Deadly cyclones and repressive governments notwithstanding, our friends in mission based in southeast Asia continue to spread the love of Jesus Christ, not only through their actions, but through the written Word of God. Following is an update we received from Mark and Astrid of the Christian Far East Ministry. We met with them both, learned from them and contributed to their efforts during our Thailand Mission, earlier this year. Their work extends beyond the borders of Thailand into other southeast Asian countries ... as the following post will tell you.
Mark preached in a church in Vietnam, sharing how if we pray we will see God move in our lives. The church wanted to emphasize outreach, and Mark shared how prayer should come first. Afterwards, about a dozen people followed him to the pastor’s office. Six people wanted prayer for healing. He only saw one lady healed immediately. This lady had several injuries and much pain. After prayer she took wraps off of her shoulder, arm and back: totally healed.
But another lady had great pain and bleeding due to womb cancer. After prayer in Jesus name she said she felt a bit better, but not 100%. Mark told her, “Jesus is the healer and He has started the healing. Keep praying for the full healing as you go.” One week later this lady went to the big city hospital for a check up, and the doctors could not find any sign of the cancer. The lady had no pain and the bleeding had stopped. The doctors couldn’t understand it and they kept her in the hospital for one week to do tests. They again could not find any cancer. She was sent to a second and even a third hospital for tests. And each time there was no sign of cancer. Pray that this testimony will be a witness to the hospital workers of the reality of Jesus Christ, and to her home church about what God will do if we will pray.
In another service in Vietnam, Mark preached on the Lord’s prayer. But before the preaching, during the offering, a very poor man came in, walked to the front of the church, and placed note in the In another service in Vietnam, Mark preached on the Lord’s prayer. But before the preaching, during the offering, a very poor man came in, walked to the front of the church, and placed note in the offering bag. He then left the church. Afterwards the church was excited, and they showed Mark the paper, and it was the Lord’s prayer written in Vietnamese, and 200 VNDong bill, worth about one US cent. Mark was encouraged, since he was asking to be led more by God, and this confirmed that he had been lead to bring this message. Hallelujah!
In Cambodia, the church in Siem Reap is growing. Pastor Timothy doesn’t have to go out to villages to find the lost, the lost are now coming to him and studying the Bible in his church. Praise the Lord. All seven churches are running. There are some missionaries from Nagaland, India helping the work, but they have no support. So they teach all day for pay, and then work in the villages in the late afternoon sharing the word of God. But this month the school closed for good leaving them with no support. Pray that they can have full support so they can work full time for God.
In village in Cambodia where the miraculous outreach was last summer is still in need of prayer. The authorities still haven’t giving permission for the church to meet together. The pastor who was driving one hour on his motorbike to reach the village was not able to go for two months, because he had such pain in his wrists that he couldn’t drive the motor bike. Mark saw him in the capitol and they met in Mark’s hotel room. When parting, the pastor tried to open the hotel room door, but he couldn’t, because of the great pain in his wrists. Mark prayed with the pastor, and suddenly there was no more pain. The pastor easily opened the hotel room door and when on his way. Praise the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Pure religion that is undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit the orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. James 1:27
Astrid led a trip to a camp of Internally Displaced People (IDPs). These people are survivors of the Burmese Army attacks against innocent civilians. These people are not allowed to enter Thailand, so their camp is just over the border in Burma. The road to get there was treacherous, but when they finally arrived, they unloaded their supplies of food, clothing, blankets, Bibles and other items onto a boat to take them to the camp. But the Thai police said they could not go, due to the violence in that area. Sometimes the Burmese army shoots at people on the river. Two dead bodies were found just days before. But the Karen minister traveling with them pleaded to be allowed to go, since the people needed the food. The policemen finally relented and let the group go.
On arrival the children from the orphanage ran shouting, “Hallelujah.” No one had been allowed to visit the camp for some days, because of the violence. They had no food. The night before, they prayed and asked God to allow the supplies to come in. Astrid’s group was the only group that visited the camp that day.
Everyone in the camp has lost family members to the brutal Burmese Army’s attacks. The people all live in fear that they could be attacked again at any moment. The team showed the Jesus film, encouraged the people, saw 40 or 50 people saved and perhaps 300 people rededicate their lives to the Lord, and they handed out Bibles. Astrid visited a bamboo building that we built for the orphans. They were sleeping on the ground before this. Thank God that the building was completed just before the cyclone hit the area and the house remained standing. At least the orphans had a place to get out of the violent weather. Asian Athletic Institute, a ministry Astrid volunteers to serve, will support these orphans monthly for this year. Below are the testimonies of five Karen women.
