tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27088693597359250442024-03-05T03:06:51.208-08:00YWAM Ratchaburibronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-16485918351225663782022-07-25T06:57:00.005-07:002022-07-25T07:26:54.675-07:00Introducing the Wanthanakorn Family<p> <span style="font-family: arial;"><b>YWAM Ratchaburi would like to introduce the second of the two missionary families that has recently moved to Ratchaburi. Praise God for all that He is doing in and through them, and the great plans that he has for them.</b><br /><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FbCzZKyg0XQ9yLVUoH4yerzbE1r2jK3ffGLQcvk2YOCYnfFjFoPG7JaM-NjwwPcAQhzreNaXjbqSCZMSrtTx_Z9geIqiA82iC4uPndPtQipq5PaPl8zeXuRiQSR7guSBCrz_SyWaZvkYEGzcUufnlgiKkBVVL3lxCcvvmx20G0qVhC597-aGkLXykg/s1938/292619157_609629670378709_7264727021730109841_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1484" data-original-width="1938" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FbCzZKyg0XQ9yLVUoH4yerzbE1r2jK3ffGLQcvk2YOCYnfFjFoPG7JaM-NjwwPcAQhzreNaXjbqSCZMSrtTx_Z9geIqiA82iC4uPndPtQipq5PaPl8zeXuRiQSR7guSBCrz_SyWaZvkYEGzcUufnlgiKkBVVL3lxCcvvmx20G0qVhC597-aGkLXykg/s320/292619157_609629670378709_7264727021730109841_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><b style="font-family: arial;">Introducing the Wanthanakorn family</b><br style="font-family: arial;" /></p><p>Our family is an Akha family from Chiang Rai. We believe that by the grace of God He has redeemed our families. And He has chosen our families to be the conduits of His love to many who are lost.</p><p><b>Our History</b></p><p><b>Alee</b> was born into an Akha family that moved to the city when he was a child. Being a mountain boy, he was regularly teased by his friends. Alee felt that he hated being Akha. He didn't know his worth and tried to commit suicide several times. At the age of 18, Alee had an serious accident due to drunk driving. He spent four days unconscious, and took many months to recover. By God's grace, Alee was able to walk again and when he did he also began to embrace his Akha heritage. He began tospeak Akha, serve with the Akha people and studied the Akha Bible at the Akha Foundation.<br /><br />Alee loves to worship and bring a visitation to the people for support and walk side by side with them. By using his gifting for brewing and the taste of coffee as a medium, he tells the story of God and conveys His love through the beans.</p><p></p><p><b>Bum</b> was also born into an Akha family. Bum's father understood the importance of education for his children and moved their family into the city when she was a child. Bum and her brother were also involved in a very bad accident when she was a teenager. Both Bum and her brother were seriously injured and took a long time to recover. Tragically, soon after, Bum's father also passed away. Bum's mother was suddenly having to support the family alone, and Bum had to find a job to help the family make ends meet. In 2008, God brought Bum back to Him in the most extraordinary way and she fell in love with Him.</p><p>Bum completed her Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM in Chaing Rai in 2010. In 2012 she married Alee and Alee completed his DTS with YWAM that same year. They have 2 sons:Sadudee and Manna. The meaning of their children's names is to Praise God for nurturing their family every day.</p><p>In 2016 our family received God's calling as a missionaries to go to the unreached.</p><p><b>In this season, God has brought our family to Ratchaburi. We plan to host outreach teams that come to Ratchaburi and help the local church.</b> We can see the grace of God in our lives. It's a very special life, especially for our children. Sadudee and Manna have seen and been touched by God for themselves and learned of His character through a lot of things that happened during the journey with Him. </p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-54866568049846765462022-07-03T23:04:00.003-07:002022-07-03T23:04:40.114-07:00Introducing the Piawong Family<p><span style="font-family: arial;">YWAM Ratchaburi would like to introduce one of the missionary families that has recently moved to Ratchaburi. We are excited to see the plans that God has for them, and look forward to sharing more of their story with you in the future. <br /><b><br /></b><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4Nr7l-Mtc2i6Lihb6M1Q1CejLNm45n6zAV3U2G71YlsCvX4gFSooe0-SfNULXg8p1xikhQRmJjHsNmtRZhB7YDKh45G0JQ8k2M7oT-T3m5LrE5FnVk6UIA3Aqrk7ASU93WrlSQ3jWXVpC3o8csvAk_TE6eT7y3PgqjNqnTdPHwV5OizscVL6JeCHag/s1080/piawong1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4Nr7l-Mtc2i6Lihb6M1Q1CejLNm45n6zAV3U2G71YlsCvX4gFSooe0-SfNULXg8p1xikhQRmJjHsNmtRZhB7YDKh45G0JQ8k2M7oT-T3m5LrE5FnVk6UIA3Aqrk7ASU93WrlSQ3jWXVpC3o8csvAk_TE6eT7y3PgqjNqnTdPHwV5OizscVL6JeCHag/s320/piawong1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>About the Piawongs</b><br /><br />We are a family who among ourselves are very different even
in language and culture, but we have one heart to see those who live in
Thailand and neighboring countries know and experience the pure and
unconditional love of God. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;">Our focus is to disciple and pour love into families,
children, and youth. Our goal is to one day see these people that we're
reaching grow and step out to be leaders in their own families and communities,
taking initiative to reach out through the unique gifts that God has given
them. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p> </o:p><b>Our Background</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: arial;"> <b>Noom</b> grew up in a small village in Thailand. When he was in
his twenties and after many years of involvement with alcohol, drugs, women and
being the leader of a gang, God transformed his life through a YWAM DTS in
2006. He made the commitment to serve God and stayed on staff there in Chiang
Rai for another few years. <br /><b>Karis </b>grew up in Australia and moved to Thailand
with her parents in 2007. At the beginning of 2008, Karis did a DTS with YWAM
Chiang Rai and it was there that God confirmed His calling on her life for
Thailand and gave her a heart for Isaan (where Noom is from and where we
ministered through mercy ministries, sports, music and discipleship from
2009-2016). In late 2009 after getting married and moving to Isaan, Noom
started a cultural music ministry. The goal of this group was to share God's
love with the people using their own unique culture and language. We worked
together leading this ministry until 2013, as well as being guardians for a few
teenage boys who lived with us from 2009-2012. However, after becoming parents
to our first son Eliyah in 2011, Karis started to feel the time was coming for
her to start pursuing her dream of reaching out to mothers-at-risk. This slowly
evolved into a mercy ministry that reached out to whole families-at-risk. The
initial vision was for it to be a home, but it ended up being more of a
ministry that reached out to families in their own homes and communities. This,
along with training, sports and music, was our main focus until late 2014.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Between 2015-early 2017
God did many things in our hearts by slowly "weaning" us off ministry
and helping us to see how much more important it is to have an intimate
relationship with Him. He took us on a 5-year journey of travel where we lived
in a few different provinces in Thailand, learning how to live in Sonship and
learning about what our true passions are. Now, after those 5 years we are now
in Ratchaburi where we plan to stay until God says otherwise - and our hearts
still beat for children, youth and families. We run the Bridge Ministry with
another family who moved with us from North Thailand in 2021. <b>Our heart is to
connect/bridge and restore Thais hearts to God’s heart, to each other, and to
the nations</b>. <br /><br />We have three children, <b>Eliyah (2011), Solomon (2015) and Tidah
(2018)</b> and love to open our home for teenagers or young adults to stay. At the
moment we have a high-school girl from Chiang Rai living with us. We are very
passionate about journeying together as a whole family to live in God's love
and bring that love to the people of Thailand.</span></span></p>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-21685250946565811122022-05-08T00:51:00.001-07:002022-05-08T00:51:46.664-07:00Rice Seeds: When impossible becomes possible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfnkfKFnQQ89XCpUu5LuI86W2mPeY3NTZ6yEGWWi2guMi2JCP_AFN4WXDRwR5lZEZTTcZUjfUUJydli4Fg__VpznXMGIuCtW6R7ekjUoyiIycM0xvxI9XvZkqGTGky2C-W0poeQH4pdLXT2sFgJ_Zis91X530VZiAu2OpHPzrc17eIezR2u3gp6bo9g/s500/honorpics3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfnkfKFnQQ89XCpUu5LuI86W2mPeY3NTZ6yEGWWi2guMi2JCP_AFN4WXDRwR5lZEZTTcZUjfUUJydli4Fg__VpznXMGIuCtW6R7ekjUoyiIycM0xvxI9XvZkqGTGky2C-W0poeQH4pdLXT2sFgJ_Zis91X530VZiAu2OpHPzrc17eIezR2u3gp6bo9g/s320/honorpics3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;">When we first started our Rice Seeds Sponsorship Program, our heart was to teach the group of children that we met to dream beyond their own community. We wanted them to dream that other things were possible, even those things that other people had told them were impossible. They were a small group of migrant worker's children growing up in makeshift homes near the construction site that their parents worked in. </span><span style="text-align: left;">What seemed impossible for these kids, are actually things that most of us take for granted: </span></div><p>- the opportunity to not only attend high school, but to succesfully graduate<br />- the opportunity to pursue a university degree<br />- the opportunity to be granted citizenship in the country that they were born in, the only country that they have ever known as home.<br />-the necessary documents to do things that other people consider ordinary, like buying a house or getting a job<br />- being able to choose their own job, and pursuing one that they love, not just one that helps them make ends meet<br /><br />When we first started, the two oldest children were 12 year old girls: Wanlee and Tuway. We didn't have any money to help them, but when they approached us to ask us to speak to their parents so that they could stay in school, that was what we did. <br /><br />They were the first children in their community to ever attend high school. So, on the journey along the way, they were the first to reach every significant milestone. They faced many obstacles along the way, having to fight for their dreams each step of the way. <br /><br />Today those two girls have both completed their university degrees. One of them has been granted Thai citizenship and the other is in the process of pursuing her Thai citizenship. They are both working in jobs that they enjoy and helping to support their families. One of them is in the process of building a house.