July 1st-July 7th

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us and for the people we are ministering alongside. John, Erin and I started off our week by attending church at Non Prassert. We prayed that we would be able to worship and somehow understand what was going on even though there was a language barrier. The Lord answered our prayers by having Suay and Pon translate for us.
This week Erin and I taught in the schools and John did construction. John helped Tom build a baptistry in his church. The children in the schools are having mid-terms soon so Erin and I are trying to get get them ready for that (keyword trying). Friday, we went with Jay, his wife and a few other people to pass out Bibles in three villages around Jay's church. Most of the people we gave Bibles to had never heard of Jesus. Jay said we were truly reaching to the ends of the earth that day. It is hard to wrap my brain around that considering I live in the "Bible-Belt" and I have more than one Bible in my room and live around stores that sell them as well. I am learning just how blessed I am and how I have turned that blessing into a curse and taken it for granted. I think that is what we are all learning. How selfish we are, how much we get and how little we give, not just of our money but our time and our lives. That became even more clear on Saturday when we received the news that a pastor from another country was moments from passing away, we later learned that he did in fact pass away. This man has known persectution and what it means to stand in the gap for people. He lived his life as a bond-servant for Jesus and suffered in His name. His faith is now sight. I started thinking of this man's life and what we had heard about it from other people and I started thinking about suffering. I have no idea what that means. I don't suffer for Jesus. I live in a country where I don't fear for my life because of what I believe, at the most someone might not like me. Most people don't care that you believe in Jesus, it's okay if that's what you believe. Around here it isn't like that. Spending a summer without hot water, or air conditioning isn't suffering for Jesus. Risking your life for the cause of Christ so just one person can hear about Jesus, standing up for the persecuted church in your country, this is suffering. That is what this man did. His life was a testimony of the grace of God in his life and will continue to be until this age is over. All three of us have been challenged by the Lord in different ways. We are so thankful to be here and learn from such great men and women of God. Continue to pray for us and for everyone here.

Until He Comes....Sarah