Like you, as we enter this time of the year, with the holidays approaching soon, we can’t help but be thankful for all of God’s blessings over the years. We are also extremely thankful for the opportunity to be able to spend some time with family and friends in recent days and to be here while two more grandchildren were born. Luna Ayala and Micah Esposito entered the world just a few days apart and we happened to be in town when it happened.
PLEASE PRAY FOR LUNA, MICAH, THEIR FAMILIES, AND OUR LAST THREE WEEKS IN THE STATES!
We are also very thankful for the many blessings in Southeast Asia. It has been so exciting to see what God is doing in and through our ministry in Northern Thailand, in Laos, and through the continued efforts to be a help to the hurting by way of Operation Samaritan’s Compassion in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING AND GIVING!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS OUR VARIOUS MINISTRIES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA!
NORTHERN THAILAND
Speaking of Northern Thailand, our ministry there (we have been living and serving there now for more than two years), is having its best days ever. Between the mother church and the three other village ministries, we are seeing someone saved nearly every week (including five two weeks ago), a couple of baptisms, and the attendances have been wonderful, including some good days on the mountain top (the mother church). Tzer Chang, who recently was instituted as the pastor of the church is doing a fantastic job. As always, Tom and Sue are doing their best job to be sure everyone in Northern Thailand has the opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, Jui, Jay and his wife See are staying busy as ever.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING AND GIVING!
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR MINISTRY IN NORTHERN THAILAND AND ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEW CONVERTS TO GROW IN THEIR FAITH!
HELPING LOCAL SCHOOLS
I am very grateful for the opportunity to partner with a few of our National Pastors with a new ministry. It is a haircut ministry. Yes, you read it right – a haircut ministry. A few of our churches are working together to go to a few local public schools to give free haircuts to the poor children. This past month we were able to give almost 200 hundred haircuts. It’s a great chance to meet new people, be a blessing, and it opens the door to get the Good News of Jesus Christ out to many that might never of had a chance to hear. We have already had one adult trust Christ!
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING AND GIVING!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS THIS MINISTRY AND THAT MANY WILL COME TO CHRIST AS A RESULT OF IT!
SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH – CHERCHOU
I met Cherchou almost eleven years ago when my wife and I first moved to the country of Laos. He was saved and baptized in a refugee camp in 2005. At the time that I met him, he was a very discouraged Christian. He had been invited to relocate his family to assist another man in starting a church. This never materialized. He had a son (his only son) that was given the wrong medicine, which resulted in him becoming severely disabled both physically and mentally. When the child died, Cherchou, his wife, and the rest of the family were devasted.
In his own words, he backslid. I had the opportunity to disciple him for about three years after this tragedy and God infused hope and health into his heart and life. God is now using Cherchou as an assistant pastor in one of the churches that we have helped over the years and he is also teaching in a Bible Institute, as well as interpreting for a missionary in the same Institute.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING AND GIVING!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS CHERCHOU, HIS FAMILY, AND THE MINISTRIES THAT HE IS INVOLVED WITH!
My wife and I want to THANK all our family, friends, fellow-laborers, and financial supporters for YOUR PRAYING and for YOUR GIVING. It’s amazing all that God can do because of your investment. Again, THANK YOU!
For those of you that have been following our ministry for a while and are regular readers of our prayer updates you are familiar with Pastor Kong and his wife Lily. In fact, we highlighted the two of them and their ministry in our last update. On Sunday, August 27, they celebrated their seven-year anniversary as a church family. I often refer to their ministry as a “miracle ministry,” and it is. God has blessed this couple, our Bible students, and the two churches that he is presently pastoring. On Sunday, August 27, they had more than 200 in attendance to celebrate God’s grace and goodness over the past seven years. God has been exceptionally good to this ministry.
Thank you for praying and giving!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR KONG, LILY, AND THE CHURCH FAMILY IN TDD AS THEY CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD FOR CHRIST AND THE CAUSE OFCHRIST!
GLORIOUS TWO-YEAR TOTALS
It was two years ago last week that we returned to Southeast Asia, relocating with our team in Northern Thailand because Laos was still locked down. In the past two years, God has been so exceptionally good. Not only is this true with our ministries in Northern Thailand, my handful of discipleship groups, and teaching our two sets of Bible students, but over the past two years, God has been exceptionally good to the various friends and fellow laborers that we have had the privilege to partner with over the years.
In the past two years, between our church here in Northern Thailand and three churches in Laos that we continue to partner with, despite being in Thailand, we have seen 778 professions of faith and 152 baptized. Add to this, the 15 small churches that we partner with in Vietnam another 552 professions of faith and 60 baptized. These Vietnam totals are just from their ministry of benevolence, which we have been privileged to assist them with for more than two years now. If my calculations are correct, that is 1,330 folks trusting Christ and 212 baptized. More than 90 percent of these professions and baptisms come from two communist countries. God has been good. Exceptionally good!
Thank you for praying and for giving!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR MINISTRIES AS THEY CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD!
NORTHERN THIALAND
We are very encouraged about what God has been doing in Northern Thailand over the past two years and especially in recent days. We are now ministering in four different villages; people are trusting Christ (4 in just the last week or so). Our team had been praying for and witnessing to one couple for the past five years. Two weeks ago, Kong Meeg and his wife finally trusted Christ. We also had a man and his granddaughter trust Christ this past Wednesday after the evening service. God has been exceptionally good.