<br /><br />Over a period of 13 years of walking in faith towards their dreams, the impossible of yesterday has become the possible of today. They not only succeeded at reaching their own dreams, but have opened the way for many others who have come after them. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi350grEF_XG7kQo1CFj5mRla7AtsGEQtSjLXqDl8FUK6Kf9j42yM3-ZvVqSgYBq9UNn1O4HTzojcjkFIajltDj6nrdB8tOc63R0HsVm_8GGTJ_l4OQfF1l9NvqxF3I4hwbCdRcjawBNWI-43kQJyQIRdR-O6CUzSrgIUJtlwvYbJ8cyCM_njGeN18sEA/s1944/84562438_10221821861795070_4949524572517957632_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="1296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi350grEF_XG7kQo1CFj5mRla7AtsGEQtSjLXqDl8FUK6Kf9j42yM3-ZvVqSgYBq9UNn1O4HTzojcjkFIajltDj6nrdB8tOc63R0HsVm_8GGTJ_l4OQfF1l9NvqxF3I4hwbCdRcjawBNWI-43kQJyQIRdR-O6CUzSrgIUJtlwvYbJ8cyCM_njGeN18sEA/s320/84562438_10221821861795070_4949524572517957632_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-27605930229639353522022-03-24T07:35:00.000-07:002022-03-24T07:35:13.323-07:00<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQfbjdXvCk5BxBcHaY6zs6RYCrnDH6gwgOrq6V546MGThm6SlbXkm3PZQa5QYUPpeY9HtehEQIj4DhUR4-BhMsE_nIAlCG1DWMzshdUEOS6uDmyeFvLqN9QgHLinDK_wMLXrY2Rdr75yIHbKT_-QwzXSQ8TO-5IddnHs4XBeDXNKeMOWBY6ekA1BYsw/s1600/Screenshot%20(149).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQfbjdXvCk5BxBcHaY6zs6RYCrnDH6gwgOrq6V546MGThm6SlbXkm3PZQa5QYUPpeY9HtehEQIj4DhUR4-BhMsE_nIAlCG1DWMzshdUEOS6uDmyeFvLqN9QgHLinDK_wMLXrY2Rdr75yIHbKT_-QwzXSQ8TO-5IddnHs4XBeDXNKeMOWBY6ekA1BYsw/w592-h332/Screenshot%20(149).png" width="592" /></a></div><br />Praise God for the progress that we have already made in the fund raising effort towards our family ministry vehicle. We have covered 11 out of the 80 hearts already.<br /><br />We still have a long way to go, but we are trusting that God will provide everything that we need in order to reach our goal.<br /><br />If you would like to contribute, you can send funds to our paypal account:<br /><br />a_prommathat@hotmail.com<br /><br />or via the YWAM Thailand website <a href="https://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=YWAM%20Ratchaburi">here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><p></p>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-45821245601995032192022-02-26T19:32:00.004-08:002022-02-26T19:32:32.530-08:00Prommathat Family Ministry Vehicle<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXIBeDHaMS-bYx9STuW8refE5rIbmiuYJ_KEWoZ9eziqst_ALbcpacxz39IposJSmbRgh2uMADVP1gaaAb2UXrKviv6Ck5uMKNXAadWnZL9Duh8aE8XxLUtIJbzV4-qBd0qyGSmE8XCh8lPHDxdQSW1qjCosNsm-5wwReVYomugCuhx7x0ldCpTiv3wQ=s1600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiXIBeDHaMS-bYx9STuW8refE5rIbmiuYJ_KEWoZ9eziqst_ALbcpacxz39IposJSmbRgh2uMADVP1gaaAb2UXrKviv6Ck5uMKNXAadWnZL9Duh8aE8XxLUtIJbzV4-qBd0qyGSmE8XCh8lPHDxdQSW1qjCosNsm-5wwReVYomugCuhx7x0ldCpTiv3wQ=w653-h368" width="653" /></a>Help us to be able to purchase a ministry vehicle as soon as possible so that we can keep serving effectively in the communities around us.<br /><br /> Each US$100 that we receive will help us to color in one of the 75 remaining hearts to reach our goal of US$8,000.<br />To donate towards this need, you can click<a href="https://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=YWAM%20Ratchaburi" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br /><br />Or contact us for more details: ratchaburi@ywamthai.org<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-85433497671717258452017-04-05T03:46:00.002-07:002017-04-05T03:46:30.828-07:00Reaching for new heights
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4k8xXs5sfVIx_5Xt38H4Gaf-KnxvacxBem3G95r2RaCP6FypSInYRD_cFUrZ9NBCvaeGeTs4NcBqXovoy3l6kLN7QO0y-Av1tsyh5Q4IxrtsSeXHMupSbUhCIjsY3JLuaz8N8KFUWQPju/s1600/17819817_10155158088969715_336160486_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4k8xXs5sfVIx_5Xt38H4Gaf-KnxvacxBem3G95r2RaCP6FypSInYRD_cFUrZ9NBCvaeGeTs4NcBqXovoy3l6kLN7QO0y-Av1tsyh5Q4IxrtsSeXHMupSbUhCIjsY3JLuaz8N8KFUWQPju/s640/17819817_10155158088969715_336160486_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tao and Arm just finished twelfth grade. For some people
that may not seem like a huge achievement, but both girls have overcome great
adversity to get to this point. <br />
<br />
Both girls were born in Karen families in Thailand. Arm was granted Thai
citizenship at the age of 13, but Tao has not been able to obtain citizenship
despite numerous efforts over the years. At the start of her high school years
Tao moved schools and went to live at her new school in the hope that being in
the district where most of the Karen people live that her attempt to obtain
citizenship would be successful. However, year after year her dreams were
crushed and she remains stateless after six years of living away from her
mother and father.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1WknJB-YU6gCal3Zkx82guUhhAGd8h1OQBWQowemzBbd0MWKRo2ZAfuQTIzV2zn-9S5Y-tz4fOwHutcrgBmQWH1cVrlXsUL3o-hw5CFMkaylJsFLUfHEdZEgkr4-xGNAWJgfK0avV0Wg/s1600/17820130_10155158089239715_1429040970_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1WknJB-YU6gCal3Zkx82guUhhAGd8h1OQBWQowemzBbd0MWKRo2ZAfuQTIzV2zn-9S5Y-tz4fOwHutcrgBmQWH1cVrlXsUL3o-hw5CFMkaylJsFLUfHEdZEgkr4-xGNAWJgfK0avV0Wg/s320/17820130_10155158089239715_1429040970_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tao</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Arm may have Thai citizenship, but as the fourth of seven children she faced much opposition from her family when she wanted to pursue her studies past middle school. None of her three older siblings studied beyond seventh grade and it seemed like she was destined to follow the same path. She dreamt of more and thankfully with the help of some of her friends, a sponsor who helped to cover her school fees, and a pastor who helped to speak to her parents on her behalf, she managed to stay in school each year. </span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIaMWMrgmpgh8ksCCikmbv7vF5SNq7I5WtZVhd664dx3qL5Dm-J-GQvLvp9uN5jNU4aI_s0E4CNmQldmAQgQrk-4N7GGam2MmzuVeLRVo50cjXuv4GWnMB2ThCohzB_sGAW0rBEGZR_CB/s1600/17820297_10155158089364715_1961771050_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUIaMWMrgmpgh8ksCCikmbv7vF5SNq7I5WtZVhd664dx3qL5Dm-J-GQvLvp9uN5jNU4aI_s0E4CNmQldmAQgQrk-4N7GGam2MmzuVeLRVo50cjXuv4GWnMB2ThCohzB_sGAW0rBEGZR_CB/s320/17820297_10155158089364715_1961771050_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arm</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
How do you stand up and fight for your dreams when everything seems to be
against you? Almost everyone that we have met that has overcome adversity of
some kind says the same thing – you cannot fight alone. There is always someone
who stands with you, someone who believes in you, who helps you not to give up
on yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arm and Tao have each had a
number of people like that, people who have stood beside them and encouraged
them when it seemed impossible to keep going. Teachers, pastors, friends,
sponsors – they are not the ones that reach the dream, but without them the
dream is that much harder to reach. <br />
<br />
When we meet people like Tao and Arm, we are encouraged because we know that
their story is so much bigger than a twelfth grade certificate. It is about
community – people standing together cheering on someone else to achieve their
dreams, with no motive of anything for themselves in return. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>In our years of
connecting sponsors with children who need sponsorships, we have met many
selfless people along the way, people willing to be a part of someone’s story
without any selfish motives. If that is you reading this, we salute you for your
contribution to someone else’s dreams. Thank you, whoever you are, wherever you
are – you have made a difference.</b>
<br />
Arm and Tao are in fact not finished their journey with us, but rather just
beginning a new chapter. They are our newest university students in our
sponsorship program, now reaching towards their bachelor’s degrees starting
this June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tao will be studying a
humanities degree majoring in English and Arm will be studying an arts degree
majoring in drama and dance. We know from experience that the journey will not
be easy – Arm will still have to face the pressure from her family to drop out
and contribute to the family finances, Tao must continue to pursue her struggle
for citizenship, hopefully finding a way before she graduates. There will be
many challenges along the way, but with a community of people standing with
them, we believe that they can do it.<br />
<br />
This year, with Tao and Arm we will have a total of six university students and
around thirty high school students that we assist. We are always looking for
new people to partner with us to help us to continue supporting those who receive
sponsorships until they reach their dreams of completing their education. <br />
<b><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you would like to be one of those
standing in the wings cheering them on, we would love to hear from you. </b><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-19495324713470837682017-03-14T02:32:00.000-07:002017-03-14T03:42:02.648-07:00Walking in their shoes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fA4RtRbDzFlTWe9OTLgTjn0wDSNeYTKCttP0eQO4SCzn0u81BhJUTTiGmtFkIvGzFktNkdSEnnMqiI7G1E6xCKXYKB5VKYzPDCLMF0LvGIQOYQ4qbC_rYItMLJrPHHyZtTXNiwMvPgxJ/s1600/17142468_10155054972314715_517485359_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fA4RtRbDzFlTWe9OTLgTjn0wDSNeYTKCttP0eQO4SCzn0u81BhJUTTiGmtFkIvGzFktNkdSEnnMqiI7G1E6xCKXYKB5VKYzPDCLMF0LvGIQOYQ4qbC_rYItMLJrPHHyZtTXNiwMvPgxJ/s640/17142468_10155054972314715_517485359_o.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<b>We have discovered in the journey that we have walked with the children that we support to attend school that being given the opportunity to attend school is only one part of the equation. Being able to do it with as much dignity as possible is truly empowering. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Children need the right equipment to follow their dreams, and in cases where their parents need to rely on sponsorships just to keep their children in school - the additional expenses that come along with being in school are often completely overwhelming. </div>
