What is the “Breaking News”?

Of course, as you know, my wife and I were scheduled to have a short five-to-six-month furlough, and like so many other things, unfortunately, COVID changed all of that for us. We have now been in the States for almost fifteen months. 

I am grateful that we have been able to stay busy (travelling and preaching here in the States, raising thousands of dollars for the poor, the needy, and the helpless of Southeast Asia, teaching 22 School of Ministry students in two different locations, and discipling eight different men in three different countries). Needless to say, my wife and I have been blessed in so many ways!  

Here’s the Breaking News:

Lord willing, and if the proverbial “creek doesn’t rise,” nor the COVID numbers in Thailand, my wife and I will be heading back to Asia on Tuesday, August 10. Regrettably, we still cannot go back to Laos. They are still closed, and because of COVID restrictions, will likely be closed for quite some time.  

In lieu of this–after two weeks of quarantining in Bangkok–my wife and I will be relocating, at least temporarily, in Northern Thailand to work with our fellow team members, Tom and Sue Sutrick. They have asked us to assist them with a few projects. 

It looks like I will be discipling (leadership development) two of Tom and Sue’s men in Thailand. In addition to this, we will be helping them, at least in the beginning stages, to start a School of Ministry as we did in the country of Laos. Lord willing, Denise will be working with some of their young ladies and possibly teaching English as a second language!  

In addition to the above, I will continue teaching the two different groups of School of Ministry students online (Laos) as well as continue discipling the eight men online (Laos, Cambodia, and China) while we are in Thailand.

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PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS NEW PHASE IN OUR LIFE AND MINISTRIES

We are in the middle of the Summer Term for our School of Ministry/Bible College students. It’s been a great term. I am going through and teaching the Book of Matthew for the students in the village and have been teaching on both “Prayer” and “The Call of God” for the students in the city. 

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PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THESE YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG WOMEN TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND THEIR LOVE FOR THE LORD!

As I have mentioned repeatedly, over the past year or so, it has been a tremendous blessing to be able to invest in the lives of these eight men and their families pictured below. It has been especially helpful for them too, as almost all of them have been locked down and prohibited from having in-person services at various times. I am so thankful for the blessing of meeting with these men on a weekly basis.

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Despite eight weeks of not being allowed to meet in person, it has been very exciting to see one of our churches growing leaps and bounds in recent days. Kong, Lilee, and our School of Ministry students are doing a tremendous job despite very difficult circumstances.

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While the incoming funds for “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion” has slowed down quite a bit since the COVID numbers in the United States have been going down, the needs in countries like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand have not. 

In fact, the COVID numbers have been going up in Southeast Asia, thus the need for helping folks is greater than ever. Notice the words below from an email I received from a missionary in Vietnam just a week or so ago:

“Covid in Vietnam has caused many to go hungry. There are stores with no food.

There are prohibitions for street vendors. There are long lines at stores that do have food. There are no government programs for food stamps or QE monies handed out.

So many of the poorest, with no relatives, are starving.

Pastor Sang, Pastor Davit, Pastor David and Pastor Samuel have been taking food baskets to the poor and hungry in their areas.”

After we sent him $500 a couple of days ago, here’s his reply:

“One food basket here costs us 250,000 dong, or about $12.  The staples in that basket can feed one person for almost a month, if used sparingly. $500 equals 11.5 million dong.  Dividing that by 250,000 dong means that we can help 46 people to make it through the next month. Thank you for your mercy and your prayers.”

In the past thirty days, we sent $1,000 to the country of Laos, $500 to the country of Vietnam, and another $450 to the country of Cambodia to assist with various needs.

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PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BRING FUNDS IN TO MEET VARIOUS NEEDS AND THAT MANY WILL COME TO KNOW CHRIST THROUGH THESE DEEDS OF LOVE!

As always, Denise and I would like to thank you for your continual prayers and your consistent prayer support. We covet your prayers as we begin this new phase of ministry!

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny

PS PLEASE DO PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS US WITH THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO COVER ALL OF THE EXPENSES FOR THE TRIP BACK, THE QUARANTINE,  AND THE RESETTLEMENT IN THAILAND!