ATM Update – OCTOBER 2011
To all our wonderful friends and family in Christ!
I’m so happy to be able to finally write this update to you! We pray this email finds you well. Our team has been lead to fast and pray this month and have all experienced a powerful move of the Spirit amongst our Team members and believe God never stops working for our benefit no matter what circumstances or situations are happening in and around our lives today. We serve a GREAT God and we are forever in his hands. We are on the victorious side and as we continue to stand in faithfulness to the Lord we will see his awesome power and glory revealed and many souls saved.
We are coming into our busiest time of the year. We are being enabled to reach more people and villagers that are in urgent need. But amongst all the business we know that our hope, our security, our foundation and our peace is in Christ Jesus. There is a quiet strength that is arising in our hearts and we expect a powerful move of His Spirit as we preach the good news of the Gospel everywhere we plan to go.
ATM Base
Since August this year we have opened our new ATM office which has been able to facilitate much need support for many Tribal Karen Pastors. Translations of materials and lessons have really benefited the churches in the Tribal areas and we really thank God for two of our team - Mali and Duna who have committed to this huge work.
In November we are having a foreign team from the US join us and who will also help renovate our boys dorm on the base.
Om Goi Children’s Home
The new kitchen block is FINISHED! One of our team members – Wanchai, along with 3 other young pastors spent one week at the children’s home building and completing their much needed kitchen and dining hall. It was a very difficult trip for them as they had to make their way through the very wet conditions, flooding and muddy mountain “roads”. However we are so happy that this kitchen will make it safer for the children and provide a larger area to prepare their meals and feed all of them! Not only that but also the relationships that have been built through this project, the love and the care shown has opened doors for further ministry of the Gospel into this area. They have also received 10 more children in these last 3 months with now over 50 children being supported by this home.
Thank you to all who sent funds, have been praying and have just enable us to bless and support these very remote areas where many of these children get forgotten.
Below are some photos of their activities:
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Pau Lu Widows Shelter
This month our team was also able to spend time and minister to 8 widows and their children. We spent a day teaching the Bible and sharing the Gospel and were also able to bring 2 months worth of rice and supplies. We are trying to buy land to build an actual shelter for them which will also provide a place for vocational training and further support.
Please continue to pray for these women. They grew up as devout Buddhists and our discussion and time with them was very interesting as we answered their questions about creation, about Jesus and new life as a Christian. They found it hard to understand why God would want to save them and have a very strong belief in their works to earn salvation. But from our last few days with them they are really showing such excitement as they hear more of the heart of God through the Gospel and believe more and more. At the end of November each of them will be baptized and we will continue to spend time teaching and sharing from the Bible.
Thank you- to all those who have sent funds for these families. You have been such a witness and an example of God’s love to them and it has made such a difference and brought such joy and encouragement to them.
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Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement and support. Please continue to pray for us during these next 3-4 months. We will be having many foreign teams come and join us as well as opportunity to minister to many Karen villages across the border and in remote tribal areas. Pray that we will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in every situation and that many would come hear and understand the message of the Gospel we are sharing.
Also there are many areas which are in great need of rice and medical supplies and we hope to be able to distribute these when we go to these areas.
Pray for protection and open doors and favour with Thai authorities along the border – that we will have no trouble getting the supplies and aid and teams to where they need to go.
The Lord is so faithful and we know that He has gone before us and we stand together to bring the light of His Kingdom to the Karen people in Thailand and Burma.
The Lord bless you and we pray that you are encouraged through every trial and circumstance and keep faithful to the Lord and stand firm in his promises. May He be glorified.
Love from all the ATM Team