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<br /></div>
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One of the primary expenses for school going children every year in Thailand is school uniforms. Part of the uniform that often does not get replaced due to their families limited budgets is the school shoes. We have seen many a child who has completely worn out the soles of their shoes, with their feet literally touching the ground when they walk.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our wonderful friends at the International Community School (ICS) in Bangkok recently helped us to start a fund towards purchasing new shoes for the children in two of the Karen villages in Suan Pueng for this coming school year, which begins in May. We would very much like to reach the goal of purchasing a new pair of school shoes for every one of the school going kids in the villages before the new school year begins. </div>
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<br /></div>
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While 2 villages full of new shoes may seem like a huge goal, <b>one new pair only costs around US$10.</b> </div>
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Join us in the joy of buying a pair of school shoes for someone who really needs them. </div>
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If you would like to have a part in this project, you can donate online <a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=YWAM%20Ratchaburi">here.</a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
(Please make sure to state in the note that it is for the Rice Seeds Shoe project)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Or contact us for more details: ratchaburi@ywamthailand.org</div>
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-80662401386723693612016-01-03T22:04:00.000-08:002016-01-03T22:08:38.744-08:00Karen church opening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span id="goog_1511926189"></span><span id="goog_1511926190"></span>When we met the people in the Makaam Waan village a few years ago, they spoke to us about the vision that they had to build a new church. Their old bamboo church structure desperately needed replacing. It seemed like a distant dream from the desperately poor state of most of the villagers, but we prayed together with them and encouraged them to continue pursuing the vision.</div>
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The journey has been thrilling to be a part of as we have watched God provide little by little until finally on the 31st of December 2015, we were able to participate in the official opening of the long awaited church building.<br />
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What does this mean for the village of Makaam Waan other than no more leaking roof during the many a rainy Sunday morning church service and no more fear that visiting honored guests would fall through the many holes in the battered bamboo stage? It means that our Karen brothers and sisters have journeyed together, not only with us and with each other, but with our faithful God - and He has proven Himself faithful no matter the obstacle. It means that their faith has grown as they have been challenged to believe beyond their circumstances in a God that is great enough to fulfill even those things that may seem impossible. <b>It is a testament to God's faithfulness like a rainbow or an alter of remembrance, so that those who were involved in the vision can share of the great things that God did on the way to seeing the church building finished.</b><br />
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Every Sunday morning, the beautiful Karen voices of Makaam Waan village will ring out in unison in a ballad of praise to Him who is most worthy. Our prayer is that He will be known intimately by them.<br />
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<br />bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-20142109418671506112015-10-15T00:17:00.001-07:002015-10-15T00:17:48.946-07:00The Lord's Tents Camping #7<b>On the 12th-14th of October we hosted the Lord's Tent's camping #7. </b><div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So many tents! 60 children and 20 adults on our camp this year.</td></tr>
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The Lord's Tent's Camping started as a project a couple of years ago with a small group of Burmese kids that we were ministering to. We had realised in the time that we had spent with the children that because of the circumstances in which they grew up, they did not dream big dreams for their future. Most knew that they would never make it past primary school and that their life would be in construction. There were walls stopping their dreams, and we wanted those walls to be broken down.</div>
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We had the kids each think up a small short term dream. Something that they had never done but wanted to do. They each wrote them down on a piece of paper and together we picked one out of a hat. It belonged to a little boy - he had never been camping and his dream was to camp in a tent and sleep in a sleeping bag. Together we prayed with the kids, raised funds and the dream of the Lord's Tent's Camping was born.</div>
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Now 7 years later, most of that first small group of Burmese kids are all grown up. Two of the girls are in second year university - this year, they played a role in helping us lead the camp. But now there are not just a small group of children. One little boys dream of camping in a tent and sleeping bag now is a tool that inspires other children like him to dream beyond his community. </div>
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Approximately 60 children attended this year - some refugees, some the children of Burmese migrants, some Thai children - but each with a story, and each with the potential to dream of something bigger for their lives. We hope that they were inspired this week, not so much by us, but by each other - that they will see freedom to dream in the eyes of a friend, and have the courage to take down those walls in their own heart. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Words of encouragement written by the kids</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking their own food</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking in bamboo over a fire</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening activities</td></tr>
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-7328943486232437892015-03-09T08:50:00.000-07:002015-03-09T08:50:16.112-07:00Mam's house<br />
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Mongkhon is our dear staff member with a heart as wide as the ocean - he gives literally everything that he has away, filled with compassion for anyone in need and hardly ever thinking about himself. Anyone that has met Mongkhon can testify to his kind heart. He is always looking for a way to help someone in need with what little he has himself.<br />
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Mongkhon has a very dear sister whose name is Mam. Mam is in her 50's and lives in the family house that was built, rather poorly, many years ago. Mam is often not well and lives alone in the house, cooking and selling food to make just enough to get by on her own.<br /><br />Mam's house was built as many are in the slums without proper foundations. It has a wooden floor and is built over an area of water, which causes serious flooding in the rainy season from water seeping through the floor.<br />
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The greatest concern that we have for Mam right now is that the floor of her house has begun to sink. The sinking floor is causing the wall to pull away from the roof, which could fall in on Mam at any time. If the house is still standing in June, when the monsoon season begins she will practically be living in water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22odxXny3MY8afJnWo9sw7V-oW5jfIvKa_Qe8d5T-Hv3bABAyZeJy61bPAMWTOd8EVy6kC84BMGa_P0sciXjCStxOkko3VWLSERZ1fL-ys1FDsT_y-C4B836HJZQOPaWYCWSI5SFrs9Bg/s1600/1661048_1653044718256728_8840728682894677085_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22odxXny3MY8afJnWo9sw7V-oW5jfIvKa_Qe8d5T-Hv3bABAyZeJy61bPAMWTOd8EVy6kC84BMGa_P0sciXjCStxOkko3VWLSERZ1fL-ys1FDsT_y-C4B836HJZQOPaWYCWSI5SFrs9Bg/s1600/1661048_1653044718256728_8840728682894677085_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wooden floor through which the water seeps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMDilRm3R1HJ2JUayicB_0ABgY4k80Qnc673GAI7uRx1v4MXr6-BCscZzBQkiRlkWxdZvbI8zRjSFBaRHOzYsmtdDGd-6OwTR1iFJBjA89l-1D3_lDLauteH46NNll0S3m5IBgV1wJ0fi/s1600/10959661_1653045421589991_8869731486518665844_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZMDilRm3R1HJ2JUayicB_0ABgY4k80Qnc673GAI7uRx1v4MXr6-BCscZzBQkiRlkWxdZvbI8zRjSFBaRHOzYsmtdDGd-6OwTR1iFJBjA89l-1D3_lDLauteH46NNll0S3m5IBgV1wJ0fi/s1600/10959661_1653045421589991_8869731486518665844_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mam looking at the floor that has sunk and pulled away from the wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvKC0S7AJ1DfbhJ7-GXsHqNgT22LV-dKob9w6V2Tj7sUgRDU7gvJKMjPhx1691uw0OVU9aTX7i8_lFgTrwpvQUfACmgKBXYjydvP_FHwrpwAfQ4N53f2Ze_ZLwfBedVtpfI4Pbjr8FHBG/s1600/10926417_1653046298256570_3152346456558145138_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWvKC0S7AJ1DfbhJ7-GXsHqNgT22LV-dKob9w6V2Tj7sUgRDU7gvJKMjPhx1691uw0OVU9aTX7i8_lFgTrwpvQUfACmgKBXYjydvP_FHwrpwAfQ4N53f2Ze_ZLwfBedVtpfI4Pbjr8FHBG/s1600/10926417_1653046298256570_3152346456558145138_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The growing gap between the wall and the roof</td></tr>
