Gayle in Thailand

How far are we into this project?   Good question!  

1.  We have recognition, unanimous approval and permission from the government to build in any village anywhere we wish.

2.  We have been told we are needed and given many free medicines and IV supplies etc. from Omkoi and the clinic in MeDooGlow.

3.  We are invited to work in the small hospital in Omkoi if we need additional training in any field.

4.  All 3 properties I had been interested in locating the clinic fell through!  Where our house is located is bad during the rainy season.  Water spurts out of the ground at a height of 2 or 3 feet! Also at that elevation, usable water would not be available.

The second and third site did not work out because the owners did not want to sell,   plus they were afraid that a clinic that close to the rice fields would contaminate the rice and make them all sick!! 

 I said, ” Oh dear Lord, I know You have something better please show us!”  Sure enough, a villager heard us talking and took us to the highest hill at the very beginning of the village and higher than any other part of BYT.  It is the first place you see when entering BYT.   We were told that nobody owns it.  The only problem that may introduce itself is water.  ADRA has surveyed this very mountain and found water approx. 2 km up.  They are proposing to water the entire village from that source, but an engineer will come in March to test the water supply up there.  (ADRA has plans to set up an agriculture program in BYT and surrounding villages in order to get rid of the opium and its deadly affect on the people.  They also are looking into setting up a detox center many kms away.  These things are desperately needed here). 

Before we build we must be sure that water is indeed available.  March will be the month we hope to begin to build when we find out that water is available, and pray that we can be quick to put up one house and one small clinic before the rainy season starts in June! 

One evening we went to see the head man and assistant head manof BYT and WST.  to ask about the property and get permission to build there.  They were delighted for us to use that ground and said that it was free.  All the surrounding villages want us to build clinics in their village.  Everyone welcomes us with open arms here!!!  Oh praise the Lord  at all times!  He is in control of each step in this process.  His love, care and guidance in our lives  is the sweetest thing I know!

1.  I forgot to tell you that I taught Blet Jaw to drive the truck.  This is one of the best things I ever did!  He now feels more useful and I feel more rested!  He has become an excellent driver on these most horrible roads. 
2. We pray with the patients.  Sometimes in the isolated villages they do not know anything about prayer.  They sit there awkwardly and watch us fold our hands together and kneel up.  Their expression tells they are trying very hard to understand what is going on.  They study our  interwoven fingers  and then look at their fingers and with concentration push one finger at a time in between the fingers of the other hand.  I cannot explain the pangs of longing to help these people know and love  God.  We tell them many things about God.  Next time we will bring a picture roll and routinely tell the Bible stories.  What a joy to introduce a communication with God in heaven to these people.  Later as we spend more time in other villages we will have short worships with them and tell the wonderful gospel story.
3. The weather has turned cold.  It is hard to get used to winter months in the mountains.  For two mornings in a row, frost was covering the ground in the morning.  The weather reports for SE Asia say that the weather will be all mixed up this coming year.  The hot and cold will mix with the wet and dry.  The people are concerned for their rice crops which take 4 months of steady rain in order to bring a harvest.  Already the price of food has gone up because of the flooding in the Bangkok area.
4. When there are no emergencies, we try to follow a schedule.   This helps the other villages around us know what days to walk out to our house and what days we will be gone.  On Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday we walk to 2 villages each day.  That covers 6 villages, but there are 4 more, so we rotate them through the next week.  We keep adding more to the list as our radius increases. Some villages we can drive the truck to, but it is costly and awkward on these roads.  Many can be accessed by motorbike and many can be entered only on foot.  We have felt the urgent need for a motorbike, not only would we get to the villages faster, but we could carry more supplies. This is important because we are ready to bring the picture roll and tell Bible stories in each village.  Praise the Lord your donations have reached a point where we are able to purchase a motorcycle!!!   Thank you so much!!  Bikes are harder to find now and more expensive because of the flooding, plus the new Motorcycle president promised to pay the employees more if he was elected.  It seems we will order one, then wait 2 weeks for it to arrive.  More later.
5. Different villages have different characteristics.  NehLahGwee village, for example is full of hypertension!  I have hardly ever seen hypertension among the Karen people.  They are too poor to even afford salt, consequently nobody has high blood pressure.  NLG village however, from the 20 year olds to the grandmothers and grandfathers, it is a big problem. 

