What a phenomenal organization this is!  They started as 2 people who heard God’s call to take Jesus’ name to the 10/40 window.  The 10/40 window refers to the Northern latitude in the Eastern Hemisphere.  This is where the large majority of people not only aren’t Christians, many of them have never even heard the name of Jesus!  It’s also where 90% of the “poorest of the poor” live.  Today, Thailand’s population consists of 1.2% Christians.  That’s 3 times higher than it was when  Mike and Sherri Morrissey began their mission in Thailand 19 years ago!

In 19 years, they have planted 105 churches!  They make sure that the pastors are properly trained through seminary and discipled by others.  The pastors are required to have a vocation separate from the church so that they can support themselves without looking to the church to support them.  They also go through training about how to handle finances, because like most poverty stricken areas, this is never taught – but it is so important!   These pastors are trained to disciple others so that they disciple others – and boy, do they do a great job of it!   Clearly, their discipleship has a rippling effect.

Some churches are in what you would consider traditional buildings.  Some are held outside with a tin roof over their head.  One we visited was in a rented room just 10x10 and always spilled over outside and one was in a park.
 
What they all had in common was the love of Jesus Christ.  The joy found in the infilling of the Holy Spirit was so obvious and heart-warming.  Don’t tell them they’re “poor and have little”.  They know they have everything they need!
 
They cherish prayers in a way I’ve never experienced.  They asked each of us to pray…for EACH of them.  It didn’t matter that it took a long time.  And it didn’t matter that they couldn’t understand our words.  They understood they were being blessed and prayed over and they so appreciated it!

Being able to worship our Savior with them was heart-warming, eye-opening and more fulfilling than I can explain.  Below are some pictures so you can get a glimpse of this too!  

Everywhere we went we had plenty of choices of food, so even the mildest adventurer never went hungry.  Each of us found favorites along the way as well.  Pat loved mango smoothies and spring rolls.  I found something called bael tea and brought home a bunch!  It’s actually made from a dried fruit and has no tea at all.

 It helped so much to have locals help us navigate the language and culture in so many ways— not the least of which was food!   In the USA the 7-11 wouldn’t be a place I’d look for a meal, but theirs had great food I would not have picked out on my own.  KFC was a welcome site for some as well!

Amazon cafe could best be compared to our Starbucks perhaps.  Some of them had phenomenal landscaping though.   Quite a change to have such beauty at a ‘truck stop’.   

All the churches prepared feasts for us.  They typically eat together every Sunday, but the meals we had were more elaborate than they would normally prepare.  

How does each one of us play an important role in the group? I am not good at words. But what I am good at is eye contact and smile. I can just give a smile to show that I am so blessed to spend time with them. That is the way I value the relationship with people, particularly in our group. Relationships with one another in the group are valued in God’s eyes. God adores every small detail in our relationship. In a group of four, everyone is a masterpiece in one way or another. I can see that each one of us has our strengths which are great for the group already, great in planning-leading, great in prayers, great in encouragement-strengths, and great in supporting. That is what God values in a group of four to be. When one is down, I see the most beautiful reaction of each one of us caring for each other so much. That showed in the way we prayed for each other, took care of, and encouraged as much as we could to keep one another up. This is so powerful that our relationship with one another is held by God. Sometimes, the relationship just needs to be valued by people in the group, in a way that we are recognized and heard by one another. It seemed like this Vision trip was a great start already for each one of us. This trip crossed because God wanted this relationship to be strengthened and to know each other better and value each other better in our uniqueness and strengths. This is what the trip is more about in my opinion. Before we have a relationship with other people or other locals, what needs to be done first is the relationship between us in the group.

In our mission, I have seen our illness-filled trip as the big issue. Which makes one feel guilt about not serving God fully as they should. But one and foremost will of God would be that you are walking too fast and have to rely on your own strength for too much. I can feel how this long trip is exhausting for all of us already and we really want to make the best of the time as much as we can. And Pat said to me, that sometimes God allows challenges to come because He needs you to pause a little bit to see Him more clearly in God’s journey with you. I couldn’t agree more with this. I used to experience walking and running with God before. Which is so tiring. And when the trial came I could only feel the fulfillment of God during those times, more than that God allows you to rest, allows you to be restored and revived. At the end of the day, you alone can only feel the wholeness of God that is with you all the time. The verse from Genesis 15:1 was sent to me by God, and I used to think that the reward for me was my free time, my resting time, and my time with God’s son and daughters less but God told me your reward is greater than that. He told me, my reward is Jesus Christ. That is my true reward. And I just realized with my great joy that it is true. I have been walking too fast on this journey and even forgot about the beauties that were happening along the way there. Forget to see Christ is there all the time during your trial. This is a great reminder of our journey to me. When illness comes, it’s not that He is happy that it happens but He is happy that your body can rest in Him and be with Him more than you can realize.

