1 year ago today Derek & Jodi May had come out from Mississippi, where Derek was serving as a Pastor, and were here in Chiangrai with us on a “vision trip” to further explore the possibility of them bringing their family (they have 3 young children – Jack, Grant, and Casey) to Chiangrai to be our volunteer team coordinators for our building project. The picture below was taken on January 25, 2018 as we were in a boat in Chiang Saen on the famous Mekong River headed back to Thailand from a short excursion over into Laos, which is so close to us it is only 45 minutes from where our new piece of land that God has given us is located.
Today we are praising God for this trip 1 year ago and for the May’s sensing God’s leadership to come and join God in His work here. We are so thankful that the May family were obedient to God’s call and are now here with us in Chiangrai and doing well. We also want to thank all of the churches in Mississippi and the awesome friends and leaders at the convention in the great state of Mississippi for supporting and sending the May family here as our Construction Volunteer Team Coordinators.
As I write this praise/prayer update, Derek and Jodi are in a classroom here at Grace Language School with Kru Ball who is teaching them the Thai language mixed in with a little cultural learning. Please continue to pray for Derek and Jodi, as well as the rest of us, as we are planning and looking to begin the construction process on our new multipurpose facility very soon as our Lord leads.
We are still waiting for the “municipality” to approve our construction plans and expect to hear from them any day now. This new multipurpose facility, once it is completed, will be our new home for the NTIM Field office, the Channel of Blessing Foundation of Thailand office, and Grace Language School. It will also be where Baan Athitaan Church meets and has offices and will be a place where partners in ministry like Crave International will have an office as well.
Much evangelism, discipleship, equipping, training, outreaches, and other types of activities that are intended to expand the kingdom of God in the heart of 100s of UPGs, will be taking place in this new building in the days ahead. Our project is called “Lighting up the Darkness.”
We have lived in Thailand now 20 years, and in Chiangrai for almost 18 of those years. For the last 18 years, we have been in rented facilities which have been the bulk of our overhead costs that we are trying to eliminate. We also believe it is God’s timing for us to say to the darkness in and around Northern Thailand that “God’s work is here to stay.”
Please keep us in your prayers. If you haven’t given and would like to give to our building project, we still need about $200,000 U.S. dollars to complete the project for the glory of God. You can give online or send a check – all of which are tax deductible – to the address on our website at: www.gontim.org.
Either way, please pray for us as we seek to reach people who become the first persons in their entire family to be followers of Jesus and then to equip these genuine 1st generation believers from some of the least reached people groups in our world today. All for the glory of God and the advancement of His kingdom. Our desire is motivated by this thought: “As God’s will is done in heaven, so too, may God’s will be done in and around Northern Thailand.”
Much Love & Prayers from Northern Thailand. Michael
“For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5
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Financial support can be given through NTIM….
Northern Thailand Impact Ministry (NTIM), P.O. Box 26115, Birmingham, AL 35260 USA Main Website: www.gontim.org
NTIM is a non-profit 501(c)(3)charitable organization based in the USA. We are committed to connecting people in need with people who care and are focused in the heart of Southeast Asia where poverty is high, education is low, needs are great, unreached people groups (UPGs) are all around us, and the love and message of Jesus is needed to transform lives.
Reaching, Teaching, Discipling, Equipping, Training, and Serving People in God’s World through acts of love and compassionate is what NTIM and our ministry team is all about.