             Another village is full of children!  Out of about 20 houses there are 30 small children!!  What an opportunity for the picture roll!  Yet another village, (Dee-A-Day)  has bad eyes.  From 30 years old and up the eyes are suffering from lack of vitamin A and cataracts and night river blindness.  Two people are already blind.  However, of all the villages I have ever been to, all have one thing in common – NONE of them drink water!  They believe that one or two SMALL cups a day is plenty, even when working all day long in their gardens.  This one thing is the cause of most all of their sicknesses.  We “preach and preach and preach,”  about this and show them how much we drink every day, but it does no good for most of them, they really believe that if they drink more, they will get  headaches and dizziness!   That is what they already have because of the lack of water!  Please pray for them to drink water!  Thank you.

We are working on a map to present to you, showing you Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai province and our isolated section to the far south end of the province.  It will show the circle of villages that we already go to.  Also the larger towns to the East and West of us.

Please continue your earnest prayers for God’s work in this entire country, as people are so unaware of God and His beauty.

Let me give you just a small glimpse of the dear Karen people living in the poorest isolated villages deep in the mountainous jungles of Thailand.

1.   A lady was very sick in MooDooKey village not far from BYT.  Her lungs were dreadful, and past what I could do for them, so we agreed that the next day we would take her to the hospital.   A man in WahSueTah (Village 2.5 km from our house),  had a heart problem.  His color was bad, his chest hurt and felt heavy his breathing labored, his color was bad.  He too needed to go to the hospital and we arranged with him to go the same day.  As we went to pick them up the next day, the man could not come with us because he had run off somewhere to find some more opium!  The woman could not come with us because her pig was going to have babies that day and she must be there with her pig!

2.   We had hiked to a far away village, (NelleKwee).  It seemed like the dirtiest village I ever saw.  The people packed onto the small porch of the hut where we were treating patients.  For several hours we inspected and treated each patient.  As the crowd dwindled a middle age woman was given a bar of soap to scrub her dirty body twice a day before applying ointment.  She turned to Blet Jaw after he had explained how to use the ointment and held up the bar of soap saying,  “Do I eat this?”  She had never seen soap before and did not know what it was.

3.   3 nights ago a man died in a hut very close to our house.  He had unfortunately abused opium to the extent that his stomach was full of bleeding ulcers.   We had begged him to let us take him to the hospital, but he had refused to go.  He still wanted to continue the use of opium.  The Karen people take the bodies of the dead into the jungle, burn and bury them.  Since his death, this entire village is scared.  They think that the dead come back and follow them.  Wherever they go they imagine they see him and are filled with terror.  At night several people sleep together  in the kitchen part of the house.  They keep the fire going in the center so that it is not dark.

4.  When looking for a place to build our clinic here, we found a place near a rice paddy that could be leveled enough for a clinic and a house.  We asked the person that owned it if they would consider selling it.  They did not want to sell it because everyone thought that a clinic to treat the sick, that close to the rice paddy would put sickness into the rice.  No one in the village wanted it in that spot!

5.   An older man in one of the villages we visited, looked very disturbed.  Later I found out what the problem was.  I believe I was the only white person he had seen.  He fearfully asked Blet Jaw if the white people eat the Karen children.  This is a superstition handed down from many generations ago.  He is the only one I have heard this from in the 3 years I have been in Thailand.

Please pray for these simple people so far from civilization.  They need so much! -an education, a better way to live.  -They need Jesus! 

