Celebrating the Hearts of GIS Students and Community

Grace International School students like most high school students around the world are involved in community service projects.  Almost all projects done by Grace students are completed on a voluntary basis.  There is only one school-wide project each year that comes up at the end of Spiritual Emphasis Week where the entire secondary student body goes out on mass and are required to participate. 

Below is a picture capturing one of those projects where students are involved in reaching out to displaced people by providing them with clothing.  Join us in celebrating the hearts of students and the GIS community who so largely display the heart of God in reaching out to the disenfranchised, downtrodden, and defeated.

Our Neighbors in Myanmar

A missionary dad, who with his wife send their children to Grace International School, is reaching out and ministering to displaced people on the border of Thailand and Myanmar and inside Myanmar itself.   

Here's a link to a BBC News article on the situation between the government and the Kachin State:

The latest in fighting in Kachin State.

Burmese attack breaks Kachin truce

www.bbc.co.uk

Burmese troops launch an attack on a strategic hilltop held by rebel Kachin forces in the north of the country, breaking a government ceasefire.

The missionary dad wrote recently, "This has got to stop."  The US government, "say they want to give the new Burma Government a chance but they are now shelling a town full of civilians. I have been there and it is not a military stronghold but a border town like all others."

The following link was also shared.  The pictures are quite graphic in both the news article and in the video link below. 

Link to Article

The missionary dad also posted an AlJazeera video of an attack in Kachin State.  Please be reminded again that Asian news is quite a bit more graphic than the US.  

Video of the attack in Kachin State.

Myanmar strike on Kachin base kills civilians

Kachin rebels say artillery strike by Myanmar army killed three civilians in their stronghold in Laiza. The group is fighting for greater 

Thank you for praying for justice for the innocent civilians caught in the middle, living in the Kachin State.  Pray for the government of Myanmar to exercise restraint, our US Government to have wisdom on how to relate to leaders that seem to have little to no control over its military and the shelling of civilians.  Finally pray for those ministering to the displaced people to help bring justice, mercy and the message of Christ's love into this dark and scarred part of the world.    

Illustrations of the Difference Your Partnership Makes

Through Free Methodist Mission Thailand 

Recently, David Yardy, the Asia Area Director pictured in the green shirt, wrote in an email, "I thought I would share some good news because I know how much it means to you when people come to faith in Jesus."

The gentleman in the blue shirt is the father of a sergeant who along with his family has been an active part of the Bangkok FM Church for some time.  David wrote, "His father confessed Jesus publicly in church yesterday."  Pastor Art pictured on the left sent David the picture of the event.

Please join us in giving thanks to the Lord for His redemptive power to draw men and women, boys and girls to Himself.  What a day of celebration there must have been in the sergeant's family and the body of Christ in the Bangkok FM Church that Sunday.  Please join us in celebrating the Lord's work in this man's life and answering the sergeant's prayers.  Would you also join us in praying that the Lord would establish this new believer in His Word and in the fellowship of the church.  Pray he would be mentored and discipled to grow and share his new faith with others in his sphere of influence.

If you want to give to Thailand Country Shares 2013 budget please check out the link here to be sure the work of the national church continues to move forward.  Thanks to those who are already giving.  Here's the link:  Thailand Country Shares

At Grace
Story from the Grace Web Site  For more pictures check out the underlined link.

Senior Shelagh Li and Allie Flaa taught and lived with New Sky Home Thai orphans for two fun weeks, reconnecting with children they'd met two years ago.

"It was good to keep our promise, to return to the Thai school where we'd taught before.  It meant a lot to the kids.  but our first day was a bit intimidating.  I was afraid the kids had forgotten us; then we'd have to begin relationships again," Shelagh said.

Some of the young people Allie and Shelagh Li, two Grace International School students, served in their outreach.

Allie explained their main challenge: "We were totally immersed in Thai language!  Some people also spoke Chinese, but little English.  Thinking in Thai was a huge focus, but it helped to have Shelagh around; she speaks better Thai."

Their days began early at 6:30 a.m., when New Sky Home staff brought breakfast.  "We taught English every day to Thai public school children, grades K1 to 6.  In the evenings, we debriefed, prepped lessons for the next day, read books, played guitar, made lunches, sometimes made dinner for the kids, and washed our clothes by hand, until lights went out at 9 p.m.," Allie said.

