And So Summer Begins...

Team Update & Prayer Requests

- Yesterday our team met and it was nice to have everyone together again to pray and plan. We shared our testimonies and gave each other feedback on how to improve. It was a good time of practice and sharing! Next week we're focusing on classroom management and teaching strategies.

- Thai summer break is over, so planning can continue with the school/Lillian & Peter-- hooray! Keep the school in prayer... because it is our first time teaching there, pray that the administration would be open to our programs

- Much of our team is still busy with finishing school/finals and figuring out their summer plans (working, serving in camp, etc.)

Operation World Prayer Topic: The Extensive Sex Trade, focused in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, and HatYai
a. The girls involved (typically from poor, rural families, from the NE, from ethnic minorities, from Myanmar)—trapped in the business, at high risk for mistreatment and disease
b. Those who are profiting (corrupt police/officials, traffickers, mafia, relatives)—pray for moral conviction and an end to this trade
c. The users (“sex tourists” typically from the West and East Asia, Thai men)
d. The government—officially oppose the sex trade, but little is done to discourage it.
e. Agencies seeking to minister to those in the trade—very difficult work to save individual girls and close individual brothels, but much bigger change is needed


Missions Monday
Navajo Ministry Ministry Trip (Memorial Day weekend): the team would be effective in the three major ministry projects planned which include building projects, medical/health education clinics, and discipleship for teens. Also pray for travel safety.

Slow Week

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”-Matthew 11:28-30

The last few weeks have been busy for much of our team (Easter, Mother's Day, midterms, Big Sunday, etc.) and many seem tired and even burnt out. For our collegians, final exams and the end of the school year are coming up too. Pray that our team will find rest, assurance, and rejuvenation in their quiet times with God.

Also, please pray for the leaders as they begin talking to the Thai school administrators again. Thai schools are coming back from their summer vacation this month, so we can continue working out the logistics of the trip.

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Missions Monday

Pray for the people of Japan: God's mercy & grace to abound as they continue to recover; many would turn to Him in this time of great difficulty.

The Sunday Special

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there! Hopefully everyone had a relaxed day with their families.

Thailand Team did not meet today, but continue to keep us in prayer.

1. We are still looking for plane tickets. We found some good prices this past week and are hoping to finalize ASAP!

2. Last week our team was challenged to rethink the way we think about evangelism (the language, context, and attitude we approach it with). Pray that we would learn how to be sensitive and effective, against cultural and language barriers.

3. Many of our team members are participating in Big Sunday on May 15. Pray that this service will be a warm-up for our trip!

Missions Monday

Pray for various summer short-term missions: preparation would enable them to be ready both in the knowledge and skills they will need but also that God would enable them to have a life-changing experience.

bonus prayer requests~

Here is the Operation World prayer requests from the last meeting:

Pray for the development of a truly indigenous expression of Christianity

Christianity is still seen as Western, a huge problem in Thai Buddhist culture and its deeply divergent world views. Pray for development of: Thai music, hymns, art forms, worship patterns, architecture, and styles of leadership. Pray that Bible study and witnessing will be more encouraged and developed, making the church more relevant to non-Christians, and giving believers new spiritual insight and grounding.

WE are Thailand Team

Hello to our lovely support team! As Uncle Chris reminded us in service yesterday, the whole body of FCBC is Thailand Team. What an incredible encouragement for our team, and already we feel and appreciate everyone's support. Thank you again!

Missions Monday:

Pray for those participating in short-term mission trips both as a part of FCBC-sponsored teams and other organizations. Pray that others would be willing to financially support and pray for those who go out from among us.

Team Update:

During the past two meetings, our team has been learning about Thai culture. Our hope is that a deeper understanding of cultural barriers would make it easier when engaging students, or any others we meet, in conversation. We challenged our team to participate in Big Sunday or simply engage their friends in spiritual conversation. It is a challenge to be deliberate and concise, but pray for boldness!

Also, continue to pray for our team to find airline tickets quickly so we can continue planning.

Lastly, prayer letters should be going out soon. If you would like one, leave your info in the comments, or ask anyone on the team to send you their's! :)

April Showers

Hello and Happy Easter!

Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.'

John 11:25-26

The powerful gospel of Christ is the reason our team is going to Thailand. To share about the sacrifice and unending love of a Savior who conquered death. He is Risen!

Missions Monday

Pray for a number of people in our church who are contemplating a "Next Step" as they seek to serve God on the mission field; God's confirmation in their hearts & opening the doors for them to serve.

Team Prayer Requests

-- We are still searching for plane tickets with the best prices and most direct routes

-- Many of our team members have midterms coming up and are busy with schoolwork

-- This Sunday our team will have evangelism training. Pray for wisdom for leaders, and for team members to start sharing the gospel even before we leave for Thailand.

The Evening Post

Sawadee (hello) and khor thot (sorry) this post is coming out a little bit late.

Here were our two prayer topics from yesterday's meeting:

1. Spiritual Freedom

Thailand means “Land of the Free” because they were never colonized. However, the land is held captive in a complex web of Buddhism, traditional culture, spirit appeasement (even occult practices), and strong social cohesiveness, making it hard for people. For many Thai, their nationality and religious identity are inextricablty linked. Pray for spiritual breakthrough so that, in the Lord Jesus, the Thai may be free indeed.

2. Church Growth

After 400 yrs of Catholic work and 200 yrs of Protestant work, Thailand is still only ~1% Christian. Despite many missionaries and programs, there has been little growth.

a) The Church of Christ in Thailand, the largest Protestant network; pray for renewal

b) The Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand, hub of mission organizations and churches; pray for unity, effective collaboration, and accelerating growth

c) High standards in church life. Thai culture is very tolerant and relaxed, going against holiness in the church. Pastors need to lead by example, and deal with syncretism and high rates of backsliding.

d) Church growth and evangelism. Praise God for lots of vision for the country. Pray for leadership, recent projects (Vision 2010, Love Thailand, TEC), formation of a national prayer network, leadership development, etc.

e) The less-reached areas. Most churches are small and concentrated in Bangkok and the NW. 6,000+ of 7,415 subdistricts have no church.

One of the reasons our team has incorporated these prayer times is so we could have a better understanding of the issues Thai people and (future) Christians face. Our hope is that the more we can learn, the fewer barriers to the gospel there will be and it will be easier it will be to form relationships with people. Keep us in prayer! It's not easy learning Thai!

Also, please pray that we would be able to book our plane tickets soon.

Thanks!

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Missions Monday

Pray for the ongoing relief efforts in Japan; coordinated & cooperative effort would reach the most needed areas and peoples; open doors for the Church in general and the many Christian mission/relief.