Thank you for praying and giving!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR TOM, SUE, TZER-CHANG, JUI, AND THE REST OF OUR TEAM IN NORTHERN THAILAND, AS WELL AS FOR THESE NEW CONVERTS!
NEW COLLEGE TERM
As always, it is a blessing to teach our college students. We have just started a new term for both groups of students. I am presently teaching through the book of Romans for our group in the city and for our students in the village, I am teaching the Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and the Book of Titus). As I have mentioned often in our prayer updates, these are great young people. They are hungry for the word, they are committed to the work, and they have a passion to see people saved, discipled, and assimilated into the local church. Seldom does a week go by without a few salvation decisions. Two of our recent graduates (Somchit and Mai) have just married and will be heading to the southern part of the country to assist his father in his work there. God has been exceptionally good.
Thank you for praying and giving!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WILL BE GRADUATING THIS YEAR, AND FOR SOMCHIT AND MAI!
SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION ENROLLING CHILDREN AND TEENS IN SCHOOL
As we have mentioned in previous prayer updates, the primary focus of Operation Samaritan’s Compassion now is four-fold:
*1 Assisting Poor Widows
*2 Assisting Fatherless Children
*3 Helping Poor Children to Get Enrolled in School (yes, they are required to pay to get in public schools)
*4 Assisting with Emergency Medical Needs
Concerning helping with emergency medical needs, just today we sent $500 to help the father of a national pastor we have been working alongside for years. He still needs much prayer. They are transporting him to a neighboring country for better medical attention.
We are extremely excited to announce that we were able to get 120 young people enrolled in school, along with getting them the required school uniforms, and school supplies. We were also able to help another 25 young people with school supplies. God has been exceptionally good.
Thank you for praying and giving!
PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO HAVE A GOOD SCHOOL YEAR AND FOR THEIR PARENTS TO SEE THE VALUE IN EDUCATION TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY!
MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: KOSAL SANN
My dear friend and fellow laborer, Kosal Sann, was saved out of Islam in 2006 when Dave Board, our Team Leader in Cambodia, led him to Christ and soon thereafter discipled him and grounded him in the basics of the Christian faith. Kosal was instrumental in seeing much of his family come to Christ, which eventually resulted in the planting of a church in a Muslim village. After four years of wrestling with God, Kosal finally surrendered to serve full-time in the ministry as his three other brothers had done previously. Absolutely, amazing family, by the way!
He and his dear wife, Phalley, are faithfully serving in our church in Phnom Penh, Cambodia and he oversees our Christian school. He also works with teenagers, discipling them, taking them over to his home for food, fun, and fellowship. Most of these teens are extremely poor and find this time at their house to be a great blessing. I would like to share a few words from Kosal concerning his and my relationship:
“I am so thankful and grateful for missionary Johnny Esposito. I had the privilege to be discipled by him more than two years while he was living and serving in Cambodia. I have no doubt that God used him to influence my life while I was resisting God’s call for years. He taught me the word of God and he lived what he taught. He taught me how to serve the Lord in the way that he served the Lord. The fact that he loved God and loved others really inspired me to do likewise. He has invested a lot of time and resources into me and my family. Without his influence in my life, me and my family would not be doing what we are doing for God today.”
Thank you for praying and giving!
PLEASE PRAY FOR KOSAL, PHALLEY, ABIGAIL, AND STEPHAN TO CONTINUE SERVING THE LORD AND IMPACTING LIVES!
TRIP TO THE STATES AND BACK ISSUES
Denise and I are in the States now for 3 ½ months. We have a full schedule with various Missions’ Conferences and/or Missions’ Emphasis Weekends, as well as reporting to many of our supporting churches that we have not had a chance to be with for years. It has also been a blessing to preach for our home church a few times, as well as preach for our college revival.
As a few of you know, I have had a bad back for decades, but over the past year-and-half it has become brutal, to say the least. I can no longer sit down. I read my Bible standing. I eat standing. I work on my laptop standing. Yep, that is what I am doing at this very moment. If possible, when in a car, I get in the back seat and lay down on my side. Flying is, to say the least, brutal!
While this physical issue has not limited most of my ministry opportunities, it has changed the way I do things, especially how I travel. And yet, as always, God has been exceptionally good. While we are here, we are also spending a lot of time trying to find answers. All that to say this, I DEFINITELY COVET YOUR PRAYERS!
PLEASE PRAY FOR MY SCHEDULE ON THIS BRIEF TRIP AND FOR MY BACK ISSUE!
As always, my wife and I would like to thank you for praying, giving, and for loving us over the years. We could not do what we believe God has led us to do and let us do, without your prayer and financial support.
Twice a year, here in Northern Thailand, we hold a Pastors’ and Church Leaders’ Conference primarily for men that are leading churches in the country of Laos. These are good men that have been saved, but never been discipled, and none have ever had any Bible training. Our threefold goal is to be an encouragement to them, to better ground them in God’s word, and to inspire them to do the work of the ministry in their villages.
Over the years, it has been exciting to get reports of the men being taught how to lead someone to Christ and going back to their country and leading folks to Christ.
Our theme this month was “Loving God with all of Your Heart.” All four messages that I preached were on the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34-40) and breaking down what it means to us and how to apply it in our daily lives. In my six hours of teaching sessions, I taught how to grow, keep growing, and not stop growing in their love for God and others. Tom and Tzer-Chang taught on “Building Blocks of the Christian Faith.” We even had a missionary and a National Pastor from Vietnam that taught one session each, primarily focusing on the Great Commission.
