The picture above is young Khmu girl named Phianxay. About a year ago, Operation Samaritan’s Compassion and Liberty Baptist Church of Newport Beach partnered together to provide the funds for her to have a lifesaving surgery. As a result of this act of compassion and kindness, eight people trusted Christ and are now attending church. After being abandoned by her grandmother, she has been adopted by a godly Christian woman and we have helped her to get enrolled in school. At one time, she lived in extreme poverty in the home of unbelievers and now she is growing to be a beautiful little girl raised in a godly, Christian home. Thank you for praying and giving so that we could help Phianxay and many others like her!

PLEASE PRAY FOR PHIANXAY TO GROW TO BE THE YOUNG LADY THAT GOD DESIRES FOR HER TO BE!

Almost a year ago, we found out that Kyi Pya Zaw (a 14-year-old Burmese girl) was going to have to work to help support her family. She would be working six days a week for a grand total of $38 per month. Because of her work schedule, she would be missing church services and various church activities. Because of generous folks like you we were able to “hire” her to work at her church a couple days a week for $40 a month. She cleans the church facility, teaches Sunday school, and helps with various other tasks for the church family.

Mercy (a 12-year-old Burmese girl) was basically orphaned and “adopted” by a National pastor in Myanmar and, unfortunately, they couldn’t afford to send her to school. So, because of the generosity of good folks like you we were able to get her enrolled in school. She is very happy about this to say the least. We are very grateful for the opportunity to help many families in Myanmar. Thank you for praying, giving, and helping us to help Kyi Pya Zaw, Mercy, and many others like them!

PLEASE PRAY FOR KYI PYA ZAW, MERCY, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS IN WAR TORN MYANMAR!

As I mentioned in our previous update, it’s summertime here in Southeast Asia. It’s still as hot as ever. Over the past six weeks or so, the temperatures have been between 95-103 and that’s not even taking into consideration the humidity, which has been horrendous. We did have one week where a cold front moved in, and we were in the low 90’s. The young people are back in school though and we are praying that the many decisions they made during the Spring Break will keep them walking in the light.

It’s been a great month or so since we sent out our last update, nothing spectacular, but God has been good in “the ordinary.” Despite the extreme heat, our church services have been going very well. My two Disciple Groups have been a blessing. Teaching our two groups of Bible students has been a blessing. Our Bible students in the village have been on a small summer break. Most of them went home to be with family and they will be returning for classes this week.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR MINISTRY HERE IN CHIANG KHONG, MY DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS, AND THE BIBLE STUDENTS!

I thought I would take a few moments of your time to share some about our Operation Samaritan’s Compassion Ministry. As most of you know, we started this ministry about 3 years ago. It was April or May of 2020, during the beginning days of the COVID crisis. For the first two-and-a-half years, we focused primarily on assisting the poor, the needy, and the helpless – especially those that were unable to work because of the various lockdowns. These lockdowns were far more serious and lasted much longer here in Southeast Asia than they did in the States. There were no government programs to help the folks out here and, of course, the poor suffered greatly.

In the past three years, as a direct result of OSC, there have been somewhere between 900 and 1,000 people (young and old alike) make professions of faith and approximately 250 have been baptized. Many of these have become faithful members of local churches. A handful of those that made decisions for Christ have since gone to heaven. Four churches were planted as a direct result of these many decisions. In the past year, we were even able to start a soccer league for 50 poor children in Laos. Eight of these boys have trusted Christ and are now attending church services. Thank you for praying and giving towards this much needed ministry!

The amazing thing about these numbers, is that the vast majority of those saved and baptized come from two communist countries where evangelism isn’t quite as easy as it is back home, or even as it is here in Thailand. So, yes, there was a “silver-lining” to the Covid crisis here in Southeast Asia. People were far more open to the gospel and the authorities tended to look the other way as we were helping their hurting citizens.

