It
is the rainy season in Thailand, and nearly every day the rain transforms the
once-scorched land into a lush green landscape. The cooler temperatures and
refreshing breeze provide welcome relief from the heat. The air is fresh, the
rivers are full, and fruit trees and rice fields are flourishing. Thank God crops
are growing! Although the rain can sometimes be inconvenient, especially when
we have to take shelter while riding our scooters, it is a wonderful gift from
God, bringing life, provision, and beauty to the land.
Even
though it rains almost every day, the work of God’s kingdom continues. The
2026–2027 academic year at AIS has begun with 40 new students enrolled, online
and onsite, in the Master's program with a New Testament emphasis. Another
group of students is also waiting to start the Master of Divinity program with
an emphasis on the Old Testament and missions.
Among
these students is Timotiwu, whose life is a powerful testimony of God's grace.
Before coming to study God's Word, Timotiwu was a Muay Thai boxer who competed
in the ring many times. His life changed dramatically after a devastating
motorcycle accident. He underwent seven brain surgeries, and doctors
reconstructed the right side of his skull using elephant bones.
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| Timotiwu |
Although
the accident left him with lasting challenges, including moments when he struggles
to process his thoughts, God has continued to use him in remarkable ways.
Timotiwu is gifted with creativity and often thinks outside the box. His joyful
spirit, constant smile, and positive attitude bring energy and encouragement to
everyone in the classroom, making learning both engaging and enjoyable.
Yet
behind his cheerful smile is an honest spiritual struggle. During one class,
Timotiwu shared that he has often felt discouraged in ministry. At times, he
questions his own worthiness to serve the Lord and asks, "Why would God
use someone as unworthy as me to serve His Kingdom?"
Even
in those moments of doubt, Timotiwu continues to witness God's faithfulness. He
confidently testifies that God has answered many of his prayers, including the
wonderful blessing of a loving wife, whom he received after years of fervent
prayer. His life reminds us that God's calling is not based on human strength
or perfection, but on His grace and sovereign purpose.
Please
join us in praying for Timotiwu as he pursues his dream of studying God's Word
more deeply and preparing for a lifetime of faithful ministry. Pray that the
Lord will strengthen his mind, encourage his heart, and continually remind him
that God delights in using ordinary and even broken people to accomplish His
extraordinary purposes. May Timotiwu's journey continue to inspire us to trust
God’s grace rather than our own abilities.
The classes went well. Even as we had to face the rain everyday, we had shelter. Even when it rains and storms, the worship songs thundered. Even in the midst of the downpour and occasional power outage, we are still training Christian leaders to expand the Kingdom of God. We are encouraged beyond measure as we have a great team and the students' desire and their sacrifices to learn the Word.
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| The new cohort's first class |
Also,
please pray that God will bring more professors to serve in this growing
ministry. As the number of students continues to increase, we need faithful
teachers who are willing to invest in the next generation of Christian leaders
by sharing biblical knowledge and ministry experience, whether onsite or
online.
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| Thank you from the team from Ohio for joining our ministry |
If God has placed this ministry on your heart, we would love to hear from you. Your partnership through teaching, mentoring, and equipping future servants of Christ can have an eternal impact in Southeast Asia and China. Please prayerfully consider how the Lord might use your gifts to strengthen His Kingdom through this ministry, and feel free to contact us for more information.
Family Updates
Stephen continues to prepare for the next course after the visit to the US. His more than two decades of work on the Gospel of Luke have been redeemed from his broken-down computer. Praise the Lord! He’s currently looking forward to educating Christians on how to reach the Buddhist population. Buddhism is considered one of the major religions in most Southeast Asian countries; with this new topic, it will greatly benefit in the mission field. Mary is the backbone of hosting guests and students at our center. This year we’ve had several teams, including our most recent partners from a church in Ohio. This team came and humbly served with us in teaching the students at AIS and also the local grade schools. We were so blessed to have an increase in the number of guests coming to the mission field and joining in mission works.
Nick has been providing pastoral counseling for a few people in Chiang Mai and also mentoring university students. He has also been preparing a class on teaching pastoral counseling, spiritual gifts, and mental health-related classes for AIS students this fall. This course will make a significant contribution to the AIS curriculum, equipping students to address a critical need, as mental health education is largely unavailable in the communities where they serve in ministry. As a manager, Khao has exemplified servant leadership by mentoring and encouraging her coworkers, reflecting Christ's love through her character, integrity, and care for others.
John is currently helping with increasing our mission awareness by helping create content (podcast, social media posts) so that partners can connect with us further. John and Anna are currently in Vietnam to renew Anna's visa while also visiting AFC team members serving in the country. Much appreciated your prayers!
Becky has been a great host on Zoom for our Saturday Bible English
class with the Myanmar students. She also teaches English to more local grade
school students on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Isaac is preparing to move
to Bangkok to study political science and global studies at the number one-rated
university in Thailand. Please continue to pray for us as we work together to
expand His Kingdom in Southeast Asia and China.
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| Spending time with the local kids |
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| The children of the church performing a song |
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| Working with the local grades school |
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| Seeing the view of Chiang Mai |
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| Isaac got accepted into political science program |
Drawing closer to July, Kao, Nick, and Stephen have been preparing to visit the states. We will spend our time with friends and visiting our partnering churches. Also, we will speak at two Christian camps. Please pray that God grant us the words and courage to speak on behalf of the amazing things He continues to do in Southeast Asia and China. If you’d like to meet with us, please reach out to us.
