We always thank God for His grace and mercy demonstrated
through His only Son, Jesus Christ. With
your prayer and support, we are able to continue to serve Him and reach out to
many lost people: experiencing indescribable words with very primitive non-believers,
helping the people in need such as widows, orphans, sick and poor people and delivering
the felt needs to hundreds of displaced people.
Day after day, we are convinced that the world needs Jesus Christ. Without Jesus Christ,” there is salvation in
no one else: for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among
men, but which we must be saved (NASB).”
New
Mission Field:
As
soon as Stephen came back from the youth camp in Myitkyina at the end of April,
he had to make a quick mission trip to Kaya state in Myanmar. A group of non-believers from Kaya state came
at the border between Myanmar and Thailand, calling him to go with them to
their place (Stephen had just spent two nights at home and had not even
unpacked from the previous trip). Those
non-believers told us that they had waited for him for almost two weeks. Finally, Stephen decided to go with them even
though he was very exhausted from his previous mission trip to the North
Myanmar. He told his children that if
this was God’s will, he must obey.
Praise the Lord! He came back safely though he got sick with stomach
problems for about a week due to the food from the trip.
Stephen with Lisu ladies with their traditional attire
Stephen with local non Christian leaders
A very typical Lisu house in Kaya state
Inside the kitchen
Inside the house
A Lisu woman with her traditional attire
A Lisu woman is doing her chore
A Lisu woman is doing her morning chore
There
are over 30,000 Lisu people living around Loikaw, the capital of Kaya (Long
neck Karen or Karenni or red Karen), particularly at the border area between
Kaya and Shan state. The majority of
these Lisu people are non-believers. Few
of the villages that Stephen made a visit to does not even have one Christian
in the village. They are spirit
worshippers and very primitive in life
style, growing opium and having swedish type of cultivation: slash and burn. Probably, America has to wind back the clock
almost a century before visiting those villages in Kaya state of Myanmar. Of course, these people need Jesus Christ! There is a handful number of Christian in
the area, however, the hostility between believers and non-believers are very
intense. Apparently, some of the Christian
leaders in the area have known Stephen for many years. They once were his church members in
Chiangmai. He is now praying to find a
way or time to train those Christians to evangelize to their neighboring
non-believers through the wholistic mindset ministry with the cultural
sensitivity while holding firmly with the Word of God.
Updating
the help for displaced people in China:
The
help from IDES has aided a 50 year old Joxiaotao who lost his wife and also had
his home destroyed by the bomb due to the intensive fighting between Burmese
troops and ethnic Kokang independent insurgent in Laukkaing, Myanmar. He fled to the border of China with his
youngest daughter, age 4. Moreover, the
help has stretched over to a woman named Zhang Hua who was seperated from her
son and her younger brother during the fight.
The government soldiers captured her son and younger brother to be porters of the military artillery and
using them to be human shields during the fightings. Up to this day, she has not heard any news
about them, whether alive or dead. The
aid has comforted a 33 year old Xiao Huai who lost her husband, Lao Zhao,
during the airbomb at her village by the government. She fled to the border of China with her 5
children. With the sudden flight and
having taken nothing, she lived in a cave at first, and worked for her daily food. She is hoping the fight would be over so she
could return home.
Praise
the Lord that many of us have homes for sheltering, a country to live in but
pray for many of these people who are struggling to find a home, a place to
call “my land” or even “my country.”
Above all, these people need Jesus Christ!
Joxiaotao with his sheltering place
Zhang Hua and her children
Xiao Huai and her children
Updating from the Wongs:
Mary is getting busy again with her summer crop. Her rice field is ready for harvest. It seems that the monsoon has arrived earlier
this year. So, Mary may have to plant
another set of crops right after the summer harvest. While John is going to have a summer break by
the end of this month, Isaac’s school has begun for the new school year of
2015. Isaac is in third grade. John will be a senior at Grace International
School in this coming school year. John
is preparing himself to return to USA for his college in the year of 2016. He wants to attend two years in a Bible college
first and then see what the Lord’s Will is for him. After being mature enough, he would like to
pursue his dream in computer engineering.
Becky has just completed all her university works. She is continuing to teach English to AIS’
students and displaced kids at our neighboring
houses. Nick has taught at a Korean
Missionary school for a year. Now, he is
ready a summer break. Please pray that the
family’s summer will be fruitful and productive for His Kingdom’s sake.
Many people, particularly the non-believers, from several places from China and Laos are
calling Stephen. However, due to his age
and health he has to pay much attention before accepting those calls. Besides, several of his commentaries on the
New Testament are waiting for publishing.
In fact, at this moment he needs $4,000 in order to print 1,000 books
for his commentary on the book of Revelation in the Lisu language.
Prayer needed:
1.
AIS’ students will arrive in Chiangmai at the
second week of June to continue their biblical education.
2.
Stephen’s health
3.
Family life and ministry