We were all amazed at how rapidly the year 2012 swung in upon us!  Let’s go back through the past year and inspect our lives carefully.  Did we work for God?  Did we move in closer to His side?  Did we gain victories?  Were we sheltered in the heart of Jesus?

What are we looking forward to in this new year?  A closer and still closer companionship with Jesus?  More of the sweetness of His presence?  A clearer view of His will for our lives?  A deeper infilling with His Spirit?

This year I have determined by the grace of God to be more thankful.  I desire gratitude to flow out of my heart this entire year.  I long to occupy my mind consistently with praise worthy thoughts.  So many loving deeds from our Father in heaven go by unrecognized and unappreciated.  How must God feel after working everything out for our good?

You my feel that nothing is going right for you at the beginning of this new year.  You may feel void of talents, looks, friends, money or even value to name a few.  You may be suffering through impossibilities, sickness, or a broken heart.  But as long as you are drawing breath you can thank God for it!  You know the gigantic walls of Jericho fell down as a result of a shout of praise!  Your difficulties that appear as an unsurmountable mountain in front of you will crumble as you find ways to sincerely thank and praise God!

My sister is a huge blessing to me.  My heart is daily filled with praise and gratitude to God for her.  Her communictions to me are filled with inspiration and encouragement from heaven.  In one of her recent emails, she said this:  “No heart is so sweet as the one that has been broken, for it feels the wounds and hurts of other as a whole heart can never do.  We can rejoice in this.  Just think, Sis, Jesus heart was broken when dying for oursins and no other heart feels to the depths as His does!!!!  As we are broken with Him, we become more like Him because we sense our deep aching need for him.”

So even with a broken heart we can voice our thanks and praise.  “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”  1Thessalonians 5:18

And Mrs. White says this, not without reason:  “Gratitude, rejoicing, benevolence, trust in God’s love and care, These are health’s greatest safeguard.” MH 281

This new year, let’s praise God together!

It was 3 years ago today, Christmas day, when I was in a crisis.  It was the darkest, most bitter trial of my life.  I could not see life ahead of me and death seemed much preferable to life. The days and nights marched slowly by in painful agony.

 I only mention this experience to you now, because you may be carrying a heavy load this Christmas season.  The bright lights, joy, hum of activity, gifts of love, and family ties, only wrap your sorrow and grief more tightly around you.  In the midst of the holiday crowd, loneliness and grief are all the more penetrating.  With Job you are crying out: “Let the day parish that I was born. (Job 3:3). “Even that it would please God to destroy me, then should I yet have comfort.” (Job 6:9,10).  It was so dark for Job that though he sought to appear before God, he could not see through the depth of darkness.  “Behold, I go forward, but He is not there, and backward, but I cannot perceive him.”   No human being suffered so many brutal attacks of the devil than Job did.

It was what seemed to be the darkest part of the night for me. I too was groping to get hold of the Saviour’s hand.   I had looked too long at my crisis and desperately needed the longer look at Christ.  I read the Desire of Ages account of Gethsemane that night, how He suffered under the tremendous weight of the wrath that would have fallen upon a sinful world – suffering the death that was pronounced upon the transgressors of God’s law.  As I contemplated this grand theme, a ray of light came through the darkness.  I wanted to capture this moment with God in writing.  Normally I do not write poetry without struggling through many wasted pages, yet at that hour my hand was in contact with the Saviour’s own hand as He guided my pen across the paper. What reassurance and what love lifted me that night.  The thoughts were from the one who suffered unexplainable agony so He could bring comfort to me just now!

Take Control

Oh dear Jesus take control
If struggles, fears and doubts,
When life’s fierce storms oppress my soul,
And I am tossed about.

Oh dear Jesus take control,
My life is but a thread.
The skies are dark and billows roll,
And I am filled with dread.

Oh dear Jesus take control,
I see You through my tears.
Your look of love!  You’re all-in-all!
Oh please forgive my fears.

Oh dear Jesus take control,
This long night has an end.
You’re always here, You’re in control,
On You I will depend.