Each day the teens taught, building on basic English vocabulary the Thai students knew, using many different learning activities, like flashcards, writing, games, and coloring pages.  After reading A Color of My Own to classes, they helped make 3D chameleons.  "It was awesome seeing the kids design creative colors and patterns," Shelagh said.

After school back at the orphanage, Shelagh and Allie led more crafts and activities.  Fridays were movie nights; Saturdays everyone sang; Sunday evenings they played games.  But they feel this mission opportunity isn't for everyone; and orphanage staff are careful about who works with their children.

"I knew I'd see a poorer part of Thailand, but was surprised their buildings were much nicer than expected.   Our guest house had water heaters, mattresses on beds, wardrobes, blankets, and a nice kitchen,"  Allie said.  "The children were friendlier, happier, and more full of hope than we expected.  We bonded easily, and they thought everything we taught was brilliant!"

Shelagah said she'd definitely like to visit again.  "It's a great opportunity to learn how to serve the less fortunate.  They have a joy that only the Lord can give.  Sometimes, with lots of possessions, we can lose track of the Lord's joy, because we're so caught up in the material things we own.  And I loved seeing the kids how and develop into opinionated little people.  We also like teaching orphan girls crafts and foods that they could make, to earn a living someday."

Both seniors feel it was a great experience.  They saw missionaries helping in villages on the Burma border and heard amazing stories of God working there, where Shelagh's family serves with Hong Kong-based China Evangelical Missions (CEM).  Her parents teach at the Bible Seminary; other staff run New Sky Home, opened in 2006 for 50 children, ages 3 to 18; after housing orphans in a student center since 1995.

"It was much harder to leave this year; we may never return after graduation.  But as we blessed and encouraged the children, everything made them smile!  And serving there also blessed us," Shelagh said.

Praise and Prayer Points for the Week of January 27 - February 2

Praise Points

Thanks for praying for Katelyn and Michaela as they participated with over 250 other missionary kids at a recent weekend snow camp (without snow) in Indiana.  They had a fun time seeing friends from Grace and making new ones as they participated in the various activities like: skit night, games, times of worship and teaching.  The girls also successfully completed their Jan term at Spring Arbor and kicked off their second semester this past Thursday.     

For the work the Lord did through the ministry of 26 Senior Sports Leaders and their sponsors from Grace International School as they served refugees in Mae Sot. Check out the article below.

Praise to the Lord for all He accomplished through the GIS hosted Association of Christian Schools International Educational Conference held in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  The article below highlights some of what was accomplished for the participants.  The Lord continues to use Grace to accomplish His will throughout the region.

Prayer Points

Administrative Assistant:  Don recently learned his administrative assistant will not return to her post after this school year.  Please pray the Lord would raise up someone with experience who has a heart to volunteer (no paid positions for foreigners at Grace) serving the Lord as a missionary at Grace International School.  If you know of someone who is looking for an opportunity to serve the Lord, who isn't a teacher but has a heart for missions please let them know about this opportunity.  The posting will appear on the Grace web site in the coming days/weeks.  The job description can be found on the web page as well when the posting is listed.  Here's the link for the school's web site and current job postings:  Staff Positions Open at GIS   Thanks for praying with us about this very important position at Grace International School. 

Josiah and Whitney's Transition:  Please be in prayer as Sy and Whit transition to Washington state settling into new jobs and a place to live in the coming weeks.

Month of Prayer and Fasting and Spiritual Emphasis Week:  Please be praying for Grace's annual month of Prayer and Fasting.  This month a prayer tent is set up in front of the school for 24 hour access as a place to be in prayer for the school, faculty, staff, students and parent's ministries.  If you would, we invite you to join the Grace community in prayer during the remaining week of this month.  On Wednesday, January 30th there will be a special Prayer Gathering.  Thanks for holding the school up in prayer as the month of prayer and fasting is intended to "prepare the soil" for Spiritual Emphasis Week held from February 11th to the 15th.

January 2012 Week Three Prayer and Praise Points

Weekly prayer and praise points are a great way to connect each week.  Here's ours and we look forward to hearing from you on how we might join you in prayer and praise to the Lord.

PRAISE POINTS

Wa, our Karen friend has just delivered a healthy baby girl.

We get to attend the Asia Area Retreat upon our return to Thailand in March.

For commitments that continue to come in moving us closer to having 100% of our support before leaving for Thailand March 12th.