During our mission in Thailand, the day came with much excitement as the mission just continued to its third day. We spent the entire day with locals as we first started to visit the church planting followed by the member houses’ visit to encourage and pray for them. However, what stood out to me that day was to conversation that I had with three Cambodian women who serve at the border of Cambodia. They were as excited for the visit as other locals felt. They came for the encouragement and prayers. At the time, they were preparing fruits as it was lunchtime. I went around finding my plate for food and saw the empty rice containers so I went up and asked them, the rice is gone, where are you going to eat? The answer was heartbroken to me with the willing expression, you eat first, we are okay, we will go back and eat at home. Don’t worry about us. Then I told them to eat fruit instead, but they also refused, I heard the same answer, we will go back and eat at home, you eat first. Some thoughts popped up in my mind, “how could these people be willing to give me what would be the food of their entire day and answered me twice with the same thing, you eat first, we will eat at home”. So, I was more curious to know how far are their houses, one said about 7km (if I am not wrong remembering it). The other two said we live 15 minutes away from here, we didn’t have a house or a land yet. (I didn’t ask who they live with but I am guessing the Cambodian community in Thailand near the border). They were more comfortable and started to tell more about their hardship of believing in God, they all said the same way, they have been blamed and cursed by neighbors that believing in God you get nothing, He helps you nothing, and you didn’t become any wealthier. But they didn’t give any response to those as they said they knew they save all treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and thieves do not break in and steal. That was what they have been telling themselves every day. They need prayers for God’s provisions, strength, protection, and laborers who can help share the Gospel on the Cambodian side. They need your prayers.  

We took a 3 hour train from Vientiane Laos to Luang Prabang, then a 6 hour drive to Nong Khiaw (should have been 3, but the potholes slowed us way down), then an hour boat ride to a tiny village in Laos.  There we found a loom in front of a home where the woman was happy to pull out many fabrics that she had made one thread at a time.  If you've never seen this artwork, it's amazing to watch!  


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We were thrilled to be able to see an ancient artwork of hand drawn Hmong batik. As explained on their website:  Moon Love Batik has the last master Hmong Batik artist, Zu Xiong, as well as our two apprentice batik artists as part of our team. Through our apprentice program and batik workshops, we have made the first step to ensuring that Hmong Batik can survive for future generations, however, it is not yet enough. Traditional Hmong Batik in Laos is on a fast path to extinction. Due to various reasons, hand drawn Hmong batik has been almost completely replaced by mechanical methods to create batik patterns. These products can be made quickly and sold inexpensively in the markets. As a result, the meaning, technique and understanding of the traditional motifs is rapidly being lost.

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The first day we were in Thailand we took a boat ride on the canal. The water was not clear and there were many things floating in the water. The canal took us through an area that most tourists wouldn’t find attractive. The homes surrounding the canal were very humble. As we traveled I noticed fish jumping in the water. I saw man fishing and thought these people have a source of food right outside their back doors.  
   
As Laurie and I walked through the night market in Laos, we saw booths of fried bugs, crickets, cockroaches, and grasshoppers to mention a few. Another source of life and a great source of protein.  We had lunch with our driver and I asked Panh what something was and she told me it was protein. Needless to say I didn’t think I needed protein but Marci had the courage to try the source of protein.  She said it was not bad.

Less than 2% of the people living in Laos know who “The Source” of life is. Living’s Water and Bread of Life is what I am praying these people will hunger for.  How do they hear if no one tells them?  Please be in prayer with us that we have a holy boldness to shed light into the darkness.  Pray with us that minds and heart will be opened to hear and receive the Word.
 