Here’s some stats that I received recently from our friends in Vietnam for the past 16 months of helping the poor, the needy, and the helpless:

*2,150 food packages delivered

*6,840 people were fed for 2-4 weeks

*378 professions of faith

Now that Covid has come and gone, a sense of “normalcy” has set in, and the poor are able to make a “living” if that’s what you would call it. Presently, our primary goals for Operation Samaritan’s Compassion are to provide aid for needy widows, for needy, fatherless children, for emergency medical needs (especially for the elderly), and helping poor children get an education. We thank God that we have been able to help more than 100 children and teens get enrolled in school. We have also helped a handful of high school graduates enroll in college. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING US TO GET POOR CHILDREN ENROLLED IN SCHOOL, PLEASE SHOOT ME A TEXT OR EMAIL!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION AND PROVIDE THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO MEET THE MANY NEEDS!

THIS MONTH’S SPOTLIGHT – PASTOR “J”

This month, we would like to introduce you to Pastor “J.” He is a faithful man of God serving in a “Creative Access Nation,” a communist country. I have had the privilege to teach Pastor “J” over the past four years or so in different conferences and in our weekly Chiang Khong Discipleship Group, which meets in person, but he joins us online. Pastor “J” was saved about 13 years ago. About ten years ago, he started his first church and has now planted eight churches, which he oversees to this day. Over 600 people attend the services of these eight churches in a communist country. The mother church is no longer the largest of the churches, but it does run well over 100 in weekly attendance. He is one of the many different men that Brother Dwight Tomlinson and Barnabas 1040 supports monthly. Over the past year, they have had multiplied dozens saved and baptized. We recently treated Pastor “J” and his family to a three-day get away, which they thoroughly enjoyed. 

PLEASE PRAY FOR PASTOR “J,” HIS FAMILY, AND THE EIGHT CHURCHES THAT HE IS OVERSEEING!

As always, my wife and I want to say, “thank you” to all our family, friends, fellow-laborers, and faithful supporters for your faithful prayer and financial support over the years. We love and appreciate you all!

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
 – James 1:27

“Where have we any command in the Bible laid down in stronger terms, and in a more peremptory urgent manner, than the command of giving to the poor?”  – Jonathan Edwards

The picture above is from our recent Youth Conference in Laos.

Two weeks ago, our team in Laos hosted a three-day Youth Conference. There were fourteen churches represented with somewhere between 230 and 250 young people attending the conference. More than fifty young people surrendered to serve the Lord full-time and another thirteen young people trusted Christ. It was a blessing to have Bounna Has, one of our good men that works with our team in Cambodia, as one of our guest preachers for the conference. So many life-changing decisions were made during these three days. Kong, Lily, Souphan, Sen, and our Bible students did a tremendous job hosting the conference. Thank You for Praying!

PLEASE PRAY THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD WILL SEAL THE MANY DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE DURING THE CONFERENCE!

CHILDREN’S HOME

As a team, we try to go and minister to the young people and staff at the Rong Ber Children’s Home once every three months. It’s always a tremendous blessing. Of course, we go to be a blessing to the young people and the staff, and yet, inevitably they always bless us far more than we could ever possibly bless them. 

ALWAYS!

On this last trip, we brought a team of 16 from our ministry in Chiang Khong and they all did what they could to be a blessing. As always, we played games with them for a few hours, we then treated them to a nice meal. I said a nice meal, not a healthy meal. As is often the case, we treated them to pizza, soda, and ice cream.  After the meal, we had a great service with a lot of congregational singing, special music by the young people, a handful of the young people quoted scripture and/or gave testimonies, and a message from God’s word. I normally do the preaching, but I asked Jui to preach, and he preached a tremendous message about being thankful.  Thank You for Praying!

PLEASE PRAY FOR BROTHER CHRIS, HIS STAFF, AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE RONG BER CHILDREN’S HOME!

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Our team here in Thailand was able to host four different Vacation Bible Schools in four different villages over a two-week period. We had nearly 300 young people attend the four Vacation Bible Schools, there was a plenty of good food, plenty of good old fashion fun, and fellowship, some great teaching, and at least six professions of faith. As always, Tom and Sue Sutrick did a fantastic job planning and organizing all four of the Vacation Bible Schools.  And our team did a great job laboring in love. Thank You for Praying!

PLEASE PRAY THAT THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN IN THE FOUR VILLAGES WILL BRING FORTH ETERNAL FRUIT!