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THESE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WERE TOUCHED BY GOD DURING THE CONFERENCE AND THAT THEIR CHURCHES, FAMILIES, VILLAGES, AND COUNTRY WILL REAP FROM THE OVERFLOW!
Northern Thailand
On the home front here in Northern Thailand things are going very well. Whether it’s Sunday services in three different locations, midweek services in two different locations, folks getting saved, and new ministries being started, we have been blessed. After the Pastors/Church Leaders Conference, my wife, Jui, and I treated the ladies who did all the cooking at the conference (4 days, 3 meals a day for 50-60 people) to a nice meal in town. They had a great time.
Jay and his wife, See, had their newborn (nicknamed Johnny), dedicated during a recent Sunday service. And Tzer Chang was ordained as the new pastor of Siam Baptist Church.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH AND THE EXTENSION MINISTRIES IN NORTHERN THAILAND AND FOR TZER CHANG AND HIS FAMILY!
Children’s Home
As many of you know, our team here in Northern Thailand tries to go and be a blessing to the Rong Ber Children’s Home once every three months. The home is located about a two-hour drive from where our ministry is located and we normally bring anywhere from 10-15 (or more) of our church members. As I have said before, we go to be a blessing, but we always receive a greater blessing than we give, I can guarantee it. As always, we had lots of food, fun, fellowship, and we always close our time there with a glorious chapel service with wonderful singing, testifying, and preaching.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR BROTHER CHRIS AND THE RONG BER CHILDREN’S HOME!
This Month’s Spotlight Pastor Kong and his Wife Lily
It has often been said that God can do much if we give our all to Him. Or as the old song goes, “Little is much when God is in it.” To be honest with you, I can’t think of another couple that have proved this to be true more than Kong and Lily. This couple loves the Lord, they love one another, they love their people, and they make a great team serving together in the ministry.
Pastor Kong has been saved now for just over eight years. About ten months after becoming a Christian, Kong surrendered to serve the Lord full-time, after I preached a message on the great need for laborers in the harvest.
Two months after surrendering his life to serve God full-time, Kong started a ministry in his home village, which eventually became a thriving church, which is now running anywhere between 120-140 every Sunday. Soon after he started this ministry, Koumaly Thongdy asked me to come start a Bible college, Kong was one of the original seven students and was a top-notch student, while pastoring the work that he had started. He eventually graduated, and now, is pastoring two churches, as well as running the Bible school!
His wife Lily is a wonderful woman who teaches the Bible and disciples women, teen girls, and children. She organizes just about everything and teaches in the college too. Oh, did I mention she not only helps to organize various conferences, like this most recent Youth Conference (more than 230 attendees), but does a great job with writing skits!
As I posted recently, “Over the years (almost eleven now) here in Asia, we have done our best to emphasize discipleship – whether one on one, in small groups, or in larger groups – and to be honest, not everyone has caught the vision, but Kong and Lily and our Bible students have definitely caught it.”
Operation Samaritan’s Compassion
In our last Prayer Update, we spent some time talking about Operation Samaritan’s Compassion. One thing I totally neglected to do that I wanted to do was to give a shout out to various men, ministries, and foundations that have been a huge blessing the past three years. So here goes:
A special thanks to the following churches, foundations, and individuals that have gone above and beyond the call of duty in supporting Operation Samaritan’s Compassion with either substantial one-time love offerings and/or monthly support. Pastor Steve Meyers and the Pacific Baptist Church (Long Beach, CA), Pastor Chris Chadwick and the Canyon Ridge Baptist Church, Pastor Jason Brockman and the Colorado Springs Baptist Church, Pastor Jayson Brown and the Victory Baptist Church (El Cajon, CA), Pastor Mike Kinney and the Temple Baptist Church (Lacey, WA), Pastor Ryan Thompson and the Liberty Baptist Church (Newport Beach, CA), Pastor Rick Stonestreet and the Mountainview Baptist Church (Hesperia, CA), Pastor John Vapreszan and the Metro Baptist Church (Belleville, MI), Pastor Joe Grande and the Faith Baptist Church (Stockton, MO), Pastor Cwenar and the Gospel Light Baptist Church (Rogers, AK), Pastor Dennis Blankenship and the Bible Fellowship Baptist Church (Sacramento, CA), Pastor Doug Cassell and the Bethel Baptist Church (Linton, IN), Pastor Kevin Nangin and the Gospel Light Baptist Church, (Mission Viejo, CA) the Tom Raper Foundation, Rick Dalton and his foundation, Tom Modica (Chicago, Ill), and two longtime and very dear friends, Don Jasper and Greg Hill who have been a huge blessing!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION MINISTRY AND ESPECIALLY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ASSIST MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN SCHOOL THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR!
As always, Denise and I would like to thank our family, friends, fellow-laborers, and our longtime financial supporters for your faithful prayers and your financial support over the years.
Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia, Johnny and Denise Esposito
The picture above are the six people that we baptized last week in Chiang Khong, Thailand. Since our last Prayer Update, we have seen nine people trust Christ and eight people baptized. Please pray for their spiritual growth.
Chiang Khong, Thailand
We are so thankful and grateful for what God is doing in and through our lives and ministries in Chiang Khong, Thailand. As I mentioned in our last update, things are really starting to pick up in our ministry. Along with the recent conversions and baptisms, our Sunday and Wednesday services are doing very well. It has been exciting to see our crowd on Wednesday, especially the children and teens that Jui is teaching.
Our building is slowly but surely, reaching the point where we can say, “It is finished.” Of course, did not I say that in the last update? Things tend to move just a bit slower over here.
