August 2021

​This month has been a productive month that i am excited to share about with you. It has also been difficult due to restrictions. We have been able to keep on going steady due to the loving support of our brothers and sisters like you. Thankyou.

Ministry

Other than tracts, i ussually have a few really good conversations with fangs customers. This month a man read one of my tracts and had a tone of questions, and we talked for a while, and he ended up taking my tract for buddhists. Fang is also growing in boldness and talking with customers about what our mission is in this city. I truely believe that this is the best captive audience setting, and one that will eventually result in a church founded on a love for Gods word. 

I also am working on putting together a bilangual hymnal and that got sideshelved because i lost some pages, good news is i found them while recycling paper, so im back in business with this project, hopefully ill have a good part of it done next month too. I believe bilangual church is inevitable, and probably benefitial in some ways even if it slows the message and understanding. So though i have shyed back from it before based on bad experiences, im warming up to the idea that it can be done right if an english teacher does it. 

Tracts

I finished half of the bondage of the will tract i am working on. Turns out it is actually just the 1st chapter of his work, however it seems to be the longest and most concise of the chapters he wrote in response to erasmus. Concepts like free will are far too distructive, and i believe luthers work is the best at addressing how unbiblical and damaging this false idea is. I also think this stikes at the heart of the gospel… not by works, so that no man can boast, not a decision of man, but born of God. This chapter from luther is a good reply to anyone who claims the ability to will anything good, or that their works can save them. (both buddhist and christian backgrounds) The fact it was written 500 years ago by the leader of the protestant reformation, and it is still modern sounding and fun to read only makes it more interesting for the reader i believe. Should be done with it next month, and then ill go back and do a few more scripture tracts, and likely try to find another short historical work to translate after that to keep up with the pattern. 

Business

Fangs shop is now to the point of struggling… so we are advirtising more often, i have encouraged her to put in 300 baht in ads per day, so that at least we get back 1000 in business per day. It pains her to spend 30% on ads, especially when we have to pay rent and stock the fridges too. My only hope is that we can get through this, and the customers who we had to gain to stay afloat will be long term customers and will help grow us later. My class has lost a couple students due to another spike in cases. I'll be ok probably, but i am very frustrated with this virus. 

Recycling project

I have decided to start recycling plastics in addition to the paper and glass i have already started to recycle. I am interested in how trash can easily turn into cash, and I think its easy enough to do that ill give it a go, and see how much i can shred now. After i get a significant amount shredded and collected over the next year or so, i will build a plastic extruder using threaded metal pipe, a long wood auger spinning with an old motor i have in storage, with some attached heating elements it should melt plastic and i can attach molds and cases to repurpose trash. I think it could be a way for a christian who wants to go into full time ministry and quit their job, still be able to make money, and in a way that can be deemed taking care of God's green earth. 

Homeschooling calvin

So Calvin can walk now, he has taken his first steps, and today i got him to take almost 10 steps without any help, so im guessing he might just start walking everywhere by himself real soon. Won't be long before he is running. Calvin loves class and is very supprisingly well behaved and attentive. Often when he gets bored he turn around to look at me and pull my mask on and off to play pickaboo however. He is a good kid and i am thankful for this huge blessing. He still isn't saying much but he is able to identify objects and he likes to point, so thats good for now. 

Future plans

So fang has relative who have land which they are not going to sell now, but in the future the value of that land will increase. We have gotten permission to use the land for the next few years, and to build something temporary or even lay a permanant foundation on that property for our future. I'm thinking it would make a good workshop place since its in the country. But other possibilities are a house with play space for calvin when he gets a bit older.  If that area is a more developed area later on we might even open a second location for the bakery. We could hold bible studies there as well, serving as a second ministry spot. So we are praying now about what we could do with very limited spending money, but trying to be wise, investing in a way that will help us grow and bless other people as well. No one is using that land now, so there is no hurry. 

Prayer

So please pray for us that we would have wisdom about how to use what God has given us here in thailand. Pray that locals would come to Christ. Pray that our business would grow and we could hire other believers to work beside us. Pray that the tracts i am working on would be well recieved by everyone who reads them. Thankyou again for your prayer and support, we love you all!