End of October 2023 Update
Praise the LORD, Peter’s knee surgery is done and dusted! A scant 6 days after returning to the States…in what must be the new world's record from plane touch-down to operating table… Peter got a new knee. Enormous thanks to ALL the medical teams who accommodated Peter’s “need for speed” and whisked him through pre-op procedures in record time!
On the road again...this time by train, plane, and automobile via Cambodia to America for knee replacement!
And so, here we are, grinning like Cheshire cats, thrilled to be on the downward slope of this adventure and grateful to be spoiled by our son and daughter-in-law in Grand Prairie, Texas (bamboo sheets, enormous fluffy towels, South African delicacies, and boundless love!) Blessedly, Peter qualified for a partial replacement completed robotically, which---God willing—means a shorter, easier rehab, and more rapid return to the mission field.
Our lengthy trip home took us through Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where we met with people concerning disciple-making training. Obtaining volunteer visas for missionaries in Thailand is more and more problematic whereas Cambodia is still welcoming…and the country appears poised for a Christian explosion. Missionaries are being called by the Holy Spirit from all quarters and converging in Cambodia in anticipation. We met a couple of missionaries there who, like ourselves, are advanced in years but strongly compelled to continue the harvest while there is yet time. We preached for a dynamic young Cambodian raised on the streets. A missionary had rescued and educated this teenager, who gave his life to the LORD, and whose life’s work now is rescuing kids from a slum community that was destroyed by fire (MercyVillageCambodia.com). It’s a unique approach; instead of removing impoverished kids to help them (which is so prevalent in Thailand and M_____) he is basically rebuilding the whole community of about 200 people, teaching the kids, providing medical help, running children’s and youth's groups, planting a church, teaching and training the adults as well, evangelizing, and supplying relief food when needed. Most of the community are "pickers" which means they scavenge for recyclables, a degrading, wearying, and poorly paid occupation. The village's location is grim; the “houses” he’s rebuilt are basically cubicles in warehouses, but the residents all work together and help, and he is their de facto Christian “chief.” It seems to me that keeping these family units together is a vast improvement over the wholesale institutionalized raising of kids because parents can’t/won’t raise them themselves, which occurs elsewhere. There were also Canadian Christians heavily involved with HIV homes, forming family units of HIV-infected “grandmas” and about 6 kids in each pod so they could function as a family. Those missionaries we met were universally encouraging about coming to Cambodia and two of our friends, missionary couples from MaeSai, have recently gone for exploratory look-sees. One has already conducted Discipleship Training for about 50 pastors!
Not to be outdone by Peter, half a day after arriving in Cambodia I turned an ankle and faceplanted right outside our hostel. As I lay there, totally discombobulated, a young Japanese tourist whipped out a miracle bandage of some sort, slapped it onto my offending ankle, and supported me back into the hostel. What a Samaritan! Fortunately, despite swelling and bruising, perhaps because of the instant bandaging, it caused little inconvenience…although my resemblance to a Blue-Footed Booby was uncanny.
This past month in the Dominican Republic, Pastor Jaime’s group of Haitian pastors has been suffering increased difficulties and persecution due to the closing of the border between Haiti and the DR. Illegals are routinely rounded up and deported; work and food is scarce even for those legally there. Some newly formed churches have had as many as a third deported. When I commiserated with Pastor Jaime, he said, “Miss Joan, they were all Christians. They will take that back to Haiti. Maybe they will start their own churches. You never know.” No, we don’t. The LORD will use what the enemy intends for evil for good. With your help, Jaime has distributed food packages to the pastors, which they in turn distribute to Haitians coming to hear the Gospel; Good News for the body and the soul all in one package! A mission team from Wisconsin (the family and friends of Emily, our translator) have just arrived for more work on the mission house and to conduct a medical mission; Emily’s dad, Eric, is an MD. Jackie continues her Saturday Kid’s Clubs with new Haitian churches, teaching them how to develop and sustain an attractive children’s ministry.
Nan Htike, our Children’s Rescue Home pastor in M_______, is working hard to complete the boys’ building on her new compound property which is closer to government schools and internet connections. She has been very innovative in construction, purchasing abandoned homes to use the wood. Note that the first floor is concrete block while the second story is wood. Please continue to pray for her finances, as toilets and a kitchen must still be built; as always, pray for her health, as she is recovering from SLE.
The news flooding in from those trained in our various Disciples Making Disciples classes in Asia and M______is enormously encouraging, as those leaders are now holding their own training, establishing and growing their own home churches, and sending out new believers equipped with the Gospel story. As the networks expand, new generations of believers are created. Baptisms are occurring every week as more are obedient to follow the LORD’s commands and the movement gains momentum.
While the conflicts in Gaza and the Ukraine garner righteous indignation, attention, and assistance, the plight of IDP’s (internally displaced peoples) in M_______continues largely unnoticed and unaided by the world. (For those interested in more details, here is a link: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/myanmars-crisis-the-world/global-panel-demands-un-act-after-myanmar-juntas-massacre-of-kachin-civilians.html) But God, and His believers, have not abandoned them; while few large relief organizations are helping, many Christian ones are by innovative means. We work specifically through established home church networks, getting relief aid safely to small groups where necessary, such as the house church I mentioned last month that was flooded out, groups isolated and unable to work in M____, and house churches on the border made up of believing refugees. We’ve also started work to set up two more pastors with income-producing projects to help sustain both their own families and their impoverished communities. The courage and leadership of some of these individuals is stunning.
We heard today from our fellow missionaries from MaeSai, now temporarily in Cambodia, whom God is leading to start a Learning Center as they did in Thailand. May our LORD continue to guide them and show them the way with this second center.
So, once again, we are deeply grateful to our LORD for His protection, guidance, love, and provision. We are especially grateful for:
· A safe return to a warm welcome from family and friends
· An incredible Godly medical staff, Peter’s qualification for a robotic partial knee replacement, an early surgical date, and an experienced robotic “Uni” surgeon
· ALL our luggage traveled with us without surcharges…miraculous!
· Consistent growth and expansion of existing discipleship movements
· Open doors in Cambodia for Discipleship Training
As Peter applies himself to the serious business of rehabilitation, and I (reluctantly) tackle the administrative tasks I can no longer avoid, we are most of all grateful for all your love and prayers, and the continued financial support that keeps our ongoing ministries in Thailand and the Dominican Republic going while we are here.
One last praise; what immense kindness from our LORD that, during this time of preparation and recuperation, Peter’s been able to watch the triumph of the Springboks in World Cup Rugby, the long-awaited thrill of the Rangers clinching in the Baseball World Series, and the ongoing excitement of World Cup Cricket (an important India and South Africa match on Sunday….!) Blessings, indeed!
May your Thanksgiving be joyous and may you have as many reasons to thank and praise our LORD as have we!
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them
abundance of prosperity and security. Jeremiah 33:6