SE Asia Update #2

Hello again,

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers up to this point! Last night was awesome - it was so great to see familiar faces half-way across the world and to make new friends, some of whom just recently became Christians, or "got the light" as they phrase it here. The Lord provided a friendly coffee shop for us to meet in and about 30-35 students came to meet with us. There have been miscommunications over the years due to the language barrier regarding whether or not some of these students actually understand the Gospel or know the Lord personally. The missionaries here are working to continue to strengthen the faith of these students through discipleship and weekly meetings but it is still difficult to follow-up with each student that comes.

We learned this morning that one of the members of our team's grandmother passed away last night and we're not sure how that news will affect the rest of our journey - please pray for the Thomas family, for peace and reliance on the Lord in light of such sad news.

We will be traveling to Haiphong today to spend time with the pastor of a house church and his family and to celebrate Christmas and New Years with the believers there. Please pray for travel mercies and for doors to be opened in Haiphong as it is still rather unsafe to share the Gospel there.

Just like Paul in 2 Timothy 4, "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."

SE Asia Update #1

Xin chào!!! (Hello!!!)

46 hours later and we're finally here!!! No lost luggage, no trouble with customs, and only a few mildly upset stomachs from China Airline's fine cuisine. I'm already trying to prepare my heart for what we'll be encountering en route to and at the orphanage on Saturday afternoon. Tonight we get the opportunity to meet up with students we've met in years past to just chat and catch up. A few of the students we're meeting with are believers but most are not. Tonight we're just trying to re-water any seeds that have been planted over the years but we definitely want to be open to the Spirit moving through casual conversations and simple acts of love and friendship.

Please be in prayer for the safety of the students as they travel to meet us and for God to work through the crazy variety of conversations that will take place this evening (most likely while you guys are just waking up). Keep James 1:2-4 in mind today:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Whether you're in Vietnam, cleaning house, or traveling, know that God's got a plan for it all.