The Adventure Continues on Another Blog

Hey there everyone.

Just wanted to let you all know that i am going to be continuing the Blog here for Thailand article but will also be writing about my other outreach efforts in the world and local community located over here. Its call Adventures in Outreach.

Thanks for your interest and for the prayers and support.

I know it means a lot to me as well as those that we encounter.

Doc

Adventures in Outreach Continues

Hello all,
Many of you know that Cape Fear is making another mission trip this year. For those of you that do not know this, here is the scoop.

The team and i will be heading out to Crimea, Ukraine. We will be teaming up with a church, Living Vine Christian Church, that Chuck and Karen helped plant back 16 or so years ago. Vadim and his wife Lena Provozyuk are minister/leading the church now.

The work done there in Crimea will be helping supply folks with hospital supplies, since you pretty much have to supply your own when you visit the hospital there in Crimea. A second part of the mission is to bring some man power to building an addition and fixing up an existing home in which the Shalbetskay family lives. The Shalbetskay's adopt children with physical and/or mental disabilities. Currently there are 14 people living in and old, small and falling apart home. It is our goal to make some renovations happen.






I'd like to share a letter that we got and some photos of the Shalbetskay family and a translation for those of us that don't read or write Ukraine

Родители воспитывают детей с 1991 года.За это время в гостях семьи на каникулах и праздниках с интернатов побывало около 30 детей.Старшие дети уже выросли и имеют своих детей.Родители не взяли не одного здорового ребенка.Все дети имели либо физические либо умственые недостатки.Обучаются во 2 школе искусств.Либо танцуют либо играют на музыкальных инструментах.

My parents started taking in kids in 1991. At that time the kids would come to our house from the orphanage home on school holidays and vacation, around 30 kids. The older ones taken in are already grown with kids of their own. My parents never took one healthy child. All of the kids we take either have some physical disability or mental disability. We have the kids involved with two special schools and they can choose to learn either dance, or play musical instruments.

Спасибо большое за то, что ты не остался равнодушным к нашим проблемам.Спасибо за молитвы.Мы тоже молимся.
Thanks a lot that you have not abandoned us and forgotten our problems. Thanks for your prayers, we also pray for you.

С любовью семья Шалбецких.
With love, the Shalbetskay family.



Теперь на счет имен.
Here is the list of names.

самая маленькая Лиза ей 1г и 3 месяца.
The youngest is Liza, she is 1 yr. 3 months.


Девочка которая играет на пианино Аня ей 5 лет.
The girl playing the piano is Anya - 5 yrs.


Новые дети:Оля 8 лет и Коля 6лет.
New kids (just brought home) Olga, 8, and Kolya 6

на скрипке играет Настя 8лет.
Nastia is playing the violin.


Мальчики:Федя и Леша по 12 лет.
There are 2 boys, Fedya and Losha who are 12.

Лиза с кудрявыми волосами 15 лет.
Another Liza with curly hair who is 15.

Вика Балет 15 лет. И Ира:)
Vika doing ballet is 15.


And Ira J (Ira is a natural Shalbetskay, as is Lena who wrote the letter. Lena is married with a child named Artyom and she and the baby live at the house as well.)





I hope that seeing the face of those we are going to serve will allow you to keep them in your prayers. There will be plenty more posts coming and more photos im sure from the trip.

Thanks for partnering with The Crimea Team and praying for us and the family and lives that we will meet and love on.

Blessed to be a part of this and grateful for your support and prayers.

TTFN

Doc

Tunes For Thailand Take Two

Howdy everybody,
Matty Matt is putting together the fundraiser that i was mentioning earlier in the blog. Well here are some of the details.

You're personally invite you all to the Tunes For Thailand Coffee Shop, Christmas Edition, this Friday Dec 17, from 6-9pm at the church building. Desserts will be provided, along with hot beverages (sponsored and provided by Port City Java). There will be live Christmas music from some of your favorite musicians... Erica & Sam Straka, Lucas Cannon, Tyler Broyles, Garrett Huffman, Steve Hunnicutt, Glen Titus, Doc Reed, Donnie Cannon... and guests, Scott Hennis and the Crosswinds Praise Band.

