The Ministry in Sawang Dandin

Romans 15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.

The ministry God has chosen to lead us into is in a far corner of the world. Perhaps some might think it is unimportant and obscure since we live in a town which is not considered a huge town or financial giant among world cities. In fact, our town is almost devoid of any industry. We are roughly 340 miles from Bangkok and half way between two provincial capitols. There is a plan to develop this city into a provincial seat that has been delayed mainly because of the economy. Yet, there are 152,000 people registered residents here, though most families have at least one working elsewhere to support their families. There have been many gains in recent years developing the regional economy for agriculture, in particular Sugar cane production and rubber plantations. But most local salaries are still below national minimum wage. Many of the local youth grow up to move and work elsewhere to acquire work that would be gainful enough to support them since other than sales, government and education, Sawang Dandin offers very little opportunities.

Our Baptist Center, composed of three buildings and a open air Basketball/sports area is located just outside the edge of the city limits. It is in a particularly quiet and secure locale being on a side street off the main road and with a high elevation, which is good for a church property. While other areas in Thailand are enduring are flooding, and unlike our former rented church location, we are high and dry on a hilltop. Parents who send their children to our English ministry are also happy about our center location since it away from stores and busy streets. Gail opened a small snack shop so children who attend special classes do not want to leave our center to get snacks, and the profits are used for the prizes used for bible memory and group games.

Kids Games a great success!

Four wonderful days for our group here at Sawang Dandin Baptist Church. Our first day was "leadership training" classes for those participating as leaders. This was a new concept for camping, which includes youth in the work and leadership process and equipped them for the following three days of camp. A side benefit is we have youth who learned a number of principles about Christian leadership. It was no wonder that on the final day, at least nine people dedicated their lives for Christian work. Kids Games included lots of fun games for kids with a Bible focus, Bible memory, and a jam packed, fast moving program where the youth were not bogged down in classroom activities. After all, they are on their semester break from the public schools, so this was a welcome change of pace. A few schools in the area had already begun the next term conflicting with the camp schedule, something we often face here during the three week break, cutting into the numbers who attend. But still the quality of the camp was wonderful and the results point to the success of the kids games camp

Kids Games in Action!

Very pretty and talented Miss Debbie Meiers (back) came to help us for two months from her home in Wisconsin upon recommendation of her pastor and has been an amazing delight with lots of musical and interpersonal skills with our Thai students. Here is Debby with some of her English Classroom. She amazed all of us when she memorized the Thai words to Thai versions of songs and sang duets and parts with her crystal clear voice. Debbie continues to learn Thai expressions and has a lot of energy -- the kids here all have fallen in love with her. Also in this picture is another Church Planting Assistant from the Bangmot Baptist Church, a fellow Romprakhun Baptist Fellowship Church near Bangkok, Miss Warang, one of the favorite helpers at our camps.

Football! (What we Americans call Soccer)

With the World Cup in the news internationally and daily, once in four year event, our teens are really interested in playing football (the game we Americans call soccer). We had two team, one small kids and one big kids in a form of soccer called fusol played on a cement pad. The game is fast and actions is constant. One week before this our big team played in Nong Mek on a full size soccor field, at a friend's church there and were beaten twice. But here on home court they won handily twice. This soccer match with the Song Daaw church and it was a lot of fun. Extra special was the chance to bring in neighbor boys who normally do not attend our classes. We are trusing the Lord that we can reach our neighbor boys with the gospel through sports.

A point for our team!

Our goal is smaller but according to the fusol court regulation size. The player's skill level has to be much higher as everything moves fast in this game.

Regular tennis type shoes mean more control and fast action. The light blue Sawang Dandin Baptist Church "Wild Cats" are pressing for a goal.

Though it was sprinkling and humid, it was cool making the game fun. Even the ones who stayed to cheer on the players had a lot of fun.

Three hours of sports is pretty exhausting but Gail made a huge pot of Wanton and noodle pork Soup for the players. They finished every drop.

2010 Missions Conference at Sawang Dandin Baptist Church

Thailand Association of Baptists for World Evangelism Mission, missionaries, appointed to serve in Cambodia. (from their prayer card)
From 3John, "Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth".
It was our great privilege to be a part this new work for our Lord.

When they came to our annual Missions conference, I did not know how well this family sang together until they came and shared with us this weekend. From the left is there daughter Lydia, Mrs Nat Khamma and Pastor Soontorn singing the Ron Hamilton song, "A Servant's Heart" translated into the Thai language. They blessed our conference at the Sawang Dandin Baptist Church with their zeal and passion for the Lord and shared their burden and mission to preach the Gospel in East Cambodia. They will be the first TABWE missionaries from the Romparkhun Fundamental Baptist Church Fellowship sent out to serve overseas. These are exciting days for the member churches to see one of their own go to the mission field with the Gospel, supported and sent by their own.

One of the blessings of a missions conference is the many folks who participate. Here is Pastor Wittaya, assistant Pastor of the Bangkhen Baptist Church, Bangkok, and his wife sharing a short message followed by a song by his family.

After these meetings, my heart was blessed and stirred with the job again. I am sharing my heart after hearing the messages and challenges. How these things remind us of how we have found the Lord faithful to us these 30 years of service in Thailand.

Our missions conference was blessed by mission messages from the Word of God and songs sung by the Soontorn Khamma family. Our conference began Saturday morning with a challenging message about the need to preach the Gospel by Pastor Soontorn.