......even more.

For 3 days ago I stopped by at a Cafe here in Ubon. I just sat down and these words came very clear to me. I quickly wrote them down on a napkin:

When all are looking for Jesus let us shine Him out to the people .... even more today.

Ingvar (Fred)

MISSION... a blessing for the senders and the recievers.

You did not choose Me,

but I chose you and appointed you

that you should go and bear fruit,

and that your fruit should remain,

that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

John 15:16

Mission is not my good idea. No I am sent by Jesus and by the Body of Christ the Church. I am His ambassador. Therefore, when difficulties comes up the most important is that we are standing firm with Jesus in the center? Not me. An ambassador never thinks he or she can make it by herself or himself.    

We are reaching out in MISSIONS to pioneer areas and unreached areas. And when Jesus is the Centre, we have victories.

Jesus said:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

                           

Do not give up dear brothers and sisters home in “Christian" countries. Let living and active Mission inspire you. People are crying out for light, for the Good News. We are Ambassadors reaching into new dark areas with the Kingdom of God.

Let Mission bless you.

Ingvar (Fred) 

                         

11 weeks in Ubon and in Sweden.

After 9 weeks in Sweden and 2 weeks in quarantine in Bangkok, I now very happy to came home to Ubon again. Good to meet Anna and our wonderful coworkers again. They really work hard with great love for God and for people. 

Thank you for your prayers for us these 11 weeks.

The time for me in Sweden was very good together with relatives & friends, with congregations & Second Hand, also with individuals & families. I was encouraged to meet many of you in Sweden.

Felt like many in Sweden this Covid-19 time were discouraged. Last summer we had a wonderful Conference summer like no other. And this summer was completely different. But grace and the presence of God is the same. Bigger than any sickness.

We missionaries often work in difficult hard and new circumstances. But in everything we have seen that God has new strength and new power for us. We have a living HOPE. 

God Bless Ingvar (Fred)

Short Up-date

After many documents, 3 negative COVID-19 tests and 14 days in quarantine in a room in Bangkok, I will come out into the Thai society on Tuesday morning the 27th Oct 2020.

I am very happy I can go home to Anna in Ubon Tuesday afternoon. And also able to meet all coworkers there again.

Thank you all for praying for me. JESUS has been with me every second of these 14 days.

Ingvar(Fred)

The Aim is not ..... but .....

1973 our first travel to Asia 1973 was very differant. We travelled one month overland in a Thames Trader Truck from Belgium to India.

Now Oct 2020 the travel for me to Asia was also very differant. Even though I have visa, workpermit and re-entry permit I needed an extra permission: CoE (= Certificate of Entry) from the Thai Embassy i Stockholm, needed 2 health certificates and to travel on an expencive special Thai repatriation flight. Repatriation = returning to their own country.                                                                          

The flight attendents on the Thai flight had protection cloths.                                             

And at Bangkok airport there were 5-6 checking points by many officials all in protection cloths. 

Now I have to stay in a quarantine room 14 days without meeting a person. After these 14 days I can go out and continue to travel to Anna in Ubon. The aim of this strict controll is to stop all Covid-19 at the borders. Inside the country we can move freely, with face masks. 

We are well and have many open doors of ministry in Isaan and Laos. But we feel extreamly sad for all local people both in Laos and in Thailand who now have very little work and struggling to survive. They have little or no money for food or for children`s schooling. Teenagers are asked to go out and work. 

The projects right now is helping many, not to give up. The word Innovation came to us very clear in the beginning of 2020. Now is time to stand with the local people to find new ways to have income. The tourism can be late to pick up again, or never come back up to the same level.  2019 Thailand had 39.8 million tourists.

                                                     2019 Laos had 4,6 million tourists. 

Even if travelling can be interesting let us never never in Missions forget that:  

God Bless You.

Ingvar (Fred)

New Calling to the Church with it`s Mission

Being invited to a fresh meal is always a blessing. Also to a good spiritual meal. This Sunday in Ed, (where I was born) this word came to me as new fresh food from God himself. I heard again the calling: 2 Cor 10: 15-18 

Wonderful Calling to the Church with its Mission
15…we shall be greatly enlarged by you in our sphere,	Growing here
16 to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you,	So.. beyond with Pioneer preaching
and not to boast in another man's sphere of accomplishment.	Not stealing others success
17 But "he who glories, let him glory in the Lord."	Glory to God
18 For not he who commends himself is approved, . but whom the Lordcommends.	The Lord is my leader

These days, you can lock yourself up because of fear of others and become more-than-usual selfish. Lose your joy, more-than-usual. And become more lonely than-ever.

Now is the time for the CHURCH with it`s MISSION to be more shining God`s Glory than-usual.

I met a Christian businessman the other day. He really “infected” me with a big dose of hope and enthusiasm. I also saw that the other business-people around him were also filled with GOING now. They did not say: After Corona all will be good.  

Several CHURCHES and MISSIONS are now looking for a new way of working. Karin in Kvarnsveden now 90 years old is still a great blessing for us and many. She said last weekend when we talked about Church with it`s Mission: We must be one step ahead.

So dear friends, even these days of Corona pandemic let not the circumstances rule over you. And when next crisis comes we can be prepared even better by: Be steps ahead. Right? God's Holy Spirit wants to lead us before, during and after all crises.

Ingvar(Fred)

                                 My brother Rune and I in Ed 20 Sept 2020.

Be Blessed ---- and bless others

We can all feel we have differant kind of problems, but I feel very blessed comparison to many people that are constantly struggling .... down there, feeling they have hit the bottom. 

Outside they look OK, they do their job, but inside they have given up. 

Remember dear friend, JESUS is down there with you on the bottom.               

This truth has blessed me after a very good weekend in 3 churches and 2 homes. I am now on my way home to Bleket.

Ingvar(Fred)