in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Serving Grace International School (GIS)
& The Seed Company
& The Seed Company
Representing Edgewood Bible Church, WA, USA – Sept. 2011
We enjoyed three dry weeks traveling & at eldest son Jody’s wedding with Rachel in Cleveland, then a fruitful (tiring) month of maintenance in our WA home.
Now in the fifth week of school, we love gray clouds and nightly roof music of rainy season. (Penny, especially!) Water fills the canals, and farmers flood rice fields to plant. Temperatures hover at a humid 84 daily. J We’re at home, serving here in Chiang Mai. Gary’s addressed many needs, as operations director. Penny wrote three web stories w/photos & a student’s editing worksheet & checklist. (Web stories @ http://www.gisthailand.org/)
Since our return, I’ve edited 16 new translation project profiles for Wycliffe partner "The Seed Company," so work is normal. We’re excited GIS has a record enrollment, with 557 students and 81 homeschooled. Parents of these 350 families work with 21 organizations, in about 15 nearby countries. tudents get a first-class education, so those parents can evangelize, plant churches, train and translate Scripture.
S
Since our return, I’ve edited 16 new translation project profiles for Wycliffe partner "The Seed Company," so work is normal. We’re excited GIS has a record enrollment, with 557 students and 81 homeschooled. Parents of these 350 families work with 21 organizations, in about 15 nearby countries. tudents get a first-class education, so those parents can evangelize, plant churches, train and translate Scripture.
Great news: Our house helper is more interested to become a Christian! She has no friends who attend church, but we helped her join a weekly neighborhood Bible study. Now she has a place to safely learn of our inheritance in Christ. After almost two years, she’s our friend, and we want her in eternity, with in a language we both understand — though I’m really good at pantomime! Pray for the difficult choice for Thai people to reject centuries of their families’ belief in Buddhism, especially city dwellers.
Yet while we pray for Scriptures to reach the minds of others, we practice God’s forgiveness ourselves. For example: I urgently stated an idea to a co-worker, not anticipating it was received as a “demand” in this culture, creating friction. My heart twisted in knots of rejection over the misunderstanding, and I didn’t want to face them. My thoughts heaved on waves of emotion: Should I ignore them? Get mad? But I searched Scriptures:
“Judge yourself first,” (Matthew 7, Hebrews 12, 1 Corinthians 11). “Stop thinking fearfully,” (2 Timothy 1, 1 John 4). “Forgive, in obedience,” (Ephesians 4, Colossians 3). “Stop thinking about yourself,” (Luke 9, Romans 14). “Throw away anger,” (Galatians 5, James 1).
When my emotions cooled, I thought: Where is hope without “the Word of God, which is alive and powerful…”? If my feelings rise and fall at a rollercoaster pace, how do people survive without Scripture?
Weeks clicked by as I struggled, knowing truth, but unable to maintain right thoughts, still wondering: How can people ever move from anger and revenge to love — without a Bible as a guide?
Before our next meeting, I prayed for wisdom for the 100th time, but I sensed a question: “How does my Savior receive me, when I fail? When I avoid truth, get angry — or speak too strongly?”
The answer too was instant: “He receives me with open arms, always!”
So I decided to forgive — because I am forgiven! Surprisingly, we all greeted with accepting hugs. And I understood, as John 15 and Ephesians 3:20 promise:
I can give them Jesus’ love, when I cannot find my own.
I can give them Jesus’ love, when I cannot find my own.
S
Praise God Gary and I are healthy and challenged by our work
Thank God that with care, my rotator cuff injury healed in three days!
Pray for Penny’s brain to absorb well in Thai language class twice a week
Pray for Gary’s brain to understand what Penny tries to teach him
Continue praying for our kidnapped translator’s safety and release (no news)
Pray for us to continue understanding being forgiven and to forgive
Email, home: GPLent@gmail.com
Home Vonage, same #: 253-848-1116, (takes messages)
Snail-mail @ school: P.O. Box 32
T. Nong Khwai, A. Hang Dong, Chiang Mai 50230 Thailand
Web stories: www.GISthailand.org
