Click to view larger.
This month we celebrated our one-year anniversary with two big Sundays in a row. The 11th of August was Mother’s Day Sunday, with over 40 mothers in the morning service. We broke the attendance record in our English classes with 97 students, and then we had 152 people in the two morning services.
During the services, we honored all of the mothers and gave each one a beautiful umbrella. We had a lot of fun, beginning with the oldest mother and working down to the youngest, letting each one choose the umbrella that they liked the best. We then asked all of the moms to take their new umbrellas outside and line up in front of the church building so we could take a picture. We also baptized 12 new converts that day.
The next Sunday, the 18th, was our First-Anniversary Sunday. We bought everyone a special meal from KFC and then took family photos in a specially decorated room. We had 99 in the English classes and 161 in the morning services, and we also baptized 4 more new converts. I took time during the sermon to remember some of the blessings that we have received over the past year. God has been so good to our team. We are amazed at all that has happened since we moved here.
We have begun running song taus again! We started with one truck, quickly rented a second, and now run 4 or 5 each week. These little trucks can hold 15-20 people and cost us $12 – $18 per Sunday. Using the song taus has allowed us to quickly fill our new building. Six months ago we were averaging 66 per Sunday, but throughout the month of August, we averaged 139 per Sunday. The first Sunday of September, we had 147 without any promotion. God’s hand of blessing is on our church, the spirit is so sweet, and the Thai people are busy inviting their friends and neighbors to the services. At this rate, we are going to outgrow our new building before the end of this year.
Bro. Eddie and Sindy Arold are finishing up their deputation and will be returning to work in the first church that we started in Nawong by the end of November. Please pray for them as they travel to their last few meetings, pack up their belongings, and purchase their visas and plane tickets. Please also remember to pray for Miss Shari House, who is on furlough until the end of this year, and Bro. Tim and Missy Shook, who plan to finish deputation and return to Thailand by the end of next April. It will be amazing to have the whole team finished and here in Thailand in only eight more months!