I LOVE MY CHURCH SUNDAY

The pictures above and below are from our recent “I LOVE MY CHURCH SUNDAY!” We had such a great day! We had a good crowd, sweet worship and fellowship, and a good Bible message from Pastor Dave. We also spent some time sharing plans for a few new church plants that, Lord willing, will be started very soon.

On Sunday evening, we had Family Night and a carnival for our church family. Our people had a wonderful time! We are so grateful for all that God is doing in our hearts and lives as a church family, as well as what He is doing through our lives and ministries.

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY AND FOR THE NEW CHURCH PLANTS COMING SOON!

RAISING FUNDS IN THE STATES

My wife and I recently finished a short trip to the States. One of the primary reasons we return for a short season each year is to raise funds for various projects here in Southeast Asia.

We are thankful for the many churches that gave sacrificially toward our Christian school here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, our Bible college men’s dormitory, and several other projects, including the construction of additional dormitories.

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AND DORMITORY PROJECTS!

COLLEGE CLASSES AND DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS

This semester, I will be teaching two Bible college classes. I will also continue working with my two discipleship groups and meeting weekly with two individuals for one-on-one discipleship.

There is nothing quite like investing in the next generation—especially young people who love the Lord and hunger for His Word.

We appreciate my wife, Esther, and Riza preparing great meals for the Men’s Group every Thursday.

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR MY BIBLE COLLEGE CLASSES, DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUAL DISCIPLESHIP SESSIONS!

PASTOR CHERCHOU

What a blessing it was to hear that our dear friend and fellow laborer, Cherchou, was recently voted in as the pastor of his home church!

I had the opportunity to meet Cherchou about twelve years ago. At that time, and for the next few years, he struggled in his faith. Discouragement and despair had set in, and to be honest, he was not doing well at all. The Lord opened the door for me to begin meeting with him on a weekly basis. We met at least once a week—and often more—for approximately four years.

Cherchou has been assisting at his home church for some time and teaching in a small Bible college. Now, he is the pastor of his home church! Just last week, he had the privilege to baptize nine believers. Praise the Lord! Discipleship really does make a difference!

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving!

PLEASE PRAY FOR CHERCHOU, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS CHURCH FAMILY!

OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION

For the past four or five years, through our Operation Samaritan’s Compassion ministry, God has allowed us to help many poor and needy children enroll in school.

As we have mentioned on several occasions, public education is neither free nor compulsory here. Therefore, many poor children never have an opportunity to receive an education. This year, we were blessed to help approximately 100 children enroll in school.

We are especially thankful for White Oak Baptist Church in Stratford, Connecticut. Through their generous support, we have been able to help hundreds of children receive an education and, Lord willing, break the cycle of poverty.

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THESE DEAR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES!

FAITHFUL AND FRUITFUL SERVICE

One of the greatest joys of ministry, especially here in Asia, is seeing young men and women in whom we have invested go on to serve God faithfully and fruitfully for many years. Vannak San and his wife, Samantha, certainly fall into that category.

While I did not lead Vannak to the Lord, nor was I the person who invested the most in his life—that would be fellow missionary Dave Board—I did have the privilege of meeting weekly with Vannak and his brother, Man, for a year. Vannak was also my soul-winning partner for two years.

The picture below is one I posted of Vannak a few days ago after going soul-winning with Man, Vannak, and their team. By the way, the man in the picture trusted Christ!

Thank you for praying and giving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR VANNAK AND ALL OF OUR NATIONAL LEADERS TO REMAIN FAITHFUL AND FRUITFUL FOR GOD!

As always, my wife and I would like to thank you for fervently praying and faithfully giving toward our ministry here in Southeast Asia. We could not be here, stay here, and do what we sense the Lord leading us to do without your fervent prayers and faithful giving. Denise and I appreciate your love and support more than we could ever express.

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

My wife and I pray that you, your families, and your church families are enjoying a fruitful and fulfilling summer. We are on a short furlough this summer and have been blessed to spend time at our home and sending church, as well as with some of our faithful supporting churches. It has also been a blessing to raise funds for our Christian school, our present men’s dorm, and our new dorm project in Cambodia. Meanwhile, our teams in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand are “sticking by the stuff” and enjoying fruitful summer months.

Speaking of “sticking by the stuff” and having a fruitful summer, our team in Laos is preparing to conclude its ten-week Children and Teen Summer Camp. I believe this is the fourth year they have conducted the camp. They normally care for somewhere between 100 and 130 young people—24 hours a day, seven days a week, for ten weeks. I get tired just typing those words!