BIBLE COLLEGE STUDENTS

It’s so hard to believe that the Spring Term is coming to an end soon. It’s been a real joy to teach the students this term. We have been teaching through the book of Proverbs. It’s been a great blessing for students and teacher alike, as we have considered among many other topics, the importance of wisdom, the difference between wise, foolish, simple, and scornful men. Add to these, the dangers of a proud heart, of using our tongue wrongly, of sowing discord, and an immoral lifestyle. I honestly believe these lessons from Proverbs might very well have been some of the most important lessons that I have taught them over the past five years. Thank You for Praying!

Speaking of our Bible students, two of the students just graduated, and they had a Graduation Service for them on Easter Sunday. Both Somchit and Mai love the Lord and are faithful soul-winners. Please pray for their future endeavors for Christ and the cause of Christ!

PLEASE PRAY THAT THE STUDENTS END THE SPRING TERM STRONG AND FOR GOD TO USE SOMCHIT AND MAI IN A VERY SPECIAL WAY!

NEW SINGLE ADULTS’ MINISTRY

One of the most neglected groups of people, whether in America or Southeast Asia, are the single adults. About two months ago, Jui, my wife, and I started setting up activities (once or twice a month) for the single adults. It’s been a lot of fun and, in my opinion, has been a great help to a few of our singles. I appreciate Jui for all the “footwork” that he does when we plan these activities. Occasionally, we simply go out to eat at a nice restaurant and at other times we meet at our Foundation building for a time of food, fun, fellowship, and a challenge from the word. This last week, we met at the foundation and had a wonderful time, and I challenged the young people to CHOOSE WISELY from Joshua 24:14-15.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL USE THESE ACTIVITIES TO BLESS OUR SINGLE ADULTS AND HELP THEM TO CHOOSE CHRIST AND THE CAUSE OF CHRIST OVER EVERYTHING ELSE IN LIFE!

THIS MONTH’S SPOTLIGHT – JUI

Speaking of Jui, if you have kept up with our Prayer Updates over the years you are familiar with Jui. He is a young man that started attending our English Center in the country of Laos in September 2013 and trusted Christ in May 2014. Eventually, after growing in his faith, Jui left a good paying job to work on our school and church staff. He was my personal assistant in Laos for 2 ½ years and he graduated from our Bible School.

Just a year and a half back, Jui joined our team here in Thailand and has, once again, been serving as my assistant. Jui loves the Lord, and he loves people. He is especially wonderful when it comes to working with children and teens. Along with interpreting for me on Wednesday evenings in our new ministry, he teaches our teens on Sunday mornings and on Friday evenings. In addition to these important tasks, Jui disciples 4 young men and teaches English to 19 people (both young and old).

As I mentioned above, Jui preached at the Children’s Home recently and did a wonderful job. He also assisted our team with Vacation Bible School, and he assisted another team in Thailand with a Youth Camp. Jui is like a son of ours and we love and appreciate him much.

PLEASE PRAY FOR JUI AS HE CONTINUES TO SERVE IN HIS TWO-YEAR COMMITMENT HERE IN NORTHERN THAILAND!

As always, my wife and I would like to thank our family, friends, and fellow laborers for taking the time to read our Prayer Update, for praying for us, and for financially supporting our endeavors here in Southeast Asia. We love and appreciate you all!

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

If some of you are thinking that the picture above looks familiar, you’re right. Every year just about this time, I pull it out and add it to our Prayer Update. On March 13, 2013, my wife and I left the United States and headed for Asia. The picture is of us upon our arrival in Asia (Cambodia) on the very next day. After spending two weeks with our team in Cambodia, my wife and I headed to the country of Laos. Many of my preacher friends thought we were making a grave mistake. Many thought we were just plain old “crazy.” One pastor even said that my going to the mission field would be the greatest mistake that I ever made. By the way, I have made a boatload of them.

Well, after ten years of living and serving in four different countries (Laos, Cambodia, China, and Thailand), I just thought I would say, loud and clear, “As far as ministry is concerned, these past ten years have been the most fruitful and fulfilling in my 41 years of serving in full-time ministry, and yes, it has been a whole lot of fun too.”