Please pray with us about our new School of Ministry! We are in the process right now of starting a new School of Ministry (Bible School) here in Chiang Khong. It looks like we could have 6-8 students – young men and women that want to be grounded in God’s word and prepared for God’s work.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE NEW CONVERTS, THE SCHOOL OF MINISTRY, AND THE ENTIRE MINISTRY HERE IN CHIANG KHONG!
LAOS
We are so thankful and grateful for all that God is doing in the country of Laos. God has brought the necessary funds for us to build an extension to one of our village churches in Laos. This church, just over five years old and pastored by one of our graduates, has grown to the point where they are now running between 120-150 every Sunday. Over the past three months they have had at least twelve people trust Christ and six people baptized. In addition to the new auditorium extension, we will soon begin to build a new dorm for the men in our School of Ministry.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE NEW CONVERTS, FOR THE BUILDING PROJECTS, AND FOR OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY STUDENTS AS THEY SEEK TO GROW IN THEIR FAITH, THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST, AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST!
We are so thankful and grateful for the opportunity to watch the children in two of the villages that we have churches continue to grow in Christ! Our team (including our Bible students) have a real heart for the young people. They are committed to sharing the Gospel with them, teaching them the word of God, along with teaching them other various skills (i.e., English, which will enable them to get a better job in the future). Each of our Bible students is personally discipling one or two children/teens every week. We are also thankful for the opportunity to build a small playground for them near new the church and School of Ministry buildings!
PLEASE PRAY FOR BOTH THE LABORERS AND THE CHILDREN TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND BE FAITHFUL TO CHRIST AND THE CAUSE OF CHRIST!
We are so thankful and grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Pastor “Z.” We have mentioned Pastor “Z” in earlier updates. He is presently pastoring eight churches and doing a tremendous job. In fact, Lord willing, some of his students will be attending our School of Ministry in Chiang Khong. He recently planted a new church, and they are seeing people saved, baptized, and growing in their faith.
PLEASE PRAY FOR PASTOR “Z” AND HIS MINISTRY, ESPECIALLY THE NEW CHURCH AND NEW CONVERTS!
SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION
Of course, we are thankful and grateful how God is continues to use “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion” to spread the love of Christ to hurting people. In the past two months, we have been able to help many with medicine, two with surgeries, another one with hospital costs, and many with food. Yet, our biggest project the past month has been to help get poor children and teens enrolled in school. Because of the faithful giving of God’s people – a special shoutout to Pastor Le Jeune and the White Oak Baptist Church and Pastor Noel Cwenar and the Gospel Light Baptist Church for their significant gifts for this project – we have been able to see close to eighty young people enroll in school. Even my eldest daughter, Jessica and the Children’s Ministry at her church got involved and raised enough money for five young people.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION!
As always, my wife and I want to thank you for praying, giving, and taking the time to read over our Prayer update. We love and appreciate you all!
Nine years’ ago (March 14, 2013), my wife and I landed in Southeast Asia (Phnom Penh, Cambodia) and started a new journey in life. After nearly thirty years of full-time ministry in the United States, we had entered this new phase of life and ministry as missionaries in Asia.
We had left our five children, 12 grandchildren (that number has increased to 29 now), our home church (Pacific Baptist Church) of 18 years, a wonderful position as an Assistant Pastor, Vice-President of Pacific Baptist Bible College, School Administrator of Pacific Baptist School, and the Pastor of our Filipino Ministry and stepped a whole new world.
We have spent the past nine years in living and serving in two communist countries (over 5 ½ years in these two countries), along with the countries of Cambodia and Thailand, along with doing some ministry in Indonesia and Myanmar.
My wife and I are very grateful for your continual prayers and consistent financial support over the past ten years (one year deputation). God has blessed in so many ways, but we could not be here, nor stay here if it weren’t for the grace of God and the generosity of God’s people!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR DENISE AND ME AS WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE LORD’S LEADING WHILE SERVING HERE IN ASIA!
Valentine’s Festival
Every year during the week of Valentine’s Day, thousands of Hmong and Thai people arrive in a small village called Phu Chi Fa. For the past eight years or so, our team here in Northern Thailand has used this as an opportunity to pass out thousands of tracts and share the gospel with those willing to listen. This year we passed out over 7,000 tracts, had the chance to personally share a clear presentation of the gospel with 35 men, women, and young people, and had 14 people bow their heads and trust Christ. I was even given the opportunity to preach the gospel for 15 minutes from the platform. It was great to see so many folks listen attentively to the message.
We are thankful for those of you that prayed for this special outreach and that God blessed the three days of ministry on top of the mountain!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BRING FORTH MUCH FRUIT FROM ALL THE SEED THAT WAS SOWN DURING THE VALENTINE’S FESTIVAL!
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day has become a popular holiday here in Southeast Asia over the past few years. This year, for many of the folks that I have been teaching what the Bible has to say about “Marriage and the Family,” it also became a wonderful opportunity for them to teach many
others about “Marriage and the Family.” We have heard so many good reports from our friends and fellow laborers that went out of their way and conducted special Valentine’s Day Fellowships and/or had special Sunday services the day before Valentine’s Day to encourage God’s people to have marriages and families that honor Christ.
PLEASE PRAY THAT THE TRUTHS OF GOD’S LOVE AND OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, INCLUDING OUR FAMILIES, WOULD PERMEATE THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF THE BELIEVERS HERE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA!
