Thank you to those who prayed and those who gave so generously. Please join with the team at Christian Mission Naratchakwai (CMN) in praising the Lord for His faithfulness and provision.
In my (Ernie Schache) update written in early February, following a meeting at Naratchakwai with Sister Maeo, Brother Boontaa and Ploy and Parn, I outlined a number of unbudgeted needs at Christian Mission that we had been made aware of.
Many prayed about these needs, God heard and answered those prayers through His people in New Zealand and the United States who gave generously to meet those needs.
Funds have been remitted to Thailand and Ploy has advised that a new laptop computer and digital camera have been purchased, both of which are already making their task of running the programs at CMN much easier and secure.
Ploy wrote recently following the purchase of these items…
“…we use it for working with our page on Facebook that we have to post some pictures of the church’s activity every Sunday or every time that we have an activity. (This computer help us post and work on the page easier.) We used it for saving the church’s information file and to find some information that we have to use in some activities. (Special songs for Sunday; some information for teaching the Bible or English to children and etc.) This computer help us to work on Microsoft Office superbly such as making all documents about the church on Microsoft Word, creating brochures or making work schedules of the members in the church. However, it’s very helpful for us! Thank you very much. And about the camera, we use it to take some pictures of our activities and use it for every Sunday with worshiping God in the morning and teaching English in the afternoon and we use it for recording some videos too. Thank you for your helping. We will use them fully and carefully. Thank you again.”
God has also graciously answered the need for funds to meet Ploy’s and Parn’s fees at university this year. In fact, as he so often does He has provided, through His people, more than was asked for – sufficient funds for fees for this year and next year are now on hand for these two young ladies!
Ploy and Parn also asked us to pray that they would be able to find temporary jobs during the extended vacation time this year (5 months) between academic years, as their country aligns itself with the timetables of other ASEAN nations. They are both presently working on probation/trial and hope to be able to confirm soon that they have been accepted for employment. Please continue to pray.
Sufficient funds have also been given to meet the cost of seminary fees for Dtaa’s fifth and final year of studying for a Bachelor of Theology degree at Phayoa Bible Seminary, which was originally founded by OMF and is now the largest seminary in Thailand. It is located in the Phayoa Province which is to the north and west of Nakhon Phanom. Dtaa is a member of the Mukdahan Church which is one of the member churches of the Christ for all People Churches Association. She was encouraged and mentored and supported by our late Brother John Middlewood for some years and subsequently decided that the Lord was calling her to full time service. John and CMN sponsored Dtaa’s studies to a very large extent and during college/school vacations she worked at CMN with John and his team doing special programs for children. She has indicated that when she completes her degree she will return to work with her home church and will specialise in Christian counselling for young people in her city and surrounding areas.