My wife Denise would agree 110 percent. We have seen hundreds come to Christ and be baptized. We have helped in the planting and/or establishing of new churches, started a new college in Laos, and started Operation Samaritan’s Compassion – a ministry that has helped to meet the basic needs of multiplied hundreds (probably thousands) and has resulted in over 800 saved and about 200 baptized in the past three years. Yet, to be truly honest, most of our time and energy has gone to discipling believers and leadership development. 

SO MANY GREAT MEMORIES!!!

Thank you for praying, giving, and loving us over these past ten years while we have had the privilege to be on the field making memories, and by God’s grace, making a small difference for Christ and the cause of Christ.

To God be the glory!

Memories of Laos!

Memories of Cambodia!

Memories of China!

Memories of Conferences!

Recent Memories of Thailand!

Many of you will remember that in our last Prayer Update, I asked for some special prayer for our upcoming Pastors’ and Church Leaders’ “I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel” Conference. If you prayed, thank you. Your prayers were answered. God blessed in a very special way. Many pastors and church leaders, as well as many from our church family, were encouraged, strengthened, and better equipped to serve the Lord during the five-day conference. We even had three trust Christ – including one of the church leaders. To God be the glory!

A FEW SPECIAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

* Pray for Upcoming Vacation Bible Schools in Thailand
* Pray for Upcoming Youth Conferences in Thailand and Laos
* Pray for Our Bible Students and Mid-Term Exams

As always, Denise and I would like to thank you from the depths of our hearts for taking time to read our Prayer Update, for praying, giving, and loving us from afar. We love and appreciate you all!

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

PHU CHI FA OUTREACH

The picture above is Brothers Tom and Jay sharing the gospel during our team’s recent outreach in Phu Chi Fa. Our team goes to the mountain top every year for this annual festival to pass out gospel tracts and share the gospel with those who are willing to listen. This year our team passed out more than 12,000 tracts, personally shared the gospel with dozens, and had 12 people trust Christ. While I was unable to join our team for this outreach, because of my sciatica kicking in after returning from Laos, I was praying.  Last month we asked you to pray for this outreach and many of you did. Thank you for praying!

PLEASE PRAY THAT THOSE THAT TRUSTED CHRIST WILL GROW AND THOSE THAT HEARD THE GOSPEL WILL EVENTUALLY COME TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST!

VALENTINE’S DAY COUPLE’S BANQUET

Our team did something this year that we had never done before. We had a Couple’s Valentine’s Banquet. We were specifically targeting unbelievers. To be honest, we had no clue how many folks would show up and were pleasantly surprised to see more than 20 couples show up. Over half of these were unbelievers. It was a wonderful time of food, fun, fellowship, and I preached a message on “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told” and shared a clear presentation of the gospel. We have heard so many good reports in the village and folks are asking whether we will be doing something like this again.  Last month we asked you to pray for this special evening and many of you did. Thank you for praying!

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WOULD BRING AN INCREASE TO THE SEEDS THAT WERE SOWN DURING THE BANQUET!

SUNDAY AFTERNOON PROGRAM/FRIDAY TEEN NIGHT

If you will remember, last month we specifically requested prayer for these two brand new ministries. Well, God is blessing, and we are grateful for our team and the many extra hours they are putting in to invest in the hearts and lives of the next generation. On Sunday, after the service, we will have lunch with the entire church family and then after lunch there is a time of fun and games, teaching English, teaching Hmong, and some discipleship. We are grateful that Tong and his wife Bao trusted Christ and are being discipled by Tom on Sunday afternoons. Friday evenings is a time for the teens to have good food and some fun, along with worship and a time in the word. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THESE TWO MINISTRIES!

SPECIAL ADDITIONAL PRAYER REQUEST: PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR PASTORS’ AND CHURCH LEADERS’ CONFERENCE COMING UP NEXT WEEK!

As always, Denise and I would like to thank you from our hearts for taking time to read our Prayer Update, for praying, giving, and loving us from afar. We love and appreciate you all!

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

The picture above is me with our Bible students and two of our graduates that are now pastoring. Our ten-day ministry trip back “home” to Laos was wonderful. Both Denise and I had a wonderful time preaching (actually, I did the preaching), teaching, and counseling, as well as a lot of tremendous food and fellowship with our dear friends and fellow laborers.

