Dear Prayer Partners,

We just wanted to send an email update between prayer letters, and also wish you a Happy Easter as we remember and celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ has risen and won the victory for us.  As our family reflects on Easter, we are still amazed by God’s great love for us. We are still amazed that God chose the way of the cross to redeem people. His way of doing things is certainly not our way of doing things.

We again have been called to place our confidence in God’s ways, as things have significantly changed for our ministry situation here in South Thailand since our last prayer letter update in February.  Even though we had not found a home to rent, we had set our hearts fully to minister and partner with the existing Thai church in Hua Trut, a rural place 5 minutes outside the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat. We had started to make several home visitations and even led Sunday service a few times in Thai. More people seem to start coming to church, although that wasn’t our main goal (our main desire was evangelism and discipleship by going to where the people are).

One of the requirements for our partnership with the Thai church was that the Thai pastor (who primarily ministers at his first church plant in Pattaya) would submit paperwork for the church to be under ACTS (Associated Churches of Thailand). This is not a difficult process, and it would also provide accountability and a network of fellowship with other Thai churches. This process would also validate our visas, which are sponsored through EFT (Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand) which ACTS churches come under. Although agreed upon initially, in the end the Thai pastor was unwilling to proceed with the paperwork.  Although our hearts were fully committed, the whole situation was outside of our control.

Through the stress and the struggle, we were finally at peace as we placed our confidence in the fact that,

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

   so are [God’s] ways higher than your ways

   and [God’s] thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

They always say that one of the attributes that missionaries in the field need to have is flexibility, and we are learning that first hand. Our regional directors, Jeff & Belinda Callow, currently plan to place us in West Pak Phanang, which is about 30 minutes outside the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat.  We will be having a series of discussions with them soon to determine the next steps for us. In the meantime, we would cherish your prayers for the following requests:

1.       HUA TRUT CHURCH & PASTOR – The hardest part for us perhaps is leaving behind the relationships that we have started building. Although we will not be ministering there anymore at this point, please pray for the people living in that area, that they will really know Jesus Christ and follow him. Pray that the Thai pastor would invest more of his time there, and that he would develop a heart for disicipleship.

2.       MINISTRY IN WEST PAK PHANANG – Pray for us as we have a series of discussions with our regional director about ministering in West Pak Phanang. There are currently no churches there, and so we would be looking at starting a new church plant or partnering with the church our regional director hasplanted in East Pak Phanang. Pray for God to lead us through prayer.

3.       LOOKING FOR A HOME – We must admit that what is emotionally hardest for our family right now is not finding a house to rent yet and not having a place to unpack, decorate, and call home. This will be emotionally hard for Caleb & Caden as well, since they will have to say good-bye to the Thai friends they have already started making (we are temporarily living at another missionary’s house, who is on home assignment in England). For the first time in a while, Caleb made a comment that he wanted to go back to America. Please pray that we can find a home to rent in West Pak Phanang quickly, but a home suitable for our family where Caleb & Caden can continue to homeschool and make friends in the neighborhood.

4.       THAI LANGUAGE – Praise God that Lila successfully completed her language check for Kitchen Module, and will be moving on to Prayer Module. Dave has finished studying the Gospel of Mark (in Thai), and will be moving on to Prayer Module as well. Although we are progressing, there are times that we feel utterly frustrated and exhausted with our ability to communicate in Thai. Yet we know that the process is teaching us humility and faith as well. Pray that we will continue to progress in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Thank you so much for your prayers, and may our Lord continue to bless you and keep you as we continue to gaze heavenward together!

Love,

Dave, Lila, Caleb, & Caden

Ps. Attached are a couple of photos from our Easter Sunrise Service at the beach with some short-term workers and fellow Thai believers in the church plant in East Pak Phanang.