OUR ADOPTED DAUGHTER While living and serving in one of the two communist countries that my wife and I lived in we had the privilege to have four Hmong teen/college age girls live with us. Their names were Bounmee, Pachu, Pachua, and Mai. We love all four of them dearly. Bounmee married Adrian Torres, one of our fellow team members and now lives and serves in the country of Cambodia. Pachua and Mai are still enrolled in the School of Ministry I had the privilege to start and oversee.
Pachu graduated from our School of Ministry and has now been serving as a missionary in the northern part of the country for over a year. She is serving alongside a dear pastor friend of ours. She has been such a blessing over the past year or so. She is teaching women, children, and teens the Bible. Along with this, she is teaching some of them how to use the computer, how to play the guitar, and some of them how to read their language. Illiteracy is a severe problem in this part of the world!
PLEASE PRAY FOR PACHU AND HER CHURCH FAMILY TO CONTINUE TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN THEIR PART OF THE COUNTRY!
PASTOR “B’s” Ministry
While living and serving in the Creative Access Nation for almost 4 ½ years, one of the men that we had the opportunity to influence is named “B.” He was one of my wife’s English students and I had the opportunity to teach him the Bible on many occasions. He is now pastoring and has been for the past five years.
Just prior to the COVID crisis his church was averaging about 30 or so, which by the way is tremendous in this part of the world, but during the pandemic his church doubled in attendance (despite four different lock downs, the last being 27 weeks), he saw dozens saved and baptized, and started two new village ministries. The vast majority of this was the result of him and our Bible
students reaching out to the poor, the needy, and the helpless and meeting their physical needs and spiritual needs. We are grateful to God for the opportunity to partner with them and to sit back and watch God bless!
PLEASE PRAY FOR PASTOR “B,” his family, and the ministry!
New Students
We are excited about three of our young ladies, from two of our village churches, which will be learning English in the city at a school run by a missionary. Learning English will help them to get better jobs in the future. One of the girls, Maixiong, is the daughter of Cherchou who I have been discipling for the past 26 months. Maixiong was in my wife’s Discipleship Group for close to two years before we got locked out of the country. We love Cherchou and his family. We are helping the girls, and we are praying that God will keep them safe in the city and help them to continue to grow to be the young ladies God desires for them to be. Will you pray with us?
Samaritan’s Compassion
As we mentioned in our last Prayer update, things have opened up quite a bit here in Southeast Asia over the past two months. That being said, the need to give a helping hand to the poor, the needy, and the helpless, especially those that have been affected by two years of lockdowns and restrictions is still very real. And, for this reason, we are extremely grateful that we can still partner with our friends and fellow laborers in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR A HANDFUL OF CHURCHES THAT HAVE RECENTLY TAKEN UP SPECIAL OFFERINGS FOR OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION!
As always, Denise and I want to thank you for your continual prayers and consistent financial support over the years, but above all, we thank you for your love and friendship!
Your Missionaries in Asia, Johnny and Denise Esposito
The pictures above and below are of our dear friend, Pastor S, which spent more than a year imprisoned, baptizing eleven new converts. He is a longtime friend and fellow-laborer. We, along with Dwight Tomlinson and Barnabas1040 have supported and prayed for him and his family for more than two years. He is a faithful servant of Christ who is overseeing more than a dozen house churches and travels the country teaching and training local church pastors and church leaders. We are grateful for many of you that have prayed for him and his family and have helped us to support them financially, especially while he was in jail.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THIS PASTOR, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS MINISTRY TO CONTINUE TO BEAR FRUIT!
Getting Back to Normal
We are so excited!Things are finally beginning to open here in Southeast Asia. Thank you for praying for us these past two years. It has been a difficult two years, to say the least. The pictures below are of one of our churches in one of the villages. After four different lockdowns (including the last one for 27 weeks), they were finally able to have in-person services. Most of the folks have returned, but as you well know some are still sitting out with COVID concerns. Two weeks ago, they had five saved and baptized six. We are so grateful for KX and LX’s faithfulness and fruitfulness and for those of you that are praying for them regularly!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR KX, LX, AND THIS DEAR CHURCH FAMILY AS THEY CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS OF CHRIST WHERE IT IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED!
School of Ministry
Speaking of KX and LX not only are they doing a fantastic job with the church they started about five years ago, but after Denise and I left the country, and because of COVID restrictions were not allowed to return, they have done a wonderful job running our School of Ministry in the village. Praise the Lord, because we have dorms (houses) for the guys and the girls, we never really had to close the school down and classes have been going on four days a week for the entire time. I am so thankful that I have been able to continue instructing our students weekly online. Right now, I am teaching them on “Marriage and the Family,” a much-needed topic over here. They are loving it! I am so grateful for students that are not only gaining a head knowledge of the Bible but are taking what they learn to the harvest fields.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY KX, LX, AND FOR OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY IN THE VILLAGE!
Pastor K and Bible Students in the City
I am thankful for the opportunity to also continue to teach the other half of our students (we had to split them up in two separate locations when COVID hit), led by Pastor K. It is one of the highlights of my week, for sure. We are going through the Book of Ephesians and just so happen to have been stuck in Ephesians 5:21-6:4. Yes, “Marriage and the Family.”
Like our students in the village, Pastor K and these students are not only easy to teach, but they apply that which they have learned in the ministry, and they are ZEALOUS FOR SOULS! Just this past weekend they had six people trust Christ. Very seldom does a week pass that they do not have someone trust Christ. A new church that they started recently (a direct result of Operation Samaritan’s Compassion) is growing much.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PASTOR K, HIS FAMILY, THE CHURCH FAMILY, AND THE BIBLE STUDENTS!