I had the opportunity to teach our Bible students for 24 hours on this trip, as well as preach a combined service, preach for three different churches, including an Anniversary Service of our long-time, dear friend and fellow-laborer, Pastor “K.”

One of the hi-lights of the trip was Denise and I treating five pastor friends (four of them men that I had the opportunity to teach as Bible students) and their wives to a very nice meal. In addition to this, Denise and I had lunch or dinner dates with a handful of others – including our Bible students.

While we were in the country on this trip, we were only there for one Sunday. Two of the churches had a total of six saved and fourteen baptized on that one Sunday. Unfortunately, I could only be in one place at a time.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL BRING FRUIT FROM OUR RECENT TRIP TO LAOS!

SPECIAL PRAYER REQUESTS:

*Please pray for our new Friday Teen Nights

*Please pray for our new Sunday Afternoon Program

*Please pray for our upcoming Annual Outreach at Puchi Fa

*Please pray for our upcoming Pastors’ and Church Leaders’ Conference

As always, Denise and I would like to thank you for taking the time to read our Prayer Update, for supporting us financially and with your prayers.

We appreciate your friendship and your support!

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise

The pictures above are of a new ministry that we just started a month ago. We are now meeting on Wednesday evening for a time of fellowship, prayer, and teaching of God’s word with adults/teens and on Friday evenings for Children’s Ministry. It has been going extremely well. On one of the Friday’s, we celebrated with the children the annual “Thai National Children’s Day” with over 80 children in attendance. We are very grateful for the church family that is allowing us to use their building!

Please Continue to Pray for this New Ministry!

DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS

I am now meeting with 12 men in two Discipleship Groups. One of the Groups is in person here in Chiang Khong, Thailand (with one pastor joining us online) and the other Group is online. The Online Group is a group of men, from three different countries, that I have been discipling for a while and/or in the past.

Please Continue to Pray for these Men, their Families, and their Ministries!

BIBLE STUDENTS NEW TERM

It’s a blessing to be able to, once again, start a new term with our two sets of Bible students in the country of Laos. I am teaching on the Books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes this term and very excited about it. Lord willing, by the time this update reaches you, my wife and I will be in Laos on a short ministry trip and will be teaching the students in person. Looking forward to it.

Please Continue to Pray for Our Bible Students and for our Upcoming Trip to Laos!

CHRISTMAS PROGRAMS/OUTREACHES

As we mentioned in our last update, during the month of December, Operation Samaritan’s Compassion was able to help different National Pastors and their church families to host different Christmas Program/Outreaches and God blessed all 22 of these different Programs/Outreaches in the five different countries [Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar]. Not only were there around 2,000 attending, with more than 100 professions of faith at these Programs/Outreaches, but hundreds of lost people were able to see the love of God in action. Below are just a few of the pictures from Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos!

Please Continue to Pray for these Different Pastors and Church Families to Wisely Follow-up!

OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION

Speaking of Operation Samaritan’s Compassion, now that it looks like the “COVID Crisis,” and all that went along with it, is pretty much over in Southeast Asia, Operation Samaritan’s Compassion’s emphasis in 2023 will be widows, the fatherless, helping poor illiterate children to get an education, and emergency medical assistance for the poor.

Please Continue to Pray for Operation Samaritan’s Compassion to be a Blessing in 2023!

As always, my wife and I are grateful for your prayers, financial support, and friendship. As I often say, “We couldn’t be here, stay here, or do what we believe God has led us to do without your prayers and financial support.”

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise

Greetings from Chiang Khong, Thailand!                                      

Denise and I would like to wish all our family, friends, and fellow laborers “back home” a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The picture above is from the Christmas play that our folks performed this past weekend in two different villages. They did a wonderful job and will have the opportunity to do it at least two more times in the weeks to come. In the Christmas play, the gospel is clearly shared.

After a brief three-month trip to the States, my wife and I have been back in Thailand for more than three weeks now. We are so grateful to be “back in the saddle again.” Our new church building is now finished. We are so grateful for Liberty Baptist of Newport Beach in helping us immensely with this project. It took eleven months, but I can assure you, it was well worth the wait. It’s a beautiful and spacious building. This past weekend our team here in Chiang Khong hosted Christmas Celebrations and services in two different villages. They were such a blessing. We had over 350 in attendance at the two different locations. Every one of them had a chance to learn the true meaning of Christmas and hear a clear presentation of the gospel.