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Now to most people reading this story, evacuating Mam from the house that could collapse at any moment seems like the simplest solution. However, Mam does not want to leave the house and she is the last family member living in the house that holds the house certificate (an essential document in Thailand) for the whole family<br /><br />Mongkhon wants to help his sister to strengthen the structure of the house, lift the floor and add some pillars to help the house to be more stable. He wants to repair the ceiling and do what little he can to make the house a safer place for his sister, who doesn't want to move out of the house that she has lived much of her life in.<br />
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He estimates that it will cost around US$1000 to do the bare minimum in fixing the house. If you have met Mongkhon while serving with us and been touched by his huge heart for others, would you consider giving in some way towards something that is so close to his heart?<br /><br />If you would like to make a donation towards this project, please contact us and we will let you know how it can be done.bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-50447767413303216712015-02-04T03:36:00.001-08:002015-02-04T03:56:02.614-08:00Building the church<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was a morning in the little Karen church in Suan Pueng a few years ago that I finally came to a deeper understanding of the plight of the refugee. A few of the youth were standing in front of the church singing a Thai worship song, and the words cut deeply into my heart. Not for myself, but for the girls that were singing it.<br /><br />The song was a prayer, asking God to 'heal our land', and it was then that I began to think about what it must feel like to not have a land to call your own. Not a piece of land, that's your own, purchased with money that can be worked for, but a land that accepts you as it's citizens and gives you the rights that should be granted to citizens of every country. The Karen are not citizens anywhere and many that live in this particular village come out of the refugee camp nearby, some having lived there for more than 10 years before finally coming out and living in Thailand.</span><img height="480" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/2761_235389766605316_1995469168_n.jpg?oh=c9cbdf83637ffc3cbcb525a54753e359&oe=55554136&__gda__=1432902143_038b1fc6ac2c42b90d0300462c671ae1" width="640" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />We have known the people of this particular Karen congregation for around 4 years now. They are our brothers and sisters. We love their children as our own. Everyone that visits them is blessed by just being with them. They are a beautiful people, with hearts that reflect more of the heart of Jesus in their hospitality than can be explained in words - but anyone that has been there knows what I am talking about, because it is an experience that blows you away and changes your own heart forever.<br /><br />When we met the people of this village, we had no idea that they had in fact just been through a very traumatic situation. Many months later, they shared this experience with us, and our hearts broke for them. The church that they worship in is a bamboo structure typical of the Karen people. However, bamboo structures are usually supposed to be replaced every 2-3 years and theirs has been around for almost 8 years and they have never been able to afford to replace it. The roof leaks, the benches are falling apart, there are holes in the stage - and most importantly, the church was built on borrowed land. When we met them, they had almost saved enough money to finally purchase a piece of land to be able to build a new, more permanent, more stable church building. The week before we arrived in their village for the first time, someone ran off with the money, never to be seen again.</span><img height="426" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10526188_10152161802466533_3192966227020007360_n.jpg?oh=433b3859be872aa03c873a7ce1bb2816&oe=5548B0A1&__gda__=1431208375_c3fd7c569a1a248a9b0d241607a89b33" width="640" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />It has been a long journey since then as we have walked alongside them through this situation. We challenged them to raise the money themselves as a congregation for the land again - through tithes and offerings from the minimal wages that they receive working in construction. We rejoiced with them when they were able to purchase the land last year. We came together in faith with them and found sponsors for the church toilets - the very first thing that was built on the land just a few months ago.</span><img height="360" src="https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AACe_zD-Dq2LUN3jQupQTJLPn0Sqf8pEOTIij-OADbc9lQ/12/74339045/jpeg/2048x1536/3/_/1/2/2014-08-17%2009.48.36.jpg/COWluSMgASACIAMoASgC/zDhNIZD6XT3nmVAkWbjAmbekzh6P1bvUZ7ReZOENrTU" width="640" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br />Late last year we were approached by a school in Bangkok that wanted to get involved in a construction project and we suggested this one. We will be starting the foundations with them next week and building some of the wall surrounding the church property.<br /><br />This is so exciting for us and we know that even though they are not citizens in this land, or any land - having their own permanent church structure, on their own land that they as a church have purchased, is something very special indeed. They themselves are the church, and it is not any building or structure or government that can dictate their worship of God. Yet, we long to worship together with them in their new church building when it is finished <b>:to rejoice in the faithfulness of the God who has brought us together as one family, across borders and cultures and regardless of language barriers and financial difficulty and lack of citizenship.</b><br /><br />We will begin the foundations in faith, but we need partners to come alongside us and help us to join with our Karen brothers and sisters in this vision. They together as a church have raised a lot of money from their small salaries to purchase the land and begin the building. In order to finish the entire church building, we, together with the church will need to raise up to <b>850,000 Baht ($26,000).</b></span><img height="360" src="https://photos-3.dropbox.com/t/2/AAB4Hq3t6OVxfnJ87rR2Hn2DfQibPj8HA-rv1Ou6Fc5lHQ/12/74339045/jpeg/2048x1536/3/_/1/2/2015-01-27%2009.22.43.jpg/COWluSMgASACIAMoASgC/2nibSx0_dDdjBaZ3rXzu96h65BBEwfShD6SqFe51fhw" width="640" /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><br /><b>Would you consider being a partner of something so special? If you have visited this village and would like to give something back to them as a community, this is your chance. <br />If you have never visited them, we challenge you to give towards this church as a step in faith that maybe, just maybe one day you may make it here to meet these beautiful people. </b><br /><br />Every amount will help us to make this a reality. If you would like to give towards this project, you can do so <a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=Ratchaburi">here,</a> (please make sure to specify in the note that the amount needs to go to the 'Karen church' and notify us by email so that we can correctly allocate the donation)<br /><br />Alternatively donations can be made to:<br /><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">please send checks payable to "</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eeeeee; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">YWAM Montana</strong><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">" to: </span><br style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">"</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eeeeee; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">YWAM Montana, 501 Blacktail Rd., Lakeside, MT 59922, U.S.A.</strong><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">".</span><br style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">Please don't write anything else on the check and include a separate note indicating that your donation is for "</span><strong style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eeeeee; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Project 3551, YWAM Ratchaburi</strong><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">".</span><br /> (if you donate via YWAM Montana, please send us a note when you have made the donation so that we can allocate it to the church building).</span><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIOb5zlRIguAALwanQEejqp2GtnavCiK4Kk16knuV_z7Z0TScBJ13nduJKKaFZ3wep0o_6P1e8PoDx4TCtMc1j1VPJn4wp55cRWfDndxawCC1POO2QrFoMbXcVOVFReBm3AQnlSaTqzXZ6/s640/IMG_5182.JPG" height="480" width="640" /><br />
(Photo credit: <span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.63636302948px; line-height: 18.6000003814697px; text-indent: 2px; white-space: pre;">Karina Palamarchuk)</span>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-10348863067829792872014-08-20T22:41:00.000-07:002014-08-20T22:41:48.952-07:00The joy of a shared marble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEoVXPRKXYifA3RZ3nI2RMD0j-4k5I1VlJ8BdlC8ML_62sVUDdKxrIQIdQZFR5OxF8qeOniiWwfieIA8yDKEEjKQBNM05BzR3nP3j0hH8Jo5ifEnfmeuY_lwyMknNaEX-zPr-wsK-c3Yl/s1600/10358883_10152179338492321_3424152328120170569_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEoVXPRKXYifA3RZ3nI2RMD0j-4k5I1VlJ8BdlC8ML_62sVUDdKxrIQIdQZFR5OxF8qeOniiWwfieIA8yDKEEjKQBNM05BzR3nP3j0hH8Jo5ifEnfmeuY_lwyMknNaEX-zPr-wsK-c3Yl/s1600/10358883_10152179338492321_3424152328120170569_n.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>'What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others...' Nelson Mandela</b><br /><br />For most people who are not born into poverty it may be difficult to understand that people who have little are often more generous with the little that they have than those that have much. <br /><br />My children have many friends from many different walks of life. They are missionary kids, growing up between worlds, even though they have Thai passports by birth. They have Thai friends who speak Thai, Thai friends who have been raised in English, friends from Australia, America, Canada and New Zealand. They are friends with the Burmese children in our area. However the children that they love to play with the most of all, are the Karen children who live in a small make-shift village on the border of Thailand and Burma.