Oh dear Jesus –my control,
The darkness You erase
You guide my feet toward the goal
You whisper, “By My grace.”

Oh dear Jesus –my control,
Through fiery trials You trace
Your work for good –Your future plan
To see me face to face!

               Oh Lord I love You!

 The trials do not stop coming to me because I let God take control that night and He came to me, nor were the months ahead easy, but that experience of tenderest sympathy and love from Jesus in my darkest hour, overwhelmed me with love, melted my heart and drew my soul out to Him in such a way I will never forget.  I was gently rebuked for harboring the darkness, fears and doubts so long and thus dishonoring Him, but I felt a nearness I had never felt before.  This gave me joy and courage to face each new trial, knowing without a doubt that His faithfulness and unfailing love will catch me and lift me again and again.  Only through the bitter trials do I faintly catch the meaning of 2Cor. 6:4, 10 which says that as ministers of God we can be sorrowful, yet always rejoicing…having nothing, yet possessing all things.  Oh how wonderful are the ways of God!!  The trials are not brought on by Him of course, but the enemy’s attacks are carefully filtered through God’s hand first, and fitted to shape our character development.  So we can say with Job, “When He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10). This is indeed a reason for us to rejoice in our trials. –

 I have a long way to go to really understand trials and the glorious work God wants to perform in us through them, but one thing I do know, without finding the hand of God in trial, we can only have a superficial relationship with Jesus, we do not have enough faith, love for Jesus, strength or depth of character to stand.  When the time of trouble comes and national apostasy sweeps the land our feet will not be anchored firm enough to hold.

 You who are suffering in the darkness just now, let Jesus take full control.  Take a very short look at your crises and a long look at the dear Saviour –who is even now bending over you, offering stronger faith and new life and joy in Him. We go down quickly when our eyes are looking at our situation because we can see nothing good! Mrs. White says:

“To every stricken one Jesus comes with the ministry of healing.  The life of bereavement, pain and suffering my be brightened by precious revealings of His presence.  God would not have us remain pressed down by dumb sorrow, with sore and breaking hearts.  He would have us look up and behold His dear face of love.  …He longs to clasp our hands, to have us look to Him in simple faith, permitting Him to guide us. …He will lift the soul above the daily sorrow and perplexity, into a realm of peace.”

 “Into the experience of all, there comes times of keen disappointment and utter discouragement, days when sorrow is the portion.  …Days when troubles harass the soul, till death seems preferable to life.  …Could we at such times discern with spiritual insight the meaning of God’s providences, we should see angels seeking to save us from ourselves.  Striving to plant our feet on a foundation more firm than the everlasting hills and new faith, new life would spring forth into being.”

The faithful Mitsubishi Truck needed some repairs.  Oil was leaking from somewhere underneath, the CV joints were loose again and we were rapidly receiving a flat tire.  We took a trip to MehDuGlow, a small village several hours east of BYT where there are 2 mechanics.  They fixed the flat, however they could not do anything to help us with our other problems.  The following Sunday morning we drove all the way out to LKY in order to take the truck to the mechanic in Mae Sot.

After the truck was fixed we planned to return immediately to BYT Tuesday morning, but alas, the battery went dead and would not revive.  I remembered Micah telling me it was weak, so I returned to Mae Sot for a new battery.  This finished we thought to go back to BYT Wednesday morning, however that day the 4 wheel drive broke all to pieces with accompanying loud noises.  Sadly I must tell you that it was my fault for not knowing how to use it properly all this time!  This made me feel bad, but that was compounded when I heard about another truck which did the exact same thing and it cost 100,000 baht to get it fixed.  (Do the math, 30 baht = $1.00).

I gave my cares to the dear Saviour, paid my tithe, so that it would not get used all up, and took off for Mae Sot once again.  This time the truck must stay for 2 days.  When I went to pick it up the head mechanic told me that the entire 4 wheel drive (I believe the mechanics call it a transfer case), had been replaced.  I timidly looked at the bill.  To my astonished gaze I saw 17,950 baht!  God was once again fighting for me!  This I considered a huge miracle and I am still thanking God!

