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December 2007 |
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I attended a baptism last month in Thailand. The sun was setting over a reservoir outside Chon Buri as 21 new followers of Jesus gave public testimony to the transformation taking place in their lives. The little park was crowded with families enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the beach. Their curiosity grew as they listened to the worship and then watched the procession heading into the water.
Dam bargained with God that if he won the lottery he'd follow Jesus.
He won. Bank went from drugs and breakdancing to Jesus and
breakdancing. He's free. Daow discovered that Jesus loved him even
if his family didn't. Even if he is HIV positive. Even if. See-Yaow
is an exchange student from China learning Thai. He's also learned
these past months that Jesus wants a relationship with him. Now he's
learning the language of love. Game is the class clown. He first
heard the gospel through the youth programs at The Life Center. Now he
loves to breakdance for Jesus.
As I listened to story after story of transformed lives I thanked God
for the privilege of living life on mission. For the privilege of
sending teams to least reached regions of the world to plant churches
and impact communities.
Ganiga came up to me said, "thank you." "Thank you for sending this
team to share with us the gospel - the good news that God loves us and
has made a relationship with himself possible." She's now loving a
growing family of HIV orphans at the Abundant Life Home and leading
them to Jesus. Four of her ALH boys were baptized last week. She was
the biggest cheerleader in the group that gathered on the beach. It
wasn't long ago that she was running heroin for her mom and local
gangs. She knows how good freedom feels.
This was a good day. A day that put in perspective the road trips,
budget meetings, and emails. If you pray for MBMS International
workers, give to missions and have supported those who go - this was
your day too. It takes a team to plant a church, a global team. It
takes a church to transform a community. Together we're transforming
lives in mission!
Ministry Highlights
- Phil and Carol Bergen in Burkina Faso recently reported that Drissa,
their night security guard, has decided to follow Jesus and is already
sharing the gospel enthusiastically with his extended family. Praise
the Lord!
- In Phuket, Thailand, the husband of a recent convert had been
persecuting his wife and her church until he had an experience with God
that showed him God is both real and powerful. Today he is serving God
and sharing the good news with anyone who will listen.
Items for Prayer
- Pray for the Matthew Team in Guadalajara, Mexico as they continue to
develop the Matthew Training Center, where missionaries to and from
Latin America will prepare for life in ministry.
- Otto and Marjorie Ekk are working with five church planting projects
in and around Lisbon, Portugal. Pray that these churches would be
places of light, life and transformation.
In His Service,
Randy Friesen
 Click here to download A Vision for Mission in PDF format 349.67 Kb
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