Dear
Friends,
สวัสดีดรับทุกคน/Sa-wat-dee-krap thuk khon/ Hello everyone!
In a few weeks, we will be making our 20+
hour journey back to the States. We are so looking forward to 3.5 months of
reconnecting with our families, supporters, friends, and American/Mexican food.
We’ll be in Utah and California during our time back and visiting our
partnering churches. Please see the schedule below, we hope we can see you!
Ministry Update. This last season has been a time of planting and nurturing. The two new ministries that have started are the Prison and the College ministries. And we are continuing to cultivate the Youth Ministry and Youth Center outreach.
Prison Ministry. We’ve gone in to Kalasin Prison every other week to do an
English/Gospel presentation program. After our very first program, an older man
stood up and said to the rest of the prisoners, “It’s like we are all in a dark
cave, but now, even though we don’t understand everything, we can see a small
light of hope.”
Wow!
Praise the Lord. We’ve alternated
between the men and the women’s sides of the prison. Another goal of this
prison outreach is to connect with the families of these prisoners. Please pray
as the Gospel is proclaimed, that both the prisoners and their families will be
transformed by the power of the cross.
College Ministry. Our team here is excited that the
start gun has sounded! Our method is to engage students through English
teaching and sports. We have started an English class outside of campus but it
hasn’t attracted many college students so far (though we have had a consistent
group of high schoolers coming).
When we
return, we plan to start an English club on the campus with our teammates.
Youth
Detention Center & Bethlehem Church. Jay continues to teach English at
the Youth Detention Center with a local pastor and teaches Sunday school at
Bethlehem Church.
We
have seen a great things happen at the church as of late, God’s Spirit has
really been moving. At this church, though the pastor is enthusiastic for the
gospel and preaches boldly (in both Thai and Isaan languages) there are very
few members (many are family) and this village has been very slow to respond to
the Gospel. Our friend Mii has been praying for her husband Dam
for a long time and he has recently become a believer! He is also the father to
two of our youth. We are very excited for this family. He has submitted himself
in the past to a lot of demonic influence, please pray that he would be set
free from all bondage. Another man, husband to one of the members, has recently
come to the church. He knows that God still loves him and hasn’t forsaken him.
Please pray that he would continue to come and follow the Lord.
A
Time For Goodbyes. Jordan’s (Jenn’s
sister) headed back to the States at the end of August. She served our family
and the community here for 6 months. We are so thankful for her! She taught
Isobel a lot of her alphabet sounds and read/memorized Chicka Chicka Boom
Boom. Izzy misses her like crazy! She also hit it off well with the
Thai people. She was able to help develop the English skills of our local
co-workers, Sarah and Neung, encourage one of the new female believers and had
the opportunity to share her heart to the female prisoners during one of our
prison outreaches. Thank you Jord!
PRAYER
1.
That our family will continually find our rest and joy in the presence of
Christ during our many travels.
2. Youth
at church and their caregivers, that they would know the love of Christ.
3. A
discipleship movement within the Kalasin prison.
4. Wisdom/vision
of how to proceed at the Youth Detention Center.
5.
The English club/college ministry to begin quickly after our return.
6. That
Dam (from church) would fall more and more in love with Jesus and that
he would be freed from demonic influence.
Blessings,
Jason & Jenn Byers