Back Together Again, finally!
As I mentioned above, things have opened here in most of Southeast Asia. Our church family, which had not met in-person for almost ten months is finally gathering in-person on Sundays. Can someone say, “Amen”? Of course, ten months of not meeting together in-person and with some still concerned about COVID, not everyone has returned, but we are just rejoicing that we can meet in person. On Sundays, I am preaching a series of messages on “A Kingdom-Minded People” from the Book of Matthew and on Wednesday’s I am teaching through the Book of Colossians. Unfortunately, our Wednesday Bible study is still on-line.
PLEASE PRAY THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GATHER TOGETHER AND THAT OUR NEW BUILDING GETS UP BEFORE LONG!
The New Children’s Ministry
Now that things are opening, we can slowly start to return to some semblance of normalcy. We have just started a new Children’s Ministry in one of the villages. Tom, Sue, Jui, Denise, and I are instructing the children and teens in English and using it as an opportunity to get to know the young people, build relationships with them, help them with their future, and have the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus with them. We have about twenty-four young people attending, and I believe all but four (children/teens of our church members) are unbelievers.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO COME TO CHRIST AND THIS MINISTRY TO BEAR FRUIT THAT REMAINS!
New “BUS” Route
As we mentioned in our previous update, we have a new Team Member. His name is Jui, and he is a graduate from our School of Ministry back in the Creative Access Nation where Denise and I lived and served until COVID locked us out. I also mentioned in our last update that Jui is fitting in extremely well and has been a huge blessing already. We are all so incredibly grateful that the Lord allowed Jui to join us!
Well, Jui has just become our second official “Bus” Captain. Brother Tom Sutrick has been a “Bus” Captain for years faithfully picking up children, teens, and adults from our village and bringing them to the services. Jui will be running a route from another village. Space is limited (we do not have a real bus), but it is going to be a blessing to see some new folks attending the services.
PLEASE PRAY FOR JUI AND THIS NEW MINISTRY!
Long Time Friends Return
This past Sunday we had a tremendous service. Because of a rainstorm both the night before and just prior to the service, we ended up meeting at Tom and Sue’s house. After the service, a handful of us went out for a time of food and fellowship.
Another blessing related to our new “bus” route, it was a blessing to have six new visitors, including two women and their husbands. The two women grew up in the village where our church family gathers. From what I understand, it had been at least a year since they had attended (partially because they live in another village thirty minutes away). It was truly a wonderful day!
PLEASE PRAY KIA AND LUE AND THEIR HUSBANDS TANG AND MO TO CONTINUE ATTENDING THE SERVICES!
Children’s Home
Denise, Jui, and I had the opportunity to once again go and minister at the Hilltop Rong Ber Baptist Children’s Home. It is always a blessing to spend a day or more with these young people. We had a Volleyball Tournament, various crazy games that Jui came up with, a pizza and ice cream party, and a service. During the service I challenged them to be thankful, to be prayerful, and to live lives of compassion. We sure do appreciate Brother Chris and his staff. They are doing a tremendous job loving these young people!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR BROTHER CHRIS, THE STAFF, AND ALL OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE HILLTOP RONG BER BAPTIST CHILDREN’S HOME
My Teaching Schedule
I absolutely love preaching, teaching, and discipleship (whether it be one-on-one or in a small group format). And to be honest, I am doing a lot of it right now. I am discipling nine different men and a married couple. I am teaching two sets of Bible college students and doing a Married Couple’s Class, along with our Sunday morning and Wednesday evening services here in Chiang Khong. All that to say this, I could use much prayer in this matter.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES I HAVE TO SOW THE SEED AND THAT GOD WILL BRING A GREAT INCREASE!
Samaritan’s Compassion
While the COVID numbers are dropping and things are slowly getting back to “normal,” the needs are still all around us and we are grateful that we still have a handful of individuals and a couple of churches that have given generously over the past two months so that we can continue to be a blessing to the poor, the needy, and the helpless. Many dear folks have been fed, medicine and clothing provided, as well as some more construction work done for those in need, including an outdoor restroom for a church family.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR GOD TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS, TO KEEP THE FERVOR, AND FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BRING FORTH FRUIT FOR THE NATIONALS FROM THIS MINISTRY!
As always, Denise and I want to thank you for your friendship, your faithful prayers, and consistent financial support for these almost nine years that we have been on the field. We could not be here but by God’s grace and your generosity!
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.
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.
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.
Vannak and Family
Kosal and Family
Man and Family
Kong and Lilee
Jui
CherChao and Family
Soubin and Family
Richard and Family
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.
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.
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!
The three pictures above are some of our folks celebrating Valentine’s Day. Of course, this is just one of the many “things” that have been learned from us in America. We are grateful that these young people understand that the greatest love story ever told was the story of Christ!
The last five weeks have been both busy and blessed. In fact, I am typing these words while sitting at an airport in Cincinnati. Over the past month, I have been in churches in California, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. As always, God and His people have been good as we have had the opportunity to report for ten of our supporting churches, as well as present our newest ministry “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion.”
It has been so encouraging to see so many Christians and churches “jump on board” and give sacrificially for the poor, the needy, the helpless, and the furtherance of the gospel in Asia. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO WATER AND BRING AN INCREASE IN THE HEARTS AND THE LIVES OF THOSE WITH WHOM WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOW HIS PRECIOUS WORD!
