Team Thailand is enjoying the mighty blessings and power of God! We have, since our Fall Programs, seen multiple families, who came during those special days, that have returned and are now faithful members. Each Sunday morning, Bro. Sakrapee teaches the adult Sunday school class at International Baptist Church of Hua Hin, and Bro. Pong teaches the adult class at International Baptist Church of Nong Phlap. Both of these churches are thriving and growing under the leadership of these good Thai men. These two churches in our province average about 225 in attendance each Sunday.
Continued Church Growth
It is wonderful to welcome Pi Oot and his wife Pi Ooan into our church family. Pi Oot was helping in a small house church in our city before hearing about our church. The house church was not doctrinally sound, and the Holy Spirit led him to seek out a new church where he and his family could grow in the Lord. They came for the first time last October and have not missed more than a few weeks since then. This couple has brought several of their neighbors, who have been saved and baptized. He is building his own section in the auditorium class, and this week, he and his wife brought two more visitors.
Latest Update at First Baptist Church of Phetchaburi
In the month of March, we were once again able to hold services in the province of Phetchaburi, which borders our province to the north. Our team traveled just over an hour to this church plant and held our monthly service, with about 40 people in attendance. We saw 7 precious souls saved and 2 baptized the following Sunday. This area was locked down longer than any other during the pandemic. During the lockdowns, the house we used to meet in was renovated, and our meeting space was turned into bedrooms. Please pray that there will be no further delays and that this church will be able to have regular weekly meetings undisturbed.
Team Thailand’s 15-Year Anniversary
This year, the Shook family, the Inman family, and Miss Shari House will celebrate our 15-year anniversary serving together as missionaries. While other families have come and gone over the years, these three families have carried the torch of Team Thailand through thick and thin, through drought and floods, through sickness and health, through big days and complete lockdowns. It has been my privilege to lead this team and these wonderful servants of God for nine years. We have had a faithful heritage of Godly leadership through great men like Bro. Kalapp, Bro. Moore, and Bro. Bosje; and yet our greatest days are still ahead!
Update on all Building Projects
As many of you may have heard, God moved in a great way during the Servants’ Conference of First Baptist Church in Hammond. Pastor Wilkerson was gracious to my parents, Randy and Carmen Shook, and honored them for their years of service to the Lord. My parents came to work with Team Thailand for several years and helped to start the church in Nong Phlap.
A year ago, I challenged the pastoral staff in Nong Phlap to begin their own Building Fund so that they would one day be able to purchase land and build. At the Servants’ Conference, this project was presented as an opportunity to invest in a very worthy mission work and to honor the memory of my father’s years here in Thailand. Servants of God from across the country and members of First Baptist Church willingly and sacrificially committed right at $70,000 to help this church purchase land and build! This amount nearly doubled what they had already raised, and I am excited that our team will be able to purchase another piece of land that will be used to propagate the Gospel here in Thailand for generations to come. To those of you who took part in the giving, thank you and know that we will be faithful stewards of the investments you have made.
Our main property-development project has continued to move ahead. Here is an overview of the progress that has been made so far this year:
• Fence strengthened with more poles and barbed wire
• Two front gates completed with security lights installed
• Solar security lighting installed across the front of the property
• Floodwater drainage system along the borders of the property to the municipal canals
• Mobile office with foundation, a bathroom, water tank, and water pump
• Bathrooms and showers for the builders (they will need to live on the land during the project
• Two wells dug with solar-powered pumps (both wells providing a strong water supply)
I received a call just today from our local electric company, and they are scheduled to come on April 21 to install our electric transformer, which will provide power to our six-acre property. The future of this ministry is brighter than ever, and our vision just continues to grow and thrive. God has chosen this place and this team for a mighty work that I know will impact Southeast Asia for generations!
With gratitude and thanksgiving,
Tim Shook & Team Thailand