“Occupy till I come.” Luke 19:13
Our situation in BYT is very good compared to what I have heard about America and other areas around the world. Yet many of our mountain villages are locked up with big gates across the entrances. Nobody is allowed to enter or exit. Various provinces are shut down. Here in Thailand they have a rule that there will be no social gatherings. The soldiers and police will put offenders in jail as well as demand a high fine.
We are not too sure how many more trips we can make into MaeSot to purchase supplies. We are living together with BletJhaw’s family in BYT. Our clinic is officially closed. Our head man has notified the surrounding villages, however the local people are coming. Our census has dropped from an average of 20 patients a day to about 5. Yet we are taking a risk to even do that because many of the young people have been in schools or at work in the big cities, and they now have returned home! Nobody in the entire world is safe, unless they are clinging tightly to Jesus! And what a comfort He is!
“Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me! Such knowledge is too wonderful for me: it is high, I cannot attain unto it!!!” Psalm 139:5,6
As a nurse, and even more so as a child of God, I simply cannot refuse treatment for a sick patient that comes to me for help, and so I continue to care for all who come to my door. These 2 verses keep ringing through my head with more meaning now than ever before:
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.” Luke 10:27
“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9
My time now is spent doing that which lies nearest! I really miss the constant flow of patients, even though it was terribly tiring and inconvenient at times. However, I have a splendid opportunity to help teach BletJhaw’s 2 little boys, age 7 and 4, the “My Bible First” lessons that my sister wrote, and in any way lead them to Jesus! They bring joy to my heart as they have brought a small keyboard piano to practice on, ride bicycles, swim in the river, and guess what? BletJhaw found a small puppy in the village that nobody owned! What huge blessing. I sure hope she survives!
Our little church has closed down, but BletJhaw and I began to invite ourselves to different homes to have a worship. Now several families are inviting us! It is so sad not to have 50-60 people come to church on Sabbath. I really miss preaching the sermons, because it was my only time to really earnestly tell the people present truth, but last Sabbath was such a blessing! We told one family that our family would meet under the church at 9:30a.m. Well word seems to travel fast and 30 people came, eager to hear the good news about Jesus! My topic: “Watch and Pray!” We also met in 2 other homes for worship. There were 15 in one group, and about 10 in the other. I will try to let you know if we get arrested and put in jail for these gatherings, but truly I felt the power of the Holy Spirit, and at this unprecedented time in which we are living, I know God is working on hearts and working this all out for good in our jungle mountains! I truly feel that if we did not work in this way that even the rocks would cry out!
Sabbath under the church!
BletJhaw and I came out of BYT today to purchase much needed food and supplies, so I am making the most of a short time of internet.
Be of good courage everybody! Our paths may be thorny, our journey rugged and our friends few, we are entering the last great conflict, and every bitter trial we go through with Jesus, brings us closer to that great day when we see Him face to face!!