Our team here in Northern Thailand, still has the privilege to host five more Christmas Celebrations and/or Outreaches. They will be held at a Children’s Home, two more villages, and two public schools here in Thailand. In addition to this, by way of our ministry, Operation Samaritan’s Compassion, we are assisting fellow-laborers to host a total of 20 different Christmas Celebrations for poor and needy children in five different countries (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar). Thousands of children, teens, and adults will be blessed and have the opportunity to hear the gospel because of the sacrificial giving of friends in the States. In just one of these villages in Laos, this past weekend, more than 100 attended and six trusted Christ.

We covet your prayers for these Christmas Outreaches.

Here in Chiang Khong, on this past Sunday morning, I started a new series of messages on “Seven Letters to Seven Churches” from Revelation 2-3. This past Sunday, we considered the church in Ephesus and the problem of “leaving our first love.” We had a great response to the first message. This coming Sunday, we will look at the church in Smyrna and the importance of not fearing and staying faithful amid persecution. We are praying that God will use this series to grow our church family into the church he desires us to be. Will you pray with us?

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR MINISTRY AND MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES HERE IN NORTHERN THAILAND AND AROUND SOUTHEAST ASIA! Our Team in Laos is doing very well. As we mentioned in our last update, they have planted two new churches. Both churches are doing well, but one of them is growing (both spiritually and numerically) by leaps and bounds. Both sets of our Bible students just finished their Fall term and will be on a break for about a month. We are excited for them as they will have the opportunity to serve and be a blessing in many different churches around the country over the next month!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR MINISTRY IN LAOS AND ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BIBLE STUDENTS!

As always, Denise and I thank you for your prayers, your financial support, and your friendship. We couldn’t be here or do what we believe God has called us to do with your prayers and sacrificial giving.  Thank you!

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!

Your Missionaries in Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

BACK “HOME”

In March of 2020, my wife and I came back to the States for what we thought would be a short 4- or 5-month furlough and then COVID hit Laos and the States. We were unable to return “home” to Laos because she locked down and remained locked down for more than two years. After an exceedingly long time of waiting, we eventually relocated to Chiang Khong, Thailand to assist our team here. We have now been living and serving in Thailand for more than eleven months.

All of that to say this, two weeks ago, Denise and I, along with Jui (Laos is home for him), returned “home” for a two-week ministry trip. During this time, I had the privilege and opportunity to preach in five different churches, for a combined service with at least six churches represented, and for a Pastor’s and Church Leader’s Fellowship (see picture above). In addition, I also had the opportunity to spend another fifteen hours teaching our two sets of Bible students. Of course, we had many wonderful opportunities to just hang out for times of good food and fellowship. It was an emotional two weeks—a very emotional two weeks. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AND SERVE BACK “HOME.”

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR TEAM AND OTHER FELLOW-LABORERS IN LAOS!

BIBLE CONFERENCE IN UDON, THAILAND

After two weeks in Laos, my wife, Jui, a pastor friend of ours, and I crossed the border and were a part of a Bible Conference in Udon. I had the privilege of opening the conference with a message on “Unity Among the Brethren” (unfortunately, a much-needed truth over here). There were at least 18 different churches represented and well over 200 people at the Conference. We had a wonderful time catching up with many longtime friends, including our dear friend and fellow-laborer, Dwight Tomlinson. We are grateful for Brother Tomlinson and Barnabas1040’s influence here in Southeast Asia, and throughout the 1040 Window. He has had an enormous impact in this part of the world!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THE SEEDS THAT WERE PLANTED AT CONFERENCE TO BEAR MUCH FRUIT!

CHILDREN’S HOME

It is always a blessing to be able to spend a day with Brother Chris Taylor and the Rong Ber Children’s Home. Of course, we always go with the intention of being a blessing to the young people, and, on every occasion, we head back home “blessed beyond measure” with our cups overflowing. It was a day of food, fun, fellowship, worship, and preaching from the word. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS MINISTRY AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO OCCASSIONALY BE A BLESSING!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR BROTHER CHRIS, HIS STAFF, AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE!
 
