My First Real Sermon in Thai
As we have been learning the language, we have been part of a Thai church here that has been very sweet to us, and they have asked me to preach the Sunday AM service the last Sunday of January. This will be my first attempt at a sermon completely in Thai, and I am pretty nervous to say the least, but excited for the opportunity.
I am really not sure what to expect jumping into a 30-40 min preaching situation at this point in the game, but I guess we will find out. 🙂 Please pray as I prepare and preach.
Also pray for us as we wrap up language school. My prayer is that we will be able to stop full-time study within 4 months and get to work!
Team Meeting
Because of our new baby, we were already required to leave the country to take care of visa business, and we were able to schedule that at a time to get together in Taiwan for a few days with our missions ‘team’. My pastor and several other missionaries with our board nearby met together to discuss progress and our immediate plans. With several of us within just a couple of months of a church plant, it was a very profitable time for us all I think.
Home and Family
First, Grace is doing great, and has had no further complications and we praise the Lord that all her medical bills have been paid as well! This has been a huge answer to prayer and we are grateful to the Lord and many of you that gave to help.
Secondly, since our last prayer letter, we have moved and settled into our new house. There are several benefits about our new place. (1) It is much closer to the area we plan to start working, (2) it is in a place where we are able to get to know many more of our neighbors, and (3) rent is cheaper and makes more money available for other things! We praise the Lord for providing the new place and are looking forward to how He will use us here.
New missionary arrivals
We praise the Lord, finally, for Ahmet Hernandez and family landing here on the field. They have made great progress getting set up quickly and now start the language learning process. Pray for them as they start their new life and ministry here!
Also, there is another family that came over on our first missions trip that we hosted that is planning to make the transition into full-time missions as well, and come to work with us. Please pray for them over the next year as they fulfill their Stateside obligations and prepare to begin raising support and coming this way!
Yours for the Gospel in Thailand,
Philip and Lori Bassham
(and Claire and Grace)