I pray that you and your church family are well. It’s a joy to serve the Lord in Thailand and to represent you all. I want to start by updating you all on how the Lord is leading us this year.
From the beginning of our first term, we have desired and set a goal to be able to preach and teach regularly in Thai without a translator. Up till now, we have learned with a series of tutors, mostly online due to COVID restrictions. We have come a long way, but we are at a point where I believe it would benefit us greatly to attend a language school for an intensive language course. After much prayer and counsel, we have decided to make a transition to live in the metropolitan area of Bangkok to attend language school until our furlough, currently planned for fall 2024. It has been a great blessing to serve with Team Thailand in Hua Hin for the past three years.
We have had many learning and growing opportunities while leading the teen ministry, starting a songthaew route, and having many other preaching and teaching opportunities while acclimating to Thailand. The team, church members, and teenagers in Hua Hin will always have a special place in our hearts. I’m excited for what the Lord will do through the team and how we will continue to labor together for lost souls to come to Christ. Thailand desperately needs more Gospel-preaching churches in each town and city. We are still praying about where and how God will use us after our return from furlough, but we do know that now is the time to take our Thai language to the next level to be prepared for the future. We are ready for this next step in our language studies and for the many opportunities in the mega city of Bangkok to preach the Gospel! Please pray for our upcoming transition and all the details involving our move in mid-April.
We praise the Lord for allowing us to tell people in Thailand the story of Jesus. Many times we have had Buddhists listen to the Gospel and respond that they are not ready yet to receive Christ, since for many it may have been their first time hearing about Him. Please be in prayer specifically for Aye and for Nid, ladies whom we have witnessed to several times. Khun Aye’s husband recently died unexpectedly, but she said he had read the tract we previously gave him and prayed for Jesus to save him. We have visited her several times recently, and her heart seems more tender since the loss of her husband. She has agreed to visit church but is very busy with running the family business. Please pray that she will accept Christ. My wife has had two opportunities to talk for over an hour with another lady, Nid, who has heard the story of Jesus several times throughout her life and is very curious, but still not ready to receive salvation. The seed has been planted, and we have done our best to water, but only the Lord can give the increase (I Corinthians 3: 6-7).
Last month we had to take our first trip to the emergency room here in Thailand. Our son Archer developed a very high fever, which caused him to have a seizure. It was a very scary time, holding our seizing son for several minutes. We earnestly prayed that the Lord would protect Archer, and He answered our prayers. After about two weeks, several tests, and several hospital visits later, the doctor was able to figure out the infection that had caused the fevers and provide the needed medicine. Archer is back to his normal self and will be turning one year old next week!
Please continue to pray for us as we seek to serve Christ in this Gospel-needy country. We cannot do it without the Lord and each one of you.
In His service,
Jonathan, Brittany, Judah, and Archer Beil