Tuesday, June 24, 2008

New Journey...chapter2


This is what is going on with me. As I have been around and working with YWAM for almost 10 years.... most of the time I helped with DTS and short term teams and traveling to study YWAM classes... and all these years I can say that it was God alone who helped me and kept me going... as He has been showing me that He has called me
with a unique calling, through DTS (Colo Spgs)- SOSM (Colo Spgs)- SOTB (Tyler,TX) it was a miracle for me to attend all that classes and traveling around the world.All of that it was just like any others YWAMers - through friends who know me along the way had supported me and I really learn a lesson of faith. But deep in my heart I know there is more that the Lord wants me to pursue. The last 5 - 6 years since I have been back from the US and serve with DTS my financial support had drop to almost nothing left, even there are still some people who faithfully supporting me. So that's really make me struggling so had inside, if I should be in YWAM - to do what I love to do orgo out in the secular world to work. I have been trying to work as a tour agent and tour guide for the last few years - hoping that it would be able to help me stay in YWAM- but things not always easy for me. Some understand what I am doing some don't - that's really discouraging to me. But I know in my heart that I need to be around for little longer. As a Thai person - with a heart believing that God has called me to this mission (not sure for how long) so that 's why I still around. I felt like the Lord used SOTB(School of the Bible) to teach me and help me to know the word of God for me and for Thailand better. When I spend time with the word of God, I go so much revelation. and He confirm to me that I am also part of the Kingdom. To step out and step up with faith is something not easy for me to pursue. I have so much dreams and visions I would like to do but lack of support of knowledge and financial, it's really hinder me and many other Thais to try to pursue our calling. Last few months I heard a quote saying "It's easier for God to redirect the moving object" that's really encourage me to make a move to pursue what I felt in my heart God leading me to do without fear. Last month when I was in Norway (by the grace of God) one day when I spend time with God alone in my cabin I was on Internet and came across my friend skype quote saying "Vision without action is a day dream" that's is also confirm what I felt the Lord was speaking to me before. When I came back to Thailand I was looking around Chiangmai for a building actually I was looking for a 3 stories building- hoping to set it up to be a coffee shop on the first floor - my tour office on the 2nd floor and hope to set a 3rd floor for the short term teams to stay. But Jay & Andrea suggested me to look at the building they found, it's a 10 bed rooms with bathrooms and 2 story building. When I looked at it, I got so excited but I try not to get too excited because I know when that's happen to me I would not think.... instead I prayed and spend time with God for a week, and the 2 phrase that God spoke to me came back to me again - I felt like He confirmed to me again to believe and these 2 sentences came up over and over again. So I took a step of faith last Wednesday, went to put the deposit down for the building, without having enough money to furnished it to be a guest house. I believe that this will be a beginning of a big things God wants me to pursue. I will set up the place to be a guest house for short term teams - friends in YWAM - Chirstian friends and others. I want to provide a safe environment for people to stay. I would like it to be the Outreach Department office and the tour office, by hoping that it would be able to gain some financial benefit to maintain the building and support the staffs and ministry in the future. I need at least 3000 - 5000 $ in less than 2 weeks now to get it running, it's scary to think about it but when I heard the story of "Walking by faith" as a Thai, this things really challenge me so much right now.
Some people told me "Why don't you take a lone from the bank?" As a YWAMer, I never have bank statement or credit card because I have nothing to prove to them I earn any money. Some say "Why don't you use your saving?" if you get support about 100$ a month some month less and some month little more, how you would do a saving? So this is a small step I am taking and I would like to invite you to pray for me, I don't think I ever ask anyone here like this before. But this is the most courage I have I put it here, if you have friends and family members who would like to help me start this thing and get it going, which I think I would need help at least a year also. Please let me know... please call or e-mail me. I have tried to walk alone with God for the last 10 years, now I open it up for you who might know me just a little or you might know me just "hello" and "good bye" if you want to know me more, please come talk to me. I believe I will be a first of the Thai who follow the vision God given, and I believe that other Thais will have more courage when they see me doing it and believe that would encourage them to step out. Would you join me in prayers to see this come through.
As God spoke to me during the time I was in Norway and during my time with Him for 40 days and 40 night, there are two sentence really spoke to me. I was in one of the seminar and I was just a translator but I like what he said "It's easer for God to re-direct moving object" I have dreams and vision that I believe God is the one who put it in my heart. I would like to make impact to people in Chiangmai. I used to pray this prayer "God take me to the un-reach people, who never heard your name before" I didn't think it would be in my home country.... Even though Chiangmai has a lot of missionary (seems like it) but very few of them working with people in this town. Most of the people heading up the mountain and neighboring country, but I feel called to the people in Chiangmai city... The Thai people. But how could a Thai like me do something like that? Where would I raise support for what I would do? Who would stand by me in this vision.? How long would it take for me to start something like this? As a Thai person, I had many mentality and idea that really try to get me quit. But one day during my time in Norway, while I was spending time with the Lord and had time alone. I had a time of prayers and intercession with friends in SOTB through skype. Somehow that day I look at few difference friends skype name and my eyes came across the quote that one of my friend had in her profile said "Vision without action is a day dream" So these two sentences really connect to each other to me.
Please continue to pray for me and I would like to invite you to take this journey with me. I would like to see this building to be a well known place for everyone that we are Christian guest house and we are the place where outsiders can feel difference when they come in. And more than that, we want to reach out to our neighbors as well.. As we are in the Night Brazar area and there are clubs and bars close by, hopefully we can be friends to them. And help them to know our God better. "The sick need doctor the well do not need" But we need to be a light to this dark world. I felt like this thing need to start somewhere... and I now start... I do not know what is ahead of me, but I believe this journey God is with me.
Isaiah 43:18-19 is confirming to me over and over again.... the Lord is doing something new today.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