<br /><br />Why do they like to play with those children the most? Their lives are so uncluttered. I would like to use the word uncomplicated but with the complex issues that they face growing up in extreme poverty and without citizenship in any country, that simply isn't true. What I mean by uncluttered is that they have so little 'stuff'. There are few possessions to be had, and what they have, they share without a second thought. No parents have to come and intervene to make them share. It is their natural inclination.<br /><br />This is not something that is behavior that has been taught, but rather an attitude that has been learned from the way that they see their parents interact with others. Everything is shared. As poor as they are and as little access as they have to whatever it is that they may need, they are always thinking of others. Just last weekend when we were in the village, a friend from Bangkok brought some second hand clothes for the villagers. The response of one of the leaders in the village was: "Next time you come, don't forget to bring more winter clothes. We know some people who live on the Burmese side of the border who live in the forest. It is very cold in the winter and they have nothing to wear." I had to ask myself, if I struggled to get by every day, would my attitude have been to think about someone else in need?<br /><br />In the past few months we have spent a lot of time out at the Karen village with teams of volunteers. In all that we have given, and all that the teams have done, I am never convinced that we are the givers and not in fact the receivers in this relationship. For all that we teach and all that we do, I think each one of our volunteers, including our own family, learns and receives one hundred times more. I know that for my children, countless life lessons have been learned playing in the dust and climbing the trees together with their Karen friends. Probably one of the greatest is this: <br /><br /><b>One marble shared among many friends can bring more joy than a room full of toys kept to oneself.</b><br /><br />My Karen friends have made a difference in my life. How much money you have is not the limiting factor on the difference that you can make to the world. Share what you have been given and the joy will be shared.<br /><br />bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-76066930620090329602014-06-11T20:03:00.000-07:002014-06-11T20:08:04.758-07:00The strength to start again<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SRRoCuvNueJkdTH18ruZiV1Zspdo498Im1BsmJbNF_UczwzCmP7RukInnvkKPNgTHxqawJGLf9LQj8wqkukXbrj9tVasaqgS1mHN0LejcUrU_JXU4etbo1ADAXCsU-bnaBPJ4dFczdi1/s1600/10411812_10152556049859715_5799881494861597678_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3SRRoCuvNueJkdTH18ruZiV1Zspdo498Im1BsmJbNF_UczwzCmP7RukInnvkKPNgTHxqawJGLf9LQj8wqkukXbrj9tVasaqgS1mHN0LejcUrU_JXU4etbo1ADAXCsU-bnaBPJ4dFczdi1/s1600/10411812_10152556049859715_5799881494861597678_n.jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Thongdee, Ae, Saoda and K</b><br />
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<i style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” F. Scott Fiztgerald</i><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">What does it look like to have the strength to start again? It takes courage. It takes strength. However, without someone cheering you on from the sidelines, it can be a very lonely journey.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">The four people in the picture above have each begun to start again. In fact they have been on this journey for some time now. One of them is a very talented musician that was living a life that he was not so proud of, 2 of them were just recently released from prison, and one of them lived a large part of his life as a refugee. </span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">Life if full of circumstances that make it difficult to stand up when we make a mistake. When someone makes the decision to stand up and start again, we want to be cheering them on. Thongdee, Ae, Saoda and K are on a journey of redemption together - their stories, although somewhat different, have a common denominator - each one of them believes that God has called them to serve Him in some way or another.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">Together they left Ratchaburi at the beginning of June 2014 to attend a 6 month Discipleship Training School with YWAM Ubon Ratchathani in the north east of Thailand. They are desiring to learn more about God's plans for them. They are desiring to continue on in this journey to live a life that not only they are proud of, but that the Heavenly Father is pleased with.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">Each one of the four need to raise</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"> US$1000 </span><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">for the 6 month Discipleship Training School that they are involved in. We are here to cheer them on in their journey, but we need others who are willing to stand up with us and cheer them on from near or from far. We need people to join us in prayer for them. We need people to help them to cover a small amount of the fees of a 6 month experience that to them, is invaluable. </span></span></h1>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">We believe that God will use ordinary people who at some point in their lives have had to start again, just like the four of them. We believe that as people are willing to stand up with us and cheer for people like these four individuals, that they will have the strength that they need each day, through the encouragement that they receive. If you would like to contribute you can do so </span><a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=Ratchaburi" style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">here</a><span style="font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">.</span><br /><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">(Please make sure that you state in the note that it is for: YWAM Ratchaburi DTS students).</span><div style="font-weight: normal; text-align: start;">
<b style="background-color: transparent; text-align: center;"><br />We also believe that God will use the stories of these four people to encourage others to stand up and make a change in their lives. If that is you, be encouraged - and may you have a team of people cheering you on as you continue to try and rewrite your story with God. If you know someone who is trying to gain the courage and strength to stand up and make a change - why not let them know that you are cheering for them. </b></div>
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-48191792183272126992014-05-09T20:55:00.004-07:002014-05-09T20:55:37.722-07:00Dreaming beyond the rainbow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>‘Every child has the right to a good education. Every child
has the right to an education that develops his or her personality, talents and
abilities to their fullest; an education that prepares him or her for an active
adult life; an education that fosters respect for his or her own family,
cultural identity, language, country, and the natural environment; and an
education in the spirit of understanding, peace, tolerance and equality.’ (The
United Nations Convention on the rights of the child, simplified version: article 28 and 29).<br /></b>
<br />
According to the United Nations this is
something that should be the right of every child – until they are 18 years
old. However, we have met many children that have been denied that right for
various reasons. As we have gotten to know the Burmese children that live in
our area in Thailand, we have learned so much about the plight that they face. Most never
study beyond 6<sup>th</sup> Grade. Once they are not in school, they usually
begin working in construction. Six years ago, we began to fight for the right
to an education for 2 young ladies – we fought for them, not only for them, but
for their entire community. They were to be the first, but certainly not the
last. They were to be the example of what every child in their community should
have the right to. <br /><br /><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-AcYj7n8W7Ug45AVtsziaZ_P5lzk912hVsVMCT_Vt2zIIyS80nPYCwVO8hv0ZiknviidwDJEYTdRrY8INCUKRtCf-8gwtKV0lgXzjC3GnqiF7OSs33bU9TJ8aTAqGn5hg0MR2Rk0yxSO/s1600/1544525_10152483518054715_8850726090504050321_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-AcYj7n8W7Ug45AVtsziaZ_P5lzk912hVsVMCT_Vt2zIIyS80nPYCwVO8hv0ZiknviidwDJEYTdRrY8INCUKRtCf-8gwtKV0lgXzjC3GnqiF7OSs33bU9TJ8aTAqGn5hg0MR2Rk0yxSO/s1600/1544525_10152483518054715_8850726090504050321_n.jpg" height="640" width="360" /></a></div>
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Wanlee and Tuway, six years ago had reached the end of their
6<sup>th</sup> grade year at school. They confided in us that they desired to
attend high school. Nobody in their entire community had ever attended high
school. Did they have the right to attend school as Burmese migrants in
Thailand? Although it is not without challenges, it is possible. The right to an education was being withheld
not by the Thai government, but rather by their own community. It was their own
family - who did not understand the desires that these girls had to continue
their education. It was their own parents who because of the extreme poverty
that they were faced with would rather have had their daughters find a job at
the age of 12, than continue their education. To some in the developed world,
this story may seem unreal. However, Wanlee and Tuway’s story was not unique.
In fact in the developing world, it is an all too common story of how extreme
poverty takes away your right to choose your own future – all when you are only
12 years old.<br />
<br />
What is unique about Wanlee and Tuway is their desire and exceptional courage to fight for their
dreams. When they approached their parents with us to ask if they would be
allowed to attend high school, we knew that it was the beginning of a difficult
journey for them. Amazingly, their parents agreed to allow them to begin 7<sup>th</sup>
grade – and each year they agreed to allow them to continue on. There were
times when there were threats of sending them back to work in Myanmar. We stood
strong with them and cried many tears with them each time that their parents
threatened to not allow them to continue what they had started. <br />
<br />
In February 2014, Wanlee and Tuway graduated from high school. We are so proud
of them and feel privileged to have walked this journey with them so far.
