We have seen God’s hand at work in the ministry here in Hua Hin, Thailand, and I am excited to share several blessings. In our last prayer letter, I also announced the wonderful news that we will be welcoming our first child in February 2020. Since then, we’ve found out that we will be having a son. Please continue to pray for Brittany, our son, and for us to raise him to love and serve God.
These past few months, the teen class has grown to 20 or more teens on a Sunday. This is due in part to the new songthaew route (Thailand’s version of a bus route—a covered truck bed with two long benches). Since quarantine ended, this songthaew route has grown from a family of 4 to having 27 people ride to church last week. The growth has not occurred by what we have done but by being faithful and letting God give the increase. It started with one teenage guy who invited his friend, who then invited his friends, who then invited his entire family; and now there are more than 20 people who have come to church for the first time in their life and accepted Christ as their Saviour. Parents, children, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends have been riding the songthaew from over 30 minutes away. Most have gotten saved and have asked for a Bible, and they have a desire to learn what God’s Word says. In the Thai culture, it is very uncommon for entire families to attend church together, especially working fathers and mothers. Would you please pray for these families from Taub Tai?
It has been encouraging to see some of our teen guys step up and serve the Lord. Dton, one of our older teen guys, has been going out visiting and helping run the PA system. Jack, my translator, who just started university, recently taught his first lesson in the class. He also goes visiting and soul winning with me and is a great help to our ministry here. Last month we also had our first teen-group special in church. The young people did a great job singing what was, for some of them, the first Christian song they had ever learned: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus.”
As we continue learning the Thai language and culture, we begin to understand a little more about the need for the Gospel to be preached and more churches to be started. We recently visited a famous temple and Buddha statue in Bangkok. Millions of Thais will visit similar temples to say their prayers to idols that will never hear their cries for help. It is only through the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they can know the One true God. He is doing a great work here in Thailand, but there is much more to do. Please continue to pray for us and other Christians here to be bold and to preach the Gospel. Thank you all for your love, prayers, and support for Brittany, our baby, and me and for our fellow believers in Thailand.
In His service,
The Jonathan Beil Family
