Click to download the McClain Family 2011 Prayer Letter
Dear Pastor and Praying Friends,
Thank you so much for your expressions of love to our family, prayers, and faithful support and we are excited to tell you that God is Blessing in 2011!
Our student visa was renewed! In December we asked you to pray that our student visa would be renewed and it was renewed in January for another year! We also finished all the paperwork for applying for the missionary visa here in Thailand. We have been told that the paperwork for the missionary visa will go through 3 government offices before we will receive our missionary visa. Please pray that there will be no problems or delays and that we will have the visa before our student visa expires in January 2012.
Our first converts in Thailand! In December we asked you to pray for Khun At who lives in our neighborhood that started going to church with us. This was the first time in her life of 50+ years that she has ever went to church and she has went with us to church almost every service. On January 30th after the service she asked Jesus Christ to forgive her of her sins! Please pray that with our limited Thai we will be able to help disciple her, for her spiritual growth, and for the salvation of her family.
In February we were able to preach for Missionary Enrile Badua at the Bangkok Baptist Church during their first Missions Month. This is an Independent Baptist Filipino Church that is reaching out to the thousands of Filipinos working in Bangkok. I was able to teach on Missions during Sunday School and preach in the Sunday morning service. When the invitation was given 5 people asked Jesus Christ to forgive them of their sins!
Newspaper Outreach We have been able to help Pastor Srithone expand the newspaper outreaches. Since December we have been able to put Gospel articles in one of the oldest and largest newspapers in the province of Chiang Mai every Saturday. This newspaper prints 50,000 copies and is distributed throughout Chiang Mai and Lamphun provinces. Most of Pastor Srithone’s contacts come from the articles that we are able to put in various newspapers, magazines, etc. Alot of times people have kept the newspapers, etc and have later reread them and God works on their hearts through these articles and they respond. So far around 5 people have responded with the youngest being a college student and the oldest was a 70 year old man. Please pray as we are trying to followup on these people and for God to continue to work through these articles.
Lanna & Wiengping Baptist Church We have been able to help the Wiengping Baptist Church in Chiang Mai with building their first building. On January 30, 2011 several churches and visitors from the area came for the dedication service of the building. Just this month Evelyn and I have started teaching conversational English at the church and have had several new adults and kids attend. Please pray that we will see these adults and kids saved and serve the Lord with their lives. I also was able to give my testimony in Thai at Lanna Baptist Church about 2 weeks ago for the first time.
Mission Opportunities At the Lanna Baptist Church in Lampang on average over 15 students from a nearby school have been coming to church and several of them have made professions of Faith. We believe there is an open opportunity for a single person or a family to come and volunteer to teach English at this school 5 days a week for a school year. This will give them access to over 1,000 students that go to this school with over 900 of them living at the school. For a single person there is a potential to live at the school and have total access to the students. There is no need to have a college degree in Education or English as long has you have some teaching ability.
There is also and opportunity for a youth or college or church group to come and have an English camp during one of the Thai school breaks. This will give your group direct contact with Thai youth and a chance for God to work through you.
If any of you would be willing to volunteer for either of these opportunities or want more information about them, please contact us. Our email address is mcclains4asia@gmail.com and our USA phone number is 704-747-8837.
Please continue to pray as Ruth is homeschooling and Rachel will start in August and for us to have continued good health and safety here in Thailand.
For the Millions of Untold Souls in Thailand,
Brian, Evelyn, Ruth, and Rachel McClain
