Christmas 2020- On-our-way to Chiang Rai!

Seasons Greetings to our Family & Friends,

 By the time this letter gets to some of you, the holidays will be over and we will be settling in our new house. We are actually writing this letter as we are driving/moving  to Chiang Rai! We pray you had a Spirit filled Advent season and that you are continuing to find your joy and peace in Him alone. Here’s a little recap of this whirlwind of a year!

Kalasin, Thailand (Isaan):  In July of this year, we said good-bye to the area we’ve called “home” for the last several years. We are thankful for the time that God gave us there and also for the confirmation/peace to leave. These rural, unreached areas are often isolated and not easy places to live, but our experiences have taught us much!  We are thankful for technology and that we can still stay in touch with Bethlehem Church, Jason’s Lao student Mike, and our good friends/Thai teammates that are still there.

Chiang MAI Detour:  After not being able to move to Chiang RAI because of the Covid situation, we decided to move temporarily to Chiang MAI with our current foundation. Our kids THRIVED in Chiang Mai as they played with TCK friends and made good Thai friends at church. Jason was able to get in at a Christian English Center where he tutored/ministered to a Thai dating couple.  Because of the Covid situation, we met many Christian workers in CM that are waiting to return to their country of service or home country. We also have many friends still stuck in the States and still unable to return to Thailand. Please pray for these displaced workers/families as they continue to ride this uncertain wave.

Chiang RAI:  With Covid restrictions, we still are unable to change our visas and help out at the international school. However, our foundation found another avenue for us to move to Chiang Rai on our current visa! Jason will be working with The Way Foundation in the meantime. The Way has many projects among Northern Thai peoples. Jason will work at their “Good Soil” Community Center and do some ethnographic research on one of the Isaan groups in a neighboring district. Please pray for us as we start over in this new region!

Family update: Moriah is in 4^th grade and has enjoyed dance and gymnastics this past year. Isobel loves practicing her ninja skills and loves Science. Titus loves dinosaurs, trips to 7-11 and playing with/antagonizing his big sisters.  Jenn continues to homeschool the girls and enjoyed being in an English speaking Bible study while in Chiang Mai.

 Thank you for your continued prayers and support as we serve in Thailand.

Blessings on you and your loved ones!

Jason, Jenn, Moriah, Isobel and Titus

                                       

MOVING TO NORTHERN THAILAND

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope you all are hanging in there during these interesting times. Overall, we are doing well. We were supposed to be in the States right now but we cancelled our trip and we are still here at home in Kalasin, Thailand. The COVID cases in Thailand have significantly lowered this last month, but Thailand remains in a state of emergency.

We have some sad and exciting news. This month we will be moving on to a new chapter of our ministry in Thailand. We have spent most of our time living in the Northeast region (Isaan) since 2014. As our kids are getting older, providing for their social and educational experience in an isolated region has become very difficult. Jenn and I have worked hard to try to find solutions that would meet our family’s needs and allow us to continue to live in the Isaan region, but to no avail. We have felt that God has shut the door on Isaan and allowed us to move on.

I was accepted in March as a part-time teacher at CRICS (Chiang Rai International Christian School) in Chiang Rai province. Our family would have the international community and ability to serve missionary families for the next 2 years. In the meantime, I would continue to complete the Masters degree in Pastoral Counseling and we would be seeking Thai ministry opportunities for our family to serve in. But Covid-19 has put these plans on pause. In order to teach at the school, we have to acquire new visas in a different country and enter back into Thailand. This is almost impossible at the time being, with facing 14 day quarantine in the country we cross in to (say Laos), then 14 day quarantine in Thailand, and many other challenging requirements.

In light of all of this, we have decided to move up North to Chiang MAI. We will continue to work with our current organization, FCF (The Family Connection Foundation) until borders open up/when it’s a wise time to make a move to Chiang Rai. We are very thankful for FCF’s kindness and their leadership! We are already familiar with this city, as both Isobel and Titus were born there and we spent 6 months there in 2016/2017.

Please pray for us. Moving out of the Isaan region is a big move. And though we are excited for what’s ahead (especially for our kids), we are sad to say good-bye to our friends and church family here.

Please send us an update on how you’re doing and how we can be praying for you!

