Prayers...prayers...prayers!!!
It has been a great blessing to start everything with prayers. At the beginning of this year, friends, family, and churches came to our site to give us a special service ending with a special prayer for our family and ministry. It really energized us for the year of 2012. On another occasion, Mary was moved by a prayer on her birthday by several senior evangelists who have spent their entire lives in evangelistic works in China, Burma, and now in Thailand. His even ended with Mary cooking in return to feed those evangelists and their wives.
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| New Year Prayer Service |
Since prayers can move mountains (Matthew 21:21), we would much appreciate your prayers for the health of every field worker here in Southeast Asia and China, particularly at this moment the health of Mary, Alicia, and Becky.
Your prayer for spiritual liberation through our evangelistic works is our second prayer request. Evangelism among Wa people at the border of Burma and Thailand is still our major focus. As we mentioned earlier, we have sent more native evangelists to the area so that we will be able to expand the evangelistic works. The effort of our evangelists to those new areas is challenging. Recently, we have received a call from the mission field that many Wa non-believers are wanting to accept Jesus Christ. However, they struggle with the opposition from their local leaders. Their local leaders oppose the gospel of Jesus' redemption and forbid them to do so.
China is our next evangelistic focus area. About 38 Lisu leaders both believers and non-believer, including two governors from Lisu autonomy areas in China, will be our mission's guests at the end of February. Prayer that we are able to use this opportunity wisely in teaching them God's Word and present them Christ's manner so that they will know and accept the true and living God.
Equipping Biblical leaders through Asia International Seminary is going great. This ministry is growing. We will soon hold a group of Christian leaders from China, as we did last year with our Burmese students. They will arrive in Thailand at any moment. It seems that there is a lot of red tape for the paper work, passports, and visas. After studying the Bible at the block of time, Stephen will go to China with them for his evangelistic works there. Since AIS has only three professors, pray for God to send more workers. The leadership equipping ministry is in great need. Many churches have requested AIS to offer bible courses at local congregations. We hope that this ministry will be started soon since we have produced some qualified students who are able to help us in such training and equipping.
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| Saengduan, Isaiah, Stephen |
In the midst of a busy schedule for evangelism and leadership training, Stephen had a short time to do his favorite thing. He set aside time for himself to make a jungle trip with his friends. As usual, he and his team would bring very limited resources. The rest they would go to the jungle and find whatever they could eat and survive there. If they were fortunate they would find food, if not, they would starve. He always enjoys doing tent out in the jungle, not only to see the nature, but also to experience God's faithfulness in providing for each one's daily needs.
At the moment, Becky is doing much better with her left hand motion. A lot of people see a difference in her after receiving several acupuncture treatments. Prayer request for John, who is at teen transition, and energetic Isaac, who always tires his mom and dad out. Prayers can move mountains!!!
In Christ's Love,
Stephen and Mary