The Lord's provision and watch care while we've been in the states.

PRAYER POINTS

To complete year-end projects for 2012.  Strength to do this tedious and sometimes boring and definitely not so fun work.

For strength and healing for all those battling with the flu.

Faculty and staff at Grace who are in the middle of deciding their plans for next year... please pray the Lord would bring clarity in their decisions.

David Yardy in Asia.  He's doing a great deal of traveling and would welcome and appreciate your prayers.

For Seth as he has resigned from one part-time job keeping his main job while looking for a new job that has him working with young people in a school setting.

For Tad as he is transitioning from his job in Laos.  Pray the Lord would confirm the new direction he is pursuing enabling him to step into what's next with confidence.

The girls are attending an MK (Missionary Kid) snow retreat with other MKs from six different universities.  Pray for their safety as they play and travel and that they would renew friendships and make new ones along the way.

Grace International Connections

Students at Grace International School believe they can make a difference by loving a child, blessing a neighborhood in prayer, or mentoring a younger student. Regardless of the activity they undertake, GIS students continually live out the belief that they can positively change lives for the Kingdom of God. 

Check out the picture below to see one of the CONNECTIONS our students are making...

Making Connections on the Burma Border

The story below was written by a Grace International School student after one of the school's Sports Leadership class outreaches to the border of Burma.  The class travels with adult sponsors to refugee camps and hill tribe villages connecting a couple times a year.  The displaced kids in the camps are blessed through sports games and the Sport Leaders loving on the children.  Clothes, blankets, toiletries, school supplies, sports equipment and whatever else these children may need are gathered by these Grace students and taken to the children in the camps.  All three of our kids, Josiah, Katelyn and Michaela have been a part of this class, transformed by their experiences.   We have also joined the Grace students and our kids on one of the trips.

"The best ministry trip I've ever been on with some of the most AMAZING people I've ever met. I've known some of these guys since I was in first grade, some only since last year but nonetheless I feel like on this trip I've gotten closer to all of them. So many memories were made this weekend: freaking out in the car because we kept rolling down hill, feeling like a little kid again when Mr.Coe told us a bedtime story -- and then Hans ruining it >.<, showering in freezing cold water, getting lost on the way back, teasing Ben about his catfish-like beard ;) [haha you know we love you Ben!], playing "HEY, YOU, THERE" with Joey, Shin and Allie, Anna killing all the spiders that came our way, Shelagh's annoying alarm clock that woke up the whole house, Jade playing JB songs when we woke up AND as we were going to bed, Allie "eats a ton!", cuddling for body heat, and so many other things. Despite everything mentioned, I think the main reason that we were able to grow closer to each other and to get to know each other better was because at the same time we were growing closer to God. We were there to do work for His king- dom and to glorify Him in everything we did. Although playing with the Karen kids all day was a lot of fun, the highlight of the trip, for me, was singing worship songs under the stars. Arms around one another, praising God for everything He has done, I stopped to look around. It all felt surreal. I realized that I'm not ready to leave yet, I'm not ready to say good-bye to these people, and I need more time with them. Sounds cliche but it's true. I thank God for the opportunity to take this class and to have met such wonderful people. I know that when the time comes to say bye to these people it'll be one of the hardest, saddest things I've ever had to do but I also know that it would be so worth it having to have gotten to meet them. I'm going to miss you guys so much, more than you guys know or even realize. Lets make the next 6 months count! Love you guys!

20+ students with the heart to serve 1 God. 
Sports Leadership 2 2012-2013"

Our Community News

What's Happening in Our Grace Community:

Dr. Lloyd Chia is connecting with a Grace International School parent to develop contacts in Indonesia to bring his college students to Indonesia for a cross cultural trip.  Students attending Spring Arbor University (SAU) are required to go on a 3 week Cross Cultural Studies (CCS) program, where they learn in-depth about a country's government, economics, religion, education system, and family life.  They also hope to learn more about social injustice or marginalization issues in the country.  Pray the Lord would open doors so that SAU student's minds and hearts might be opened and expanded to experience all that is hoped for.

Pray for one or two couples who could be coming to Thailand around the time we arrive back in Thailand.  They both would like to make their way to Grace International School to see about the possibility of future ministry opportunities.  Pray the Lord would use these visits to accomplish His good will and purpose in their lives.  

FM Missions Family

Bereavement: In addition to the Robinson Family's loss the FMWM community grieves with the family of Dr. Delia Nüesch-Olver whose father, Jacobo Nüesch, passed away Thurs., Jan. 3. Services were held in Switzerland.  Please be in prayer for Delia and her extended family.

  

Malawi:  Please be in prayer for Ryan and Jen Willson. Ryan came down with a 48-hour flu but is now on the mend. Jen has an infection in her foot that has not yet responded to antibiotics. They go back to the doctor on Mon., Jan. 14. Also, this is an extremely busy time for them trying to get ready for visiting teachers from the U.S. to arrive Sat. and Bible school students on Monday. Their children return to school next week after a one-month break.

Taiwan: The San He FMC ministered over the holidays through a program of Christmas carols and testimonies to more than 200 male inmates at the local jail. According to an FM worker, this jail has a solid Bible study and discipleship program. Pray for the inmates who have committed to be baptized later this month. As you pray, ask God to continue to speak to the inmates and staff who heard the message of salvation, that they would desire to seek new life in Christ.

India: Pray for those gathering for the Umri Christian Hospital board meeting on Tues., Jan. 15. New doctors Elizabeth and Jevagam will participate in this meeting for the first time. Pray for ongoing compassion ministries at this hospital.

Also on Jan. 15, FM churches in Mumbai, in cooperation with the Crossover Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Ohio, will open a safehouse for six girls who have been rescued from brothels. The churches and foundation hope to eventually sponsor two more homes.

International Child Care Ministries/Set Free:  Because of 2012 Freedom Sunday offerings, more than 700 children in ICCM hostels and AIDS-impacted children's daycare centers have been equipped to withstand the schemes of traffickers.  These vulnerable children now know their rights, experience the liberating powers of the gospel that gives them value and identity, and are bringing awareness to others around them.  Church leaders are spreading the word of human freedom as central to the gospel and helping their congregations join the fight against slavery.

To learn more about ICCM and the Set Free Movement click here.

For more information about ICCM's sponsorship program, point and click here.

Transition:  Colleagues of ours, after more than 30 years of service with FMWM, Jim and Margaret Nelson announce their retirement, which was effective Dec. 31, 2012.  Colleagues David and Sherrill Yardy write, "Through their 30 years of faithful service in Asia, they have made many significant contributions.  Their love for Jesus and for the people they have served with in Hong Kong, Cambodia and throughout Asia is evident in their prayer life, their personal cards and notes to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and their sharing of meaningful books.  We are thankful for their personal lives and example, and will continue to treasure their friendship in the years to come."

Jim and Margaret write, "We have been blessed to be called by God to over 30 years of missionary service, and through the prayer and financial support of many, many friends have survived and thrived!  The transition in Asia are directors seemed to be a good time to 'officially' retire, but we'll still be involved in supporting and promoting missions in our local church and conference.  We're living with Margaret's 91-year-old father and next door to her 87-year old aunt, so we will keep busy helping them with the house and yard work, plus other needs."

Please pray for Jim and Margaret as they move into this new phase of life called "retirement".

SPECIAL NOTE:  All of the "FM Mission Family" news shared above comes directly from the FM Hotline weekly update.  If you would like to view the weekly Hotline you'll want to bookmark the link here:  Hotline

Extended Missions Family

Papua New Guinea:  Please be in prayer for Levi and Robyn Lenz in the North Wahgi.  "We are dealing with a volatile situation right now here in the tribe.  We are being cautious in sharing any of the details but we want to ask you to join with us in immediate prayer right now and for the next week ahead of us.  ...we cling to the Promises of God's Word.  We thank you for your very vital ministry of "Holding the Ropes" for us and our team on the other side of the world!  Prayer is the most powerful weapon in force with the arsenal of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, ..."

What Ours and Other's Passions Produce

Passion and drive, Fullan suggests, come from perceiving that we have accomplished something that has significant moral purpose.  Accomplishment actually produces passion - we don’t necessarily need to start with it.  

As your missionaries to Thailand, we believe that combining and doing what is on the heart of God with your partnership and our ministries is exactly what makes possible the kind of accomplishment of moral and spiritual purpose that generates our passion and drive.

Whether the ministry is:

rescuing children from being aborted through the Free Methodist Jasmine Project at Zionland in Thailand. 

keeping children safe and protected from being trafficked through the Free Methodist Lahu Youth Hostel in Chiang Rai, Thailand.  

seeing the lost saved and discipled through the four Free Methodist Churches in Thailand.  Three of the four pastors pictured above.  Pastors Art and Pat at the top and Pastor Joshua on the bottom. 

through the numerous ministries of the 95 mission organizations and their 355 families who send their children to Grace International School...ministering in 15 countries, not just Thailand.

or even the 615 students and 94 foreign and 64 Thai staff at Grace who are also involved in reaching out transforming their world in the name of Jesus.

Much is accomplished because you're holding our rope which stimulates our passion and drive displayed for His glory, honor and praise.

How deeply our Father cares for His children tucked away in the valleys of Thailand

"In Wiang Heng we have begun to see God move in some amazing ways. Wiang Heng has long been a village held in the grip of demon and ancestor worship, probably since the beginning of time. There is almost a palpable darkness that pervades this valley and even the people themselves. Recently a team of YWAM (Youth With A Mission) students did a six week outreach in Wiang Heng. After a couple of weeks of meetings and teaching in the church they began to see a spark of excitement among the small body of Christians that had not been there for quite some time. During worship one evening, I (Kathy) was sitting in the back of the church, just enjoying watching them worship and interact and listen as the Word was being taught. As I was watching and praying for them I saw in my mind a picture of Wiang Heng and in the sky overhead was a large black dome that covered over the whole valley.

Then I saw a hand reach down and tear the black dome back—ripped it off in fact—and I felt God saying, “I’m going to rip away the darkness that holds these people in bondage”.  I don’t often have these types of visual pictures but I felt sure this was a word from God for the body in Wiang Heng, so I shared it with the body and encouraged them that God had not forgotten them and He heard the cries for freedom from spiritual darkness for their village.  After the meeting we headed off to bed, well... a mat on a concrete floor, which isn’t exactly “bed” in my book.  Per usual, my night on the concrete floor was one of tossing and a few wake up calls for a trek to the outhouse (my mother has nothing over me!!).  At one point I woke in the dead of night to hear the dogs all over the village doing the “crazy bark”.   The villagers say that the demons are amuk when the dogs do the crazy bark, so I didn’t give it much thought as I’d heard it many times over the years in our villages.  So I dropped off to sleep once again.  Rick also had trouble with his concrete bed and he was also wakened not long after I was, to the sound of gun shots.  Gunfire in the middle of the night means that the villagers are out shooting off their guns to scare the demons away.  Indeed the demon world must have been having a busy night as it not only had the dogs bothered, but the villagers knew that something was up too.  Rick also rolled over for a few more z’s.  Soontawn, our host, on the other hand, when he heard the shooting decided to go outside and see what was cooking.  As he stepped outside and looked around, he looked up at the moon and could hardly believe his eyes.  There, placed at dead center, on the face of the moon was the shape of a cross.  

Soontawn's picture of the cross
on the face of the moon taken with his cell phone.

He ran back in to get his wife Noy and daughter Anna because he knew that unless they saw it for themselves they would not believe him.  And don’t you love technology... because next they pulled out their cell phones and started clicking away taking pictures of what they saw. They could hardly wait for us to roll out of bed in the morning so they could show us what they had seen.  As they related their story and we added in our pieces we all had “Holy Spirit goose bumps”.  We stopped and began to pray and thank God for His sign to the body of Christ in Wiang Heng that He is with them and will never leave them.  You should have heard the “oohs and ahhs” in church that morning (it was Sunday) as Soontawn shared the story of the moon-crossed night and passed the cell phone around through the congregation for everyone to see.  We believe that God is far from done in Wiang Heng and that He is only just beginning as He prepares the hearts of His body there for what He has planned.  As He said to Israel, so He is also is saying to the people of Wiang Heng, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in (Wiang Heng) Egypt.  I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers (demonic oppression), and I am concerned about their suffering.  So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the (demonic presences) Egyptians ...” Ex 3:7-8.  Please pray with us that the day will come soon when God will pull back the cover of spiritual darkness and pour out His Holy Spirit over all the people of this valley - and that the church there would be ready to lead them to the One who offers them freedom and redemption of sins and eternity with Him."

This story has been shared with Kathy Walden's permission.  Rick and Kathy are missionary parents of children and grandchildren who attend Grace International School.  Rick has also served on the Board of Grace over the years.  Rick's ministry was featured in last year's weekly updates and is a part of the 2013 Grace International School calendar.