-Jason & Jenn
Moriah, Isobel & Titus

Byers Spring 2020 Update

Dear Friends & Family,
 

Byers Family Financial Update

Over the years we have been very blessed by faithful, ongoing financial support from many of you, THANK YOU! As we have come in to this new year, we have realized that though our monthly giving is steady and makes up a large portion of our budget, we are lacking in our pool of one-time gifts that will carry us through the year.  Titus is now an extra plane ticket, our Christian Healthcare sharing ministry will go up in April, and our aging cars are very frequently in the shop for repair (thankfully repair here does not cost much!). Eventually we will need to raise money for a more reliable vehicle that can travel long distances. We know God is able and will provide for all our needs as He has in the past!
 

We ask that you prayerfully consider giving to our ministry this spring, either by a one-time gift or monthly giving. Our online link is www.cten.org/jasonbyers.  To send by check, please see bottom of email. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at: lukafour@gmail.com (Jason) or mrs.jenn.byers@gmail.com (Jenn)

Student Story
 

 “They all just need to believe in the one God who loves them!”

By now my ears are perked, my heart somewhat shocked, and I’m thinking, “Did she just say that?!”

Thank you for joining us as we are using English tutoring to connect with college students at Kalasin University. There are two students who are very keen to develop their English skills. One is a Kalasin local that we call “Jessica.”

Jessica speaks English very well. Therefore, we can dive into deeper topics, such as depression, suicide, family life and so on. Gradually, I have been able to introduce Jessica to some key elements of the Christians faith, such as monotheism, intelligent design and divine love. During our discussion on potential root causes of suicide, to my surprise, she zealously proclaimed, “They all just need to believe in the one God who loves them!”  Coming from a girl who only has contact with maybe three Christians (myself, my coworker Neung and possibly another student on campus), appeared to me as evidence that God is doing something in her life. May the Lord continue to use simple means like English tutoring to reveal Himself to the unreached! Please pray for Jessica!

We thank you our friends and supporters for continuing with us in the work in Isaan!
 
In Christ,
Jason & Jenn
Moriah, Isobel & Titus

 

Family Update

The kids are doing well. Moriah is in the home stretch of her 3rd grade year, loves her new dance class and drawing. Isobel is learning to read, enjoys math, and loves doing dance class with big sister. Titus is a busy 2 year old, loves chasing the cat, climbing, and fixing things with his tool kit. Jenn continues to homeschool the girls, study the Thai Bible and exercise.
 
We love getting snail mail, so if you or your kids want to write letters to our kids (or us), please do!
 
Jason Byers Family
66/2 Saneha
T: Kalasin A: Mueang
Kalasin 46000
THAILAND
 
Birthdays: Titus- Jan 31, Moriah-Feb 9, Izzy-June 11

Seasons Greetings 2019

Seasons Greetings to our Family & Friends,

We hope you enjoy this holiday season with thankfulness and joy for what the Lord has done! We are thankful for your prayers, support, and ongoing friendship. Here’s a short update of what’s going on during this Thai Cool Season.

Bethlehem Church:  I (Jason) still teach the adults about once a month and help with Sunday school every week. Tuu (Pastor’s wife) has diabetes which has affected her eyesight. She received eye surgery a few months ago and will have to operate a few more times. She can use a lot of prayer!

Prison: Our FCF team has been able to get into the prison about once per month. The discipleship group has about 6 people, the seekers group has about 20, and the English group that I teach has about 15. I am always able to share a short gospel message after I teach, please pray that my students would become interested!

College: This last semester was the first semester where I was on campus. There was a consistent group that came for a while, but after many interruptions (graduation events, school breaks, travel, etc.), the group has dissolved. One of the students who we call “Mike” will continue to study with me. I am looking forward to seeing what happens during this next semester.

Masters in Pastoral Counseling: Counseling ministry has been on Jenn and I’s hearts for a few years, so we decided that I should pursue an MA in Pastoral Counseling. I’m studying through Liberty University online (part-time) and specializing in Addiction and Recovery. We pray the Lord will use this degree here in Thailand as drug and alcohol abuse is rampant and destroying families.

Family update: Moriah is in the 3^rd grade. She loves dancing and drawing. Isobel is learning to read and loves playing with friends. Titus is a BUSY toddler and loves playing his beloved GUNG (ukulele). Jenn is homeschooling the girls, chasing Titus, and trying to continue language study.

Blessings on you and your loved ones!

Jason, Jenn, Moriah, Isobel and Titus