GLINTS

August Newsletter:

In August, I hosted Pastor Tom Shedd, from the Global Training Network. Their mission:  “To train Majority World church planters, pastors and Christian leaders so that they can more effectively equip their congregations to evangelize and disciple their communities for Christ.”

Some of the Mae Sai Group

We had one training in Mae Sai, Thailand and one in Luang Prabang, Laos.
Basically, what I did was:

1) Make the connections between the trainer and the trainees (making connections may be turning out to be one of my roles).

2)  Plan and book most of Pastor Tom’s accommodations and local/domestic flights.

3)  Set up the training schedule and deal with many of the details.

4)  Help finance bus tickets and food for the trainees.

5)  Attend the training as both a teaching assistant and trainee.

Pastor Tom and translator Pastor Ed

Pastor Tom and Pastor Wun Chai

Damon and Jessica Mohl with Breakthrough Leader, Benjamas “Jub” Phaypromnuek

After I was finished in Laos, I visited Breakthrough Thailand ministry in Khon Kaen Province.  We did an art workshop there in July, which you may remember from my last newsletter.  These two pictures are actually from that visit (this last visit the only pictures that I took are of manual rice transplanting – see a  future blog).

The Breakthrough leaders took us to see the wild Dok Krayjiaw flowers in Chaiyaphum Province

For years, I have been saying that the first and most important thing to learn how to say in any language is:  “That was delicious.”  I formed this opinion when I lived on Jeju Island, South Korea.

Hallasan, Jeju-do.

It’s not the first thing I learned how to say.  I learned many different words and phrases before that.  But, it’s in Korea where I learned how happy people are when you tell them that the food they served you was delicious in their own language.

Famously delicious Jeju Tangerines – some of the best in the world!

I wish I had more pictures of food from Jeju, but I don’t often take pictures of my food.  I’ll have to do a food blog post during my next visit to Jeju Island, because they have some amazing food.  I know the best spots for many different Korean dishes – including some Jeju regional specialties.

I never really thought that pork rinds were that special, until I had them freshly made in Thailand!

Of course, studying Spanish in high school and Portuguese in college, this was an early thing to learn, but not the first thing.  And, I never learned it in Biblical Greek or Hebrew, because, being dead languages, I didn’t learn how to speak them.  And, even if I did, I would have no-one to tell that their food was delicious, because nobody learns to speak them conversationally (modern Greek and Hebrew are very different).

Homemade Lao Mushroom soup delicacy

Then, even after I formed this opinion, it wasn’t the first thing I learned in either Lao or Akha.  Now, finally, I made sure that the first thing I learned to say in Burmese was, “That was delicious,” to the people who prepared food for me.  Maybe, you might think that “Hello,” or “Thank you,” are more appropriate things to learn first, but I prefer to save them for second and third.

If you want to help me do what I do, check out my bio and donate here.

As I strive to serve the local churches in Indochina,
two Scriptures are driving my work:

Some of my new students at Chiang Rai Bible Seminary

Ephesians 4:11-16

Through leadership training, believers can be equipped to perpetually equip one another.  I’ve teamed up with local leaders and done leader training.  But, I’m also brining in guest pastors and professors to help in these endeavors.  I’ve also just begun serving at Chiang Rai Bible Seminary, teaching Theology and English.  I’ll have more to report in my next newsletter.

Mae Sai Art Workshop

1 Thessalonians 4:12

The local church cannot be perpetually funded from outside sources. These sources are never permanent.  The local church should be dependent on no one.  In the future, I desire to provide micro-loans to help local believers to financially support themselves and their ministries.  Along with funding, I am connecting people with business advisors and skill trainers.

Khon Kaen Art Workshop

Enjoying Art and Exploring Possibilities

In late June and early July, Jessica and Damon Mohl, both art professors, came to Thailand.  With Damon’s help, Jessica led art workshops.   She taught people from three different countries some basic techniques of jewelry and metal working.

The kids taught me the techniques

Along with a few fun workshops for kids, we had four practical skills workshops for adults in Mae Sai and two in Khon Kaen.  We also explored future possibilities to make art that can be sold at local markets and festivals.

Damon and Jessica Mohl

Along the way, while traveling, we saw some amazing national parks.  We were able to take photos and video footage of the beauty of Thailand.

Thank you for your prayers and financial partnership.
Please help me continue to serve.  To donate, click here.