[Missions] [01/20/2006] [Edsel, Bambi, Ciara Klit] - Mission Updates

Dear Crossroads Brethren,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Praise God for His Faithfulness. He has once more brought us to another year of new hopes, new beginnings, new experiences of His great love us.

In Pattana Panya School, Lopburi, my family together with my Filipino co-teachers and with the blessing of the school headmaster, we ended the Year 2005 with a Christmas celebration. With the generous help of my co-teachers we set-up a replica of Jesus birth (a small Belen) on the stage of the school auditorium where we hold our Christmas Party.

This we did to make visual statement on how Jesus came to earth. Some of my Thai teachers and students became very curious and was very eager to listen as I explain to them how the Belen on the stage relates to the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Indeed, the celebration had given us the opportunity to introduce to them Jesus, the name above all name, but ironically a name most of the Thai teachers and students never heard of.

Nonetheless, to some of them, the story I shared to them about Jesus birth, was just an introduction; as a Thai teacher and some students approached me and my 13 years old daughter Ciara, (who sing a song for the students) to express themselves- that they want to know more about Christianity.

During the celebration everyone joins us in singing Christmas carols; participate in the programme, and also in our small gift giving activities.

A day after our school Christmas celebration where my daughter Ciara rendered a song number for her Thai schoolmates , she suffered severe LBM and vomiting with a very high fever. Yet it was Sunday, December 25, and she had previously committed to an invitation of The House of Friendship Church (Thai Christian church) to join and sing again for their evening Christmas party for the village children on Ramkamhaeng, a House of Friendship church outreach. By the grace of God, she was able to sing her song, yet, just after her song number up to the eve of New Year, Ciara was spending her time equally either/or in our bathroom and her bed due to the sickness. My wife and I, together with the church prayed for God for His healing touch. We did pray for some miracles for at that time we don’t have money to bring Ciara to the hospital. On the 4th day of her ordeal, God answered by touching the heart of the owner of the school where I teach. Upon learning my daughter’s condition, her wife, together with her 2 children (the eldest, who is our school head master and the youngest, Ciara’s classmate) brought Ciara to the hospital, seeks the help of their family doctor and paid all the bills. Praise the Lord. Ciara was able to take her first solid food on morning of the 7th day of her affliction, 31st of December.

Just on time for the New Years celebration!!!