"Ahn Neung Ahn Diaw Ghan Gahp Phrah Jao"

The past year, I have been studying Thai with a close friend of mine "Nai" (Nigh). Nai lives in our village and is paralyzed from the waist down. I have recently been learning Thai with him by studying some Bible stories that begin from creation and end with the resurrection and ascension of Christ. This has also been an opportunity for Nai to hear these stories and to understand more about what being a Christian is all about. He, like almost everyone here, is Buddhist.

A few days ago, we were studying through the ten commandments--lesson 20 in a set of creation-to-Christ Bible stories. After I studied through the lesson with him, we talked about the purpose of the commandments, and how similar many of them are to his own Buddhist beliefs. I explained to him that being a Christian is not merely following a set of rules, but rather is........Nai interrupts, being "Ahn Neung Ahn Diaw Ghan Gahp Phrah Jao." Nai remembered this phrase from studying in Genesis about Adam. Before the fall of man, Adam walked perfectly with God, and knew no sin. The Thai phrased he used refers to the ability to walk perfectly with God, like Adam was in the garden before sin. I was very excited, because it seems that Nai is growing in his understanding of Scripture. He understands that God desires for His followers to not just follow rules, but to be with and walk with Him.

We still have quite a few lessons before we get to Jesus as the mediator between sinful man and God the Father, but it is neat to see someone's growing in understanding. Please remember Nai in your prayers this week. He is very committed to Buddhism. It would take an act of God for his heart to be changed to following Christ. Please pray for God to act in a great way in Nai and in his family's life (he lives with his sister Nuhy and his elderly mother).

Kinnisons Come for a Visit

This past weekend, Jack and Lynn Kinnison came for a visit. They are missionaries in the Nan Province of Thailand, which is a long way from Sisaket. We were very excited to have them. Jack and I took a walk around our village and talked with some villagers who have had some questions about Christianity. With his nearly perfect Thai, he was able to explain in a way that really seemed to help them understand. Here are a couple of pics from our time with them.

This is Jack with our friend in my village "Nai" and Nai's niece "North"

Volunteer Initiation

When people come to serve in our area of Thailand, they must first undergo initiation at the elephant research center in Surin. Here are a couple pictures from this past Monday (and one picture from another volunteer a couple weeks ago). These volunteers are working along with some of our good friends the Cobb family, who also serve in our province.

Bubba, Pamela, Hudson, Holly, Brian, and Hannah pose for a picture

Bubba, Brian, and Holly are about to have an elephant step over them

Lindsey's initiation is almost completed here in this pic