I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit goes before us to prepare the way. 
In His service,

Pat

As “the Thailand 4” travel in Laos and Thailand it has become very clear that something as simple as a smile or the touch of a cheek can have a meaning of great significance.  It tells the person who is receiving the smile or touch that you see them.   I feel this a universal language that transcends words.        
                                                                                                           
The touching of cheeks is a habit I started while on mission to Haiti. When we attended church or other gatherings I would be intentional about trying to touch women, especially elderly women, on their cheek.  Without fail they turn to have a touch on both cheeks. So little effort to give a great blessing.     

A smile has no barriers. It can reach any age group or gender, a simple acknowledgement of “I see you”.  We may never know how the simple act of a smile impacts a life.                                                                                                                                                  
We live in such a busy world that we need to remember not to take the little things for granted.

One of the things I’ve most been looking forward to is meeting Pahn’s friends and joining her for church.  I was honored to have met so many of her spiritual mentors and Bible study buddies.   I knew worshipping with her now that she’s a believer would be that much more special.  I could not have imagined what we experienced though. 
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 There is unbelievable joy in worshipping ‘with the nations’.   Pahn’s church has 3 pastors, 2 of which are away doing missions in Thailand.  The third, a Filipino, delivered a point on, scriptural lesson in English with a Lao interpretor.  It was great to be able to understand!  The music was fantastic and we knew several songs.  It’s also special that the church was full of 20-30 year olds!

I was brought to tears when everyone read scripture from their translation and in their native tongue.   Hearing several languages at once was absolutely stunning!  

Read the banner in the attached picture.  Sound familiar?  It’s a near parallel to our current Christian to the Core series

Pat asked my to post the Video for her, They are doing well and covet your prayers.

Kevin

9-25

Holy Boldness- that’s what Pat prays for often.  .
 
Do you get out of your comfort zone and boldly speak to strangers about Jesus?   I was blessed to have had a great conversation with my seatmate on the way here. You may be thinking, ‘poor guy was stuck and had no choice’!   Which is true… but he was actually more chatty than me!  

He’s currently a non-believer, but told me about several happenings and ‘coincidences’ that made him doubt his stance.  

One story involved an inn keeper telling him there was no more room— then running after him and telling him that God nudged him to make room.  After a week of gratis  room and board, the inn keeper gave my new friend 2 Bibles that he now carries around with him as he travels around the world.  He has never read one, yet he hasn’t discarded them.  
I was able to suggest that he first pray, “God, if you’re real, help me to understand what I read and help me to see what it is you want me to see.   What do you have to lose?“  I suggested he start with the book of John.  

I was able to somewhat help tie together the pieces in his various stories for him.  His brother is Christian and is often encouraging him. I asked if he could see a change in his brother since he became a believer and he said there was a big change and he is in fact, a bit jealous of the peace and hope that his brother now has.  Especially in the hope.  
He is still skeptical, but I also told him that when he does decide to follow Jesus, he’ll be able to look back and see the many ways Jesus has been reaching out to him over the years.  Perhaps even included might be some stranger on a plane.  
Who might you be able to share the love of Jesus with today?  

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9-24-24

Currently 6.5 hours from Seoul where we’ll have a 2.5 hour layover before heading to Bangkok.  (Total journey is scheduled to be 26 +hours.)

 
Many of you are beginning to hear about a class called Perspectives.   It will be offered in Zanesville (at Rolling Plains) beginning Jan 2025.  

Why do I tell you this now?  

The last Perspectives class in our area was 2011.  The benefits from that class have had many rippling effects.  One of which is an organization called International Friendships Inc. (iFI) having a chapter started at Muskingum University by a graduate of the 2011 cass.   Through that organization international students have had the opportunity to be welcomed into American homes to experience our culture and love.   (Did you know that about 98%of all international students are never once invited into an American home?). We’re called to reach the nations, yet every year the nations are at our doorsteps and most are never welcomed.  
 
Two years ago Pat (Kelly) and I had the honor of welcoming a Laotian and a Jordanian into our home.   That adventure is one I could write several chapters on, but jumping to last year, Pat and I visited our ‘Laotian daughter’ in Laos.  On that trip we had the blessing to be with her as she made the decision to follow Jesus.   Such an incredible joy!
Jump forward another year later and she has grown leaps and bounds in her faith and will be joining us on our journey!

Pahn will be a fabulous local host to us and having her as an interpreter will be a huge plus as well!  But most of all we are all  incredibly excited to go on mission with her!
I thought you’d enjoy the backstory and knowing we are a group of 4, not 3.

Here’s a link for how you can find out more about Perspectives.