**Celebrating Songkran with our church family at T8 cafe
"Living Water"
Every year on April 13-15, Thais celebrate the New Year, Songkran สงกรานต์. However, for the past 3 years due to Covid, Thais have been restricted from celebrating Songkran. This year, even though the temperature rose above 105 degrees each day, people filled the streets and drove bumper to bumper to celebrate with dancing, music, splashing water and putting powder on people’s faces. People sat on the back of trucks and drove around town “blessing” others with water. It was such a joy to see smiling faces everywhere. We have never seen our city become so lively!
From our language classes, we also learned that the blessing of water is also meant to signify the cleansing of one's sin or bad luck as they begin the New Year. On that particular day, we just wanted to have a huge water fight (LOL). However, as I think about the people on the motorbikes, trucks and cars driving around town eagerly waiting to be splashed- to be cleansed, I am reminded of the Samaritan woman in John 4.
She had come to draw water at the Well and Jesus offered her Living Water. She did not understand and was unaware of what that meant. Jesus answered in v.13-14a, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst." The woman had replied that she wanted the Living Water so she would not go thirsty again.
Jesus sat at the well and was thirsty, however, He turned His focus to her spiritual thirst. He knew everything about her (v.16-18) and crossed cultural boundaries in being with her. The Messiah has come (v.26) and salvation has come to all. He knows everything about us and offers true cleansing from the never-ending cycle of sin and karma. Jesus sets us free from the bondage of sin and offers us Living Water, the Holy Spirit, to indwell in us to be a spring of flowing water. She was so excited, she left her water jar and shared the good news of Jesus.
As many of you enter the summer months and spend time on the water, please remember join with us in praying for Thailand. Pray that we can be present and be instruments used to offer Living Water. Pray that we would see many, like the Samaritan woman, eager for water and receive Living Water - and with that be a witness within their own family and communities.
Snapshots of our last few months
Things have gotten pretty busy since our last newsletter. Jason and I are still studying the Thai language, but we have gotten more involved in Thai ministry opportunities. We have connected with ministry workers in the area, attended and led a few small groups, started teaching Sunday School for the children and youth, participated in a few college campus outreach events, invited a few Thai youths (yet to know Jesus) to come play sports and continue to help lead the youth group at the international school. We made a short video above to give you a snapshot.
One of the highs for Jason was spending time with a few young adults at the church. The small group had asked Jason to oversee two of the men at the church as they prepared short devotional messages for their group. He loves to help them read the Word and come along to help them prepare God's word to share.
We have even been building relationships with a Hmong family who sells fried chicken nearby. They recently asked about what church we are attending and we hope to invite them during our next visit to their booth. Our house has been a revolving door for hangouts, boardgame nights, and meals. We continue to build relationships with those in our community in hopes that they will desire a relationship with Jesus.
Family Update
Gao-Jai’s sister Pajjar and her family came to visit for Spring break. We went to the Phuket beaches for a few days and then came back to Udon Thani to celebrate Songkran. It was fun to show them around our town, take them to some of our favorite places to eat, and have them tagalong to some of our ministry sites. Johan even helped lead worship for a small group. While it was refreshing to see family, it was especially difficult for Gogo to say goodbye to her cousins.
Chuseng turned 13! We celebrated Chuseng with a party and invited the school youth group. We have seen him really grow in his faith and maturity over the last few months.
Gao-Jai caught Covid 2 weeks ago along with pneumonia. She is recovered and feeling much better -although not quite 100%.
Sports continues to be one of our primary ways of bringing people together. Jason was asked to help coach volleyball for the international school and the boys were invited to play basketball with their Thai team in Laos. The trip opened doors for deeper relationships and also helped gave us a glimpse of life in Laos.
At the beginning of the year, our church started a new small group in a small village 30 mins away. In just a few months, the people in the small group came to know Jesus and were baptized. We had a wonderful opportunity to worship, fellowship and eat with the small group on Thursday evenings. (2 people not pictured.). What a joyous occasion!
This little boy from the neighborhood runs over every time he hears a basketball bouncing outside. He loves to "practice" basketball with the boys and also play games with us. We love the opportunity to practice speaking Thai with this little one.
Once a month the C&MA workers in the Isaan region gather together to fellowship. Our group was much smaller for the month of May, but what an encouraging time it was!
Praises and Prayer Requests
Praise God for the opportunity to connect with the Hmong family (fried chicken vendor). Pray that they will take us up on the invitation to go to church. The family has 2 teenagers (a boy and a girl) who have dropped out of school to help their parents sell food.
Pray for complete healing and restoration for Gao-Jai. She gets dizzy easily and is having difficulty concentrating.
Pray for wisdom as we prepare lessons to teach at church. Although we are limited in our language, God can still use us to tell others about His great love for them.
Pray for a healthy new rhythms as we enter into summer break for the kids
Pray for our family to find a home in the city. Although living near the children’s school would be more convenient, we feel God leading us to find a home in the city to be around the local community. Our current lease ends at the end of August, so we hope to find a house in July.
Pray for the boys and their relationships with their basketball teammates. They have developed closer relationships within the past few months while playing in tournaments.
Pray for Gaojoua as she struggles to find peace with living here in Thailand. Although she has made wonderful friends here, she misses her cousins back in the states and thinks of them often. Lately, she’s been feeling homesick and yearns to go back to what is familiar.
Would you pray for us to have more workers on the field? There are a few ministry opportunities that are posted on https://cmalliance.org/serve/. Will you please take a moment and pray for new workers who have a heart for serving God and the people of Thailand?
Partnership
God is faithful and He is our provider. We are so thankful for your partnership
If you'd like to partner with us financially, you can support us in 2 simple ways:
1. The best way is through the Great Commission Fund, which covers most basic living costs for us and 700+ workers around the globe. Click here and select "great commission fund."
2. A secondary option is to give to our personal ministry efforts. Under Gift Type, click on the yellow box, "A Worker You Love" and type in our names "Tub and Gao-Jai". Make sure to click on "My Ministry".
You may also give through a local Alliance church, or by check made out to "The C&MA," and mailed to: The Alliance, 1 Alliance Place, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068.
Thank you for your love, prayers, and support!