Ministry in Bangkok

Last weekend, short term missionary teams and individual placements were helping out at OMF's annual conference for their long term missionaries here in Thailand. The purpose of the conference was to encourage, revive, and refresh the missionaries before going back to their ministries. There were over 200 adults and 100 children who came to this event held at a resort in Khao Yai. All the helpers helped out with the day care so their parents could enjoy the conference. There we got the opportunity to hang out with the missionary kids and talk to the missionaries in Thailand. I met this one couple, name Ron and Leng Kue Viergutz. Both work at a Bible college in northern Thailand teaching english and doing what ever that needs to get done. Ron and Leng Kue was explaining to me that everyone who works or attends the college have several jobs that they do. For example, Leng Kue is a english teacher, nurse, cashier, and etc. Ron and Leng Kue explained to me that everyone has chores and help out so it will keep the cost of tuition down. Ron said that the average cost to go there is around $20,000 baht for a whole year, which is about $625. That's a deal! He also said that at their school a lot of Hmong people from Laos go to their Bible college and that they are very hard workers. Praise the Lord that He is doing great things among the Hmong people. :)

Most of the MK's (missionary kids). They were performing a few songs on the last day of the conference.

I was put with helping the teenagers out. These were the girls.

Leng Kue and Ron Viergutz serving in Northern Thailand at a Bible college

On a different note, whoot whoot...we're settled down now and we started our ministry this week. Our team came here not knowing what we were suppose to do or where we will be living. It's amazing to see that God had already prepared everything for us when we arrived to our assignment. Before, the plan was for the 10 of us to live in a 2 bedroom and bathroom house with only one room with air conditioning. We are now staying in a condotel with air conditioning in every room! Yay! The air conditioning is a blessing because here in Thailand it's very hot and humid.

My ministry here in Thailand is working along the local church in Bangkok call Ban Suan Church. Behind the church is one slum out of the many in Bangkok. You guys would be surprise as I was to find out that Ban Suan Church is a C&MA church! It's a daughter church, I don't know where the main church is at, but the church has been here for around 13 years. Amazing right?!

Small world right?!

So, since we have 10 people in our team, Pee Mali (the lady that's looking over us and guiding us) planned out different areas where we would help at. I'm with a group of 4 teaching English on Tuesdays to Saturdays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would be teaching english to a group of 11 students around the age of 16. Also on Tuesdays our team of 4 will be teaching english in the poor area to a nursery program from 9 till 12. On Wednesdays and Fridays, me and my teammate Katie would be teaching english to high school students or older adults. On Saturday, we would be leading a bible study for the local slum children from 9 till 12 at Ban Suan church. On Sunday, Katie and I would be helping out with the Sunday school children. Monday is our team's day of rest.

This is Pee Mali. She served the Lord in Cambodia for 10 years and has come back to get her masters and take care of her mother.

The nursery in the poor area where 4 of us would be teaching english. This picture was taken when we were touring the area. We happened to come by when it was their nap time.

This week we started our ministry. I've never taught English before and it's very hard trying to come up with a lesson plan when I don't know how well the students spoke english. All we were told was that we were suppose to teach conversational english to different age groups and that was basically the information we were given. Our team started our first day of ministry on Thursday. 11 high school students signed up for english lessons, but only 4 showed up. I've learnt that this is the way of Thai culture. If they want to show up they show up...if they don't to then well, they don't show up. It doesn't matter if they told you ahead of time that they will come or be there, they say yes to you because they don't want to make you look bad. The 4 Thai girls who showed up though was very shy, but yet eager to learn. I had a wonderful time teaching and playing english games with them. I found out that they knew a lot of english words, but they lack the conversational part. Hence, the need for conversational english lessons.

On Friday, me and Katie teamed up to teach english to a group of high school students. We had 3 seventeen year old Thai girls in our class. For this group we also didn't know how well their english was so we just came up with a basic english lesson.

This week I found that I take English for granted. English is a hard language and very difficult to teach when I don't even know where to start. Though it was tough and confusing, God was there encouraging and guiding me along. I've been reading Joshua and in there God kept telling Joshua to not be afraid, nor discouraged for he has already delivered them into Joshua's hand. In the same way that God was with Joshua, He is with me now. Even though things don't go as plan and it seems so unorganized, God is in control and he has a set plan for everything already so I shouldn't be afraid or discouraged.

The first Chinese church in Thailand. This church is in China town

This Chinese church is actually really big. I was told that about 1,000 or so people attend.

One of the temples in China town. Rebecca and I.

Prayer Request

-Ron and Leng Kue with their ministry teaching English and doing all sorts of stuff. Pray that they would be fruitful and help guide the students to Christ.