In addition to the travelling, I have continued my online discipleship with six men from back “home” and teaching two days for our young men and women preparing for the ministry. With five of the men, we have been looking at “Biblical Principles of Leadership from the Life and Letters of Paul.”
It has been such a blessing as we have gone through the books of 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and are presently going through the Book of Ephesians. So many gems of eternal and practical truths, not only for those that are leading ministries, but for all of God’s people.
Of course, I am continuing to teach our School of Ministry (Bible college) students that are located in the city and in the village twice a week. It’s always a real blessing!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS OUR DISCIPLESHIP SESSIONS AND THAT KONG, JUI, SOUBIN, CHERCHOU, KOSAL, RICHARD, AND OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY STUDENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR FAITH, THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST, AND FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST!
Over the last month or so, we have seen so many folks come to Christ and a handful baptized back “home.” Interestingly enough, despite the fact that COVID has been such an issue over the past year it might have been our best year when it comes to seeing folks trust Christ. Below are just a few of the pictures of those that have come to Christ in the past month.
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BRING THESE NEW CONVERTS TO A PLACE OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY AND THAT HE WILL CONTINUE TO BRING MORE FOLKS TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD JESUS!
One of the primary things that I tried to instill in our team back “home” is a desire to disciple others. I believe with God’s help; we have been able to see a discipleship culture created back “home.” I am especially excited about Kong and Lilee and their desire to disciple others. In recent days, they both have started brand new discipleship groups to go along with groups they had going already. Speaking of discipleship, Lily also hosted a three day “seminar” to teach our young people how to be effective Sunday school teachers. She did a wonderful job!
PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR FOLKS BACK HOME TO GIVE THEMSELVES TO DISCIPLING YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE!
Our team has been busy, not only “building lives,” but over the past month or so, our young men have built a new kitchen for our School of Ministry and a new baptistry. We are so grateful for their willingness to build – lives and whatever is needed!
Speaking of our new baptistry, just yesterday Pastor Kong and his church family had the opportunity to “break it in.” To God be the glory, eight new converts were baptized in the new baptistry. Needless to say, our folks were very excited!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO GROW THESE DEAR FOLKS IN THEIR FAITH AND LOVE FOR CHRIST!
As I mentioned above, many of God’s people have “jumped on board” and have been giving sacrificially to “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion.” And for this, we are extremely grateful, and we have been able to funnel much needed support back to Southeast Asia to needy Christians, churches, and needy unbelievers.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT GOD WILL BLESS THIS MINISTRY AND BLESS THE FOLKS THAT HAVE GIVEN SACRIFICIALLY TOWARDS THIS MINISTRY!
Denise and I are still “stuck” here in the States. Most, if not all of the countries in Southeast Asia are still closed in lieu of COVID -19, but we are hoping and praying to get back soon. PLEASE PRAY WITH US ABOUT THIS!
As always, Denise and I want to thank you for your prayers, your financial support, and your friendship over the years. May the Lord richly bless you and yours in the days to come.
Greetings to all of our family, friends, and supporting churches. My wife and I are so thankful for your faithful prayers and consistent financial support, especially in the midst of these trying times, and we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The picture above is of our School of Ministry students and a few others, in the northern part of our country “back home.” They just completed their annual Winter Missions’ trip. You can see more pictures of the trip at the end of this Prayer Update!
PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL INSTILL A DESIRE FOR THE NATIONS IN THE HEARTS AND LIVES OF OUR SCHOOL OF MINISTRY STUDENTS AND WILL USE ALL OF THEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR CHRIST AND THE CAUSE OF CHRIST!
Well, needless to say, the past twelve months have been very “interesting,” to say the least. Between the COVID 19 Crisis, government restrictions around the world, economic instability, etc… we have had a boatload to navigate through both “around the corner” and “around the world.” And yet, in the midst of all the trials and troubles there have been many triumphs and victories in and for the Lord!
As always, God has shown Himself faithful and for this, we are grateful!
One of the many blessings in the midst of the many burdens of this past year has been the many people that have been saved, baptized, added to the church, and discipled in 2020, and yes, even in the midst of a global pandemic, government restrictions, and an increase in persecution. Over the past two weeks, we have had reports of two entire households trusting Christ, burning their idols, and being baptized – all in the same day. In addition to this, a couple week’s ago, Jui led a Vietnamese immigrant and his wife to Christ. Our two village churches, along with a few other sister churches back “home” have seen well over 60 people come to Christ with more than 40 of those being baptized, and many of them being discipled.
Even the members of our pastor friend back “home”, that has been incarcerated for ten months now, have been faithfully sowing the seed of God’s word and have had dozens trust Christ. I am thankful that “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion” and Dwight Tomlinson and Barnabas 1040 have been helping to support him and his family over the past ten months!
Two Families that recently received Christ
One of the baptisms
Idols on the wall before Christ
Burning the idols after receiving Christ
Couple that recently accepted Christ
PRAY THAT A SOUL-WINNING FERVOR WILL BE AS MUCH A “NORM” IN 2021 AS IT WAS IN 2020!
Please continue to pray for our pastor friend and his family. He has now been incarcerated for ten months and, barring a miracle from above, he will definitely not be out to celebrate Christmas with his family. We are thankful for the many different individual Christians and churches that have helped us to help him, his family and many others by way of “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion.” By the way, if you would like to help with this much needed ministry just give us a shout!
