English Camp

We just finished with English camp and with camp for the little kids in the village. Both went incredibly well!

First I will talk about English camp...It was two days of non-stop English and we planned many songs and games and stories to share. I played guitar and sang "My heart will go on" in front of 104 Thai students which is definitely a first for me but it went well and was really fun. The students love that song. I also shared a bit of my testimony with all of the students on the first night. I talked about a time I was heartbroken and how God really came close to me during that time and filled me up. I said that many people are empty inside and they try to fill that void with things like relationships or alcohol or friends or drugs or money but that only God can truly fill our hearts and make us joyful. I was really really nervous and felt very vulnerable because it is kind of embarrassing to talk about how I got my heart broken to anyone much less 104 students. I had Tum translate for me and even he was nervous ;). After I spoke I sang "love song" by Third day with Beth. I love this song and it really says what Jesus did for us and how much he loves us and how earthly love cannot compare. Afterwards we broke into groups to discuss what I had shared. Three of the seven groups ended with tears which was really awesome because the students really opened up. My group was very shy and timid about speaking but one girl named Carol asked me a lot of questions about how I knew God cared and if I could ever trust again. It was really a blessing to answer her questions. I found out later that one of the girls in another group had had her heartbroken the day before in a text message which is exactly what I had shared had happened to me. It was completely God working through me and not me speaking at all because I have been incredibly shy my whole life. I spoke in front of over 100 people! if that doesn't show God is real and working I don't know what does! ;).

One girl named Nancy became a Christian during camp! I didn't know her before hand but she has been seeking for a long time and decided that what she was missing in her life was Jesus! She really blessed us by accepting Christ and we were very excited to see her commit her life to Christ! she couldn't stop crying for being so happy and overwhelmed by the love of God. On Sunday at church she shared her testimony for everyone and again broke down in tears! we were all crying with her as she let her joy over being saved spill over! it was such a blessing to be a part of ;)

Also, Piak spoke with Scott and Valerie and has not yet become a Christian but he is seeking more than ever. Please keep praying that God would take fear out of his life. Here it is a huge sacrifice to follow Jesus because you go against everything you family wants. Tum, our Christian friend pays the price daily for his faith. His mother tries to get him to become a monk so that she can earn merit and he has to sneak out early in the morning to avoid her constant nagging. Witnessing Christians here is so encouraging! Please keep praying for Piak!

Please also be praying for Pum (poom), we have really been able to get more insight into her life and her story over the past weekend. Please pray that she will have relief with her family and also just health wise because she gets very stressed. Also, that she will just realize the truth of the gospel. She has a hard time believing in God because she cannot see him like she can see a statue of Buddha. My prayer is that God will reveal himself to her either in a dream or just through his love.

Keaw was not able to come to Church on Sunday because of his studies...all of the students are stressed right now because these next two weeks are midterms. He did surprise me though by telling me that he has still been reading the Bible and is in Mark. Please pray that it would make sense to him and that God will reveal himself to Keaw!

There is also one last person to keep in your prayers as of now...his name is Tongz, he came up to me after I spoke at camp and said that he was sorry I had been hurt and he asked me how I became a Christian. I was able to share with him and I found out that his mom used to be a Christian but now follows Buddhist practices. I asked him what he believes and he said he believes in goodness. He is seeking alot! I found out after camp that he not only asked me but he also asked Danette, Ruth, and Erin about their testimonies. God is definitely working in his heart!

At the little kids camp we played many games with them and really just got to show them love through our willingness to come and be there. I hope that they will remember us and know that we love them. I wish that we could communicate with them better but I know that they can see our actions.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support! These last two weeks will be very hard for us and I am so thankful for your prayers at home! It is encouraging to know we are not the only ones loving these people ;)

Rachel

p.s. Pic 1) Me and Beth singing "my heart will go on"
Pic 2) One of the games that I lead during English Camp
Pic 3) My group at Camp
Pic 4) The pastor from Oklahoma and Tum sharing the gospel with the little children.
Pic 5) Me and Keaw being silly in class