Dear Praying Friends,
We are excited to tell you that our family is nearing the last few months of our deputation journey!
This month we have had meetings in Colorado and North Carolina. God has allowed three new churches to vote to take us on for support, and we are praying for twelve more. Between new meetings we have had a chance to revisit several of our supporting churches. This has given us an opportunity to give our thanks and a final report before we head back to Thailand.
One faithful supporting church, Bethel Baptist in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, committed to giving us $1,000 toward our plane tickets. We have been constantly blessed by the dear folks at Bethel Baptist, and their pastor, Donnie Shumate, has become a good friend to our family. Many times throughout our deputation travels, different pastors, one of whom is Pastor Shumate, have sent text messages and e-mails telling us that they are praying for us and that they loves us. Words cannot express what that means to us as missionaries. To know that our supporting churches and pastors are behind us and praying for us means more than we could ever express.
The Lord has opened the door for our team leader, Dr. Mark Bosje, to become an assistant pastor at First Baptist Church, in Hammond, Indiana, where he will work in various areas regarding finances and in the missions programs at the church and college. I have been asked to step in as team leader of Team Thailand and am honored to have such a great opportunity.
In a few days, we will return to Nebraska where we will have a week to box up our belongings to be shipped to Thailand. We have meetings scheduled all throughout the months of March and April with a few meetings in May. Our family will finish our deputation travels with our last service on May 18. Within the next month, we will purchase our plane tickets for our return to Thailand. We are praying that we will find the lowest airfare possible, and we would like to leave no later than the first of June. Once we arrive in Thailand, I will be working closely with Bro. Bosje for about a month and a half as we prepare for the transition and departure of his family.
We are praying for these things: (1) pay off and sell our van, (2) set-up money for housing in Thailand, (3) plane tickets for our return, and (4) shipping costs (we will be shipping several large boxes to Thailand, which will contain small household items, clothing, and essentials).
Thank you for believing in missions and for giving our family a chance to represent you in Thailand.
We love you and are thankful for your sacrificial giving to make our service for the Lord possible!
For Him,
Tim Shook