PBA Thailand Team (May 2012)

Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) sent us a missions team of 9 amazing people of the faith last month.  They spent about 3 weeks helping us with teaching English, praying, and ministering at Ao Nang International Fellowship and Santisuk Krabi Church.

They did prayer walks around Krabi at mosques and temples --- praying for strongholds to be broken, and for the Thai people to be set free.  They also helped in preaching and leading worship at the Ao Nang fellowship as well as preaching at the Thai church in Krabi.  They taught English everyday at Prakhun Language School (a Sowers school) and had opportunities to share the Gospel with some of the kids.  They also taught English at Sarapachang Technical College in Krabi for a few days and led two English camps where they spent the night with some of the kids. 

The team has helped us a lot not only in our daily tasks here but also in making connections to further spread the Word.  We pray for the Lord to continue the work He has begun in this area and, in His time, complete it. 

We want to take this opportunity to thank the team for the time they spent here, for the love and kindness they have shown us, and for their generosity.  We also want to thank Mark Kaprive of PBA who has made this trip possible.  Thank you for continuing to send teams through Sowers.  We also would like to thank the Sipat family who has taken care of the team as well as the volunteer teachers of Prakhun and our Thai brothers and sisters of the faith.

Below is a short video that was made for the team highlighting some of the memories made during the trip. 

Abba, Father

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." - Romans 8:15 

What an encouragement to know that we can call Him, "Abba, Father"; that we are His sons and daughters; that there is no need for us to be in bondage and to fear for we are children of the Most High King!

Our Father loves to embrace us through other people.  Jason and I are continually in awe of Him as He not only daily provides us of our needs but even goes above and beyond to make our hearts smile and overflow with gratefulness and love.  Last December, Sue Fairless and the Whitleys sent us a care package to make our first Christmas here in Thailand extra special with hot chocolate and sweet messages.  And about a few weeks ago, the Copelands sent us another care package so we can have some of the stuff we miss from the West (like, Doritos cheese flavor...haha!)  This just reminds us that our Father cares for us and wants to give us even little treats like hot chocolate and Doritos, and we praise Him more and more!

Our Father hears and answers our prayers.  About a few months ago, I prayed for a door to open so I can meet and make friends with the local Thais.  He did not only answer that prayer but even provided for me an opportunity to be in daily contact with them when I was invited to teach for 3 months (January to March) at a local school.  Even though my teaching stint at this school is over, I made lasting friendships with some of the Thai teachers which I pray would become the bridge for the gospel to be shared and to be heard!

Our Father is faithful.  Prakhun Language School (a Sowers school) recently finished the summer term for English learners with about 20 students.  Prakhun is Thai for grace, and it is, indeed, only by the grace of the Lord that we are able to continue to open our doors and offer English to Thai students as He brings more of them on our steps.  Prakhun provides us our legal presence here and allows us to connect with the locals.  It also provides us a lot of opportunities to share the gospel to the kids and to their parents.  Below is a recent picture we took from our English Day Activity for the summer term.

English Day 2012 with our Prakhun Language School students for the summer term

Our Father loves people from all tribes and tongues.  Now, we are in the midst of preparing for a short term missions team from Palm Beach Atlantic University of West Palm Beach, Florida who will be arriving here next week.  While Jason is also preparing to lead a team in China from the same school.  He leaves for China this Sunday.  The Lord called them to go and share His love to His people in Asia, and here they are answering that call!  We are very excited for what the Lord will do through these teams as they connect and minister unto the hearts of the people they meet.  We know that He is going to do something great through these teams, and we are looking forward to be a part of that!

Our Father holds the future.  We are super excited for what our Father has in store for us!  We may not know the details, but we are confident that He is going to take care of us.  As His Word says, For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15)

There is no need to fear the future for He is our Abba, Father!

We love you!

Jason and Kezia

The Old Rugged Cross

Hawaii

So we did it! And by “we” I mean all of us. You guys had us totally covered in prayer and that made all the difference. It was so encouraging to know you were with us. Kezia is now a U.S. citizen and this process that we started in December 2010 has finally come to a close. I think my dad said it best “Praise God! Now we can all move on with the rest of our lives!!”

Our trip to Hawaii was amazing. We chose Hawaii because it was the closest U.S. soil to Thailand that was equipped for handling our case, and therefor the cheapest air fare. God however, chose Hawaii for other reasons, reasons we didn’t anticipate but sure did appreciate once our eyes were opened. Logistically, Honolulu is one of the most “Filipino-immigrant” friendly cities in the U.S. In Kezia’s group of people taking the oath, 48 out of the 100 were Filipino. While we were there we met second and even third generation Hawaii born Filipinos, there was even a Jollibee!! (one of Kezia’s favorite Filipino restaurants). This was the exact opposite of the offices we dealt with in Raleigh and Boise.

Besides the logistics, God wanted us there for another reason also. I was able to connect with an old friend I hadn’t seen in 7 years, Davidson Brooks. He has a house on the east side of Oahu and invited us to stay there. It turns out Davidson is running an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) ministry out of his house and also teaching the Word at night. The first night we arrived at his house we were able to join in one of their meetings, God is doing amazing work there. We would like to especially thank Davidson and his wife Tiff for opening their home to us, what a blessing it was to stay with you guys. 

