Thanksgiving & Updates
1) Retreat, Vacation & Chinese New Year… Thank the Lord for a fruitful time of learning and fellowship with fellow missionaries at the retreat, a good time of rest in Krabi and a wonderful time with my family and friends during Chinese New Year. He has seen me through a very overwhelming and busy time of transition…everything went well!
2) Family… It seems that God has somehow drawn my family closer together after my long absence. Everyone of us treasured the time that we could spend together when I was home for CNY. Even though my parents never really express themselves in direct ways, I can see how God is working in my family and I can’t help but praise Him for His grace upon my family. I have also been very encouraged to see how my brother, Roy, has grown in His faith and desire to walk with the Lord since I have been away.
3) Goodbyes…moving on… It’s been really difficult saying goodbye to everyone I’ve gotten to know in Lopburi, but I’m really thankful for all the friendships that He’s blessed me with. I’m thankful for how He’s shown me so much love and encouragement through fellow missionaries and Thai friends in Lopburi.
4) Settling in Chiangmai… God works in such wonderful ways! There are so many things to give thanks for! I was worried about the luggage that I’d sent up to Chiangmai on an earlier train, but when I arrived, I was so relieved to find that every piece was there and intact as well. I arrived just in time to attend a very helpful and insightful week-long seminar that’s conducted in both English and Thai, held in Chiangmai Theological Seminary where my team leader, Daniel Kim, is teaching at. I am also very thankful that I know at least one person here in Chiangmai – Caroline King (from England, an OMF short-term worker in the Serve Asia programme), whom I’ve gotten to be good friends with when she was in Lopburi. In less than a week, I found a great and safe house to rent, bought all the furniture and household necessities that I need and moved in! (more details at the end of prayer letter…what ministry am I doing here & how God provided a house!)
Prayer Requests (other than what is in my prayer bookmark…do continue to pray about those items!)
1) Settling in – Pray for protection from the evil one and for good health. I have been sick for the last couple of days (first time I’ve been ill in Thailand!). There’s still much cleaning and setting up to do in the house. Pray for discipline to use my time wisely now and make a good schedule (time with the Lord, reading, language learning, housework, ministry preparation…). Pray that I will be able to make friends, and have boldness to take initiative to interact with the people in this neighbourhood. Pray that I will build good relationships with my fellow team members and the people I meet as I get involved in ministry here.
2) Language Learning – Pray that I will find time and be disciplined to study on my own, and that I will be able to find a suitable language helper. I’m praying that I’ll find a language helper from Chiangmai University and build friendships through language learning too.
3) Vacation Bible School – My team will be conducting VBS in 2 schools (Sanpasak 12-25 Mar & Don Pin 19-22 Mar) for student who are 11 to 14 years-old. Pray for God’s wisdom as we prepare, and that He will speak to them and touch their hearts. The theme is REAL LOVE and we will be touching on how purity is important (I have been told that many students in this age group have already had sex).
4) Grace Youth Club – It has been suggested that I should start a youth club where the youths from the nearby schools can come and meet weekly and have activities where Caroline and I can build relationships with them and share the gospel with them. I’m really excited but nervous at the same time since this is something really new to me – to start and run a youth club! Pray for the publicity that we will start with the students that we will meet during the VBS. From next week onwards, the primary and secondary school will be having their summer break (around 3 months). Pray that we will be able to plan meaningful programmes and that the kids will come!
2) Family… It seems that God has somehow drawn my family closer together after my long absence. Everyone of us treasured the time that we could spend together when I was home for CNY. Even though my parents never really express themselves in direct ways, I can see how God is working in my family and I can’t help but praise Him for His grace upon my family. I have also been very encouraged to see how my brother, Roy, has grown in His faith and desire to walk with the Lord since I have been away.
3) Goodbyes…moving on… It’s been really difficult saying goodbye to everyone I’ve gotten to know in Lopburi, but I’m really thankful for all the friendships that He’s blessed me with. I’m thankful for how He’s shown me so much love and encouragement through fellow missionaries and Thai friends in Lopburi.
4) Settling in Chiangmai… God works in such wonderful ways! There are so many things to give thanks for! I was worried about the luggage that I’d sent up to Chiangmai on an earlier train, but when I arrived, I was so relieved to find that every piece was there and intact as well. I arrived just in time to attend a very helpful and insightful week-long seminar that’s conducted in both English and Thai, held in Chiangmai Theological Seminary where my team leader, Daniel Kim, is teaching at. I am also very thankful that I know at least one person here in Chiangmai – Caroline King (from England, an OMF short-term worker in the Serve Asia programme), whom I’ve gotten to be good friends with when she was in Lopburi. In less than a week, I found a great and safe house to rent, bought all the furniture and household necessities that I need and moved in! (more details at the end of prayer letter…what ministry am I doing here & how God provided a house!)
Prayer Requests (other than what is in my prayer bookmark…do continue to pray about those items!)
1) Settling in – Pray for protection from the evil one and for good health. I have been sick for the last couple of days (first time I’ve been ill in Thailand!). There’s still much cleaning and setting up to do in the house. Pray for discipline to use my time wisely now and make a good schedule (time with the Lord, reading, language learning, housework, ministry preparation…). Pray that I will be able to make friends, and have boldness to take initiative to interact with the people in this neighbourhood. Pray that I will build good relationships with my fellow team members and the people I meet as I get involved in ministry here.
