This past year has been just amazing. Our team here has seen our outreach and ministry opportunities expanded in so many directions that it’s almost overwhelming! When God sends increase like this, I’m reminded of God’s control over our affairs here. But yet, I’m also reminded that God has beckoned us to come to Him with our requests. He has warned us of impending danger and evil that is always present in our lives and ministries. As I watch the lives of people here in Surin, I can’t help but describe many of them as “fragile”. Just tonight we had nearly 40 high school and college students here at our house for Bible study. About 10 of them are saved and attend church. We do have one dear adult lady who seems to be on the verge of entering the Kingdom of God. We split the students up into four groups and teach them for about half an hour in small groups after singing a couple songs with them. I can’t tell you how incredibly rewarding it is to look into the faces of these young people and explain to them that God knew them long before they were born and that He has been working out the details of their lives from day 1. But on the other hand, it’s heartbreaking to see the utter lack of understanding and lack of belief in most of their eyes. As I sat with my seven young people, I asked them if they had ever heard the truth that I was teaching. Only one had ever heard and knew and believed the truth that God created them and ordained the details of their lives. (Sorry about the run-on sentence there. I’d hate to have to diagram that one.) The spiritual soil here is so rocky and hard. Plowing takes so much time and effort.
What I am asking is that you would all spend a few minutes each day this week praying for these young people that God has brought to us. Satan is always near and in our short time here we have watched over and over as the seed begins to grow only to be snatched up or it just dries up and dies. This is heart-breaking for us because these people are dear to us.
Will you accept my invitation to pray this week and even beyond this week? Will you pray that as the Gospel seed is planted here that it won’t be carried away by Satan? Will you pray that the Word will fall on fertile hearts that are ready to receive it? Will you pray that we would have opportunities to “draw the net” and see some of these young people trust in Christ in the coming months? As you can tell, this isn’t my normal type of update. I’m heavily burdened these days because the fight for these young people is intense here. We appreciate you all and look forward to seeing many of you in 2010 and 2011 when we return home for furlough. (Don’t misunderstand the meaning of that sentence. I’m just saying that we probably won’t see each and every one of you. J)
I’m very serious about this call to spend a few minutes in prayer this week for these young people here in Surin. If you are serious about accepting this challenge and would like to have a list of names of the young people I’m referring to, let me know and I’ll send it. There are a lot! Thanks again and rejoice with us that God is working in this dark country!
What I am asking is that you would all spend a few minutes each day this week praying for these young people that God has brought to us. Satan is always near and in our short time here we have watched over and over as the seed begins to grow only to be snatched up or it just dries up and dies. This is heart-breaking for us because these people are dear to us.
Will you accept my invitation to pray this week and even beyond this week? Will you pray that as the Gospel seed is planted here that it won’t be carried away by Satan? Will you pray that the Word will fall on fertile hearts that are ready to receive it? Will you pray that we would have opportunities to “draw the net” and see some of these young people trust in Christ in the coming months? As you can tell, this isn’t my normal type of update. I’m heavily burdened these days because the fight for these young people is intense here. We appreciate you all and look forward to seeing many of you in 2010 and 2011 when we return home for furlough. (Don’t misunderstand the meaning of that sentence. I’m just saying that we probably won’t see each and every one of you. J)
I’m very serious about this call to spend a few minutes in prayer this week for these young people here in Surin. If you are serious about accepting this challenge and would like to have a list of names of the young people I’m referring to, let me know and I’ll send it. There are a lot! Thanks again and rejoice with us that God is working in this dark country!
2 comments:
hi, my name is nancy. i attend hillsdale baptist church in tampa florida. i have had you and your family on my heart for about 2 week. date 8//22/2011/ i have your prayer card. i bet the children are much taller now. i probably met you all 2010. your presentation was great. i think you said. the children were asking, when are we going home? please send list of yuong people you spoke about on this webb site. prayers are with you and for blessing and safety of your family. don,t understand the term you used about the nest.
Hi my name is Churnkwan เชิญขวัญ first time I heard about Jesus when I was 10 at the Surin Baptist Church.God have chose me, through life at some point I decided I want to let go of him.But because he is God he never let go of me.My point is I once was shared a very similar experience like many of your students.I agree it is a very hard and rocky for the seed to grow.Please don't give up.This opportunity for many people there,it is an important step, to even herd of who Jesus is?When I look back over my child hood.I honestly could not praise God enough for your family to be there and for Jim & Katy Hayes.Without your guys come to share with us how love our God is we in this land which surrounded with dark spirit,will never going to have chance to see the light.
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