Venue: Chiang Mai
Theme: Please pray for Rev. Lee and Eld. Andrew Chen.

Mission Trip to Thailand

23-25 October 2006

To visit and encourage brethren at existing outreaches in Phrao, Chiang Mai.

Phrao | 23 October 2006

Eld. Andrew Chen and I took a flight in the morning of the Wednesday of 23 October 2006 to the second largest city of Thailand, Chiang Mai. My first visit to Chiang Mai was at the end of year 1989. Time has changed, now there is a direct flight of a low-cost carrier from Kuala Lumpur. Before that, we flew to Bangkok first. Then we make our way to Chiang Mai by bus, train or by aircraft. Travelling by bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai would take more than ten hours. This time, it only took us about two and a half hours by direct flight.

When the plane landed at Chiang Mai International Airport, we saw no haze. Pr. Xiong Fu Man was waiting for us. Thank God we had a smooth clearance with the immigration and customs. We were greeted in a brand new terminal. We had lunch in the town before we took a bus to the small town of Phrao. It was a journey of about two and a half hours. In the bus we saw a Buddhist monk, some simple folks and two Westerners. Finally, we arrived at the Enfu Christian Students Centre at Banmoh Village.

We were greeted by two Lahu tribe brethren and Pr. Xiong Fu Yi, the cousin of Pr. Xiong Fu Man. They came from another nearby village. One of the accompanying brethren is a preacher. The cold drink and local fruits served by Pr. Xiong Fu Yi refreshed us from the tiresome journey. Warm hospitality is a virtue of every Christian. It is important for us to show kindness to visitors who come to our place. It is good for us to serve refreshments to the weary travellers. Who knows, we may entertain angels unawares. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” Hebrews 13:2.

Wednesday evenings are the Bible study class in the students centre. I spoke from the book of Ecclesiastes on the investment of our life and resources. About fifteen persons were in the class including the teachers and assistants. For Christians, academic studies are not the only pursuit in life. What does it profit the students if they were to gain all the degrees and lose their soul? All the academic certificates are but worthless papers if we were to neglect the source of knowledge and wisdom, which is God Himself. The Word of God must be the guide in the pursuit of knowledge in the world. Man’s standard is not the yardstick of everything but God’s Word is.

“Yau char kwai” and hot soya bean was served as supper after the Bible class. We got to know some brothers and sisters who came from other parts of Northern Thailand and Southern Burma. Two of them were having rest in the students centre due to health problems. From the fellowship with one another, we learned more of the gospel work in Thailand and Burma. It will help us to know the needs there and pray with better understanding. It is also good for mutual encouragement in the Lord. Edifying conversations serve as a booster for a weary labourer.

Tung Ku Village | 24 October 2006

On the next morning, we travelled about twenty minutes to a Lisu village. This village is called Tung Ku, with about two hundred families residing in this area. About ten percent of the families here profess faith in Christ. The ancestors of Lisu came from the Yunnan province of China. The early American missionaries were instrumental in inventing the Lisu characters for their native language. They have their own Lisu Bibles and hymnals. For the non-believers, they worship different spirits. They used to consult the witch in the village when they are sick. For the Christians, they will ask the preacher to pray for them.

In the evening time, we had a worship service in an empty house belonging to a believer. About ten Lisu people came. Eld. Andrew Chen spoke from Psalm 23 and interpreted in Lisu by Pr. Xiong Fu Man. After the service, we prayed together. We were requested to pray for the gospel ministry in this village, for those who were sick and those who were having nightmares. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” 1 Peter 5:7-8.

Please pray for the lost souls in the village and pray for the Christians that they may be built up in the most holy faith through the ministry of the local preachers. The harvest is plenteous but the labourers are few. Pray that the Lord of the harvest may send forth His workers to the fields.

On the way back from the village, I saw a huge black rat running across from the field. According to a local preacher, these rice field rats ate a lot of grains from their paddy field. When the locals catch them, the rodents may be served as part of their meal. The experience reminded me of the verse in the Song of Solomon 2:15 “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”

Chiang Mai | 25 October 2006

On the 25th morning, we got up before dawn and caught the 6.30am bus to Chiang Mai. Thank God we arrived on time for the check-in at the Chiang Mai airport. On the whole, it was a fruitful trip. It deepened our understanding of the situation in the gospel field and provoked us to good works.