As we shared in our last update, one of the great joys that God has graciously allowed me to experience on a regular basis is the joy of seeing 1st generation believers grow in their relationship with God and become true fishers of men and mentors for other 1st generation believers. Jesus said in Matthew 4:19, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”
As I write this update, I am sitting in Amazon Café and thinking about all of the discipleship and mentoring that happens through the awesome Thai staff that God has surrounded our work with. We have introduced two of them already but today and tomorrow we want to introduce two more who are both from the Akha people group. All of our 5 full time staff are 1st generation believers and committed to evangelism and discipleship. Here is a picture of two of our NTIM Thai Staff who are 1st generation believers from the Akha Unreached People Group (UPG) and who also serve as Staff at Grace Language School and Baan Athitaan Church.
Let me introduce you to Boom today and tomorrow we will introduce you to Bee.
Boom is a Thai citizen and is from the Akha people group. Boom joined the NTIM ministry team on January 3, 2015, 5 years ago, shortly after she graduated with a degree in linguistics from Chiangrai Rachapbat University. Boom is from the Akha UPG, a UPG that is scattered all over Thailand, Myanmar, China, Laos and Vietnam. Boom became the 2nd person in her entire family to become a follower of Jesus while she was in her 3rd year as a university student. Boom was introduced and led to Christ through her older sister (Bum) who had previously been led to Christ by one of our former NTIM team members (Kim Matthews Rattanasongkarm) shortly after Bum had begun studying English with us at Grace Language School. We have included a short video clip of the day Boom received believer’s baptism July 27, 2014
Through God’s leadership, we invited Boom to come and serve the Lord with us about a year after she graduated from university. Since that time, Boom has been involved in leading various aspects of our youth ministry and currently serves as our Staff leader for university students. Boom also currently serves as our Administrator for Grace Language School, as one of our key translators, and as our Worship leader. In addition, Boom also serves as one of our English teachers and guitar teachers. Like all of our staff, Boom is also heavily involved in mentoring and discipling young people and currently mentors and meets with several new believers every single week helping them grow in their walk with Jesus. Boom’s favorite Bible is Hebrews 12:3-4 which says, “For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.
Prayer Example: “Lord, thank You for loving us enough to send someone into our lives to tell us about the gospel. We thank You for loving Boom enough to send someone into her life to tell him about the gospel. We thank You for loving others enough to send people like Boom into the lives of others to tell them about the gospel. We want to take this moment and ask You to bless Boom in a very special way.
Help her to be salt and light in all that she does. Help her as she serves You faithfully through NTIM at Grace Language School and at Baan Athitaan Church. We ask that You would be pleased to use her to help reach her family, her friends, her neighbors, her own people group, and even other people groups. Thank You for her work with NTIM and how she faithfully serves You each and every day. We pray that You would give her great love and wisdom as she pours her life into discipling young university students there in Northern Thailand. We pray this in Jesus name.”
Today is Day 12 of our Season of Prayer of getting to know and then actively praying for Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), its partners, and all of the various unreached people groups in and around Northern Thailand. Thank you for joining us for this great time of seeking the face of God on behalf of millions who have never heard the message of our Lord Jesus.