New Jorney chapter1


Thailand
Now I am back to the country and ready for my next step. My plan for this year I hope to do more in the tourist business and asking God to open door for me more. I will work more with the short term teams that come to the country and connected them with local ministries around the Northern Region. And during the international DTS in Chiangmai I will help as a part time staff, coaching and help the school leader to do the work and will help translate for the school during the lecture part. I felt like the journey ahead is really challenging but God really confirm to me that He is with me.

I am searching and looking for a building right now by faith - to start of the ministry and a business as mission. I am praying for two things right now...
1. I would like to get a building with 3 stories so that I can start a coffee shop in the 1st floor to be a place for young people to hang out, then 2nd floor to be the tour office and 3rd floor to be a guest rooms to host short term teams. please join me in prayers in this step. I need 15,000 $ for this project
2. I would like to find a building that would be good to host the short term teams as a guest house - so that when teams some to Chiangmai or pass through - they would have a place to stay and hopefully this guest house can develop to regular guest house in the future. I need to have 10000 $ for this project to begin with.

Please continue to pray for me and walk with me as God guidance go with me.
Pray for wisdom to deal the business with righteousness of Christian identity.
Pray for co-workers that will join me in this work ahead.
Pray for enough financial to start up this projects.
Pray for family back home that will come to Christ.

To God be glory.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Europe Trip


Praise God..Praise God...Praise God....that would be the starting for this update about my trip to Norway and Finland...


Norway was awesome and my time there was something I didn't expected it would be the way it was. God really loves me so much. Before I went there I planed to work a lot and do a lot with Team Action... but God knew what I needed. The past 7 years since I have been back to Thailand from USA after my School of the Bible in Tyler Texas, I have been working and serving YWAM Chiangmai Thailand and many of you might have read my updates once in a while.. and from the Thai Bhuddish background I realize that I still has the idea of "my worth is in my work" so when I got to Norway - I spend 5 weeks there doing nothing much... just observed the teams how they work and prayed for them. When I was in Thailand - I was a DTS leaders - I work with short term teams - I work as tour operator - I was somebody. But when I went to Norway God sit me down and let me enjoy the time of relaxing and doing nothing. I really ...really praise God for it even though God need to take me away from the environment where I thought I did something to the place where I was selfless - He did so for me to be able to seek Him with my whole heart. My friends in Team Action really help me a lot to enjoy my time there with God, and I really learn so much from them. Team Action is a team of young people who love God and they went wound the country to do music concert and musical - to reach out to the young people in their nation. They work from put up the stage - acting out their program then take down the stage they just put up couple hour ago. I saw their team work and they way the team obey their leaders was very impressive and really encouraging. I have been traveling with them to difference part of Norway to see the beauty of the nature God created. It was like a big reward and bonus God given me, 5 weeks in Norway become really rewarding to my work of 7 years non stop. Even though each year I had some time off and vacation now and then but it was not something like this. To travel all the way to Norway to have time alone with God and enjoy His presence was something i never thought of having. I would like to thank God and also extend my thankful heart to Team Action that help to make the trip happen. They paid my way there and the whole time I was with them they really took good care of me - host me and feed me well. I felt like 40 days of seeking the Lord was fulfill during the trip and I am ready for my next exciting step with God.

Finland
This part of my trip was also the dream come through. Since I was 10 years old I came to know the foreign country name "Finland" through my missionary mom and this country has a special pace in my heart. My missionary mom is from Finland and since I was young I had people who have have been praying for me and supporting me financially, I was able to go to school until I graduated with Business degree. When I got there I was able to meet with my missionary mom and spend a lot of time with her. We talked a lot about people in Fang - Thailand where she used to ministered before she retire, talked about all of her children and the work that God is still continue His work in Fang Good News Church and the places around. We were able to talk through many things but special for me because I knew I was not that good or obedient kid grew up. So there was time of reconciliation and happy time together. She also took me to visit many difference people who have heard about me for many years through her news letters and her testimony. Two of my high light of the trip were that I was able to visit the grave yard of one lady who has been supported me to school till university level till I graduated. I also had a chance to visit her family and her husband who still alive. I was sorry that I was not able to make it to see her when she still on earth but I believe that I will see her again in heaven. and another high light was that I was able to speak in front of the congregation at Salem church for 5 minutes to thank them because they sent my missionary mom to work in Thailand and I was able to witness how God work through missionaries lives around the world. and I am the fruit of their work. I also met with a Thai fellowship in the church and share with them my personal life with God and encourage them to continue their walk with God. Many of the Thai ladies who marry to the Finn men and left their home country and live in Finland had to face many kind of struggle but when some of them come to know Christ, He become their Savior in that hard situations.


To God be glorify.