Serving Thai & Sign Language in Samutprakan was a joy as we learned Thai from our Branch course...but the official move to Krabi (1/ 2011) for our new assignment brought ocean views, sandy beaches and remote areas into our territory. What a move we made: from city to village. - Matt.10:11
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
It's Been Awhile...Here's an Update!
Much has changed since 2011:
** Current Congregation for the past 2 years: Krabi **
1. We learned how to drive motorcycles! (with a few burns and bruises as proof-lol)
2. Jem, the first publisher in the South, is now a baptizedsister!
3. Cynthia, Jeff and Melissa returned to NY (assisting their families and still pioneering)
4. I returned to NY (May-June 2012):
-Attended my 2nd Pioneer School (along with my father: June 18-29)
-Thai Witnessing/ Search
-Participated in "Special Metropolitan Public Witnessing" (posted @ 42nd St. Times Sq.)
Here is a Quick Overview of when I Returned to Thailand:
- Circuit Assembly (July)
- Gained a new Roommate: Marilyn (July)
- Visited Bangkok Bethel Branch (new tour & video):
2012
brought new Committee Members, Missionaries, and Special Pioneers to
the Branch. This has thus furthered the goal in covering all languages
of Thailand, initiating groups in French, Cambodian, Russian,
Vietnamese, Lao, Burmese, Bengali/Hindi, etc.
How thrilled we are to see Jehovah's organization speed up the progress in Thailand!
P.S. Krabi Sign Language Group is now recognized as an official group of Thailand! (September)
Elephant Bathing w/ Marilyn and her mom
Encouraging Experiences:
Marilyn visited
Krabi at age 23, to visit Jeff and Melissa and to "scout the land." She
was so encouraged to help and thus spent the next two years saving her
money, pioneering, and teaching herself Thai to make the grand move to
Thailand as her new home. She's come to support Thai, and two months ago
agreed to support Thai Sign (TSL) also. Now, she is enjoying her field
in both languages and is already being used for TSL assignments.
McKelly
and I met two years ago while she was touring Bangkok, and as she fell
in love with the need, it motivated her to set a goal to return within a
year. She achieved that goal and served for 2 months supporting the TSL
work where Bethel assigned her, in Krabi! How shocked we were to have
her assigned to support me in my territory. Now, she's making plans to
return longer for 2013, but who knows where she will be assigned ...I'm
hoping for Krabi again- lol.
Matt and Mandy had been
serving in a Central American Branch for over 14 years and were just
asked to move to Thailand as new Branch Committee Members, and boy have
they added some spunk to Southeast Asia. Watch an interview of them
below on video:
Meet Marilyn...
and New Branch Committee Members: Matt & Mandy! (left)
McKelly (second from left) in Krabi; hopefully returning here in 2013!
Thai Sign Assembly (South of Thailand)
Jem was assigned her first thai sign assignments for
the assemblies- finally, we have a deaf sister to assist us. And how
encouraging it was to have a good attendance of deaf to sign along to
her songs!
Below are pictures of events that occurred from the New Service Year til' now...
Hong Kong Special Convention 2012:
- Attended with family and friends (September)
- Visited Shanghai & Beijing
- Visited Korat (Deena and Grace's home)
English Hall @ Special Convention, Hong Kong
English Hall after last day- gotta love our unity!
Thai Hall
Newly Baptized Sister (middle)- how touching!
Releases by Br. Herd @ Cantonese Hall
Thai Hall Picture- many from Thai Branch came to interpret
First Special Convention to have talks done simultaneously in 7 languages
Thai Interpretation Booth: They're actually a couple in Bangkok TSL
Releases in Thai- They received them before Thailand did!
Hong Kong (Cantonese) Sign Language interpreting Br. Herd's Talk
Drama in Cantonese
Drama in Standard Chinese (Putonghua) Sign Language
Brooklyn Delegates made banner for all to sign!
Local friends perform cultural dance for last day's events
Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower
Dad isn't too afraid of heights
Beijing
My Great Wall of China Beat down
Now...Back to Thailand
Visiting Deena & Grace in Korat
District Convention, Surrathani, Thailand :
- Deaf Preaching
- Baptism: 9 new Thai friends
- My Assignments: First time to translate talk and demos from Thai to Sign
New Releases for TSL
Changes in Krabi:
-
New C.O and Coordinator of Elders (Br. Uttana and wife, Ranita). Ranita
served for 14 years in Thailand as a single U.S Filipino sister,
supporting both Thai and TSL before marrying her husband and joining the
Circuit work. What a privilege it is to be clearly understood by them
in both language and culture, and to have their support in furthering
the deaf search in Krabi. It can only bring great success for the deaf
ministry of 2013.