Now it is Friday and we decided to return to BYT Sunday.  It is always difficult to get back to BYT.  Satan has many tricks and traps and works desperately to delay the work, but with God at the helm, His work will GO FORWARD!  Praise His name.

This is the day!  The preparations were all completed, the prayers were said, the truck was packed as tight and stable as possible.  The tires—well, I was advised to put the big nobby tires on, but because they have no rims, I would have to go and have them changed.  There was no time or room in the truck to do that.  The regular tires would have to do.

Blet Jaw and I proceeded to the usual entrance of the BYT road outside of Meta, but it was closed.  We knew why.  The tremendous rains this season had covered the steep cemented portions with mud, making them impassable.  We backtracked to another way in.

This page cannot describe to you the conditions of the road we travelled!  Remember, it rained with a vengeance this season. 5 months of intense rain instead of the usual 3 1/2,  enough to flood all Bangkok and mid Thailand.  I have driven thousands of miles in America in all kinds of vehicles, however none of them were off road.  I gripped the steering wheel as turn after turn revealed steep, rutted, rocky, twisting, and trecherous paths.  I had rarely even put this truck into 4 wheel drive hi and never had I used 4 wheel drive low gear.  I remember Micah telling me that you must be at a stop in order to engage it into 4 wheel drive low.  I never had seen the road this bad.  As the truck lurched and rocked over ruts and steep ups and downs I heard Blet Jaws peaceful voice.  It was saying, “You know, if you were to die doing this, Gayle, you will be in heaven, I know that for sure.”  I simply said, “That goes for you too Blet Jaw!”  Surely in all human eyes I was one most foolish to do what I was doing, But God in all His power was leading us.  His angels were all about us!  3 times I landed us in the deep ruts, (we high centered in one), 3 times Blet Jaw got out and surveyed the scene, saying, “This is very bad.”  But I tried out 4 wheel drive low and discovered it was my best friend!  What a good truck, it took all the insults I gave it and backed us out of every deep rut.  My neck was sore because I strained to see over the hood when ascending the steep hills.  I finally thought about a small blanket behind me.  I grabbed it and sat on it.  Wow!  That was a lot better, sure wish I had thought of that before.   The last 2 hours were in the dark.  It was very hard to tell what was around the bend.  You would pick a line to follow, straddling the deep ruts, as you turned the corner you wondered if you were on the right track.  Sometimes the rut widened too far and we had to back out and start again on a different line.  In the dark, the small ruts looked huge and the big ones didn’t look so bad.  There was a constant prayer on my lips.  Oh if only Bradley or Micah were here!  I now most fully respected their driving skills and endurance to drive this road repeatedly.  Oh how I miss them!  I now really understood their weariness at the days end.  What a blessing they are!

The last stretch of 10 km, I had to stop 4-5 times thinking I should throw up.  I was simply exhausted.  The river in BYT that we cross twice was higher than usual and the final short, steep hill that led up to the house was too steep for 4 high.  I skidded back down the hill.  The brakes could not hold.  Fortunately we did not go over the bank into the river sideways!  4X4 low brought us back up.  Exhausted we saw Pee Wa, the poor little old lady with so many aches and pains.  She was inviting us to her hut to sleep.  That sounded good to me.  She placed a mat in the hut for me and I laid down.  Before anyone could count to 20 I was sound asleep.

Please don’t tell Blet Jaw, but that day I made a firm decision to never drive back out on that road again!  The truck would have to stay parked right where it was!

Fortunately by the next morning I felt rested and great.  I am so thankful for a good night’s sleep. How does the Lord re-juvinate you while you sleep?   The morning was crisp and cool.  The sun shone against the steep mountains in a peaceful glow.  How beautiful!  The birds were singing.  There is so much to be thankful for dear Lord when You are by my side.