Dear Friends,
It is such a blessing to be back home! I thoroughly enjoyed my furlough, but there is no better place to be than doing the work that God has called you to do. So many exciting things have been happening in our midst. This year we have already baptized 49 converts and have seen many more trust Christ as their Saviour.
We have started a bus route to a Dole Pineapple Factory, which picks up around 50-60 Burmese refugees each week. As I get to know these dear people, I’m amazed at what they have endured to get here. Pictured with me to the right is one such lady named, Monday, who escaped as a young girl with her family by hiding in the jungles and arriving in Thailand in a small canoe with nothing except the knowledge that God was with them. Each one serves as a reminder to me that I was blessed to grow up in America where we can live and worship without fear.
I’m also excited to report that the double-bay, three-story building I spoke of in my last prayer letter is already full. Each week we are averaging around 140 for church and over 50 in the Sunday English Program. We have found an amazing piece of land for a very reasonable price just outside of town. Please pray with us that the Lord will provide the needed funds to purchase it.
Our teens have been excelling under the leadership of Bro. and Mrs. Scott Mercer. Nong Thi, the young man pictured to the left, has been coming faithfully for some time now. Bro. Scott is in the process of mentoring him, and Nong Thi began working in Junior Church this past Sunday. He loves the Lord, and we pray the Lord will use him greatly in the future.
Nong LukNam, the young lady pictured, is our first Thai teen convert in this new work to participate in our regularly scheduled soul winning. She got to lead her first soul to Christ last week. How thrilling it is to see our converts’ boldness to witness to their own people.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of leading these three teen girls to the Lord. They came the next Sunday and brought a friend. They all returned last week and brought four other friends. If Thailand is to one day be known as a Christian nation, it will be because the youth of today change it to be so. Please pray for the teens in Thailand.
Thank you to each one who prayed or sent a gift of money toward my car purchase. I had planned to buy a seven-seater Toyota van when I returned; but the price was outside of my budget, and the vehicle was not “strong” enough for the roads here. Miraculously, the Lord provided me with a seven-seater Toyota Fortuner, which is a far superior car than what I had planned to buy for $5,000 less than its value and within my budget! God is so good to me.
As always, I thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. My support level is still at 73%. Please pray that more of the churches I visited while on furlough will decide to partner with me for the cause of Christ in Thailand. Thank you for faithfully serving where you are. May the Lord truly bless you.
Serving the Master joyfully,
Shari House