Kep Moh is 35 years-old. "I came from a Christian village. Twelve years ago, the Burmese army came into my village, occupied my village and burned down the village and the fruit trees. They killed many people. They shot and killed my parents as we fled to the jungle, and they also shot me in my leg. For twelve years I have been on the run. My husband died in the jungle from disease as we were fleeing. We had no medication. I have three children. We arrived in this camp three months ago. The last time I read the Bible was when I was ten years old. This new Bible you gave me will encourage me!"
Senah is 35 years-old. "I came from a Christian village (evangelists came to my village), but my parents are animist. I have never owned a Bible, but borrowed one in the village. I love to read my Bible. This Bible you gave me is the first one I have ever owned! The Burmese army came and took over my village and we could not live there anymore. We in the village were all afraid and we fled through the jungle and slept in the jungle. It was very dangerous to come to this camp and it took elevin days through the jungle. As we were fleeing, the Burmese army shot at my father, but the bullet hit the basket he was carrying on his back, and he was okay."
Mrs. Pebiis is 48 years-old, and she appeared to be extremely fearful. "I came from a Christian village. The Burmese army came to our village and we had to flee to the jungle and sleep in the jungle for many years. The Burmese army took over our village and we cannot go back. It took ten days to walk to this camp and we were very much afraid. The Karen National Union (KNU) militia guided us. We became separated from our rela-tives. I did have a Bible in the village and received it from a Karen evangelist. Most people in our village had a Bible, but we lost those Bibles when we fled the village. Now I have my own Bible!”
Mny Sa Poh is 37 years-old. "When we were working in the field, the Burmese army came and shot at us. Then they burned down our village and it was gone. This is the first time for me to have a Bible. I am very happy to have this Bible! I will have my children read it to me. I have had many miscarriages and would like to have a baby girl."
Nam Kleh is 46 years-old. "The Burmese army came into our village and took control of it. We could not go to our own fields, but had to work as slaves for the Burmese army. My family and I wanted to escape and so we pretended to go to the fields to work, but then fled into the jungle. It took us fourteen days to walk through the jungle to get to this camp. I was very afraid. The KNU helped us. In our village we had a church, but the Burmese army stopped us from going to church. I also had a Bible in our village, but I had to leave it behind when we fled. The Bible is the Word of God and is very important. It encourages me."
Below are five stories from the orphans. Many of the orphans have been traumatized. Some won’t speak, but only stare.
Po Ta La Se is a 15 year-old girl. "Two years ago, my mother died of dysentery. Then the Burmese army came to our village. My father was sick inside the house when the Burmese army came and they burned down my house. My father was too sick to get out of the house in time and he burned to death. I followed my aunt into the jungle and it was very dangerous. I am still scared every day. I want to become a teacher."
La Si Thu is a 14 year-old girl. "I’ve been in the camp for one year. My father died of sickness and my mother got shot by the Burmese army when we were fleeing in the jungle. My one older brother is on the run now. I followed my cousin who brought me here. I am afraid every day. I want to become an evangelist."
So Da Thu is a 10-year-old boy. He appeared extremely traumatized, still in shock and daze. He witnessed the burning of his village. “I have no parents. My mother died by sickness in the house. My father got shot. I have no brothers or sisters. I came to the camp two years ago with my aunt. I want a mommy and daddy. I want a toy.”
Glory Thu is an 11 year-old boy. "I have no parents. My father was shot. My mother died in the house. I lived with my uncle. Five months ago my uncle died of sickness. A relative brought me here to the camp. I want to become a nurse."
Ma We Lai is an 8 year-old girl. "I am in grade 3. I am the youngest daughter and have two sisters. My father died in the jungle of disease, because he was fleeing in the rainy season. My mother died last year in the jungle while we were fleeing. I was with her. I had to bury her, but I couldn’t stay long since I saw the Burmese army coming. Once I was caught by the Burmese army and they put me with older women. The older women got raped, but I escaped. I want to become an evangelist."
God bless you!
Thank you for your prayers and support!
Mark and Astrid
To support the work of CHRISTIAN FAR EAST MINISTRY IN AMERICA, tax deductible gifts may be made out to "His Servants – Asia or Faith Community Church" and mailed to:
Christian Far East Ministry
PO Box 1411
Glendora, CA 91740
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