However, the journey is not yet done. From the start, we have encouraged them
to dream bigger. Last week, they left Ratchaburi to attend university in
Bangkok. What seemed like a dream that was way beyond the rainbow for two young
girls six years ago is finally becoming a reality. There is much work ahead and there are many struggles still to come – but Wanlee and
Tuway have already beaten the odds in their own community. When Wanlee and
Tuway were 12 years old, they dreamed dreams of having the right to an
education. We hope that they will be the future advocates for the next
generation. That when the time comes, they will stand up and speak for those
who do not yet have a voice in their community. <br />
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Wanlee and Tuway would not be where they are today had it
not been for the people that have encouraged, prayed for and helped to support
them over the years. If you are one of those people – thank you for the part
that you have played. To some, it may appear that two lives have been changed –
but we know that it is the beginning of
so much more, for so many more children like them. <br />
<br />
If you would like to send an encouraging note to Wanlee and Tuway, or if you
would like to help support them in their dreams in some small way – please contact
us: <a href="mailto:ratchaburi@ywamthai.org">ratchaburi@ywamthai.org</a><br />
<br /><b>
‘Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who
are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and
needy’.Proverbs 31:8-9</b>
<br />
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-78834830119528736382013-06-18T03:31:00.000-07:002013-06-18T03:31:43.270-07:00When love looks like a menthol candy and a bottle of shampoo...<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">When you are given a
prison sentence, most ordinary comforts are removed from your life. In
Thailand, most often there are more than fifty people staying in a prison cell together, with
barely enough room for all of them to sleep. Any personal items that are allowed need to come
from relatives, but often relatives are far away, or worse yet, have cut all
ties because of the prison sentence.</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">
<br />
One of the worst things about being in prison, we are told by those that have
come out, is that inside the prison, you have <b>no choices </b>of your own to make.
You eat what you are given, when you are told to. You return to your cell when
you are told to. You wear the clothes that you have. There is no choice of what
to wear - <b>that is all you have</b>. Some of the women have even told us stories of
how they had only one bra, and when they washed it, it got stolen from the
washing line. Most inmates get so used to not having to choose anything that
coming out of prison is completely overwhelming for them.<br />
<br />
There are a few choices that are left to make when you are in prison. One of
them is your attitude while you are inside the prison walls. <b>You can choose to
change, to learn from your mistakes, or you can choose to stay the same. </b>The
environment inside a prison, is usually not conducive to a positive change in
attitude. Ratchaburi Central Prison however is different. With prisoners in
Thailand returning to the prisons sometimes <b>10 times or more</b>, they have begun
to see a need for change in the way that the prison system works. They have
made the prison surroundings beautiful. The gardens between the zones are
filled with plants and flowers. They allow numerous organizations to come into
the prison to teach various things, because they desperately want to see change
in the hearts of the prisoners. <br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">We (<a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/ratchaburi/">YWAM Ratchaburi</a>) are one of those organizations.
And the inmates that study with us truly change. The wardens see it. They don't
understand it. But they continue to allow us to do what we do because they see
the visible change. <b>The change in fact, has nothing to do with us, and
everything to do with the inmates really and truly encountering Jesus. It is
Jesus that is changing their hearts. It is Jesus that is teaching them how to
love one another. It is Jesus that is changing the face of the prison, one life
at a time. All we do is try to be available to love them in whatever way we can.</b><br /></span><img height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/999098_571435429575494_1948820436_n.jpg" width="320" /><img height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/7239_572850046100699_1876445371_n.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
Last year when we began our three month Prison Discipleship Training School,
(fifty inmates who gathered with us every day for an intensive Bible course),
we had no idea the change that we would see in the lives of the students. Yet,
they are not satisfied with only one three month course. They are desperately
hungry to learn more. When we opened applications for the 2013 Prison DTS, <b>we
had only planned on accepting 25 students.</b> Those that had studied last year
begged us to allow them to join again. We were able to open this year’s Prison
DTS up to the ladies and the men (2 days of teaching for the ladies and 2 days
of teaching for the men), and on the opening day of the DTS last week, the
<b>total number of students was 72!</b><br /></span><img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/600956_570874126298291_1499034575_n.jpg" width="240" /><img height="320" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/r90/999246_571968349522202_1033283020_n.jpg" width="240" /><br /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
As we begin again to run the Prison DTS, we are reminded of some of the
struggles that we watched last year’s students face. For many of the men, one
of the only things that they are able to hold onto when they go to prison is
<b>smoking.</b> To give up smoking in prison is not an easy feat. But in order to get
the most out of the DTS class time, most of the men try to quit. Many of the
students from last year were able to quit, but we know that it wasn't easy for
them. One of the things that we found made it easier for them was to provide
strong <b>menthol candy</b> for them during class each day. This set us back quite a
bit in our budget, but we know that for those that it helped, it was worth it.
It costs us about<b> 1,200Baht a week</b> just to provide enough candy for all the
students each day. This is a really practical gift that people can give
towards. If you have ever struggled to quit smoking and know how hard it is,
let alone trying to do so in the stressful environment of a prison, maybe you
would like to give towards this. You can do so <a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=YWAM+Ratchaburi&note=Ladies+Prison+DTS">here</a>. Please send us an <a href="mailto:ratchaburi@ywamthai.org">email</a> to
let us know so that we can make sure that we allocate the money correctly.<br /></span><img height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/184534_574453575940346_1214295627_n.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
Living in a place with few ordinary comforts, or what most of us would consider
necessities <b>(shampoo, sanitary pads, washing powder, toothpaste),</b> just a little
bit of love goes a really long way. We cannot provide all the time for
everyone, but we do like to give love gifts to the inmates when we are able to.
A small pack of toiletries goes a long way to help someone in the prison
understand that they are loved. If you would like to contribute towards this,
please contact us and we will let you know how you can do so.<br /></span><img height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/470931_485163941535977_1129805921_o.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br />
The last thing that we like to do, is to provide a
special meal (a very simple meal to someone outside of prison, but for those
inside, just having something different is special) and we eat together with
the students. Eating together gives us the opportunity to share life on a
different level with the students. <b>When we eat together, we feel like family</b>. Family
is something that many of them don’t have any more – and is a special bond that
we know contributes to helping them to change. <b>Oftentimes, last year our students chose to study rather than to eat. </b>You can't arrive late to meals in prison, and our classes often had to go over into the mealtime - sharing a meal together with the students helps them to get the food that they need, in a loving environment. <br /><br />Sharing a meal together costs us
about <b>800Baht per day</b>. We would like to continue to do this throughout the 3 months, but right now don't have the budget to do so. If you
would like to help us to provide a meal you can do so<a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=YWAM+Ratchaburi&note=Ladies+Prison+DTS"> here.</a> Please send us a
separate <a href="mailto:ratchaburi@ywamthai.org">email</a> so that we can make sure the money gets allocated accordingly.<br /></span><img height="240" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/389984_574453582607012_205447199_n.jpg" width="320" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
<br /><b>
Will you help us to love the 72 students in the Prison DTS this year? You can
give, you can pray, you can share this story with someone else who can do the
same. You can help us to see the face of the Ratchaburi Central Prison changed
for good.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-37792865857455144192013-06-13T00:17:00.000-07:002013-06-13T00:17:18.277-07:00A beautiful story of an aunt and her niece.<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;">Last year we met a young
lady named Kung. Kung grew up near to our home, living in a family that she
describes as ‘broken’. Kung says that she often felt unloved by her father and
that her family struggled financially to get by. Kung wanted to get a good
education, but her family couldn't afford to send her to a good university. Determined
to study, Kung worked hard at school and was granted 100% scholarships to study
at 2 well renowned universities in Thailand, completing her bachelor’s degree
followed by her master’s degree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;">It was while Kung was at university that she met someone who told her about Jesus. Kung decided to accept Jesus into her heart eight years ago at the start of her studies. When she finished her master’s degree, her pastor asked her if she was interested to attend a Discipleship Training School(DTS) with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). </span><br style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;" /><br style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;" /><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;">It was during her DTS at YWAM in Chaing Rai, in the north of Thailand, that we first met Kung. Kung was one of the students along with </span><a href="http://www.ywam.org/index.php/en/News-Stories/news/Diaw%E2%80%99s-Prison-Song" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;">Diaw,</a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px;"> a young man who came out of the prison ministry here in Ratchaburi. Little did we know at that point that Kung’s life and our prison ministry were already interconnected to a much greater degree.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzLGWzBki_xl6rla6oaUGpbZ1SefiQnSnvxp4D3Z3hBmEc5EstInOkVzcqwe75ue50UmkTT3ISdpRJzwKo7elA-NQXgGX-nBizRsiRQECWbewrVG3KDgDr5UN_1G_4_cNw6RFk62K8Igw/s1600/981176_454738861284837_1821989772_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSzLGWzBki_xl6rla6oaUGpbZ1SefiQnSnvxp4D3Z3hBmEc5EstInOkVzcqwe75ue50UmkTT3ISdpRJzwKo7elA-NQXgGX-nBizRsiRQECWbewrVG3KDgDr5UN_1G_4_cNw6RFk62K8Igw/s320/981176_454738861284837_1821989772_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Kung and Diaw</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Five years before Kung went
