Rain and Living Water

Today it poured! We haven't had a good hard rain for quite a while. It was deafening. Sheets, buckets, cats and dogs...whatever description you like to use to describe some of the hardest rain you've ever seen would work just fine. It was great! Ah! thirsty ground, thirst no more.
What about my thirsty soul? I am hungering after a deeper intimate love relationship with Jesus, and a greater burden for souls. Jesus has promised that out of my belly shall flow rivers of living water. I am longing for a continual, deep draught from clear cool water of LIFE That flows from Christ's heart. O, to Know Him deeper and fuller, and then boldly make HIM known.
Over here one thing is for sure...because of the heat and humidity, after a good hard rain, plants and things really grow!
Surely it is the same in my life. After a fresh baptism of the Presence of Jesus in my life, a lush trail of life follows me with all Glory and Praise ascending to our Father. May it ever be So. martin.

2 great needs

I am quite convicted of my great need in two areas: 1) A fresh revelation of Jesus Christ, and to grow deeper in communion and fellowship with Him. 2) To know the true value of a soul, and that God would move me with His compassion for souls. martin.

Here are a couple of applicable quotes by William Bramwell*

"Do you rise about 4 o'clock every morning? and in order to do this, do you retire to rest as soon as your work and meals are over, or do you sit and chat with the people? Do you give yourself to reading and prayer? I say, give, give yourself to these. Are you never in company above an hour at once? When in company, do you turn all into profit - into religion?"


"How is it that the soul being of such value, and God so Great, Eternity so near, and yet we are so little moved...?"


*They Knew Their God - Volume 1" By E.F. & L. Harvey and E. Hey

Fit Soul? or Fit Body?

..."we dread malarial fever, and fear lest it should get hold of us and drive us out of the mission-field. Should we less dread this spiritual malaria, the fever of a restless soul...surely this is the most dangerous form of fever possible. A fit soul in an unfit body is doubtless uncomfortably crippled, but it is not wholly ineffective; but what is the good of a fit body with an unfit soul inside of it? It may as well go home at once for all the fighting it will do in the mission battlefield." Amy Carmichael

Please pray for us. This is Warfare, and we feel our un-doneness. We will not give up, but we do need your prayers.

First Visitors

We just enjoyed a visit from John and Debbie Rumble.
It was such a blessing to be with them again!
We packed a lot of things into just five days...
the children had plenty of ice cream and rides with John
on the motorbike, we went to an elephant farm
and to see Nui's mother, and another day we went to
Compassion Home, a youth hostel for orphans and village
children so they can go to school nearby.

Anniversary Trip

Since Martin had a few days off, right over our wedding anniversary, we decided to take a little trip. We stayed all night at the project where our friend Wah works. This project, called UHDP, is a test farm where they raise gardens and animals. They then help nearby poor villages in learning to raise their own food, plus assisting them in other ways. The next day, we visited two villages - the first one was one UHDP is helping. The next one was tucked away in scenic mountains, with lots of farming around. This village is tribal Chinese, and very touristy.

Nui's Mother

We just found out today that Nui's mother's tumor is cancerous. We don't know what they are planning to do, but they are quite devastated. Please remember that Nui is the only Believer in all of his extended family. Unless she sees and believes, she will face an Eternity without hope and without Christ. May God give us grace and wisdom as we care for them during this tough time.

Prayer Request

Today we went to see an old friend, Nui, and his mother. Martin met Nui about 10 years ago, and we have stayed in touch with him. He is a Christian, but his family is not. He called this week, saying his mother has a tumor and would Martin please come and pray for her.
So this morning, we mazed our way to the other side of Chiang Mai and on out to his mother's house. We sat and visited with Nui and his mom (while Andrew tried to climb out the window). She has a tumor on her liver, and they will find out on Monday if it is cancer.
The room we sat in seemed to be an echo of her life... proud pictures of Nui's graduation, a tv, some offerings to take to the Buddhist temple. After a while, we decided to pray. As I held her hand, and prayed for her, I had to hold back the tears. She goes towards Monday with no loving Jesus to hold her and speak words of peace and comfort. As a Buddhist, death is about being reincarnated. The ultimate goal is reaching the highest level of reincarnation, non-existence... the opposite of eternal life. I just can't imagine facing the possibility of cancer with no hope in death.
However, back in the room, was a picture of a beautiful waterfall. Like the woman at the well, this woman is seeking to quench her thirst with stagnant water. Will you join us in prayer, that the Living Water might flow into this home, filling her cup so that she thirsts no more? We are praying that her tumor is not cancerous, and that she might be healed. Most of all, that she would see God and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rachel.