During the summer camp, these young people hear the Gospel repeatedly. They are also taught the Bible, English, computer skills, and how to read in the Hmong language so they can read the Hmong Bible. In addition, they learn how to play the piano and guitar. The girls are taught how to cook and clean, while the older boys learn basic construction skills. We are so grateful for this ministry!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE REMAINING DAYS OF SUMMER CAMP AND THAT GOD WILL USE THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR MANY YEARS TO COME!

While my wife and I miss every aspect of the ministry—soul-winning, discipleship, teaching, preaching, and so much more—during the few months we are away, we probably miss our Thursday Night Discipleship Group and our Christian school, Pacific International Academy, more than anything else.

On Thursday nights, my wife and two of our faithful college girls, Riza and Esther, prepare dinner for us. Afterward, the fifteen of us divide into three small groups. We share what we learned from the week’s Bible reading, discuss blessings and prayer requests, and pray together. We then gather for a time of teaching.

PLEASE PRAY THAT THE MEN IN OUR THURSDAY NIGHT GROUP WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST, THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST, AND THEIR SERVICE FOR CHRIST!

Of course, as most of you know, my wife teaches four days a week at PIA. I occasionally help with various projects, including staff training and basketball camp, and we have been adopted as the school’s official grandpa and grandma. We are very excited about our new Discipleship Group made up of some of our best students at PIA (see picture below on the left)!

PLEASE PRAY FOR KOSAL, THE STAFF, AND THE STUDENTS OF PIA!

Speaking of Esther, she and Lyyin—one of our Bible college men and a member of my Thursday Night Discipleship Group—recently got married. Although I was unable to be there in person, I recorded a video challenge for them.

PLEASE PRAY THAT LYYIN AND ESTHER WILL BE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF WHAT A CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE SHOULD LOOK LIKE!

Our church family just outside of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, has had a busy and blessed summer. Along with the “norm” (church services, soul-winning, discipleship groups, Bible college, and the Christian school), we have had tremendous Family Nights, Teen Night, and our Celebration service.

As always, we had a full house for Celebration service, 17 were baptized, and our hearts are filled with anticipation as, Lord willing, over the next year we plan on planting four new churches.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY AND FOR THE 4 NEW CHURCH PLANTS!

As always, my wife and I would like to thank all our family, friends, fellow laborers, and faithful supporters for partnering with us. We could not serve in Southeast Asia and do what God has called us to do apart from His grace and your generosity.

Your missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

A PASSION FOR SOULS

There are so many things about our ministry here in Cambodia that I appreciate—so many things! Of course, one of the things I appreciate most is the passion that both our leaders and church members have for reaching the lost with Christ. Every week, about 100 adults, teens, and children go out into various villages to bring the glorious Gospel to those who need it—many of whom have NEVER heard it before. In most of these villages, we are also conducting Children’s Ministries. Thank you for praying and giving!

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR SOUL-WINNERS AND THAT OUR SOUL-WINNING ZEAL WILL CONTINUE TO GROW!

NEW VILLAGE MINISTRY

It has been a lot of fun—and a real blessing—to go soulwinning lately with Man. Talking about a passion for the lost, Man truly has a passion to reach lost people for Christ. A few months ago, they started a new ministry in a village about 30–40 minutes from our church property. Every Saturday, we spend about 2 to 2½ hours there ministering to the people.

Two married couples, Man and myself (when I can go with them), serve in the ministry, along with three of our Bible college students who conduct a children’s ministry. Each week, anywhere from 30–40 children attend. God is blessing our efforts, and we are looking forward to seeing what God will do in the future. Thank you for praying and giving!

PLEASE PRAY FOR MAN, HIS TEAM, AND THIS NEW VILLAGE MINISTRY!

END OF THE TERM

For more than twelve years now, I have been involved in teaching in various Bible institutes and Bible colleges here in Southeast Asia. This past year has been a wonderful year of teaching in three of our Bible colleges and one Bible institute. Between the last two semesters, I have had the privilege of teaching nine courses.

Very few things excite me as much as teaching and preaching the Bible, but it is an especially great blessing to teach young people who have a heart for God, a hunger for His Word, and a fervent desire to be used by God in the harvest fields of Southeast Asia.

The Spring Semester is wrapping up this month. Thank you for praying and giving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR THREE BIBLE COLLEGES, OUR BIBLE INSTITUTE, OUR STUDENTS, AND OUR GRADUATES!

