The above picture is a picture of five of the precious children from one of our village ministries. While I was walking and praying, they sought me out. I think it had something to do with the candy in my pocket. My wife and I, along with the rest of our Team, are grateful for the opportunity to work with the children, teenagers, and college age young people in this country.

This country is a very “young” country, with the Median Age being 23 years old. Compare that number with three other countries we have served in: The United States (38.1 years old), Thailand (37.7 years old), and China (37.4 years old). In other words, there’s a lot of potential for the future and for Christ here!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE US WISDOM ON HOW TO BEST SERVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNIST COUNTRY!

We had a tremendous summer, but, as you well know, summer has come and gone. God has been so good to us and for this we are grateful! Two weeks ago, our new Fall Term for our School of Ministry opened its doors. We presently have 16 young men and women representing five different tribal groups enrolled in our school and training for the ministry. Praise the Lord, we even opened up a Ladies’ Dorm! We presently have six dorm girls and they are all a real blessing!

What a privilege it is to teach these hungry students. I am presently teaching three days a week (Genesis, Romans, Bible Doctrines), along with spending an hour each week in a Discipleship Group with the men, while my wife meets with the ladies. We are so very grateful for Pastor Joe’s original vision, for Koumaly Thongdy’s desire, for Brother Tomlinson and Barnabas1040’s faithful financial support, and for your prayers and financial support that enable us to operate the School of Ministry and train future laborers!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY AND OUR STUDENTS!

So very thankful to God for the Team He has brought together here! A little over two weeks ago, we had the privilege to conduct our Team Orientation. Normally, we conduct Orientation in the Fall and the Spring, and it’s usually three or four days long. This year, we had to keep it at two days. It was a blessing to have Brother Koumaly Thongdy with us for one of the two days. As always, it was a great time for bonding, learning, and encouraging one another. We are very excited about our Team and what God has in store for us over the next few months and years.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR TEAM TO BE USED BY GOD TO REACH THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY!

Not only did our School of Ministry open its doors this month, but our English School just opened its doors last week. We rejoice in the Lord that we are able to have a school and influence many young people for good and for God. We presently have seven classes and 62 students. I believe that might be a new record. If not a record, very close to one.

As you know, the Thongdy’s are back in the States indefinitely because of their daughter’s health issues (please continue to pray for them), and because of this, we are offering one less class than we did in the Spring.  And yet, we have the same amount of students that we had in the Spring. We are very grateful to have Justin Keo teaching two classes for us this term. He’s doing a great job!

My wife and I have known the Keo family before Justin was born. In fact, before his parents were married. We all served together at Cambodian Baptist/Pacific Baptist in Long Beach, CA for many years prior to coming to the field. Justin and his family are fellow Team Members with our Team in Cambodia. They have been serving there for about eight years.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS OUR ENGLISH TERM AND THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL COME TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

If you keep up with our regular Prayer Updates, you know that for the past year we have been in a time of transition and have been making a lot of changes that would enable us to reach more people, train more people, and SEND MORE PEOPLE. We are thankful to God for another change that we made recently, which is turning out to be a huge blessing for so many and definitely helping us to reach, train, and SEND MORE PEOPLE.

All of our people – including my wife and me – are now serving in one of five different congregations (actually seven congregations if you count our School of Ministry students that are not a part of our church family) on Sundays. Nine of “our own” college students are serving in these different congregations on Sunday mornings. Needless to say, they are a tremendous blessing and making a huge difference for good and for God in these different congregations. They are serving in so many different ways. They preach and teaching for adults, teens, and children. They are discipling men, women, and young people. They are leading singing, organizing and leading choirs, and the list goes on.  We are praising God for what He is doing in and through the School of Ministry students and these congregations. I am positively convinced that this is exactly what  my brother, Pastor Joe, envisioned for this ministry and this country!

Our Team, our college students, and a few other folks gather together on Sunday evenings for a time of worship, a time of testifying of God’s goodness during the weekend, and a challenge from God’s Word. This past Sunday we had a sweet time of  worship and fellowship around the Lord’s Table. We also meet on Wednesday evening for a time of Bible study. We are presently going verse-by-verse through the Book of James!

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL OF THESE CONGREGATIONS AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE HANDS-ON TRAINING OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING!

So grateful for faithfulness of our fellow Team Members, Tom and Sue Sutrick. It was great to hear that this Hmong woman below, Mrs. Kong Meng, from Chiang Khong, Thailand trusted Christ yesterday. I have had the chance to share the Gospel with her twice over the past few years, as have Tom and Sue on numerous occasions. She’s always been very open to listen, but hesitant to believe. Thank God, yesterday, she took that step of faith.

PLEASE PRAY FOR MRS. KONG MENG’S SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND HER HUSBAND’S SALVATION!

As we mentioned in our last Prayer Update, we thank God for the blessing of having our daughter Joy and her son, Aaron, along with two of our other grandchildren, Abby and Josiah, visit with us here in Southeast Asia for three weeks. At the same time, it was sure hard to say goodbye to them as they headed back home.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO KEEP THEIR EYES FOCUSED UPON CHRIST AND THEIR HEARTS FIXED ON THE CAUSE OF CHRIST!

My wife, Denise, and I are so very grateful for all of our family, friends, and the many churches that support us with their prayers, encouraging words, and financial gifts. As we have said often, we couldn’t be here or do what we are doing with God and you.

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito