Dear Kirk,
Time goes by so fast. It's hard to believe February is already here. I returned to Thailand at the stroke of midnight on January 1. Mary Kay returned just two weeks ago. She spent an extra four weeks in the US to help her parents and take care of other family matters.
Since returning we have been busy finishing up work from last year and preparing for this
year. My calendar is already full with speaking engagements to encourage and inform Thai pastors and Christians all around the nation.
My first opportunity to speak was just two weeks ago. This meeting in Bangkok was attended by over one hundred provincial coordinators regarding Thailand's Vision 2015. (A vision to lead a million Thais to Christ by the year 2015.)
I had the opportunity to share with these leaders the situation of the church in Thailand and the need for planting churches in areas where there are no churches. By using the online maps we developed, I showed them that there are over 39 million people in Thailand who have little opportunity to know who God is. Over 60% of the sub-districts in this nation have no churches.
Without a church in their area how are they going to be discipled and grow in their faith? It was encouraging for me to hear from some of the pastors as to how this information has inspired them to plant churches in areas where there are none.
Other news:
We are very grateful for the addition of Evert-Jan (EJ) and Martien de Bruin to our team here in Thailand. EJ is a software developer from Holland who joined us last September. EJ has taken over all the software development and technical tasks. He has already made a big improvement on the tools we have been developing.
Mary Kay returns to working at the library at Chiang Mai Theological Seminary next week. She was greatly missed and they are anxious to have her back. In the mean time she is getting our books up to date and ready for this year.
Prayer items:
- Meeting we have with people from JESUS.NET next week. We are working on creating an internet evangelism site in Thai, using technology from Jesus.net. Pray that we can find the right people to serve as e-coaches and a coordinator to manage the e-coaches.
- Short term missions team coming in March. That God would use them as they minister to Thai young people in Suhkothai province by teaching them spoken English.
- Thailand's Vision 2015. There are many initiatives and projects going on this year relating to this Vision. Pray that God will be glorified through these efforts and that many will come to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ
Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our ministry. You are what keeps us here!
Blessings,
Dwight & Mary Kay Martin
P.O. Box 16, A. Hang Dong
Chiang Mai, Thailand 50230
Email: dmartin@e-star.ws
Phone: (205) 483-2221
Skype: dwimar
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