September 2009

Camp!  As I write this letter, we are preparing for our annual family camp in October.  This camp will be special because it is our church’s 5^th anniversary celebration also.  It is hard to believe how fast the time has gone.  Although I have never been much of a number counter, we are hoping to have 40-50 in camp this year (our high was about 50 two years ago).  Please pray that God would enable people to get off work and that friends who have been invited will come.

New Life Baptist Church, Chiang Mai: As soon as I started recording our sermons and posting them to the internet, almost our entire church bought MP-3 players (made available at a reduced cost, due to generous gifts).  It has been very encouraging that each sermon gets listened to 2-3 times per week.  Many of our members are common laborers, so they are able to listen to the players while working which has helped them focus on the Lord and get the most out of each hour of teaching.  Church attendance has been steady, and we have had several new people (already Christians) visiting that are new to the area.  Lord willing, they will join with us soon.  We have started trying to reach out into our communities by holding home Bible studies.  So far we meet in one lady’s home (she is a member) once a week.  So far we have had a few curious visitors, and one lady (her name is Khow) even came back a second time.  She had many questions and promised to come again.  We are hoping to start more home meetings in the hope of reaching people that are curious but do not have the courage to come to church.  God has been working in another area in our church.  God has called our one foreign member, Tom to the ministry.  Tom has just started Bible Institute and feels the Lord may be leading him back to England in the future.  How exciting to think that in the next few years our small church could be sending out two missionaries (Sakhorn and Tom).

Wang Mai (Lisu Village): Praise the Lord for a young man (about 28 years old) who was recently saved.  Kham used to attend occasionally while drunk to argue with me about Christianity.  He and his friends would have a good laugh while I tried to answer their questions.  He started coming sober about 6 weeks ago and has since gotten saved.  He has started bringing his brother and another friend, both of whom seem interested.  Additionally, a young lady has started attending services in this village.  This is a very spiritually dark village, and although I don’t think we have broken through yet, we are seeing the Lord work.  Actually, moving into a ‘real” building has helped a lot.  I am not exactly sure why, but maybe it has something to do with feeling obligated to the family in whose house we used to meet.  Whatever the reason, we continue to preach the word in this village.  In addition to our regular church ministry, one of the ladies in our Chiang Mai Church and Francis teach Bible to the children of the village and English. Since Francis started English, parents have been allowing their children to attend again.  It is frustrating that the parents won’t let the children come unless they see some “extra” benefit, but thank God that the Lord is opening a way to teach these precious ones the truth of God’s Word.

Prayer Requests: Please continue to pray for our family and the members of New Life Baptist Church (Chiang Mai and Wang Mai).  Spiritual growth for: Bhun, Tom, Kwanchai, Kham, Aye, Mai, and Phorn.  Pray for Tom as he starts Bible Institute and Sakhorn as he finishes (should graduate in January 2010).  Sakhorn as he continues to intern at the village church.  For salvation, please remember the following:  Torm, Eek, Mee (now in a combat zone in Southern Thailand), Kankaew’s family, Luu, Ingon, Pranii, Supot, and Nalongchai, Tui, Gung, and the children in the village. Pray for camp plans and attendance.  Also please pray for our building fund.  We haven’t had much growth lately, but know the Lord is working.  We are thankful that even in these difficult times that so many of you still faithfully give to support this ministry. We are faithfully trying to work so there will be fruit that abounds to your account.

For Christ in Thailand,

Mike & Francis Frederick

BWMOM, Thailand