YWAM Ratchaburi

February 2010 Update

"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop." - Mother Teresa

We have been in Ratchaburi for 4 years. We have facilitated 19 English camps and seminars, started 2 children’s ministries, worked alongside 6 churches, taught in 5 schools and 2 faculties at the local university, run 13 Christmas parties, and worked in 4 provinces in Thailand. We have hosted teams and individual volunteers We have ministered to the poor, the young, the old, government workers, nurses, doctors, Christians and non-Christians. But yet, when we look at how much more there is to be done – like Mother Teresa said in the quote above, it feels like ‘just a drop in the ocean’.

We are encouraged though that no matter how big the big picture seems, that if we just continue to follow as God leads us step by step we will make a difference in the lives of the people that He brings across our path.

This past December we organized 2 Christmas parties. The first was in the village where Noiy grew up and the second in the Burmese camp that we minister in regularly. With the help of friends from our church in Bangkok, YWAM Bangkok, and all of our friends from Ratchaburi that lent a helping hand we were able to keep the crowds entertained, while making new friends and sharing the true meaning of Christmas. The first party we had expected around 150-200 people and over 400 showed up! Both were great fun and our greatest prayer is that the seeds of truth that were planted will grow. We look forward to seeing the fruit in the years to come.

Noiy also was a part of 3 other Christmas parties that were organized by the local churches. One of these was in the local prison that we went to last year. We are praying that this year we will be able to take teams of volunteers into the prison to share the Gospel. We have already spoken to the authorities at the prison and are now in the process of contacting the government official who will be able to give us the go-ahead. Please pray along with us for this.

Thank you to all that helped to support our Christmas parties this year – those that came, we hope you were blessed to physically be a part of what God is doing here. Those that gave gifts towards the parties, we hope that you are blessed knowing that you have made a difference in the lives of people in Ratchaburi.

So far in 2010 we have hosted 2 teams of volunteers. We love the things that God does through them and are just so excited about seeing God working in their lives while they are with us here in Ratchaburi. God has been really using the past few teams that we have had to strengthen the relationships that we have with the local churches. We are excited to be involved in another new church plant – and also working with a wonderful ministry reaching out to some of the elderly church members in the next district. Only God knows what He has planned for the churches here, and we feel priviledged to be a part of what He is doing.

Summer is almost upon us and this year we are planning something new and exciting for the holidays. Last year we saw the Burmese children in our children’s church watching enviously as all of the Thai children in the neighbourhood played with their families over Songkraan (Thai New Year which is celebrated with a water festival). Many of their parents didn’t have the time to play with them and they certainly didn’t have the money to buy them a water pistol like the ones the Thai children were playing with. Noiy decided to go out and buy a whole lot of water pistols and spent the evening playing with them. Sometimes all they want is just to feel like they are the same as the other kids in the neighborhood and we hope that that day they did. This year we have decided to take them camping – this is something simple that we can do for them, but we know that if we don’t, many of them will never get the opportunity to do something like this. We have around 20 children that we will take to a local camping ground at the beginning of April. Our hope is that we will be able to raise enough funds to buy tents and sleeping bags for all of them. 1 tent and 2 sleeping bags costs just US $30. Would you consider giving towards this project to see a simple childhood dream come true for some very special individuals?

As we begin year number five in Ratchaburi, we want to say a special thank you to those of you who support us both in prayer and financially – we couldn’t do what we do without you. Our work may only seem like a drop in the ocean to us, but without your help, ‘the ocean would be less’.