My daughter, Tee, and I visited our family home in Naratchakhwai Village, located on the rural outskirts of the City of Nakhon Phanom in Northeast Thailand, in November 2024. This was the first time we visited on our own to do ministry work without my husband, Russell.
There are only nine remaining members of the CMN ministry. The pastor is no longer active and now teaches Bible study part-time at another church. During our 2023 trip, we met Pastor Thawil of the Phra Siri Church in the Nakhon Phanom commons. He agreed to start a second church in Naratchakhwai if CMN members were willing to accept leadership roles. Since then, he has chosen to expand the Phra Siri Church and plans to plant another church in Chok Amnuai Village, about 50 km southwest of Nakhon Phanom. Most of the CMN members have joined the Phra Siri Church, the CMN building has been sold, and the remaining furniture and other church property were donated to Phra Siri. While this suggests the former CMN ministry has ended, I feel in my heart that God wants us to plant a new church in Naratchakhwai Village when his timing is right.
Over the past year, I’ve been involved with an online Thai group called “Bible Study Fellowship.” My studies have been rigorous, and I feel that my faith has grown as a result. Lord willing, I would like to pursue some form of seminary training in Thailand.
The Lord has inspired me to share the gospel with people in my village. One day, I was discussing scripture with members of my family, and unbeknownst to me, my next-door neighbors were listening. Later, they told my mother (who is a recent convert) that they feel I have the ability to teach, although this is something I’ve always doubted.
I shared the gospel with a woman who was in great distress because her son had joined a gang. I heard the Lord tell me to hug her, which is something I rarely do with Thai people. My embrace was well-received, and the woman wept. I believe the door is now open for further discussions with her about the gospel.
One of my friends, a Buddhist, recently asked me how Christmas is celebrated in America, as she perceives it to be a cultural celebration. Her sister is a Catholic, and she asked me to explain the differences between Catholicism and Buddhism. I explained what I know and believe and at that moment the Holy Spirit showed me a visual image of Jesus on the cross. While doing this I felt goosebumps and saw the hair rise on my arms.
Within walking distance of my home is an elementary school where two of my nephews attend. I received permission from the teachers to provide lunch for the children, pray with them and give them Christian comic books. There, I met people who are interested in learning more about God’s love.
I feel that God is opening doors for me to reach out to the lost and unreached people of Thailand. My dilemma today is how to follow up with new believers who want to learn more about the gospel. I have no local church nearby to send them to, and I live in the United States. Many of these people are elderly and have no knowledge of how to use the Internet. Please pray for God to provide me with ways to effectively communicate with the people in Naratchakhwai Village and to strengthen my personal knowledge of the Word so I can teach others how to share it.
Thailand photo by Jason Boyette
