrations, we thank all of you who have prayed for us and given to us and the things that God is establishing here and abroad through our lives. We could never be where we are today if it weren’t for God’s people praying for us and supporting us. Thank you so much!
Praise Reports:
1. All of our team members are healthy (even though a large metal piece of playground equipment fell on one of the children’s head and another kid was bitten about 50-60 times by malaria-carrying mosquitoes one night)
2. God miraculously provided for our trip to Africa (the remaining team members still need to see another $2,000USD come in to finish it)
3. There are new followers of Jesus Christ in Uganda and South Sudan
4. Asians are serving as missionaries in Africa!
Prayer Requests:
1. Greater intimacy with God personally and as a family
2. Continued health
3. Wisdom as we lead our faith community into a new season of growth and expansion
4. Provision – Land Expansion Project: in order to make our next payment to purchase the land beside us we need God to provide $5,000USD before Christmas
5. Wisdom to know the best way & place to educate our son in this season of life
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! May Jesus be the center of your Christmas celebrations!
With love,
Rob, Cy & Elias