TEACHING THE PIA STAFF

Over the past three months, I have had the privilege of teaching our school (PIA) staff every Monday for an hour and a half. I have been teaching a series of lessons entitled Living, Loving, Serving, and Teaching Like Jesus. It has been a wonderful time as we have studied the life, ministry, and teachings of Christ and applied them to the Christian school ministry and to Christian school teachers. We have received a great deal of encouraging feedback. Thank you for praying and giving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR KOSAL, THE SCHOOL STAFF, AND THE STUDENTS OF PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY!

YOUNG MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

One of my favorite ministries—and one of my favorite times of the week—is our Thursday evening Young Men’s Discipleship Group. We started this group eighteen months ago with five young men, and now we have fifteen young men (and a few older men!) meeting together each week. It has been a tremendous blessing to watch these men grow spiritually.

While we still all meet at my house, we now divide into three different groups for part of the evening. All these men are actively involved in various aspects of the ministry—including our weekly soul-winning opportunities—and they are a tremendous blessing to many people, both young and old alike. Most of them can sing too. Thank you for praying and giving!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS!

TWO NEW BOOKS

One of my New Year’s resolutions was to write two books. Thanks be to God—we got it done! Both books are relatively short. One is just over 100 pages, and the other is about eighty pages.

One of the books, ‘Back to the Old Paths: Recovering Biblical Essentials for the Christian Life’, is filled with short chapters that reflect on some of the things we need to return to in our lives, homes, and churches today. The other book, ‘Our Journey with Jesus in Southeast Asia: Living the Dream’, reflects on how God led us to the mission field, how He has blessed since we arrived, and encourages others to consider Christ’s command to go into all the world.

While we are on a short furlough, we will be offering these books for sale to help raise funds for our Christian school and Bible college students here in Cambodia. If the Lord would lead you, we would greatly appreciate your support by purchasing one—or both—of these books. All proceeds from the sale of these books will go directly toward helping us train and educate young people for Christ here on the mission field.

Thank you for prayers, encouragement, and faithful partnership in the work God is doing in Southeast Asia!

Please take a few moments to watch the short video of Kosal San, our school principal.

“Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” — Philippians 4:17

PLEASE PRAY GOD WILL ENABLE US TO RAISE MUCH FOR OUR CHRISTIAN SCHOOL AND MEN’S DORM!

As always, my wife and I would like to thank you for fervently praying and faithfully giving to our ministry here in Southeast Asia. We appreciate it more than we could ever express.

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

THANKING GOD FOR 13 YEARS IN ASIA!

For those of you who have been longtime supporters of our ministry, the picture above will look very familiar. Each year around this time in our prayer update, we include this photo. It was taken on March 14, 2013—the day we arrived in Southeast Asia. It is hard to believe that my wife and I have now lived and served here for thirteen years.

As I have mentioned before, some people thought we were making a huge mistake when we came. Yet these past thirteen years have been the most fulfilling and fruitful years of our lives and ministry. Considering that we have now been in full-time ministry for nearly forty-four years, that is truly saying something.

During these years, we have lived and served in four different countries—Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and China. We have witnessed many people saved, baptized, and discipled, and we have had the privilege of helping start churches and Bible colleges. For the past ten years, we have also been teaching Bible college and Bible institute students two to three days each week.

In addition to this, we have also been able to help in many ways—both by investing our time and through significant financial support (thanks to folks like you)—in Pacific International Academy here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Then, five years ago, we started Operation Samaritan’s Compassion, a ministry dedicated to helping the poor, needy, and helpless. As a result of this ministry, well over 1,000 people have come to Christ in the past six years.

It has truly been an amazing journey. Thank you for helping to make it happen!

Denise and I, along with all the people God has allowed us to influence over these past thirteen years, simply want to say thank you. Thank you for praying. Thank you for giving. Thank you for caring for us and for the people here in Asia.

As we look ahead, we are excited to share some of the things the Lord has been doing in recent months and how you can continue to pray for the work here in Southeast Asia.

CONFERENCE IN THAILAND

During the first week of February, it was a joy to once again preach at our semiannual Pastors’ and Church Leaders’ Conference in Chiang Khong, Thailand. We have been hosting these conferences for the past eight years. It was a tremendous conference. I had the privilege of preaching four times and teaching eight sessions on “Living and Serving for the Glory of God.” Many potentially life-changing decisions were made during the week.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BRING FRUIT FROM THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN!

