Last visit to Bearing for a while...

Since I will be heading back to the US for a visit soon, and because I have to attend a wedding receptions next Sunday evening, today was my last day at Bearing for a few weeks. A good day, overall. But most Sundays here ARE good days!



My friend Greg Brown spoke at the early service about Jesus stilling the storms in our lives. Everyone at Immanuel enjoys it when Greg speaks, because you know you will be blessed.


Two families had several of their children baptized by their fathers this morning. It was very moving. Here, John, who plays piano at the 8:00 service and on Friday evenings, is baptized by his father Wirot, a really wonderful man I got to know on one of our week long mission journeys.



Wirot baptizes his son Meyer. Meyer is much loved in the church for his outgoing personality.

At Ja Rurat, we talked about being thankful and started working on a new memory verse, Matthew 6:33.

We played a game, involving running and singing, "He is the King of kings!"

Some of the kids have started escorting us to our car to say goodbye at the end of the day.

As always, the evening ended at Bearing with breaking bread (or, actually rice) together, and a time of worship. My favorite part of the week. I am going to miss it very much the next three weeks.

5/24 Slummin' with my friends

Another day with my friends in the slums, working with kids. We started out, as always, in Ja Rurat. We did not get to go visit parents' homes because Vee and I had a couple of other folks from church ride with us, and Vee wants it to be just me and him making initial home visits. I hope we can start soon, maybe next week.

Another thing that concerns me is that we are only attracting the very young kids. Vee and I discussed the possibility of coming a different day or evening and meeting with teens, in a format they'd enjoy more... maybe even leaving once a month to go bowling together or some other activity. We have this wealth of college age folks in church who could really speak into their lives. I told Vee today that the teens in Ja Rurat are in a place where they either find a purpose in life or they will never leave that slum (or one just like it.)


These are the three greatest guys you could ever hope to meet; my buddies, Ting, Son, and Eddie. Believe it or not, all three of them live with my friend Vee. Vee has a multi story home and Son lives on one floor, and Eddie and Ting on another. I can not imagine what their home lives are really like, but I think of what it would be like to be their age and in that situation and I am really jealous.

Eddie is the one with the new haircut I mentioned last week. Now, he has a new nickname, Sing Dtoo, which means "Lion," because of his new mane. Check out the pant legs, too. This is the new style here, super tight legs. In fact, the lower half of his pant legs look like they have almost been painted on. That is Eddie, the most fashion conscious of the bunch.

These three guys are in their mid twenties and they are ultra cool, AND they love God with all their hearts. I get a lot of joy from just being around them.





At Ja Rurat, Note plays guitar while Vee leads the kids in a song. Note comes when he can, and he is such a huge help. He is a gifted young musician, and just a wonderful person. He leads worship at church some days and he is very, very good at that, too.

Vee getting his dance thing going, as he teaches a new song to the kids.


Each week, after I teach a Bible lesson, we ask questions and give prizes. This weeks winners...

This week's lesson for the young ones, E is for 'ear.'

My buddy, Ohm, "feels good to be a gangsta."

Bee leaves tomorrow for seminary. I am going to miss that guy a lot! He wanted a photo with Jenny, Greg, and me before he left.

Our four seminary students. Peace and Noom, on the ends, are actually returning for their second year.

God bless you guys! See you soon!

Saturday in Ja Rurat

Vee and I headed into Ja Rurat late this afternoon. We have decided that we need to make a real effort to meet with and, we hope, connect with the kids' parents. We planned to go visit a couple of homes today and introduce ourselves and just try and lay the foundations for building some relationships.

That was the plan, anyway. As soon as the first kids saw us, though, they spread the word and soon we were surrounded. Our plans pretty quickly changed, and we ended up playing a game and then I spoke with them (in Thai, no less) and explained to them WHY Vee and I come to spend time with them every weekend. After I got finished, believe it or not, one of the kids asked me to tell a Bible story and the rest all nodded their heads in agreement. Pretty amazing stuff.

Anyway, a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon, even if we never met with a parent. We DO have one set of parents identified and we are going to go visit with them as soon as we finish with the kids tomorrow afternoon.

Ice took my camera and had her buddies pose.

Reacting to one of the kids.


Telling the kids that Vee and I are so grateful for God's love in our lives, and we so much want others to know that love, too.

When it came time to tell the Bible story, I had to stick to English and let Vee translate.

What in the world can you say?

She loves the cross she got last week for memorizing John 3:16.

Palace in the Clouds

One of the groups I work with decided to go for a weekend outing together as a team-building exercise. We went to Pha-Nakorn Khiri - the palace built by Rama IV on top of a mountain in Petchaburi province. It was a beautiful place with spectacular views. A great day.

On top of the next peak over was a temple, which we walked over and visited, as well.

A monkey with an M150 bottle. M150 is similar to Red Bull... something you do NOT want monkeys drinking! They are hyperactive enough without that.

After visiting the palace, the group went to a resort on the eastern seashore. Here, they are playing a word game.

Aye explains the rules.

Fresh sea food dinner. Oh my!

A moment to reflect.

Thank God for Good Friends

Today, I was struck anew with a sense of wonder and gratitude for the incredible friendships God has graced me with here in under a year. These folks have impacted my life forever, and I can never fully express how thankful I am for each one.



Ting shares in church this morning about God using him to share the good news with a relative who contacted him seeking guidance in life.


Later, in the slums, I asked Ting to share his story with us and I am so glad I did. Wow, what an amazing story of redemption and grace. Thrown out of school and out of his home because of his behavior and choices, he ended up using meth (called yaa baa here) heavily. After one particularly bad experience, he called out to God for help. His sister Sunit, who you have seen in other postings, was already a believer and had tried to speak truth to him. At last he was ready. He crossed the line of faith some five or six years ago now. Today, he is working toward the Thai version of a General Equivalency Diploma and manages a restaurant in town. I am so sure that his story would deeply impact many other young people in Bangkok, who are where he once was. Ting is just an astoundingly great guy.

I press for more details.

Bee is a fairly new believer, but he is heading off to Bible College in two weeks. His simple faith is so inspiring. Bee loves God and wants to serve him whole-heartedly. I am thrilled for his new life direction, but terribly sad I will not see him every week.

Ah Jan Vee and Ah Jan Greg. Two genuinely Godly men.

Noom is already in Bible College and home on semester break. He heads back next week. He has a true servant heart and I greatly enjoy it when he comes back to visit.

Son and Ting studying English. They may just need it sooner than they think!

Son and Eddie. Today, Eddie showed up with a new hairstyle. He has been 'drafted' and will enter the military later this year. Everyone is worried about his hair!

A before and after deal. The old hair style. Now, go back and check out today. Vee says he now looks like a lion. Eddie is just another amazing young man. I am so blessed to know him.

5/17 in the Slums

This week's pics are a bit out of order, but I am too tired to worry about that much. Another great week, but what is new with that?


It has taken a while to get attendance back up to where it was before the 'summer break,' but we are pretty much back to normal and very thankful for the added space. Now that the rainy season is upon us, we'll be even more grateful as we stay nice and dry.

I never get tired of watching the kids pray.

We had two more girls in Ja Rurat who were able to recite John 3:16 and get their cross necklace.

Another winner. The kids had to work hard to do this.

Today, the little ones studied "D."

Nok, doing her usual wonderful job teaching.

Like I said, it never gets old.

The kids often get a liberal sprinking of talcum powder after cleaning up. Helps with all the humidity, I think.