I just now knelt and prayed that the Lord would put into my mind the words to portray to you the glorious beauty of this last week.
It is no surprise that we had a lot of trouble, leading up to these meetings! To mention one, I had invited a speaker from the Philippines 7 months ago with his team of singers to hold our evangelistic meetings this year, but at the last minute, due to circumstances of God’s leading hand in their lives, we found out they would be unable to come.
I then spoke to a lovely musical group of AFM missionaries here in Thailand. They were more than happy to come, but we could not coordinate the dates. (Happy to say we believe they can come later)!
Now, we are back to square #1. On my knees, I cry out to God saying that this is His project. He is in charge of events and their results. If He has another plan, He will lead me to it, and if I allow Him to lead, then I know He always brings success – evangelism or no evangelism!
I became unusually assertive and sent messages to several wonderful pastors that I respect so much. One of them suggested that I contact Pastor Jason Sliger. He and I had been speakers at PYC (Philippine Youth for Christ) two years ago. To my astonished amazement, he did not express doubt, but excitement in asking for Gods will that night!!
…. And it was a very short notice. The meetings would start in three weeks!!! It was now November 6, and the meetings would begin November 26!
Next came the affirmative reply that they felt God had given them an opening in their schedule so that he could come! When I asked if he could bring someone who could do special music, he told me that in his opinion his wife had the greatest singing voice! It was agreed that she could come! My joy felt no bounds! When God orchestrates something it is rich, full, complete!
It was also a providential miracle that Mark and Jonalyn Martino could come. They are JFA “Foreign video correspondents” in the Philippines – you guessed it, I met them also at PYC and other locations where I spoke in the Philippines! Just like Pastor Sliger, they too were in a perfect opening in their schedule, and could come and make a video of the meetings, the special baptism and our work in BYT!
Harvey and Brenda Steck, JFA missionaries, from Chiang Mai were also available to come and help us out with music. Brenda brought her keyboard and provided piano accompaniment for song service and they sang duets during the meetings! As you know, Harvey is excellent at trouble-shooting the many problems we had. He worked diligently until he solved every one of them!
BletJhaw’s wife and sister came to do all the cooking! They prepared really beautiful and delicious food every day and received well earned compliments from the visitors!
It was Monday, November 25, 10:15a.m, when the Stecks, and BletJhaw and myself met these two couples at the MaeSot airport! My feet could hardly stay on the ground, with the joy of knowing that the Lord had brought us all together for the sole purpose of saving our people in the jungle!!
An average of 70 people attended the meetings every night! Pastor Sliger was so energetic and clear in presenting Jesus, salvation, the cross, how to overcome, and heaven, to the people. His wife resembles an angel and has an angel’s voice!! If you can go to my post on FB you can be blessed to listen to one of her songs!
I so admire BletJhaw who worked in all directions to take care of everybody and everything. He interpreted every sermon to the best of his ability to bring a clear understand of these valuable truths to our people!
This is all too good. It is over-the-top! I can’t hold any more joy! But wait! There’s more!
Remember Bli? He was the Baptist leader in MooDooKey village who was converted to Adventism through his personal searching of the scriptures. Nobody gets credit. All glory to God!! It was the Holy Spirit convicting his heart, even if his reading skills were minimal! He obeyed everything that he learned and was such a strong witness to his family, that they all joined him in baptism after the final evangelistic sermon on Sabbath. There was Bli, his wife, oldest daughter and her husband, and the youngest daughter!
Bli is over 70 years old and is quite deaf. We felt bad that he could not hear the sermons at all. Mark and Jonalyn were able to let him use their hearing device, which is wireless and communicates with a device that BletJhaw wore as he interpreted the sermons. Bli was so excited that he could hear every word! Just look at his smile! I will explore getting him hearing aids.
Now that meetings have ended and everyone has already left us, the glory of heaven remains in my heart! The prayers we shared in a circle every morning, the love, hugs, delicious food that BletJhaw’s wife and sister lovingly cooked every day, the smiles and companionship, will always linger in my memory till Jesus comes. And in that glorious day of His appearing, I am planning to see these Karen people, who have been touched by Pastor Sliger’s inspirational, and appealing sermons, the music, prayers, and combined effort of each team member!