to do her DTS, her aunt, Napa was sent to prison in Bangkok. Kung went to visit
her and shared the Gospel with her. Kung encouraged NaPa to join the Christian
fellowship in the Bangkok prison.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few years later, Napa was
transferred to the Ratchaburi Central Prison. Napa has been a part of the women’s
fellowship for some time now, and this week began her own DTS journey as a part
of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PrisonDtsYwamRatchaburiThailand?fref=ts">Prison DTS.</a><br />
<br />
Kung says of NaPa: “Napa has a heart to serve God. God will help her and will
do even more in her than He has done in me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Kung is now living close to
home again and has begun reaching out to children who are growing up in circumstances
similar to her own - many from broken families, attending poor quality schools
and having to fight for the right to a better education. Kung teaches extra
lessons to them after school hours, tutoring them and sharing the love of Jesus
with them. Only God knows what their future will be like one day, but having
someone like Kung as an example for them to follow can only encourage them to
keep fighting for the future that they deserve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-70607047527472471592013-06-06T23:53:00.000-07:002013-06-06T23:53:31.384-07:00It's time to begin again...Days blend into nights and nights blend into days and all of it is just wonderful and terrifying all at the same time. Then before we know it, three months have passed us by - in what seems like a blink of the eye.<br /><br />We are the staff of the Prison Discipleship Training School (PDTS) in Ratchaburi Thailand - a three month training program where inmates learn important Biblical truths about who God is and who they are in Him. Last year was the very first time that the PDTS was run. If it went by in a blur for us, we cannot imagine what it must have been like for each one of the students who participated.<br /><br />There is something that goes beyond human understanding when God's grace is extended to people who are labelled as the outcasts of society. The ones who have been abandoned even by their own families. Assassins, murderers, drug dealers, rapists - they have committed the worst of crimes, and yet there is still grace for them. There is still forgiveness and peace, even behind the high walls of the prison.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This week, the second PDTS begins. Last year we had 55 students. This year, there are 72 students. 72 inmates studying about the love and grace and forgiveness that is available for them in Christ Jesus. 72 students, many of whom will remain in the prison, and who share the message of Christ with others through the bars of the cells that they sleep in. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We could never have imagined that God would transform the prison in this way. Nor can we even begin to imagine what the prison will look like in the years to come should the Christians inside continue to be equipped and continue to share Christ with others. But what we can imagine, is that it will surely be an inexplicable kind of beauty that is rarely seen in this world today.<br /><br />As we begin this three month journey again this Monday, as nights again begin to blend into days and everything becomes wonderful and terrifying all at the same time, all over again - please remember us in prayer. For we cannot fight this battle alone - we are only the messengers - we need an army of prayer warriors to stand with us in this battle.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-39041595685915536162013-03-20T08:01:00.000-07:002013-03-20T08:01:04.183-07:00Pattaya Slum Ministries and Rice Seeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The youth from Pattaya Slum Ministries have come to join us for a few days. Today they went, with the Rice Seeds children from Ratchaburi town, to visit a Karen village in Suan Pueng, near the border of Burma. The Pattaya youth ran a children's program for the Karen children.<br /><br />Great fun was had by all - especially on the way home, visiting sheep and swimming in waterfalls.</div>
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-89188115601974360202013-03-01T01:44:00.001-08:002013-03-01T01:44:04.959-08:00Chala's story <b>Chala,</b> at the age of 42, has faced a life that not many people can ever imagine. Born into a hilltribe in the north of Thailand, Chala didn't attend many years of school and later on got involved in drugs. In his late 20's Chala was given a<b> life sentence </b>in prison for dealing drugs.<br /><br />In prison, far away from his home province, Chala started serving his time. During the time that Chala was in prison, he met a group of Christians who introduced him to Jesus.<b> Chala spent time with them and decided that he too wanted to know this Jesus.</b><br /><br />After a few years, Chala's sentence was <b>drastically reduced from life, to just 25 years.</b> Later the 25 years was again reduced by a royal pardon to only 12 years. However, <b>Chala had since lost the only family that he had, and had nobody on the outside of the prison walls to go back to once he was released.</b><br /><br />The day that Chala was released from the prison, he had no idea where he would go. While he was sitting outside, waiting for his papers to be finalized he met the YWAM Ratchaburi team that happened to be ministering in the prison that day. One of the <b>YWAM Ratchaburi team, Mongkhon</b>, was released from the prison last year and was one of Chala's friends from inside the prison. The YWAM Ratchaburi team decided to take Chala along with them when they left the prison, and give him a place to stay and pray with him to see where God was leading him.<br /><br />Mongkhon will be leaving Ratchaburi to study his <b>Discipleship Training School (DTS) </b>with YWAM in the north east of Thailand on Monday the 4th of March, and as the YWAM Ratchaburi team prayed with Chala, they felt moved to challenge Chala to attend his DTS along with Mongkhon.<br /><br />Chala and Mongkhon will be leaving together, <b>brothers in the Lord who have already endured so much together. Now they go forth to discover the great and wonderful plans that the Father has for them. Chala may not have any family, but he certainly is not alone in the body of Christ. He is loved, and his gentle nature and joyful disposition seem to draw others to him. We are excited about what God is going to do in his life!</b><br /><br />Chala will need to pay the school fees for his DTS. He doesn't have any money, and left prison with only the clothes that he was wearing. He owns nothing else in the world, <b>but the hope that he has in Christ Jesus surpasses all of that. Would you like to be a part of this amazing journey that Chala is on? He needs people to partner with him in prayer, and he will need people to financially support him to complete his DTS. Would you like to be one of those people? </b><br /><br />You can send a contribution towards Chala's DTS <a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=Ratchaburi">here</a>. Please mention that the contribution should be specifically for "Chala's DTS."<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaonxYJO1hvYJtZxTI50ilG4_1k_QQ4Sf_BJ6yzGH-05Wc62UfjAV6IzDV1J8remEp4x8AjUhW-g3lfc_visOUwfpq-AXA09g2bmQPsqmOBqrXoLXLRH_GV5mZj9SVTWKVPXP0RIqL5Ara/s1600/DSCF2060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaonxYJO1hvYJtZxTI50ilG4_1k_QQ4Sf_BJ6yzGH-05Wc62UfjAV6IzDV1J8remEp4x8AjUhW-g3lfc_visOUwfpq-AXA09g2bmQPsqmOBqrXoLXLRH_GV5mZj9SVTWKVPXP0RIqL5Ara/s640/DSCF2060.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mongkhon, Noiy (YWAM Ratchaburi director) and Chala</td></tr>
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<br />bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-57445336507584463892012-12-13T02:42:00.000-08:002012-12-13T02:42:03.622-08:00KFC Christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Every year for the past 4 years, we have had a Christmas party in the Burmese community near to where we live. This year, we won't be in Thailand over Christmas, but still wanted to do something for the kids in the community.<br /><br />A fun meal together at KFC and some games in the arcade. It may not seem like much of a Christmas to some, but to these kids, just a little love and attention, along with a luxury that they are never really afforded, goes a long way. Sometimes Christmas memories at KFC are just what you need when facing the hardships that life has for the kids in this community.<br /><br />Thanks to everyone that has been a part of our Rice Seeds program this year. For the volunteers, the sponsors, the visitors, and the prayer partners - thank you for having a part in helping us touch the lives of these children throughout 2012. We appreciate you!</div>
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<br />bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-62654697427544405422012-11-26T07:45:00.000-08:002012-11-26T07:45:15.058-08:00The Lord's tents Camping #4Every year, we take a group of children camping. This is never an ordinary camping trip and these are by no means any ordinary children. These children come from circumstances that many other people never have to face. For some, they live in a place where they will never truly belong - born as the child of a migrant worker, never having set foot in the country that they are citizens in. For others, their struggle comes in the form of family - for whatever reason their family could not properly care for them, and they have been placed in a children's home so that they will be able to complete their studies. <b>Often people in situations like this grow up feeling unknown, unimportant, unloved.</b><br />
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Each child's situation is different and yet they all have something in common. They have all someway, somehow, through someone discovered the truth of the Gospel and the great love of Jesus Christ. In previous years we have watched children on our camp grow steadily. This year we watched as many of the children who were so young when we started hosting the Lord's tents camping 4 years ago, now confidently lead group devotions, sharing passages of scripture with the younger children.<br /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/602591_506335019384818_81232462_n.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br /><br />One of the highlights of the camp was a <b>3 hour hike</b>. Each group had some local children in it who lead the group on a journey to find different species of plants and animals. Through thorn bushes, up mountains, often off the beaten track, each team journeyed together. For the children from the slums in the cities and towns, this was a new and exciting experience. Even the local children expressed their joy in walking with a goal in mind, often having walked these paths before, but never having thought about what was actually around them while they walked.<br /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/378869_506335686051418_708569132_n.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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On the Saturday night, each team was given a number of ingredients and told to make themselves a meal. The conditions were that they had to make something in a hollow piece of bamboo, and that everything needed to be made over the fire. With a little imagination, each team managed to come up with quite an appetizing meal - which was finished just in time for a huge downpour of rain.<br /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/542624_506338736051113_2055416273_n.jpg" width="400" /><br /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/15077_506340732717580_272326109_n.jpg" width="400" /><br /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/423039_506340869384233_335196375_n.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br />