-My ministry teaching english. Pray for me to have discernment, guidance, obedience to God, humbleness, patience, and love to my students.

-For the gospel to reach the all the ends of Thailand. For Thailand to be a Christ nation. :)

Take Care,

Nuche Vang

Grand Palace

Wow, how time has flown by...it has already been one whole week and yet it seemed like we've just got here.

This past Wednesday a group of us went to the Grand Palace in downtown Bangkok. We first toke taxi's to the river and from there we rode the river boat to downtown. After the boat ride we walked a short distance to the Grand Palace. To get inside the Palace everyone had to wear short or long sleeves and pants or a skirt for the girls. Foreigners had to pay 350 baht (which is around $12 dollars) to get in...Thai's got in for free. Inside the walls of the Grand Palace lies temples and of course the grand palace. It was quite a sight from afar...it looks so beautiful and you're just in awe at the sight of it. As you get closer though you see that it's just material stuff...it looks so grand from the outside, but on the inside there's nothing...nothing lasting. It's just metal and plastic that people have made and create. There were a lot of Thai's who came there to worship and make merits.

Grace, Me, Katie, Sharon, and in the middle is Ed outside the palace

This is what greeted us when we got inside the grand palace

This was inside of a temple. They had a sign that you can't bring cameras or camcorders inside so I toke this one from the doorway. The idols in the middle is pure gold!

This was inside another temple. In the middle is the seat where the king sits. Behind the seat there's a boat shape looking structure. I'm not sure what it is, but both pieces are made out of pure gold.

This is the grand palace where the king resides.

This is Randy.

While we were getting ready to leave the palace a Cambodian monk who was walking by came to talk to us. I believe he said his name was Randy and he has been a monk for 10 years. He's in Thailand for 2 years and is going back to Cambodia afterwards. He said he was staying in Chiang Mai and told us that if we want to know more about Buddhism and it's practice to go to this certain temple where he would be staying at. You could tell that he knew his stuff...he started to tell us about his religion and did not hesitate at all. I was blown away because one of the lady with us (Amy) asked if he knew Jesus and Randy was like "Yes, I do...I like that guy." She proceed to ask, "So what do you like about Jesus?" Randy replied that he liked what Jesus taught..of having peace and joy and being a good guy and all. He said that a lot of missionaries had come to talk to him over the years and he even has the Holy Bible in his room. Randy knew his stuff and wasn't afraid to share his religion. It made me realize how lost Thailand was and that they really do need Jesus. I also came to realize that just as Randy I need to study and really know other religions. I need to do my homework and see what others believe. Just as Randy is ready to share his religion to people walking by...I need to be able to strong and courageous and share my faith with people I meet.

Please pray for Randy. Pray that the Word would break through to his heart and that he'll find Jesus. Pray for missionaries to continue to seek him out and plant seeds in him. Pray that the seeds would take root and God would water and nurture him.

Sa Wat Dii Kha!

Praise the Lord! We finally made it here. The plane ride from LAX to Taipei was super long. 14 hours of just sitting was very painful and uncomfortable. The plane ride from Taipei to Bangkok wasn't as bad. I could do without airplanes for a while though.

So anyhow, we're here in Bangkok! Yes! I have to say the weather here isn't as bad as everyone said it'll be (well, I've only been here a couple of days so my opinion might change). The weather reminds me of Florida's weather. It's hot and really humid.

We're currently staying at the OMF mission house in Bangkok. We're staying here until Wednesday then we're headed northeast of Bangkok to OMF's annual conference for their missionaries. A lot of the short term mission teams/individuals are helping out during the conference with the missionary kids. The director in charge said there are about 100 children this year. We're going to be split up into different groups and be planning activities for the missionary kids. The conference is going to be from June 24-27.

Please pray for us as we prepare for this conference. Pray for discernment and a servants heart. Pray that we'll be able to connect and help the missionary kids on a personal level.


Take Care,

Nuche Vang

Bangkok

Wow...I almost can't believe that I'm about to depart to Thailand. I'm excited and can't wait for what the Lord has in plan for me and the Bangkok Slum Team.

We're departing on June 18 to August 9, 2010. As to what we'll be doing...that's a good question as I'm not 100 percent sure either. It sounds unorganized because a lot of things are still up in the air, but I have faith that God has everything under control. I'm sure he has already set things in motion and will reveal them to us when the time comes.

I'll try my best to update this blog about how the Lord is using, teaching, molding, and etc. me and my team while in Thailand.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.




Take Care,
Nuche 'Sunshine' Vang