2) Language Learning – Pray that I will find time and be disciplined to study on my own, and that I will be able to find a suitable language helper. I’m praying that I’ll find a language helper from Chiangmai University and build friendships through language learning too.
3) Vacation Bible School – My team will be conducting VBS in 2 schools (Sanpasak 12-25 Mar & Don Pin 19-22 Mar) for student who are 11 to 14 years-old. Pray for God’s wisdom as we prepare, and that He will speak to them and touch their hearts. The theme is REAL LOVE and we will be touching on how purity is important (I have been told that many students in this age group have already had sex).
4) Grace Youth Club – It has been suggested that I should start a youth club where the youths from the nearby schools can come and meet weekly and have activities where Caroline and I can build relationships with them and share the gospel with them. I’m really excited but nervous at the same time since this is something really new to me – to start and run a youth club! Pray for the publicity that we will start with the students that we will meet during the VBS. From next week onwards, the primary and secondary school will be having their summer break (around 3 months). Pray that we will be able to plan meaningful programmes and that the kids will come!
In Christ,
Michelle Goh
Tel.:+66859658869 (sms to +6659658869), Mailing Address: Lopburi Learning Centre, PO Box 58, Lopburi 15000, Thailand, Blog: muahhahah.blogspot.com
Ministry in Chiangmai – Hang Dong Church Planting (I’m leaving on the outskirts of Chiangmai main district, Hang Dong is the neighbouring district.)
Team members – Rev & Mrs Daniel & Song Kim (team leaders-OMF missionaries), Mr & Mrs Chumsaeng & Wanapa Reong, Evangelist Tharawat & Jimmi, Caroline King (OMF Serve Asia programme)
Information – At the moment, one church (Hang Dong Grace Church) has been planted. There are two other church plants in two other districts that are just starting (Doi Law Grace Church & Samkhampang Grace Church), and a church plant in Chiangmai University (Grace Fellowship). There’s also ministry outreach at 4 schools in Hang Dong.
(…Before I arrived, I had no idea where I was going to stay or who I’ll be staying with. I didn’t ask. I just committed the whole matter to the Lord and trust that He would take care of it. I was told by Daniel and Song later that it is really not easy to look for a good place to rent in Chiangmai. It is much more expensive than in Lopburi and it is also difficult to look for a place that would be convenient and safe enough for a single female missionary. Sometimes, it takes weeks before missionaries can find suitable housing. The morning I arrived, Song went to pick up Caroline so they could come and help me with my luggage at the train station. Song noticed a house put up for rent just two doors away from where Caroline and Acaan Tharawat’s family were staying. She called them up and found that house was still available for rent and it was just within my budget! Acaan Tharawat said that he had asked about that house about a week before that but the landlady mentioned that someone has already agreed to rent the place. God provides marvelously! The house is in a good condition and is nice and clean because the owners have just moved out not too long ago. It wasn’t furnished but had a built in kitchen cabinet and a gas stove in the kitchen, which is not very common in Thai homes! I arrived on Monday and put up temporarily at 2 Korean girls’ house. The landlady came back on Thursday from an errand in another town and we went to look at the house. We signed the contract for rent on Friday, bought furniture and moved in on Saturday! Praise the Lord for how He takes care of me!)
Team members – Rev & Mrs Daniel & Song Kim (team leaders-OMF missionaries), Mr & Mrs Chumsaeng & Wanapa Reong, Evangelist Tharawat & Jimmi, Caroline King (OMF Serve Asia programme)
Information – At the moment, one church (Hang Dong Grace Church) has been planted. There are two other church plants in two other districts that are just starting (Doi Law Grace Church & Samkhampang Grace Church), and a church plant in Chiangmai University (Grace Fellowship). There’s also ministry outreach at 4 schools in Hang Dong.
(…Before I arrived, I had no idea where I was going to stay or who I’ll be staying with. I didn’t ask. I just committed the whole matter to the Lord and trust that He would take care of it. I was told by Daniel and Song later that it is really not easy to look for a good place to rent in Chiangmai. It is much more expensive than in Lopburi and it is also difficult to look for a place that would be convenient and safe enough for a single female missionary. Sometimes, it takes weeks before missionaries can find suitable housing. The morning I arrived, Song went to pick up Caroline so they could come and help me with my luggage at the train station. Song noticed a house put up for rent just two doors away from where Caroline and Acaan Tharawat’s family were staying. She called them up and found that house was still available for rent and it was just within my budget! Acaan Tharawat said that he had asked about that house about a week before that but the landlady mentioned that someone has already agreed to rent the place. God provides marvelously! The house is in a good condition and is nice and clean because the owners have just moved out not too long ago. It wasn’t furnished but had a built in kitchen cabinet and a gas stove in the kitchen, which is not very common in Thai homes! I arrived on Monday and put up temporarily at 2 Korean girls’ house. The landlady came back on Thursday from an errand in another town and we went to look at the house. We signed the contract for rent on Friday, bought furniture and moved in on Saturday! Praise the Lord for how He takes care of me!)
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