JUI’S ENGLISH ACTIVITY

As I mentioned in a previous Prayer Update, Jui is doing a tremendous job with his five English classes (20 students). He recently had an activity for the students, which Denise and I attended. While all the students were not able to make it, many did. It was a wonderful time. Not only is Jui doing an excellent job teaching English, but after his English class on Wednesday, Jui is doing a tremendous job discipling two of his students (Xiong and Mau). WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE GROWTH IN JUI’S LIFE!

PLEASE PRAY FOR JUI, HIS ENGLISH CLASSES, AND THE TWO YOUNG MEN THAT HE IS DISCIPLING!

MEETING IN THE NEW BUILDING

While our new building is not finished yet, we have started meeting in it. We are grateful for this, seeing that it was getting a bit crowded in Tom and Sue’s house. It has been such a blessing to meet in person and in the new building. In addition to meeting on Sunday’s, the church family has also just started to meet, once again, in-person on Wednesdays. WE ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF THE BUILDING!

PLEASE PRAY THAT OUR BUILDING WILL BE COMPLETED SOON!

A DISCIPLESHIP CULTURE

One of the things that we have tried to emphasize, is the importance of discipleship. I have not only committed myself to discipling others (presently discipling 12 men), but also have tried to establish a discipleship culture everywhere the Lord sends us. It has been exciting to hear that Lily recently began to disciple five young ladies. She is teaching them how to read and study their Bibles, how to pray, and how to cook.
 
Speaking of discipleship, our Discipleship Group in Chiang Khong (5 of us in person, one joining online) is going very well and it was great to have Brother Tom (not pictured below) rejoin us after his furlough. WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THOSE THAT HAVE INFLUENCED US OVER THE YEARS IN THIS MATTER OF PERSONAL DISCIPLESHIP!

PLEASE PRAY FOR LILY AND THE GIRLS AND FOR OUR DISCIPLESHIP GROUP IN THAILAND!

OPERATION SAMARITAN’S COMPASSION

One of the tremendous blessings (and there were many) of our trip to Laos was to see many of the folks that have been helped both physically and spiritually through the ministry of Samaritan’s Compassion. There were dozens but let me just mention two incredibly special ones. Many of you will remember that we were able to help a little girl named Phiangxay with a lifesaving surgery a few months ago. Well, I am glad to report to you that she is alive and well today. And three of the four people that trusted Christ because of our helping her are faithful members of the church. Again, many of you will remember a poor widow, caring for her eight grandchildren, that we have helped a few times—including with the surgery of one of the grandchildren—we also had a chance to meet them personally. Over the past two months so many have been helped because of the faithful prayers and giving of many. I would like to especially thank Dwight Tomlinson, Rick Dalton, Pastor Ryan Thompson and Liberty Baptist of Newport Beach, CA, and Pastor Kirk Beard and Crossroads Baptist in Hemet, CA. It was also a blessing to receive this report from Vietnam weeks ago:

In the first seven months of 2022, they were able to pass out approximately 611 food packages and 1903 people were fed. Of those that were cared for physically, 91 received Christ as Savior and 24 baptized. 

That is what we call shining brightly for Jesus!!!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THIS MINISTRY!

As always, my wife and I are extremely grateful for all of you. Thank you for praying and giving towards our ministry in Southeast Asia. For HIS Glory in the Nations,

Johnny and Denise Esposito

The picture above is one of a handful of what we like to refer to as “COVID CHURCH PLANTS.” These are churches in Southeast Asia that were planted amid the COVID Crisis, which affected Southeast Asia in so many ways more than it did the United States. In every one of these “COVID CHURCH PLANTS,” the story is the same:

While the COVID Crisis was at its worst, God’s people were at their best.

Amidst the lockdowns, the loss of employment, the sicknesses, the hospitalizations, the deaths, and the list goes on, we were able to see hundreds of people saved (over five hundred), baptized (around 125), discipled, and assimilated into existing churches, or plant new churches in their villages. How did this happen?