SERVING STAFF AND STUDENTS AT PIA

In addition to teaching three Bible college classes, discipling twenty-five men and a couple of women in our discipleship groups, and going soul-winning, it has also been a joy to be more involved in the school. It has been a blessing to preach in chapel, organize and run a basketball camp, and teach the PIA staff once a week for an hour and a half. Kosal and his staff are doing a tremendous job loving and teaching the students. My wife also enjoys volunteering four days a week to teach the kiddos.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THE STUDENTS AND STAFF AT PIA!

HOSPITALITY MINISTRY

In addition to my discipleship groups, almost every week we have a couple of families—or sometimes groups like our college girls—over to our house for a time of food, fun, and fellowship. It is always a lot of fun! Thank God for a good wife!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THESE TIMES OF FELLOWSHIP AND THAT THEY WILL BE A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT TO OUR PEOPLE!

PREACHING FOR THE VILLAGE CHURCH

I also had the opportunity to preach for our Psa Trach church family. It is always a blessing to preach there. I remember preaching for them when the church first started—they used to meet under a mango tree. They have come a long way. It really is a miracle ministry. Pastor San, his family, and the church family are doing a wonderful job.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS PASTOR SAN, HIS FAMILY, AND THE CHURCH FAMILY!

As always, my wife and I want to thank our family, friends, and fellow laborers for your faithful prayers and financial support over the past thirteen years (or more). We could not be here, remain here, or do what God has called us to do apart from His grace—and your generosity and prayers. 

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving!

Your missionaries in Southeast Asia,
Johnny and Denise

**Please pray for our upcoming Youth Conferences in Cambodia and Laos, as well as another Bible Conference in Laos. All three conferences will be held in mid-April. We are trusting the Lord to work in the hearts of many young people and believers during these special meetings.

Denise and I pray that you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Our holiday season was both busy and blessed. The picture above is from one of the two conferences that I had the privilege of preaching at over the last two weeks of December. I preach for this conference every year. We had a huge increase in the attendance this year over last year (230/130). To God be the glory.

If you’d like to have some fun, try finding me in the picture. As usual, I am the only non-Asian!

Over a three-week period, I preached in two conferences (eight messages total) and in three different churches in Laos and Thailand (four additional messages). We also managed to find a little time to celebrate my birthday, Christmas, our wedding anniversary (44 years), and New Year’s.

Denise and I have so much to be grateful for—not only 44 years of marriage, but five children serving in ministry, 32 grandchildren, and the opportunity to be “living the dream” by serving the Lord in this needy part of the world.

Many important decisions were made during the two conferences, with a combined attendance of nearly 350 people. We rejoice in what God is doing in the country of Laos and thank Him for our many friends and fellow laborers. It was also a special blessing to have my wife speak three times to the ladies during the two conferences. She was a tremendous blessing!

It is always a joy to speak for our graduates. As always, we had the opportunity to minister alongside Pastor Kong and his wife, Lilly as well as Pastor Tim and his wife, Noy; Pastor Souphan and his wife, Sen; and their church families in a combined service. We also crossed the border to preach for our friend, Pastor Srithone, and his church family.

It was a blessing to spend an afternoon with Pastor Souphan and Sen—and their eleven adopted children and teens. We had a wonderful time together. Sen is one of our many “adopted daughters” in this part of the world; she lived with Denise and me for 18 months. Souphan and Sen are doing a tremendous job for the Lord. If you are interested in investing in a group of young people, this would be a wonderful opportunity, and they could use the help. If you are interested in helping, shoot me an email.

During the month of December, we also had the privilege of helping host seven different Christmas parties in Laos and Cambodia. I taught our Worker’s Meeting twice, and our home church in Cambodia had a blessed Friend Day (140 visitors at our various churches), numerous Christmas activities, our annual New Year’s Eve service, and Our theme for the New Year is: “Rooted and Built Up.” Of course, it is based on Paul’s words to the church at Colossae (2:7).

As always, Denise and I want to thank you for your friendship, faithful support, and fervent prayers over the years. We truly could not be here, remain here, or continue doing what we sense the Lord leading us to do apart from His grace and your generosity. May God continue to bless you as you bless others.

Your missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

PRAYER REQUESTS

·       Please pray that the many decisions made during the month of December will bring forth eternal fruit that remains.

·       Please pray for the new terms for our two colleges in Laos and our college in Cambodia.

·       Please pray for our Bible Institute in Laos.

·       Please pray for my three weekly discipleship sessions.

·       Please pray for continual peace between Cambodia and Thailand.

·       Please pray for the “Do All to the Glory of God” Conference in Chiang Khong, Thailand (February 3–6).

·       Please pray for our Youth Conference in Laos (April 14–16).