Pray for Thailand

King Bhumibol who died 13 Oct 2016 (born 5 Dec 1927) was the ninth monarch of Thailand from the Chakri dynasty as Rama IX. He will be cremated in Bangkok tonight at 22:00.                      

We stand with you our dear Thai friends in the loss of the beloved King Bhumibol. He was a good King and he becamed a ”National Father”, a father-figure. This loss also callenges us men to be good ”fathers” wherever we live and work. Many here in Isaan and south Laos are missing their fathers.                              

During this last year many have been making merits in order that the spirits will be favorable with them. We Christians are grateful that Jesus have open the way for us, even when we are too weak to make enough good works.

Pray for Thailand (around 69 milion people) especially today-Friday-Saturday-Sunday. This funaral is the biggest I have seen. Ingvar

                       

      

Local Multipliers

Manage  Aman Khan  We are the fruit of Swedish Churches.... thank you for your prayers and contribution for our life.

These words came last week from Pastor Aman Khan, Odlabari, WB, India. I met Aman and his brother the first time 25-30 years ago in Barhaj, UP, India. Now he have been to Chiang Mai for an international conference. When I regretted that I could not meet him, he says: We are the fruit of Swedish Churches .... Thank you for your prayers and contribution for our life.

First we must say: Thank you for coworking and partnering with us in the work. To do missions is indeed a cooperation.

And with all humility we thank God for everything that the Swedish congregations has done and are doing in mission. Many have met God and have become mission leaders.

Some projects have failed, but many initiatives continue in specially 3 ways:

a) In the same way. The churches and the projects continue in the same way year after year.

b) With new local initiatives. The work did very well a specific time, but ... the grain fell into the ground and died. And new more local plants come up. It all becomes a multiplication in the Kingdom of God. 

c) Individuals. Many may not plant a new church or new projects but personally they carry what they have received, use it and some train others who train others .... in the community.

The best is when we convey the relationship we have with our living God. Then others also hear from heaven and .... they too become multipliers under the leadership of God. 

I looked again at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dknradmzdiQ

Projects and institutions comes and goes, but people who love God and the Church of God lives on. And they become local multipliers.

Ingvar (Fred

Where is the Centre?

I love when the Centre at Soi 11 is full of People. And like yesterday, we had in here a very important meeting. But I love it, ever more, when all are, like today, out there in the Churches and in the communities. Today, only I and the Lord are here.

We all need to have inspiration to do what we do, with the big picture in mind. If not …. we can drag on, but without joy and fruit. 

In 1 Cor 16: 9 can we read: For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 

The internal and the external adversaries will be there. But The Lord is with us and … we can come through stronger. 

Read vers 10:  .... for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

So the great and effective doors are:

1) For me? Yes I am part of  the centre, but I'm not the center.

2) For my coworkers, my team, my family? Yes we are part of the centre, but we are not the center

3) For my work? Yes it is part of the centre, but not the centre.

4) The Kingdom of God and God`s work is the centre. God = the I am, is the centre.

Only when The Kingdom of God and His presence is the center we can be inspired.

I will train others, who will train others, who will train others.. ... so there will be multiplication. And God our Centre will be reallity for us ... wherever we are. 

Ingvar(Fred)

Along The Mekong River

Yesterday I travelled 399 km along the Mekong River to Udon Thani. On Sunday I will attend a church in Udon Thain and ...go ba ck home by bus to Ubon.

I must say I enjoy working along this river,  on both sides. People are friendy, and ... need the Good News about Jesus

Ingvar

Word-of-God alive also today

We all need spiritual food. Not least working like we do here in Ubon-Pakse. Every day we meet many people who are "starving" from God`s food. Then it's best that I myselves first "have eaten". 

Yesterday I opened the Bible ... and the Word became alive:

Ps 32: 7-8

You are my hiding place;

You shall preserve me from trouble;

You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah 

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will guide you with My eye. 

Thank you Lord for your living word today, here in Ubon-Pakse for me personally and .... for more and more people in Isaan and southern Laos.

I need many Word-of-God-hugs today too. Ingvar

                                                  

Loving Jesus, loving HIS family

After hours of listening and trying to read both the lines and between them, my head was full but it felt more like it was empty. Ingvar and I had a very late lunch  together and extended it to a coffee as well, we just needed to digest all information, sort it into appropriate boxes of understanding. Pheeeewww!
Coming home I just longed to rest my eyes on the trees and flowers of the garden and my ears to the flowing water of the fountain. Feeling a bit rested I had a shower and showers a good for downloads!!
I was seeking God for a follow up meeting tomorrow. From what angle do I approach this task. As a mentor, advisor, how can I be neutral, honouring yet bring clarity and hope.

This is what I heard:
''This group has all the potential to succeed, because
1. Each and everyone is a true lover of Jesus.
2. They love the people of Isaan.
3. They are committed to serve Jesus.
4. Our righteousness is not their own and from their own strivings but from Jesus alone.''
Now I am looking forward to tomorrow.

Loving Jesus, loving HIS family.
Anna

Weeping for a Nation

God sent us a new worker from across the nation. Khun Phetchara or Mem as we call her is a small brave woman in her 50's. It has been a tough ride for her the first month. A cross-cultural experience and new coworkers and most everything is new. Quite similar to our experiences as new missionaries.
She is getting to know all our three projects. The Child Safe Communities, the Tree of Life and New & Growing Church project.
Today she went with Lampuang to join in a couple of new house groups and she listened to the stories of church planters some of whom have worked for their whole lives in this region.
There is something that challenges me in our new worker. She weeps over Ubon, over the children, the families, over the hopeless and the broken. Weeps and weeps..... (she is not depressed).

We weep in seasons. There is a time for weeping, and there are times for laughter.
When she was ill last week we asked Jesus to reveal the cause behind her sickness(well that's what we do here, so that we can pray with insight and effectively). She suddenly sees a black shadowy being who tells her: ''You have entered into my domain''. She told us what she heard and we asked Jesus to speak to her and this is what she hears:'' My daughter, I have called you here, you do not need to fear for I am with you.''

We have learned and observed that this has been the devil's  harvest field for generations. Harvesting children and adults for the sex industry due to poverty, alcohol, gambling, broken families and a culture of abandoning their children to be raised by grandma's.
My experience of walking with Jesus now many years is that He goes to the lowest, darkest places, poorest, where the most unloveable or untouchable or despised by society or even by the church (who is His Family). And just as He called us here and Mem, Lampuang, Rose & Jom, Art, Phitsaniya and Amporn, Nang, Wilawan and Somai.....He will call more to come, to serve and to love.
Ingvar and I have cried a lot over this area. And we are challenged to weep more. Khun Mem is bringing more tears to this place and He collects them and we will reap a harvest for the Kingdom of God.
Will you join us in prayer, blessing the land with your tears.
Love
Anna