Pastor (who is still in jail) and his family
Of course, as you know, Denise and I are still “stuck” in the States. Back “home” they keep pushing back the date for re-opening the borders and only the Lord knows when we will be able to return, but we are doing all that we can to stay busy doing what God has called us to do. Fortunately, I have been able to report or present in two churches just about every week since the beginning of June. I have stayed extremely busy with online discipleship, discipling five men (nine hours a week) and on-line teaching once a week for our School of Ministry back “home.” My wife has also been faithfully discipling and/or counseling a few of our ladies back home. What a blessing to have a wife who has a heart for the Lord and for people!
In addition to this, my wife and I are fairly busy raising funds here in the USA and transferring these funds back to Asia to help the poor, the needy, the helpless, as well as struggling churches. Very grateful for all that my wife does to help with “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion.” By the end of the 2020, by God’s grace and the generosity of many of God’s people, we will have been able to send nearly fifty thousand dollars to Asia to help the poor, the needy, the helpless, and struggling churches during these trying times.
God has been very good, and His people have been very generous!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY THAT GOD WILL USE US RIGHT WHERE WE ARE AND THAT HE WILL OPEN THE NECESSARY DOORS TO GET BACK TO ASIA!
One of the churches up north in our country
Another church up north
The from a sister church in the village
The children in one of the village ministries
Discipleship
Church leader
We are especially grateful for the opportunity that God has afforded us over the past nearly eight years to invest in the lives of so many people, whether in China or five different countries in Southeast Asia. We are especially thankful for the opportunity to invest in so many national pastors, church leaders, and young men and women preparing for ministry. And yet, we couldn’t do it without your prayers and your financial support.
Thank You and We are Praying that You Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
Johnny and Denise Esposito
Pictures below are from the College students’ missions trip up north.
The Hmong woman above is 100 years old and just trusted Christ this past weekend. Her name is Chuan. After her daughter-n-law trusted Christ, she invited our School of Ministry students to the house. They shared the gospel with Chuan but she did not get saved until Kong made a second visit. A 100-year-old woman trusting Christ is a miracle in any country, but especially in a country such as ours back “home.” Thankful for Kong and our School of Ministry students and their heart to reach their people, whether young or old, with the good news of Jesus Christ. Our “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion” ministry will also be helping to meet some of her desperate physical needs too!
Please pray for Chuan’s spiritual growth!
Well, as we approach the Thanksgiving Season, my wife and I wanted to take just a moment and thank our family and friends, our home and sending church, and all of our supporting churches for all that you have done for us. Thank you for praying. Thank you for giving. Thank you for loving us and loving those with whom God has entrusted into our care.
As we often say, “We could not go, we could not stay, and we could not continue the task that God has given us to do without the grace of God and the generosity of God’s people!”
My wife and I are especially grateful during these trying times – in the midst of a Global Pandemic, Government restrictions, and all of the political divisiveness, and social unrest in the United States – that you have not stopped praying, giving, loving, and encouraging.
In fact, during this difficult season, some of our supporting churches have stepped up to the plate and have taken special offerings for our “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion,” which has allowed us to send over $35,000.00 to three countries in Southeast Asia to help the poor, the needy, the helpless, and struggling churches!
We are also especially thankful that despite these interesting days in which we are stuck in America, unable to go back “home,” God has allowed us to report or present our ministry including “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion” in an average of two churches each week for the past five months, while still continuing our online discipleship sessions with four of the men in Asia, as well as teaching online for our School of Ministry on a weekly basis. Denise is also discipling a few of our women and teen girls back in Asia online!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ALL OF OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE AND BE A BLESSING “AROUND THE CORNER” AND “AROUND THE WORLD.”
My wife and I are so grateful to receive “glowing reports” on almost a daily basis of people being saved, baptized, discipled, new ministries being started, as well the poor, the needy, and the helpless being cared for. As a direct result of our “Operation Samaritan’s Compassion” there have been 17 adults saved and nine baptized over the past few months.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST BACK “HOME” AS THEY LABOR FOR GOD AND FOR GOOD!
We are both very grateful that our home and sending church, Pacific Baptist of Long Beach, CA, is doing very well in the midst of this Pandemic. In fact, other than having to hold services outside and not able to run their busses because of COVID restrictions, they really haven’t skipped a beat. Every service is a full house, they are still having classes (both the school and the college), they are still out sharing the Gospel in the community, and they just conducted a great three-day Missions’ Revival in which I was privileged to preach twice and teach a one-day Missions Intensive for the college. And, of course, the best part of the Missions’ Revival was spending time with many of our grandchildren!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR HOME AND SENDING CHURCH AND THOUSANDS LIKE IT AROUND THE NATION DURING THESE TRYING TIMES!
My wife and I are so very thankful for a couple of churches that have specifically designated special offerings to help our pastor friend who has been incarcerated for almost nine months now and has yet to be charged with a crime. With your help we have been able to support his family for the past seven or eight months!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR PASTOR FRIEND AND HIS FAMILY BACK “HOME” DURING THESE DIFFICULT DAYS!
We are so very grateful and excited to see the growth of the men, women, and teen girls that we are discipling. They are growing in the faith, their love for the Lord, their love for a lost and dying world, and in their service of God. Very exciting!
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR KONG, SOUBIN, CHERCHOU, KOSAL, PHACU, AND KASHUA!
We sincerely want to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! And, once again, say “Thank you. Thank you for loving, praying, and giving for our ministry ‘around the corner’ and ‘around the world!’”
Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,
Johnny and Denise Esposito
Psalm 100:4, Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
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