His Kingdom Will Prevail

 As the Bible says “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me” (Matthew 5:11, NASB). While many of us comfortably spend time with family and friends, several Christian leaders and new converts in the country next to Thailand recently have been arrested and imprisoned because of their faith in Christ. The most recent arrest occurred on August 31^st. So, please keep praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ! Pray without cease. Pray for their release, if it’s in His Will. Pray especially for their faith as they are chained. Pray for the people in their communities as this has caused much fear.

Joy in New Life

Many believed and were baptized

This imprisonment happened in our mission targeting area. One of Stephen’s students is working in this area. In fact, this is the area where Stephen had planned to go in the past June and it is also the place he is planning to go and evangelize as soon as the country is reopened. Stephen is planning to invite the high level of the central government officials to go to this area. Actually, in the past, some of those high level of the central government invited Stephen and his team to visit the area but the project was postponed due to the lack of funds and the unfortunate timing.

In many areas of Southeast Asia and China where we are called to go into, many people who accept Christ are harassed and even have their possessions taken away. Some will be shunned by their own families. Others are jailed, tortured and even killed because of their faith in Jesus Christ. In some of these places, when you accept Christ, you have already accepted that you could very likely die because of this very decision. Pray for people here to have faith and cling to Jesus.

Nevertheless, in the midst of this severe persecution, God is continuing to move; many people are accepting Jesus Christ, many souls are continually being harvested, many spiritual alters and images are being torn down and literally set ablaze as it happened similar to Acts 19:19, where “many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone…” (NASB). Even in these trying situations, we can praise God. The Good News of Jesus Christ is being heard and many people believe and are walking several miles down to the river to get baptized. This is absolutely incredible! Where there is persecution, God’s Kingdom will continue to grow! There is nothing that will stop us from preaching His truth as long as we live! Of course, Yes, His Kingdom will prevail no matter what!

Walking many miles to get baptized

The terrain of their land

Baptism at a small creek

Taking down evil spirit alters

Burning their idols and spirit alters

A new house church is formed in this village

Family

The family is doing well. Isaac is getting taller and taller. This past month, he gave his first sermon at a Lisu church in Chiang Mai and he did a great job. Also, Isaac was chosen by the school to represent the class speech team. Becky and Nick started another English online course, this time, for the university students in Myanmar; they are still in contact with the students in Laos, but right now the students are on break. These are free online classes for the students which happen to be one of our outreach programs. Furthermore, Nick continues to reach the Ethnic Shan kids at the government school through the sports ministry. For one week, we switched up the sport and Nick taught them how to play (two hand touch) American Football, they really liked it. The soccer jersey colors are all picked out; we are waiting as the kids have a mini competition to come up with the best logo so we can put it on the jerseys. The young adult males in the community have now started to join in small games with the kids as well. They are aware and have complied with the rules of good sportsmanship and absolutely no smoking or alcohol on the field or even before coming to play. Slowly, the sports ministry has grown to almost 30 people. Off the field, Nick has been investing in several of the kids that are interested in talking about Jesus Christ. Mary has many projects around the house, including her vegetable garden. Stephen, Mary and Nick continue visiting the sick and praying for them. Almost every weekend, Stephen and Mary make church visits. Besides mobilizing our teammates in the mission fields, providing Bibles for a prison ministry in Chiang Mai, and training Isaac for a mission works for the coming generation, Stephen is at the final phase of his exegetical work on the book of Romans. Hurray!

Isaac's first sermon with his dad

A great atmosphere to play soccer and grow in character

Trying out American football

Teaching English through Zoom to students in Myanmar

This man used to persecute Christians
but has since changed because of our outreach
and now he asked to study the Bible
(we gave him his first Bible!)

Please also keep Thailand and our neighboring countries in your prayers! The COVID infections in our neighboring country, Myanmar for instance, is getting worse. Though there is no documented case of COVID patient in the past 2 months in Thailand, the country’s lockdown and full government/military emergency decree is extended until the end of September. We don’t know what Thailand will be like in the coming months, but political unrest is very apparent. No matter what happens, God’s Kingdom prevails.