- New Publisher: Kun Yai, an 80+ aged blind
woman who comes and comments (off memory) at all meetings. She's been
preaching to her neighbors and family for years...now she can count the
time! (Pictures coming soon)
Ministry in Huahin:
- 9 Hours away from Krabi, Huahin is known for it's diverse communities and ease to use English. Visiting, to assist a friend's move there, led to wonderful service days speaking to Cambodians, Burmese, Norwegian, and of course Thai. Cambodians, Vietnamese and Burmese are found in the fishing piers and pineapple farms for harvesting season. In one day alone, several Burmese and Cambodians agreed to return visits and signed the coupon on the back of the 'Truth' tract to request a study/and or Bible Teach book.
Cooking at side of the road- some Thais directed us to Burmese areaafter giving us a traditional snack
Very kind-hearted to offer us food. Fortunately, they took the spiritual food that we offered them too.
Physically filled and ready to preach even longer
Who knew we'd find so many people..where do we start?
Preaching to young and old...from boat to boat
Service group, Huahin English Congregation
My favorite experience though was during the search for English speakers, my partner and I met one woman who said the foreigner moved a month ago and she just moved in with her family. She welcomed us to a drink of water. As we walked in, we noticed her entryway had a cross and fish next to her family name- meaning she was Christian. That's hard to come by in a predominant Muslim and Buddhist country! So as I started, in Thai, acknowledging she was Christian, she began to cry and explained how she felt the angels must have guided us there since she has been praying to Jehovah (yes, she used and knew His name) to draw closer to Him. Her husband and her are ministers of a church connected to later-day saints (which she had little knowledge of the connection) but she said that recently, due to heavy work schedules, they've not had enough time to minister. Then, she began to praise us for putting our ministry first in our lives. I showed her James 4:8 and commended her on her desire to draw close to God and reminded her that Jehovah never leaves us as we try to gain a better relationship with Him. She underlined that scripture, thanked me for sharing, and asked what days we worship. She worships on Saturday. I said a quick prayer and told her that we each have different days that we worship depending on the community, but that we saw the need to make our worship clean and progressive every day. Then, I asked her to read Romans 10:4. After asking her a few prompting questions, she quickly understood the scripture and said "so when Jesus died, he ended the law of Moses. I must share this with my husband and tell others." She again underlined the scripture and stated that she wants to "learn the truth about Jehovah since he is our creator" and even though she notices others in her church worship Jesus, she knows that "worship to Jehovah is more important." I invited her to read the 'Truth' tract and showed her the coupon on the back for someone to visit and bring the 'Bible Teach' book. She immediately asked for a pen, signed it, and asked me to return to explain more truths to her. Too bad it's not my territory, but it has been turned over to the Thai congregation in that area.
That's all for now. Shall share more in the future.
Lolo, this is a fantastic and encouraging update! Sounds like some great and effective work is being accomplished in your assignment - keep it up - reading encouraging experiences such as these has me totally fired up!!
That was a nice surprise to stumble upon this page. Enjoyed the pics and glad you came to help us out with the harvest in the land of smiles. Christian love and greetings Greg&Priaw
Hello, how are you? I'm a portuguese and I'm learning thai language, I'm serving in thai group. how can you learned how to read thai? I want learn how to read, but it's difficult to know all characters of thai alphabet.. Do you have any idea to help me increase my read?
Lolo, this is a fantastic and encouraging update! Sounds like some great and effective work is being accomplished in your assignment - keep it up - reading encouraging experiences such as these has me totally fired up!!
ReplyDeletexo
sarah
That was a nice surprise to stumble upon this page. Enjoyed the pics and glad you came to help us out with the harvest in the land of smiles. Christian love and greetings Greg&Priaw
ReplyDeleteHello, how are you? I'm a portuguese and I'm learning thai language, I'm serving in thai group. how can you learned how to read thai? I want learn how to read, but it's difficult to know all characters of thai alphabet.. Do you have any idea to help me increase my read?
ReplyDelete