Thank-you all for your prayers. Teresa is feeling completely normal now for a week.
I have am still studying Thai language full-time (5 days a week) & now that I have started my 7th month have felt a small breakthrough. I am now able (slowly) to place my thoughts & communicate them in Thai correctly. Although it still takes me 1 minute to say each sentence, my Thai teachers say that they understood me & I used proper Thai grammar.
I now have another Thai teacher as they rotate them so we don't get used to hearing one teacher & not able to hear other Thai speaking styles. My new teacher is the same as my last; not a Christian. I love the question that is in each textbook. I have to learn to ask & answer: "what was your job in the past & what is your job now?" I answer every time that my past job was a pastor & my work now is a missionary. My new teacher, asked the same question as my previous, "Matt what is a pastor?" I use the Thai word for pastor, but they still say "I have no idea what that is." I usually in broken English & Thai explain to them what a pastor is & as a pastor your work (used loosely because ministry is a life & lifestyle not a job) for Jesus. On break that day I overheard 2 of my teachers & another, who also is not a Christian, all of them are Buddhist talking about me, what a pastor was & about Jesus. It was so awesome! Anyone who doesn't think studying a language is ministry needs to do it & see what amazing things God does through you if you are willing.
“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavours of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage. Matthew 5:13 The Message
Teresa is still being an awesome care giver & keeper of our home. She has many ladies that come to our home to talk & pray with her each week. She is also a contact for people in ywam here if they need member care help.
We sent off 2 missionaries this week who stayed with us for a time of rest. We knew them both from Mongolia, although 1 has moved on from Mongolia & is considering India as the next place to serve. It is great to be able to offer our home to our friends all over the world as a place to come for a short time to rest & be refreshed as they serve God.
We also had over today a ywam team from Oxford New Zealand, who have been in Thailand for over 2 months on their outreach. We invited them over to rest & have a meal. We asked them what they were missing the most, they said BBQ & "NO" rice please. So we made them our favourite minced curried pork burgers, potato salad, garden salad, homemade cookies, etc… During the meal & for a couple of hours afterwards we shared about our lives & how God is working & changing us for His Glory. They also shared about their lives & some of the life lessons they have learned. This is the time we enjoy the most; real life sharing & Jesus is always in there too. They said they were sooooooo blessed by the food & by sharing our lives honestly (the good, bad & ugly) with them.
"…He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep". John 21:17 NIV
We hosted & served meals in Mongolia to teams from many missionary organizations from all over the world & all ages. It seemed like we served teams at least twice a month & here in Thailand we will continue to to this as we encourage & build up God's workers from all over the world.
