Summer 2014

Hi everyone! Kezia and I send you greetings from Thailand and hope that this update finds you well. Lots going on for us the last few months. Since our last update in April we have finished a short film and launched the website for our new human trafficking ministry called “Houses of Refuge”, led a team to China, hosted a team here in Thailand, and celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary.

Houses of Refuge

The leadership at Sowers International has been praying about what our role will be in the growing fight against human trafficking. The answer we received came through the book of Joshua chapter 20 where it talks about “Cities of Refuge.” These were safe places designated by God for those who were being pursued. Focusing on South East Asia, the Joshua 20 project will partner with local churches to provide houses of refuge for those who are at risk of being trafficked, and for those who are rescued. To find out more please contact me at jason@sower.org or visit the website at joshua20.org .

Summer Teams

We had two teams this summer, the first was to China and the second was here in Thailand. Both teams were a huge blessing and contributed greatly to the cause. I have a highlight I would like to share. For months Kezia and I had been praying for an open door to some kind of Buddhist ministry. The Lord led us to a school for monks in training at the main temple in our province. We met a person of peace there, he was excited to hear we had a group of foreigners coming that wanted to interact with the students. He set up an English camp. For one week we got to hang out and share our lives with the monks. There was one rule though, no singing! Monks are not aloud to sing, they can only chant. So that was a challenge. Anyway, the director one day came to me and gave me a set of keys. He said I could use this place if I want, and told me to follow him. He took me to the main temple where the biggest idol is, but instead of taking the stairs up to where the idol is we took a smaller, less obvious staircase down that went under the temple the idol is in, into this huge underground meeting room. He told me this place was used for teaching the upper levels of Buddhism and to conduct meetings regarding doctrine. So for three nights, we had our “team time” in the main meeting room, under the main idol, at the main temple for Buddhism in our entire province. This was the enemy’s oval office and we did what has never been done there before, what hasn't been aloud there for hundreds of years, we sang. But we didn't just sing, we worshipped. We took singing, an act banned from this place, and worship, an act dedicated to this place, and realigned them for the first time ever in praise to the Father. We felt like we were a part of a victory hundreds of years in the making as we worshipped in spirit and in truth. This victory has laid a beautiful foundation for future ministry.   

4 Years! 

Kezia and I are so grateful for God’s faithfulness in our marriage. We have had some true struggles but are so happy to report that after 4 years our marriage is stronger than ever. God keeps teaching us and using us and strengthening us. Thanks to all who pray for us and support us, and to God be the glory forever, amen.  

So Many Stories To Tell

Indeed I have so many stories to tell, but I will break them down into a few important events to keep you guys updated. 

Past:

I went to China last month for about 2 weeks with Pooka (my mother-in-law) and a team of women from Idaho, Missouri, and Oregon.  This was definitely a treat for me since I have not been back to China after being called into fulltime missions in this beautiful country 5 years ago.  We had an awesome Bible teacher in the team who taught us along with around 25 Chinese women about women in the Bible.  So it was women studying about women!  I learned so much during this time of study, and I felt God rekindle the love He gave me for His work.

With The Team

With Some of My New Chinese Friends

Sometimes we wonder if the work we are doing is helping others know Jesus, and I am not exempt from these thoughts.  As I was thinking about this very question, I met Matthew.  He became a Christian about 3 years ago, and is currently teaching English with the ultimate goal of starting a Bible study group at his apartment.  He is so passionate for God’s ministry that I was really glad I met him.  During the course of our conversation, I found out that we actually met in 2009 with my team.  I did not recognize him and he did not recognize me, until I pulled up Jason’s picture.  He said because of meeting so many teams telling him about Jesus that he finally accepted Him as His Lord and Savior.  Not only did he become a Christian but also so zealous about God and His work.

Jason also had the amazing opportunity of going to Myanmar at the end of March with his dad, Gwynn.  He was filming for the new project Sowers International is taking on with regards to children who are at-risk of being trafficked or who have been trafficked.  There he met an awesome man of God, Pastor Cyrus, who has been taking care of abandoned children along with his wife.

Lunch at Pastor Cyrus' House

Coming Soon

Festival at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar

 Present:

Currently, I have time off from teaching at Prakhun Language School.  April is summer time here in Thailand.  Students and teachers alike have this short break before classes for the new school year begins in May.  This break, though, means more time for studying Thai as we aim to move to a new level and time to also rest as we prepare for the upcoming activities. 