Of course, it all begins with the grace of God, but it continues with the generosity of God’s people. So many of you helped us, as we partnered with these churches to help the poor, the needy, and the helpless in what often were hopeless times.

The church family pictured above, will be celebrating their one-year anniversary at the end of the month. During the first eleven months of its existence, somewhere between 45-50 folks in this village have trusted Christ and twenty-three of them have been baptized. Not bad, for a new ministry in a “Creative Access Nation,” in the midst of a Global Pandemic, with four different “lockdowns,” including the last lockdown, which continued for 27 weeks.

We thank God for all the Christians and churches in the United States that have sacrificed much to help the poor, the needy, and the helpless, both physically and spiritually!

PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS CHURCH PLANT AND FOR THE OTHER “COVID CHURCH PLANTS” TO CONTINUE TO GROW IN THEIR FAITH AND THEIR LOVE FOR CHRIST!

MINISTRY IN CHIANG KHONG

The past two years have been interesting to say the least in Chiang Khong, Thailand. Our village chief kept us shut down for a good portion of the Pandemic. After we “opened up” for three months, we were shut down again. Praise the Lord, we are now back to meeting in person and getting back to some semblance of “normality.”

I am starting two new series of messages for Sundays and Wednesdays. I will be teaching a series of lessons from the Book of Ephesians on “Choosing to Change,” as well as preaching a series of messages on “Living by Faith.” In addition to this, in a few weeks, we will get back to our Married Couples Class on Thursday evenings. I am looking forward to this special time with our couples. It has been a significant help to all. Over the past few weeks, here in Chiang Khong, we are rejoicing that we have seen four people saved. Our new building is “getting there,” slowly but surely. Jui has been doing an excellent job with his five different English classes. He is using these classes as a springboard to share the Gospel. Altogether, he has twenty students in these five classes. Now, that my wife and I are back in Thailand, she will begin teaching her English class once again. Now that we are back in Thailand, it is a blessing to, once again, be meeting with our Discipleship Group in person on Thursday mornings too!

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR OUR CHURCH FAMILY AND THE VARIOUS MINISTRIES HERE IN CHIANG KHONG!

BIBLE STUDENTS

As you know, since March 2020, our Bible students in the Creative Access Nation have been meeting in two separate locations. One group is meeting in the capital city (these students are primarily Lao and Khmu believers), and the other group (all Hmong believers), are meeting about 30 minutes outside of the city. Our students in the village have just returned from a three-week summer break. I am teaching them on The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit with a special emphasis on Walking in the Spirit and Being Filled with the Spirit. I have just finished teaching the Books of Ephesians and Colossians with our students in the city.

Speaking of Bible students, one of our graduates, Pastor “K,” is doing a tremendous job. His church is averaging between 70-80 in attendance every Sunday with a couple of Sundays reaching more than one hundred. That is huge in this “Creative Access Nation.” I am guessing, it is the second biggest independent Baptist church in the entire country. A few weeks ago, they baptized five more of their recent converts. In addition to pastoring the church, Pastor “K” is also running our Bible school in the village too.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR PASTOR “K” AND OUR BIBLE STUDENTS!

PASTOR “Z”
One of the things that I am most excited about since our “forced” relocation is the chance to work more closely with my dear friend Pastor “Z.” I have known him now for about six or seven years. On three separate occasions, I had the opportunity to have him attend one of our three to four-day Pastor’s and Church Leaders Seminars. I have always been impressed by his love for the Lord, his love for people, and his desire to be used by God. He has been saved about 15 years. Another dear national pastor friend of mine led him to Christ in a refugee camp. He has been pastoring now for almost 12 years. Yes, you heard that right, twelve years. He has started and is presently overseeing eight different churches with a membership of just over five hundred people. Now, that I am closer to him, I am meeting with him along with four others in a Discipleship Group and we can do more to help him and his ministry!

PLEASE PRAY FOR PASTOR “Z” AND HIS MINISTRY!

As always, Denise and I would like to thank you for your faithfulness and your friendship over the years. We could not be in Asia, nor could we do what we know the Lord has led us to do if it were not for family and friends back home “holding the ropes” for us.

Your Missionaries in Southeast Asia,

Johnny and Denise Esposito