A newsletter from Good News for the Shan ministry in Northern Thailand.

Sometimes you can sense that one season is ending and a new one is beginning. Over the past few months, we have been right in the middle of such a transition. There have been days of prayer, decisions, concerns, and great joy. At the same time, we have seen God open doors that we could not open ourselves.

The last three months have been intense, challenging, and full of gratitude. We have seen seven people come to faith and be baptized, we have a new ministry location/land, experienced answered prayers, and walked through some demanding processes along the way. Here is a combined update.


We hope you will take the time to read—and be inspired by what God is doing here in Northern Thailand.


The Christmas Gospel Reached Many

December was, as usual, a busy month. We organized a large Christmas celebration for the children in our Saturday school and for the church. Around 60–70 children attended during the day for programs and games, and later in the evening parents and others from the community joined. In total, about 300 people gathered.

In addition, we visited four other locations and shared the Christmas message. Altogether, we reached around 500 people – including approximately 150–200 children – through various gatherings and visits.

Four Baptized After Christmas – And More Have Followed

During December, six people made a conscious decision to follow Jesus. This was not just a raised hand at a meeting, but individuals who truly wanted to understand the Gospel and take a clear stand.

At the end of December, we had the joy of baptizing four of them. It was a powerful and thankful day for all of us.

And God has continued to move. Last Sunday we had another baptism – this time for three people who received Jesus in January and February. I will share more about them later in the letter.

A Young Mother – From Anxiety to Peace

At the beginning of December, a young woman came to one of our meetings for the first time. She had a two-month-old baby and was experiencing strong spiritual distress.

When Mawkkham prayed for her that Sunday, she felt that something happened. The next day she called and said she wanted to receive Jesus and be baptized. A few days later, we visited her and her family, and she received Jesus in her home.

During the first period she still experienced some restlessness at night, but after she received Jesus, this completely disappeared. Today she faithfully attends the Sunday meetings and brings all three of her children with her – two 8-year-old twins and the baby.

She boldly shares what Jesus has done in her life. Her husband is not yet a Christian, but he is open and interested. We do not pressure anyone, but allow faith to grow in a healthy and natural way.

She was one of those baptized after Christmas.


Discipleship That Bears Fruit and More People Saved

In January, much of our time has been devoted to following up and discipling new believers.

One of the disciples we are training in our Wednesday gatherings (the one helping baptize the woman mentioned above) led three people to Jesus before Christmas – and all three were baptized in December. He is now continuing to follow them up. It is a great joy to see new believers begin to win others themselves.

In recent weeks, we have also seen several more come to faith. An uncle of one of our believers said he had been waiting for this for a long time (see picture below). After the Gospel was carefully explained to him, he said, “Now I understand.” He received Jesus.

We also visited a middle-aged woman who had heard about Jesus through radio and online. We met with her twice to explain the gospel thoroughly. She did not want to wait any longer and received Jesus (see picture above). Her husband is interested, but we sensed he was not quite ready – and we never pressure anyone.

Last Sunday, both of these two were baptized – together with a young woman who received Jesus at the beginning of January.

New Place – A Great Answer to Prayer

In the middle of a busy December, we were intensely searching for a new location. Where we had previously rented, it was neither possible to expand nor further develop the work, and the rent was high.

After about ten days of intensive searching, we found a new place – a warehouse building with much better space. We are paying approximately the same rent, but we now have much more room both indoors and outdoors. Inside, we can now accommodate 150–200 people. At the old place, it was full with 30. We experienced this as a clear answer to prayer.

Much of Christmas was spent moving and preparing the new place. At the end of December, we held our first meeting there – a special and grateful moment.
 

A lot of work – but almost there
The new place needed significant upgrading. So far, we have:
– installed new flooring in the meeting hall
– built toilets
– set up a simple kitchen
– cleared and cut down large trees by the pond
– improved the outdoor area

What remains now is to build a simple open shelter that can be used as a classroom for the children during the rainy season, paint the meeting hall inside, and purchase some basic playground equipment for the children.

So far, we have spent over 3,000 USD on the upgrades. It has stretched our budget considerably, but we feel this investment is important for the future.

Please pray for the new place – that it will truly become a place where many encounter Jesus.

Saturday School is Starting Up Again

Because of the move and renovation, we have not yet been able to fully restart the Saturday school after Christmas. However, we have visited the children and held some activities on certain Saturdays.

The children are very excited about coming to the new place, and we expect to resume the Saturday school fully next week.

Prayer for a 15-year-old girl

Thank You for Standing with Us!

We have seen an encouraging end to the year and a strong beginning to the new one. New people have come to faith. New leaders are emerging. We have received a new place for the ministry.

Thank you so much to all of you who pray for us and support the work.

If you would like to support the upgrading of the new place or become a regular supporter of the ministry, you are warmly welcome to do so. Please see the information below 👇

We look forward with expectation to what God will do next.

Partner with Us

We are grateful for everyone who stands with us in prayer and support. The work we are involved in is wide-ranging – from Saturday school for children, to humanitarian aid for the poor and refugees from war-torn Myanmar, to supporting migrant workers and sharing the good news about Jesus.

All of this requires resources, and we depend on being many who stand together with us. If you would like to contribute, you can give a one-time gift or become a regular monthly supporter. Both make a significant difference and help us reach even more people.

Thank you for considering standing with us – together we can bring hope, help, and the gospel to people who truly need it.
 

You Can Support/Donate in This Way 


By PayPal Use this link).   

           (or QR code under) 

🕊️PRAYER REQUESTS

For the New Believers and Those Recently Baptized

Pray that those who have recently received Jesus and been baptized will become firmly rooted in their faith, grow in their understanding of the gospel, and stand strong in the face of opposition and pressure from their surroundings.

  • For Continued Growth in the Ministry

That more people will hear the gospel, understand it clearly, and make a conscious decision to follow Jesus.

  • For the New Property

Pray for financial provision, as there have been significant expenses this month.
That the place will become a safe and blessed gathering point for children, youth, and the church.

  • For the 15-Year-Old Girl with Blood Cancer

Pray for healing, strength, and hope – both for her and her family. That they will experience God’s peace in the midst of a difficult situation.

  • For the Finances of the Ministry

That God will provide for both the daily work and the necessary investments in the new place.

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