Touring the island of Oahu

Opening prayer at Davidson's house

Kez and I singing a song for the group at Davidson's

Davidson's amazing backyard

Old buddies, Jason and Davidson

Merry Christmas

Season's greetings and merry Christmas from Kezia and I. It's been an amazing four months. So much has happened thanks to all of our supporters. 

Kezia got all of her documents straightened out and has been ok'd to stay and teach at the Sowers school here for a year. We are still, however, waiting for an interview date from U.S. immigration.

I'm working closely with Pastor Sipat on the new English speaking church plant in the neighboring town called Ao Nang. It's going REALLY well. I preach there every other Sunday, and lead worship on the Sundays I don't preach. It seems like there's someone new there every Sunday. As of now our congregation is made up of people from Thailand, the Philippines, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, the U.S., and about 6 different countries in Africa!

I just wanted to let you guys know how much we appreciate all of your support, especially through the holiday season. Living on support isn't easy, sometimes it's really hard. I start to wonder where God's gonna come up with all these things that I know I'm going to need. I admit, I have times of doubt and fear, even though He's never failed to provide. His track record with me is perfect, yet still I'm surprised when He comes through in amazing ways. Why is that? I should be used to it by now, I have story after amazing story of God’s faithfulness in my life and still He continues to amaze me. About a week ago we sealed the deal and drove home in a new car! Neither my wife nor I have ever owned a new car before, we were so excited, so blessed. We had been praying for that day and there it was. He is so good to us!

Ironically it’s easier to trust God for the big stuff (house, car, etc…), the things that are impossible for me to conjure up on my own are the easiest to depend on God for. And He is faithful; He loves to provide that stuff. There’s no way that a friend of my dad’s in LA decided out of the goodness of her heart to buy me car. God did that, he put my need on her heart, and she was discerning enough to recognize it as God, and to move in obedience. God does that stuff, and it blows me away every time. But every once in a while, He goes above and beyond.

You see as easy as it is to depend on God for the things you can’t get for yourself, it’s just as easy to depend on yourself for the things that you can. And this season, God has been showing me that I’m better off just depending on Him for everything. A few days after we got the new car, we received a package. And in this box, that got here the day before Christmas, were a couple of bags of “Reese’s” peanut butter cups. Now for those of you who don’t know, Reese’s peanut butter cups are my favorite, and what a blessing it was to open that box. A dear friend of ours, in Windsor N.C., felt a desire to send us a care package for Christmas. A package of something menial to most, but oh, so meaningful to me. If sent to any one else it might be considered a waste, since its postage surely out valued its content. But it wasn’t, it was sent to me, and to me it was priceless. I was just as blessed opening that package, as I was when I drove my first new car off the lot the week before. This package, along with its timing, its message was perfect. The message I heard in my heart was “Arise and eat!”

There’s a pretty random story in the Old Testament about Elijah. And if you’re just reading through the book of 1 Kings you’ll just glaze right over it and dismiss it as irrelevant, because basically, that’s what it is. It’s got nothing to do with anything else that’s happening in 1 Kings, but that’s the brilliance of it. Elijah, is afraid for his life because the prophets are being killed, Jezebel even sends a messenger to him to tell him he’s next. This is what happens next… 1 Kings 19:3

³Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” ⁵Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.

As you can see Elijah isn’t doing so good, first he’s running for his life, then he’s asking God to take it. He’s confused and tired, then this happens…  1 Kings 19:5

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Arise and eat.” ⁶He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 

First of all, the angel touched him, I want you to remember that, but second: God baked him a cake! I love that! Well, He sent a cake through an angel, but God did it! And not just once, but twice! 1 Kings 19:7

⁷The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” ⁸So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.      

Now at some point Elijah’s plan changed. He starts out by running away, overtaken by fear and running for his life. This totally drained him, and he was done after just one day of running. Defeated, depleted, and desiring to be deleted. Then we find out he’s running to something, the mountain of God (Horeb is where Moses received the Ten Commandments) and he lasts 40 days on two angel cakes. There’s a lot that can be drawn from this, but I think the main point is this: Running away I’ll always run out, but headed for Horeb I won’t be without.

God has shown me this month that He can provide everything and anything and I should depend on Him for all of it. I bet the cake that Elijah got was his favorite flavor; I mean it wasn’t just there, it was freshly baked, waiting for him on hot coals. God wants to provide everything, not just the big stuff. And while the value of the gifts may vary, the richness of the blessing never will. If God’s the giver the gift is perfect. A new car and a box of candy, there could be no clearer picture of the pendulum’s peaks. He’s got it all covered; if we just head for the mountain He’ll get us there.

We’d like to send a special thanks to those who have been supporting us. You are to us, the angel in the story. You know the Masters voice and hunger to hear it. And when the Father of Lights has that perfect gift He wants delivered, He sends it through you, a good and faithful servant. You are to us what the angel was to Elijah, a comforting touch with inspiring words. We are so grateful that God has put us on your hearts, your generosity and obedience touches us, your words and your prayers, encourage us, strengthen us, and beckon us to Arise and Eat. Merry Christmas, happy New Year, and please keep in touch!!

Grace and Peace

Jason and Kezia