Adventures in Thailand

For several years now the civil unrest has continued to increase in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma). Military rule has come back to this largely Buddhist nation that is nestled in the borders of India, China, Thailand, and Laos. Because of the intense warfare thousands of nationals have fled Myanmar seeking refuge in these surrounding nations. One of the concentrated areas they have settled is in northern Thailand, near the Myanmar border.

Curtis Baker and I have been traveling to and ministering in Myanmar for over 12 years now. Because of the dangers faced presently faced there, Curtis was advised to concentrate more on the Burmese who now live in northern Thailand. This was our first visit to the city of Maehongson which is a six-hour drive northwest of the better-known city of Chang Mai. There are many believers in Maehongson and most of them belong to the Padong tribe.

We conducted the first conference in a Bible school with about 60 in attendance. Nearly everyone in this event was under thirty years of age and many of them are of a Baptist background. Unfortunately, before the first session began we received the news that Curtis’ sister-in-law had died as a result of a long illness. He had committed to officiating the funeral service so we got with the Eva Air travel agent and arranged for him to fly home a week early. I remained in Maehongson and took the bulk of the sessions for the conference. Curtis was extremely sorry to have to depart but he had a very close relationship with his sister-in-law and her husband and was needed at home near Houston to fulfill his obligation.

The conference in Maehongson went extremely well and the level of hunger for God’s word and ministry instruction was amazing. Our ministry team which also ministered at the conference included pastors Kham Khai from Tulsa, Samuel Tu Ja from Grand Rapids, Michigan and Sing from here in Austin. They all were born and raised in Myanmar. Besides the conference, we were able to minister at an orphanage and at refugee camps that are near the border with Myanmar. Because of my unfamiliarity with the travel and leadership teams for the second conference, I came back a few days early to the States. Curtis and I are hoping to return to the Chang Mai area next year to be with many of the leaders who attended this week’s conference with the three Myanmar pastors.

We are very excited to have completed the book, The Path of the Righteous. I was just told that the author’s copy of the first book should be arriving at our doorstep sometime today! I’m looking forward to getting these into the hands of many believers, both here and overseas, in the days ahead. I’ll soon begin working on putting together an accompanying workbook and can then begin writing my second book, The Goodness of God.

Thank you for your prayers and a special thank you to those who helped fund this outreach to Thailand and also help with the publishing of my first book. A special shout out to Jesse Akins who did the final editing and to Jack Adams, Linda Wasson, Cheryl, and my daughter; Sarah; who helped with the cover and many peripheral items that are necessary for a book to be ready for publishing.