Life for Kids at JOFC

Kids helping out in the fields - be careful with that knife!

Life for our kids at the JO Fraser Centre (JOFC) is so different from what they’ve experienced before in their lives. Before our time here, it was always a struggle to get the kids out of the door and they wanted us to play with them. My wife read of home schooling families in America where the kids would got out and play in the morning and the mother would call them back at dinner time. “We’ll that’s great from them, but it’s never going to happen with us” I thought to myself.

So it’s hard to believe the change in our kids. They are eager in the mornings to get through their homeschooling as quickly as possible so that they can be outside playing. But why wouldn’t they want to go outside? They can carve swords and bows from bamboo trees, go hunting in the woods with the students, play football (soccer), feeds the pigs, chase the chickens, climb the tamarind tree … there is so much potential for life but sadly the reality of death too.

The kids were looking after an injured chicken for a few days and our elders sobbed when little “chicka” died. “Charcoal” the centre’s dog was run over by a van just outside the centre and it soon died with its neck broken. They watched as one of the centre’s pigs was killed for food. The corn fields were tall and green when we arrived in December but now are but empty hollow stalks.

I’m sure that our kids will remember these days and reminisce as my wife’s family still do when they lived just north of here over 35 years ago.

I could never have imagined that missionary life would have taken me to where I am now.  Feeding pigs, catching rabbits, washing away chicken poo, laying cement, milling rice, fixing washing machines and buying meat from the market which is not refrigerated and out in the open ... I've learnt many new skills which I never would done living a "city slicker" life.

It's a privilege to disciple the students here and pass on some of the things which I've learnt in my Christian walk.  Life is busy and at times difficult, but it is fulfilling and full and I don't have a lot of regrets.  Life is never dull or mundane that's for sure.

It really helps to have the local language.  It makes life so much easier.  I was at the electrical store this afternoon looking for an RCA (video and audio) cable extension.  I had to go to a couple of stores but I finally got what I needed and it felt good (and it was a lot cheaper than in Australia!).  

We had lunch at one of the local noodle restaurants this afternoon and we couldn't help feeling like celebrities with everyone looking at us and being very excited about having a cuddle with our almost 1 year old.  It wasn't one of the restaurants too many tourists go to.  The prices were great though.  Only 10 baht a bowl (AU$0.30).  That is a third of the price in Lampang.

Thankful for the place God has brought us too.

Now got to go and prepare for translating the sermon and testimony tomorrow morning at church with the short-term team arriving.

(Re)commissioning Service and Farewell

Elders laying of hands

We had our (re)commissioning service and farewell last Sunday. It was a miserable weekend weather wise so we were even more thankful to those who braved the weather to attend. Unlike previous commissioning services, we left much of the details of the service to one of the elders at our supporting Church and only had to chose the songs. It took much of the burden off organising our commissioning service which we were very thankful for. We were very encouraged by the service and we hope that those who attended we mutually encouraged.

One was the thoughts which popped into my mind leading up to the service was “Why do we bother having a (re)commissioning service?” Weren’t we commissioned 7 years ago when we first left? Isn’t that enough?

When we first arrived back in Australia 11 months ago, we weren’t sure when we would be able to get back to Thailand. We had plane tickets booked to return in 7 months. But when we arrived we were not in a state to be able to return and we didn’t know how long it would take before we would be ready.

By God’s grace he brought us to a point where we felt that God wanted us back in Thailand and we felt able to return. It took a little longer than first thought and he has lead us to a new ministry direction. So I came to the conclusion that in this case, a recommissioning was appropriate. It is similar to when ministers move to a new church they have a new commissioning service.

When we come back to Australia in 2 years time as planned and only stay for 2-3 months, then I’m not sure whether a commissioning service would be necessary, especially if we are going back to the same ministry. I guess opinions would differ in this case as I know that other people do have (re)commissioning services in situations like this.

J.O Fraser

“James Fraser (well known as J.O. Fraser) was only 22 years old when he left his engineering career and went to China. From the very first time he saw the Lisu tribespeople of Yunnan Province, he was filled with God’s love for them. He spent the rest of his life laboring to bring them the gospel. Breakthrough came only after his partners back home took up the challenge to pray. “I am not asking you just to give ‘help’ in prayer as a sort of sideline, but I am trying to roll the main responsibility of this prayer-warfare on you. I want you to take the burden of these people upon your shoulders. I want you to wrestle with God for them.” The Lisu now have a strong body of believers who are also sending out workers to other groups around them.”

http://www.omf.org/omf/breakthrough/fraser_the_lisu

Wow. Only 22 when J.O Fraser went to China. These days by the time you’ve finished uni, some work experience, Bible College, then ministry experience, most people are in their 30s before they leave for overseas missionary work. I was 32 when we left. In hindsight I wished I’d studied less and gone left sooner.

Guidance, calling and the will of God

Our eldest son following the conductor in his school band

It’s 2am in the morning and I can’t sleep so what better to do than update the blog.

The issues of guidance, calling and the will of God have been at the forefront of our minds as we start making plans t return to Thailand before the end of the year. These are bigs issues and Christians have very differing views.

