Tuesday, October 16, 2018

September 2018 Newsletter


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
 




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