We're Headed for Thailand!

A long-time call and dream is being fulfilled this June 8-July 8 as Christina and I go to Bangkok to teach English at the Santisuk English School. Santisuk has been introducing Thai people to Christ for 18 years and works together with Peace Fellowship, a cell church welcoming  new converts since 2002. My dear friend from U of M ministry days in the ‘80’s, Cathy Wenz, is one of the teachers and curriculum developers at the school, which is staffed mostly by short-term missionaries from the U.S. and other countries. In January, Cathy was home and during a visit, asked if I would be willing to come to Thailand for a month to help her start up a new branch of their school and a new church plant.  My immediate response was, “Yes!”  Here’s why:  from 2001 to 2008, Ron and I, sometimes with Philip and Christina, went to Thailand every winter as part of my role as administrator for Asia Connect (now Connect), to organize and host their annual conference.  Each year as I saw people worshiping in the early morning hours at their tiny birdhouse-sized spirit houses, I was impacted with the reality of the Thai people’s fear of the spirit world. Add to that the prevalence of Buddhist influences, the growing materialism I witnessed, and the sexual bondages that were so blatant, and my heart was gripped. Then Ron and I visited Santisuk in 2007 and were impressed with the effectiveness of the work and the structure that allows short termers to have a lasting impact on their Thai students through friendship evangelism and cell groups. I decided then that if God opened the door for me to teach at Santisuk, I would  go.  Now, with the somewhat flexible nature of my piano teaching, I was able to clear a month to dive in!  Christina, who will be finishing the remaining two years of her art studies at the U of M in the fall, is thrilled to have the opportunity to serve alongside of a Thai teacher as a native-speaking assistant.  We both plan to serve in the new Santisuk Rachada location, in the northeastern part of Bangkok, teaching young adult and high school students.  To be Thai is to be Buddhist, and less than 1% of the Thai population is Christian. However, thousands of Thai students have been touched with the Gospel through the curriculum and interaction with their teachers at Santisuk. Some of them have chosen to follow Jesus and been incorporated into the thriving cell church.  Through our partnership together with you, we can be part of sharing our amazing Jesus with the Thai people.