May 2022

​This month has been exhausting, but i do believe victory is near. 

Family

Calvin is doing well, and so is Fang. Theres not much to say here other than, i am enjoying the fatherhood aspect of my life the most. Its always a blessing to come inside after hard work in the sun and be greeted by my wife and son. Calvins still not talking, but we are not worried, just saying so yall know. 

The tree

So the neighbors cut down the huge mango tree that shaded our house, it was humongous, and they lopped the whole thing down. So naturally i went to ask them what they were doing with the wood, and they said the city is coming to throw the tree away. So when the city came, i asked them to leave the big peices and i would cut them up and use them to make furnature. I just couldn't pass that up, this is solid mango wood, a tropical hardwood that is quite pretty when finished. So i quickly ordered a chainsaw that was big enough to get through it. I managed to get several huge logs, over a hundred smaller logs, 6 giant slabs cut off the bottom trunk, i split a very log thick log in half to make benches, and i did slab a short thick log into square shaped slabs too totaling 4 short square slabs. The reason why i took the time to do this is because i believe it is our duty to take care of what God gives us, it is not right to just cut it down and let it rot anymore than it would be wrong to shoot a deer and leave him to rot. I can use this wood to make furnature after it dries, and the work to do that is fairly simple and straight forward using an electric hand planer and a carving disk on an angle grinder followed by sanding. I have glued the ends to slow drying to prevent cracks. I have installed sprinklers on the roof now to keep this building cool now that we down have that tree for shade anymore. This project has taken the better part of this week, and i am exhausted. Now with most of the wood sealed and stored, i just have to let it sit and dry for several months to a year before i can start making things. I believe this project, because of the size of the tree, factors into my recycle everything business plan, so this is part of my long term tent making strategy, something i can pass onto others. 

Tracts

I have only a few ideas for tracts now, so i asked Fang which one i should do next, and she said government, so i am doing a tract on how the scripture covers government, both good and bad, and how christians should live while under both. This one is probably the topic i have struggled the most with, I believe strongly in the freedoms we americans have grown up with, and have moved to a country where defamation, as defined as anything that offends someone else in public, regardless of whether it is true or opinion, or whatever the case may be, has a higher penalty than selling drugs or theft. Technically speaking a preacher could go to jail for calling out someones sin publically as is occationally nessesary according to scripture. So i find it difficult to submit to these ungodly idolatrous people, i find it even harder to accept that they have been given authority by God. Pray for me that i would have wisdom to share what the scriptures say in a helpful way, that would help me work through some of this for myself as well. The other tracts that i mentioned last month are all printed up and available for everyone. 

Class

I will say that this has been the most interesting part of my ministry this month. I have very long and in depth conversations with the student i told you of last month, he is very curious and asks questions, which is good for me if the students are the ones initiating the conversations about these subjects. Its one concept at a time with this kid, but i am able to build on previous lessons. The 1 God who is everywhere at the same time concept seems to be understood now. Pray for this kid. I have a class of 12 year olds too, and they come with their questions as well, questions about God, the 10 commandments, ghosts, and more. I am slowly putting together some additional flashcard sets to make talking about religious concepts easier with my students. 

Conclution

At the same time that we work to survive this pandemic, we are preparing for the future as well, preparing for a time in the future of higher productivity. I am working on and practicing evangelism and gospel sharing techniques, including creating spesific educational resources to help me explain these concepts with students, including their own religious practices, which all too often, even fluent thai english speakers are not able to talk about in english. Last night, Fang and I were talking about mid life crisis and why neither of us have had one, and we agree that because we don't do things like the world or chase the same things that the world chases, a house, a car, other things that rack up debt, we have been able to get through this pandemic without serious loss, and have even been able to build (though at a slower pace than wanted), and our focus has been on the end goal, God recieving glory from Thais in nst, not on things that do not last. There are all kinds of things we do to gain opportunity with people, so we can share God's truth with them, no matter if its baking bread every morning, or making furnature with the neighbors tree, but our focus is never on these material things we deal with, which is why we can be content whereever God puts us. Stress is way too common in our house, but no matter what happens, we have a lasting joy that sustains us. Thankyou to everyone who prays for us and supports us, thankyou for walking with us.