Today 12 years old

For a few days ago Acts 16:25 spoke very clear to me: 

   "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, 

                                and the prisoners were listening to them".

In MISSION work, we often work under many different kinds of restrictions and trials. "What do we do now?" And we see that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life in all the trials of life.

"Thank you JESUS for your wonderful deeds." Jesus is always our Emmanuel who saves us sometimes from the difficulties and sometimes through the difficulties.

Today for 12 years ago, I had the biggest problem of my life. I was hit by a truck in Chiang Mai. I could do nothing, but letting God and people work. 

I am praising God that after 40 days and 40 nights in the hospital in Chiang Mai I could go home and ..... learn to walk. THANK YOU all of you praying for me..

".......while the prisoners listened to them":

1. People are watching us how we, who have received the living hope, live during problems. People wants to know if our faith is an institutionalizing religion or a living faith that works always.

2. Many people want to go to Church, but do not dare. Many feels: "I'm not good enough". Here in Ubon-Pakse, many feel worthless and think that only if they can do enough merits ... the problem will be fixed.

3. We pray and sing, in the middle of dark nights, and God is acting.

Dear fellow brothers and sisters, do not Give Up. Be full of songs in your hearts and sing it out boldly to people. They are listening. 

We've had a blessed weekend. 

Ingvar (Fred)

                                        

The Anchor holds

"Thank you Jesus for being a strong, safe and secure anchor of our souls 2020. In the middle of all difficulties, we have experienced Your strength, presence, peace and leadership. 

You have gone before us and have been showing the way."

We have been realizing during 2020 that we need JESUS more, and we need each other more. To lock ourself up and hide, is not the answer. We must be wise and careful about Covid-19, but to lock ourselves up full of fear is destructive.

We believers have the light of God helping us to see the way forward. But many here are struggling under the power of darkenss and fear.  

                                   

                             

So JESUS the anchor was holding us safe 2020. The song The Anchor Holds has blessed me. Listen by clicking here.

And this anchor is the only one that will do the job also 2021… and beyond. 

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil. Heb 6:19

Ingvar (Fred)

                  

Will you scold him?

It just broke my heart. The words of our new friend. "Will you scold ‘him`, if my friend comes to Church? What he meant was. My friend is still not ‘clean’ from his addiction, will you still welcome him into the Church. He could have said: "Will you point the finger? Will you shame? Will you condemn or judge? Will you belittle the weak one?" 

                                  

In a sense I was shocked. Immediately seeing the consequences of a Church who lives by the structures of religion and not a Church who reigns in life and in the grace we ourselves have received.

                   

The background to this story is that Ingvar gave this our friend a hug the other day. To affirm this guy who had just fallen again and was full of self shame and self condemnation…. Ingvar just told him: "I know you are a good man. We just love you".

I see again the father of the prodigal son. We have spoken, preached and taught and tried to live it over and over again. But as Ingvar just said to me. It’s not our church they are against, it is a religious spirit or a religious stronghold in peoples minds to generations of indoctrinations which is behind this lie saying: "You are not good enough to come to church. You have to change first (by your own power) or do merit enough". 

This mind set is so strong.

The son who was lost in the parable of Jesus in Luke 15, wanted to return as a slave in his own home. But the father welcomed him as a son. This son who already lived like an orphan, was welcomed with open arms and was affirmed by the father. God help us not to be the ‘staying-at-home’ son.

Whether we live in Thailand, Laos, Sweden or elsewhere: "Let’s receive the homecoming sons, love them and walk with them to freedom at the cross". 

Hugs Anna

Have a blessed 2021

We look back on a very good year with growth in Streams of Grace Church, CHILD SAFE and UBON MUSIC CAFE. Thank you all who have been cooperating in differant ways. We are now moving into 2021. 

As you understand, we are very grateful that since 2013 we are one-place missionaries in the pioneer area of ​​Ubon-Pakse and not travel missionaries in different lands of Asia. 

Many are calling the year 2020 The Different Year. The "normal" became for us all, in differant way, the New Normal, which we can not control.

We missionaries are often facing many difficulties. We are constantly facing challenges, which we must solve with God's help. And God is an expert in crisis management.

Many people prefer to forget 2020 and dream of a better 2021. But remember…. so many in our world have stopped dreaming of a better future. They have given up…. and just trying to have food in their stomach and to make time go by.  

                        

                

Dear friends, let us not try to forget 2020 as soon as possible. Let us use what we have learned and dependence on God that we have received. We have seen: 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though ...... Psalms 46: 1-3

Thank you for 2020 and let us 2021, share to people around us The Living HOPE… which is available for us all even in times of crisis,

We are grateful for health and strength.

God Bless Ingvar(Fred) and Anna

Have a blessed Christmas 2020

Klick here for our Side-by-Side Christmas Letter 2020

2 very blessed weeks

We have had 2 very interesting weeks. On Sunday the 6^th Dec we had baptism. On Sunday the 13^th Dec we celebrated Stream of Grace Church 2 years, plus the Christmas celebration.

Child Safe and Ubon Music Café …. is active and helping many in need.

Have a blessed Advent 2020.

Ingvar (Fred) 

Streams of Grace.... with steps forward.

When we worked in Chiang Mai (with 8% Christians) we noticed that much of the foundation of the Christian faith was laid in the Church and also in the community. This helps the new Christians.

But that is certainly not the case here in Ubon-Pakse with 0.2% Christians including Catholics. Many basic biblical truths are missing, which take time to grow under  God's direction.

We have lately had several who has became believers and wanted to be baptized. But when the baptism approached yesterday the 6th of December some ... wanted to wait. It will also be a spiritual battle.

It is a fact here that many from a Buddhist background never feel good enough. But the truth is, we can never be righteous enough with all our good works. Grace is our only salvation.

During the week we built a baptismal tank on the roof of the Church.

And yesterday there were 3 who took the step to be baptized. It was a great time of joy.

         Click here to watch a 3.26 long video.

Have a blessed week

Ingvar (Fred)