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Each year we have come across different challenges when it comes to having the kids sleep in tents. This year, it was the rain. It rained and rained and poured until the tents began flooding from the water that had begun to build up around the tents. At midnight everyone was pulled out of their tents and given a safe and dry place to sleep for the remainder of the night. On the final day as each of the children stood to say something about their camp experience, it was obvious that even the rain had brought the children closer together.<br />
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God did something special in the hearts of each of the children. <b>They are important. They are loved. They will never be unknown - for their Heavenly Father has called them each by name. And while their circumstances may be more difficult than some others have to face, they can have the boldness to dream the dreams that God has put in their hearts. He will show them the way.</b><br />
<br /><img height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/149191_506344799383840_573759559_n.jpg" width="266" /><img height="300" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/305557_10151327681324715_1794257230_n.jpg" width="400" /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/178957_506345552717098_1598588306_n.jpg" width="400" /><img height="266" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/r270/46269_506345579383762_1618957860_n.jpg" width="400" /><img height="400" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/r90/423009_10151327679829715_1868685931_n.jpg" width="300" /><img height="300" src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/305994_10151327679889715_446865167_n.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<br />bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-9508949335923403022012-11-08T23:32:00.002-08:002012-11-08T23:32:20.137-08:00Sanitary Pads for Christmas?<div>
<img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRKjfoNFLcSG0HtKcm8Pb0d_uYGWdSachTl1v-QbRubuLyLUz51" /><img 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/><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSignr7A76BPwoDjJPjnfDXUO5MxbwSpKDGb3dN0ubSEQWrBDc_SQ" /><img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTDwJoeelrRCOA5Ec454WMHe06Kr8qqp-PD_WriTpO3Gzk6RCv7Ig" /></div>
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With names like <b>Carefree, Freedom, Always and Stayfree</b>, one would imagine that such a simple thing as a sanitary pad should be available to everyone who needs one. Unimaginable to most ladies is the reality that there are women out there who do not have access to the monthly necessity of sanitary pads.</div>
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The women in the <b>Ratchaburi Central Prison do not have access to sanitary pads</b> unless their friends or relatives bring them a supply when visiting. Visits are often few and far between leaving ladies in the prison with a limited supply of something which most of us would consider essential. Others have no visitors and must live without any access to sanitary pads among other essential items like toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.</div>
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<b>This Christmas YWAM Ratchaburi would like to give a donation of as many sanitary pads as possible to as many ladies in the Ratchaburi Central Prison as possible.</b> It's such a simple gift, but we really believe that they will feel loved by receiving something so practical. We will be holding our annual Christmas party in the prison on the 14th of December. Would you consider helping us to bring joy to the ladies in the Ratchaburi Central prison this Christmas? </div>
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Interested in being a part of this really practical Christmas gift... you can give online <a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=Ratchaburi">here</a>. (Please make sure to mention in the note that the gift should be for the "Ladies Prison Christmas")</div>
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bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-23438727741873742042012-10-30T23:17:00.001-07:002012-10-30T23:17:05.668-07:00<img src="http://gallery.mailchimp.com/778aab35f367bc30c6c366d07/images/Serving_in_Thailand1351612574.jpg" /><br />
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So many things happening in Ratchaburi over the past few months - click <a href="http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=778aab35f367bc30c6c366d07&id=11a5d9efc5">here</a> to read our latest news:)bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-66176614827132131492012-08-03T09:52:00.000-07:002012-08-03T09:52:01.761-07:00Introducing Diaw<b>This is Diaw. At 28 years old, his life significantly changed a few months ago.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1w98RHZz-ePSUEEhth9uo2NliLJ5ryFGO4UeMwsN8bGleFsGlaJbHLkzzK2TzAcg3fbRx4AEHHdGiGlPuqtSDKmXZ3LTe07MoxA5Zi6RZ00lsamCmQGWeLfeh74qI8ZHtDfOWqKuA5UQ/s1600/CIMG3820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1w98RHZz-ePSUEEhth9uo2NliLJ5ryFGO4UeMwsN8bGleFsGlaJbHLkzzK2TzAcg3fbRx4AEHHdGiGlPuqtSDKmXZ3LTe07MoxA5Zi6RZ00lsamCmQGWeLfeh74qI8ZHtDfOWqKuA5UQ/s400/CIMG3820.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><br />Diaw has been a musician for as long as he can remember. He picked up the guitar for the first time at the age of 12. He dreams of travelling with a a band of his own, writing songs and performing.<br /><br />A few months ago, Diaw made a wrong decision that landed him in jail for six months. While going to jail is nobody's ideal, Diaw's life may not have changed had he not had to serve the time in prison.<br /><br />
Inside the prison, Diaw met the inmates in the Christian fellowship that YWAM Ratchaburi runs. He joined the group and over time asked God to come into His life. He may not have understood much about Jesus, but God began using the gift that Diaw has in song writing to help him to understand more. To date Diaw has written more than 30 worship songs. He now dreams of using his musical gifting to help bring the truth of the Gospel to others who have never heard it before.<br />
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Diaw began the Prison DTS with YWAM Ratchaburi in June 2012, but was released only 2 weeks into the DTS and is not allowed back into the prison to complete the DTS with us. Diaw's life is changed. He is learning more every day, currently studying the Bible and serving alongside the YWAM Ratchaburi team. He wants to complete his DTS in Chaing Rai this coming September.<br /><br />We believe that God has an amazing plan for Diaw. We are excited to see the things that he is learning and can already see an enormous amount of growth in him. <b>He is humble and willing to learn, and most importantly, God has captured his heart.</b><br /><br /><b>If you would like to help to sponsor Diaw to attend his DTS you can do so online here: <a href="http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=Ratchaburi">http://www.ywamthai.org/donate/?to=Ratchaburi</a> (please mention in the note that the donation is for Diaw's DTS). For more details, please contact us by email: <a href="mailto:ratchaburi@ywamthai.org">ratchaburi@ywamthai.org</a></b><br />
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<b>We are standing with Diaw in prayer - we know that he would appreciate your prayers too!</b>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2708869359735925044.post-43078019132710040072012-07-14T09:32:00.000-07:002012-07-14T10:16:45.548-07:00God's love knows no boundariesMany things that have happened over the past few months in the prison have surprised us. God is doing something new every day - there seems to be something beautiful that He does that takes our breathe away each day. Some things are very simple and beautiful in their simplicity. Others are deep and so touching.<br />
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This past week, a life outside the prison walls, came to know true peace because of someone inside the prison. </div>
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A relative of one of the inmates in the prison came to visit her family member. While there she noticed on the list of names that another inmate was someone that she had known growing up - a childhood friend that she hadn't seen in many, many years. She decided to begin to visit him. Her childhood friend happens to be one of the Prison DTS students and after a few visits, he begun to tell her about what God was doing in his life. He wrote letters to her and also spoke to her about it during their visits.</div>
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Meanwhile, in the Prison DTS classroom, this man shared of his desire to finish reading his entire Bible so that he could give it to this childhood friend. He wanted her to know the peace that he had found. When he had finished reading the Bible once completely through he gave it to us and asked us to deliver it to his friend outside.</div>
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Looking lost and bewildered, she showed up at our home one rainy afternoon to fetch the Bible. She didn't understand why he had sent her this book, but she did know that she had seen something different in him - a hope that she herself very desperately needed. She took the Bible along with a few tracts and over the course of a few days, began to read it. </div>
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She started asking God to reveal Himself to her and eventually, came back to talk to us a few days later. On the day that she arrived, she looked different. She didn't yet understand much of what she had read in the Bible, but she was certain that she wanted to know more about what it was all about. At the end of the evening, she prayed a prayer to ask Jesus to come into her life.<br />
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Perhaps we shouldn't be astounded that God's love is flowing out of the prison ,despite the high walls that seem to stand in the way of anything else getting in and out. After all, God's love knows no boundaries. It's just that when these things catch us by surprise, they truly take our breath away.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our new sister in Christ (in the light blue shirt)</td></tr>
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When asked how life has been since she made that decision just a few days ago, our new sister in Christ says: " I've never been happier." Please pray for this lovely lady who will begin to study the Bible with us this week - the first life outside this prison that has been changed by hearing the truth from someone inside. We are certain that she will not be the last.</div>bronnileighhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159058815827847372noreply@blogger.com0