How does a missionary end up working where they do and what ministry they are involved in. Is it just a matter of seeking/finding/receiving “God’s call”? What’s that anyway? It’s common to hear pastors and missionaries talk about being “called to full time ministry”. But what if you didn’t get a specific call to ministry or a place or people? Does that mean you are off the hook and you can do what you want? Some argue that every single believer is called to do ministry (A Better Way: Make Disciples Wherever Life Happens, p.15 Dale Losch).

And how do we determine God’s guidance? A feeling, verses of Scripture which give you a electric feeling down your spine, changes in circumstance, open and closed doors, the advice of friends, the direction from your Church or mission society? Do you need all of them to line up or is 4 out of 5 o.k?

And as a missionary whose authority are you under? Ultimately God’s (yes) but if your mission wants you to go one direction and your Church another and you another whose authority prevails? Is it then your “call” which decides?

Is the individual call given to you by God, more important than the direction given to you by your Church or mission agency?

What do you think?  

(While you think about that I'll go clear out my inbox and try to make my sleeplessness a bit more productive)

City Thai Fellowship Sydney

I was asked to speak at the Thai City Fellowship in Sydney just over a month ago. This group meets every Monday at 5pm with a Thai meal, then singing and a talk. If you are Thai and live in Sydney, it’s worth a visit (www.facebook.com/ctcf).

Following God's Leading

Lisa at our sharing at Cornerstone Concord this morning

Today I was asked a question about how we ascertain God’s leading. It was in response to our sharing about how I felt God leading us to move house to The Lighthouse (in the shower!) even though Lisa and I had decided initially that we would not move as we’d just spent quite a bit of money on renovations on our old house. Answering off the top of my head I talked about how I’d discussed what I felt was God’s leading with my wife and we talked and prayed about it and both felt it was the right decision. Also, our team leader’s wife thought along the same lines on the same night. If the decision was not against the clear teaching of the Bible and God hasn’t directed us otherwise, then God has given us human wisdom to use to go ahead with a decision.

As I was reflecting on my answer this afternoon and if I had my chance to answer that question again, I would add that if God’s leading leads us to die to ourselves and to glorify God, then it is more likely to be God’s leading that an opposing decision which would make things easier for us or lift us up in our standing in society.

So regarding our decision to move to The Lighthouse, it caused us a lot of hassle in moving again and wasted the money we spent on renovations - it required a dying to ourselves. The opposing decision to remain in our old house would have been a lot easier and didn’t require any sacrifice. So using this measure, the decision to move was more likely to be God leading than the decision to stay.

This is not an absolute rule of course and I’m sure there would be exceptions when a dying to ourselves might not be God’s leading. Yet, I think this measure of dying to ourselves and the glorification of God is a good one and helpful for ascertaining God’s leading (this idea was not my own by the way. I think I heard it first from a talk by Frank Viola).

Quick trip back to Lampang

Dinner with Lampang friends at the Lampang Resort

Last week I made a quick trip back to Thailand to renew my visa and work permit. You might think that it is a long way to go to just renew my visa (from Australia to Thailand) but it took me 6 months to get my visa. If I didn’t renew it then I would have to start the whole application process again. Unfortunately, I can only renew my visa in Thailand. However, this gave me an opportunity to make a quick visit to Lampang and visit our friends there. It was a whirlwind visit with lots of meeting up with people and eating. It was great to be back in Lampang and catch up with people and our friends in Lampang want The Lighthouse to open again as soon as possible.

Home Assignment

@ Cornerstone Presbyterian Eastwood

We are onour second home assignment now and it is intended to provide opportunity for:

* Reporting to churches concerning the ministry/work.

* Participation in the mobilization work of the OMF Homeside.

* Rest and renewal.

* Reunion with family, friends, and supporting churches.

* Re-equipping for a more effective ministry.

We have mainly been at our main two supporting churches so far and their various congregations but his Sunday we are head off to Pittwater Presbyterian where we will be doing a presentation and Rich will be preaching.

We are already half way through our 7 month home assignment. The time is flying.

Start of another new school

Our Second Son’s first day at school

We’ve had to move house 9 times in the last 7 years. With that has come changing school. For our oldest son, he has gone to 5 different schools and he is only in year 3! Our oldest son adapts pretty well so we didn’t expect much trouble. He has a gift of making new friends quickly too. We had concerns about our middle son most. And he didn’t want to go to school for a couple of days, but was soon enjoying and there were no complaints of going to school. His frequent awards from school helped a lot. He’s received about 8 rewards in the first 4 weeks of school with his brother only getting one. So overall this school transition was pretty smooth. Some of them have not and even after months and months our son still didn’t want to school and that’s always hard.

There were tears today as mum was trying to help our middle son with his spelling. He said he didn’t get any words right in his spelling test this week.

On home assignment we have to move around between different Churches and that can be difficult for the kids too. They get used to one Sunday school program and then they have to try to fit in to another one. So our middle son didn’t cope last Sunday at another new Church (though our eldest loved it as they played great games).

So we are thankful that all 3 of our kids have settled into school. They cannot have the stability of being in place for long but we hope our family and God provides enough support for them not only to cope but thrive.