Mission Update || Kenya, Thailand & Sydney

Greetings from all of us here in Kajiado. I hope you and the Church family are well. We are doing well here but with a lot of work to be done. We are thankful for the rains – which are still falling – and we pray for the strength to cope with the difficulties that the rains have brought as well.  So, we can give thanks for answered prayer for rain, even though the flooding has caused other difficulties.

Please also pray for a small team heading to Kajiado in July. Their own Rector (David Palmer, from Magherally) and his wife Lorna, together with two parishioners from Tralee are travelling to Kajiado from 10-24 July.  Their time will be divided between visiting the Oloosuyian Girls Secondary School, near Kajiado (as Lorna is a music teacher), helping with the farm at Isinya (as one of the Tralee team is a farmer); and visiting Oltiasika (near Mt Kilimanjaro) for an Archdeaconry Clergy and Lay Reader training for a few days, as well as joining in with practical work upgrading a training facility at Imberikani.  Prayers would be appreciated for this visit, and for Ronnie and Maggie as they make preparations.

Please pray for the McCleans in Thailand, they write: Over the past weeks we have celebrated Easter with the members of New City Fellowship. This week we have finished the Spring Term at school and are now looking forward to our two-week Spring Break over the Thai New Year. Here are some of the highlights of the past two months, along with some fuel for prayer in the coming months.

Good Friday was a normal working day for everyone here in Thailand, so the focus of our Easter celebrations this year was Easter Sunday. Johnny, Dave and Pramote had preached through the Easter story in the weeks running up to Easter, with Dave preaching a clear explanation of the meaning of the Cross the week before. On Easter morning we held our Sunrise Service at 6am in the local park. This was followed by our normal morning service at 10am, communion and a Church lunch.

Praise God for a special morning of praise and worship together. Please pray for Church members to grow in their confidence in the Gospel. Thai Churches generally struggle to celebrate Easter and it can often be lost in the fun of Thai New Year.

Johnny continues to preach regularly, both at our own Church and at Grace CIty Church (our sister Church). Following on from Easter we will be starting a series of 15 weeks, working through a set of Psalms. Our goal as a Church is to preach through the book of Psalm over a 10 year period. This year we will be looking at Psalms 76-90. 

Alongside regular Sunday preaching, Johnny and Pramote also take it in turns to teach the Church bible study each Wednesday, and lead a weekly devotional time for the ladies at Napada Crafts each Thursday. These ladies have been employed by one of our Church members, Kheow, who runs this small sewing business. By working at Napada Crafts they are able to support their families and ensure their children are able to stay in school.

Please pray for Jam-pi, Nok and Paa who have heard the Gospel many times and seen Christian love in action over the years. Pray that they will come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

Each year we go away for a weekend camp with our Church members. This year’s camp is planned for August 24-26. However, we are finding it difficult to find a venue this year which has sufficient space at an affordable price. Pramote has been working hard visiting different sites, but we are still no closer to finding a location. Living in a city like Bangkok, a weekend away together is a significant way of helping our Church members to really get to know one another.

Please pray that we will soon be able to find the perfect, affordable location for this year’s camp. Pray for the small team of Church members who are responsible for organisingthe programme and logistics of the camp, as they start to plan and prepare now.

Please also pray for Matthew, and for his studies as he prepares soon for his GCSE exams.

We continue to pray for ThomasMurrayin Sydney, Australia. Pray for Thomas he juggles, study, Church work and planning for his wedding to Jodie. Pray that he would get the balance right, and that his personal Bible study would not drop away. 

Please continue to pray for the fruit of the mission work that Moore College has been doing in Holy Week throughout Sydney Anglican Diocese.