Jason is also taking this time to work on a movie for the new Sowers project that I mentioned earlier.  It’s called “Joshua 20.”  Watch out for this!  I have only seen the beginning parts of the concept he is trying to develop in this short film, and I am blown away with how he has put it together.  I have to say that I am very proud of my husband’s work.

Future:

We have short-term teams coming!  Please pray for them.

Jason is slated to lead the China team in May.  He will be there for a month with a team from Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBAU, Florida).  Then, he will be back in Thailand to help us lead the Thailand team from the same university.  They are also scheduled to be here for a month with us.

Lift up these teams in your prayers as they come and serve alongside us even for a short time.  We are always blessed to have people come and extend themselves to the ministries God has entrusted us with.

Jason and I continue to be amazed with God’s love, kindness, and faithfulness as He shows them through you, your prayers and generosity.  We are blessed to have you guys as our support system not only financially but also spiritually.  We could not do what we do here without your partnership. 

God bless you and we love you dearly!

In Our Messiah’s Love,

Jason and Kezia

Thanksgiving 2013, A Message of Gratitude and Love

Thanksgiving is coming up; as Jason and I sat down to think of what we are grateful for and to count our blessings, our supporters topped the list. 

We are very grateful for you! 

We are so grateful for your prayers, and, for your financial support.  We praise God for your generosity and willingness to unselfishly share your lives with us as God provides our needs through you, to continue the work here in Thailand.

Thank You.  We cannot say this enough.  We are humbled beyond words by your kindness.

Today at Peace Church Ao Nang, the newly planted church where Jason and I serve, we celebrated Thanksgiving Day with people from all over the world.  A small sample of what it would someday look like, as every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ as the King of kings!  The tradition of giving thanks to God is now being observed by some here in South Thailand where the percentage of Christians is under 5% of the population.  But one day, we believe it will be a tradition that most of South Thailand, if not all, will be celebrating --- to give praises and thanks to our God.

Many of you have asked about my family as the news about the devastation of the typhoon in the Philippines captured international attention.   Thank you so much for thinking of me and my family back home.  I want you to know that they are doing fine.  Their city was not in the path of destruction. I am thankful for this, but I am sad to see that thousands did not escape this terrible calamity.  And for those of you who sent help for the victims through Sowers International or other means --- thank you.

Last month, I was privileged to join Prakhun Language School students on a trip to Singapore and Malaysia where we not only had the chance to eat and play with the kids for 4 days; we also had the opportunity to pray with them together at night before going to sleep.  We had lots of fun and loads of interesting stories, but my favorite part of the whole trip was the chance to pray with them.  On the last night that we were together, I was extremely tired and almost went to sleep without praying with them.  They were the ones who reminded me that we haven’t prayed yet, and that they want to do it before we go to sleep.  To me, that was the best thing that ever happened during the entire trip besides riding the Transformers’ ride at Universal Studios’ Singapore.  Haha!

Also last month, Peace Church celebrated its first ever baptisms. Five youngsters answered the call!!

Again, Jason and I would like to say, “Thank You.  We deeply appreciate you guys.  We love you in Christ Jesus!”

Gone baptizin'

Prakhun Language School field trip

Tawan and Non (a couple of Kezia's students)

Free

“Not only did Christ set you free for freedom, but He set you free for free.”  - Jason Lewis

In the last few weeks, Jason has been preaching a series entitled, “Free,” speaking about living a life of freedom in Christ.  It has been such a blessing to see God working through him, speaking to him and through him at Peace Church Ao Nang (the small, but going strong fellowship we have here.)

Many of us are in prison to some invisible chains that have held us captive for many years.  In the first installment of the message on being free, I was struck with the truth of God’s word that all I had to do was to let go of these long held chains that have bound me for a long time.   And as I am writing this update, I start reflecting back on the message and realized how God longs to not only free me from what is holding me back to fully experience the promises of life in Him but to free the Thai people who are shackled by their erroneous spiritual beliefs. 

How it must break the Father’s heart to see His Thai children lost in the wilderness of the enemy’s lies! 

I urge you to continue praying for the Thai people (and other nations) to come to know His Son, Jesus Christ.  They are in desperate need of a Savior.  The Father yearns to set them free.

As I have mentioned, Jason is preaching at Peace Church Ao Nang.  He is blessed to share the pulpit with Pastor Roslen Sipat.  Both of them take turns in preaching on Sundays.  Jason was also recently invited to preach at Santisuk Krabi Church (the Thai mother church of Peace Church Ao Nang) at the end of September.  We are super excited to receive this news and see this as a great opportunity to strengthen our bond with the Thai believers. 

Jason also leads the Wednesday evening bible studies where we have been studying the book of Philippians.  This is attended mostly by Thai people, and so we have a Thai sister who helps translate.  This brings me to our Thai lessons.  Jason and I are taking Thai classes at a local school 3 hours per week.  And we are proud to say that we can now read and write in Thai.  (There are 44 consonants and 32 vowels in the Thai language, so this is definitely a milestone for us!)  We are still not fluent in the language, but we are hoping to soon get there.   Do pray for us to have superhuman capacity to grasp this language. 

I am still continuing to teach at Prakhun Language School.  I teach English, Math, Science, and Health in at least 2 levels.  I also continue to help in all other details and ministries at Peace Church, wherever it is needed, and continue to be a part of outreach efforts through street singing on two Saturday nights in a month at the beach.

Finally, I want to let you guys know that I am going home in September to the Philippines to visit my family for a week!  It’s been three years since I last saw my brothers and sister, and I miss them terribly.  My brother also had a baby boy last year, and he will be celebrating his 1^st birthday during my visit.  I am so stoked!  So grateful that I get to be there when he turns one.  He is the first nephew of my family, and I cannot wait to see him. 

Once again, Jason and I want to say thank you for continuing to be there for us.  Words evade us in fully expressing our gratitude for your kindness and generosity.  We continue to lift you all up in our prayers for God to bless your lives abundantly.  He has been so good to us and keeps on showing us His favor through you!

And please, do not stop praying for Jason and I.  We need lots of it! 

In Our Messiah’s Love, we declare our love for you!

Living Things

Monday mornings seem to be the “woe is me” part of my week. This Monday’s morning was no exception. Self absorbed and over-analyzing the sermon I preached the day before, I was regretting the position I had put myself in that committed me to go teach English at an elementary school at 8:45. I’ve been teaching there for about a week and generally I have fun, but this morning I just wasn’t looking forward to it. It’s tough teaching English in Thailand, sometimes you’re not sure how much you’re helping.

 

So I come in to the class and the Thai teachers are so happy to see me that I feel convicted for not wanting to be there. They give me the teachers guide to the day’s lesson and I see the title at the top of the page: “Living Things”. So I start teaching:

 

(me) “Book?”

 

(students) “Non-living thing!”

 

(me) “Good! Bird?”

 

(students) “Living thing!”

 

Round and round we went, they were understanding and I was warming up! So I start looking around the room and pointing at different things.

 

(me) “Pencil?”

 

(students) “Non-Living thing!”

 

(me) “Good! Flower?”

 

(students) “Living thing!”

 

Then I came across something in the corner of the class that made me pause. It was a shrine, an altar. It was a table, and on the table were four Buddhist statues, three smaller black ones and one big gold one. In front of the idols was a candle and burning incense. Part me said “don’t go there, just teach them English” but another part of me said “point at it!” I was genuinely curious as to what their answer would be. So I decided to go for it, I pointed at the idol. Then the class in unison, just as if I’d pointed at a person or a bird, said “Living thing!”

 

My heart sank. I wanted so bad to teach them this statue’s eyes don’t see, that it’s ears don’t hear, that its mouth doesn’t speak! But it was not the time, I held back. Then just as I was about to move on, I heard a small voice from the furthest corner of the room.

 

“May mi chi wit”

 

Which in Thai means “no life”. I was amazed! I took a closer look and it was a little boy, I walked over to him, he looked nervous, maybe he thought he said something wrong. I bent down next to him; I said “Aray kap?” which means, “What did you say?” He said it again, this time a little quieter than before, as if he didn’t want the others to hear, “May mi chi wit”. I cupped my hand to his ear, I leaned in and whispered, “Tuk” which means, “correct”. We exchanged a look of agreement, and capped it off with a high five. The LORD has big plans for this kid.