The purpose of this event is to raise funds for Ezekiel Fish and The Goodnews Mission in Maesot, Thailand. Over the last month, the city of Maesot (population 100,000) has been flooded with close to 30,000 Burmese refugees. (Could you imagine if our city of Wilmington took on 30,000 people, forced out of their homes?) God is going to do Amazing things through Ezekiel and the mission to help the refugees! Let's rally behind them with prayer and financial support. I understand the "timing" might not be the greatest for giving... We, as a church and individual Christians, are supporting local efforts for those who have needs, we have also just recently supported Team Haiti in a huge way, and Christmas brings extra spending... and now Mr Matt is asking for money for Thailand. Please search your hearts, and remember to "Give Until It Feels Good".

I've copied and pasted the most recent note I received from Ezekiel (just days ago). The money we raise will go to the list of items he mentions.


The rebel and Burmese government troops along Thai-Burma border are still fighting every other days. Civilians from Burma side rush into Thai land every day. Just yesterday morning, there are six hundred refugee acrossed from Burma to Thailand. Most refugee are women, older age people and children. The refugees needs shelters, foods, kitchen materials, blankets, waters, baby milk powders and medicines. Please keep them in your prayers. There are Christians among the refugees.
Thank you for your finance support, you prayers and your Christian Love. We do need your prayers and finance support to build up the kingdom of God. Through your assistance, finance support and prayers, we won many souls for our Jesus our Lord.
Your Brother in Christ,
Ezekiel and Ah-Cha Fish.

Political Unrest

I have been meaning to post this for a few weeks now. Ezekiel sent us an email back on the 8th of November. Seems like there is quite a bit of trouble over there in Mae Sot and Myanmar. Wanted to share this last email from Ezekiel. Keep the Mission in your prayers as they are receiving larger numbers of refugees fleeing the fighting and bombing.

We are looking to try and put a fundraiser together to help with some more funds to help

Dear friends in Christ,

Yesterday was a day of election had done in Burma. From early morning today had started a worse war with the minority groups who are fighting for democracy for many years. From early morning to right now at 7:00 p.m. the Burmese government troops and minority groups are fighting along Thai-Burma borders and in side of the Myawadee city which is situated just opposite Masesot. Some shell landed in side Thailand and some Thai civilian lost life and many injury and hurts. Over 20,000 refugee are arriving in Maesot from Burma. We do not know how many will be coming tonight. Most of them are women, older age people and children. The battle is going worse moment by moment. It seems no way to end. The refugee need food, shelters, waters, clothes and medicines urgently. Please pray for this people and take a time of consideration for this people. to help.

Yours in Christ,

Ezekiel

Swadee Krop

Hello all,
Got an update from Ezekiel about some on goings there in Thailand. Wanted to pass them along to you. Most of this is straight from Ezekiel, so forgive the broken or wordy english.

On May 9, we had eight new believers were baptized at #48 Church of Christ. (i believe this is the same village that we visited and called Kilometer 48 village while we were in Thailand) Please keep this new Christians in your prayers so that they will continue to grow their faith in Christ.

During April 8 to 13, we had one week Bible study Seminar among Burmese Christian youth in Myawadee Gospel Center and Maesot Bible School. Both places many new Burmese Christians arrived to attended in the seminar. In this two seminar, Moses, Philip and Yohan and their youth leaders had taught to over a hundred Christian youth. Many non-Christians also attended with Christians. Both places won souls for Christ. At Myawadee, four non-Christians accepted Jesus as their own Savior and Lord and baptized by Yohan and an elder in their Church. Please keep Myawadee Gospel Center and the new baptized in that congregation.

Moses also had baptized nine new believers since April 14 to last week May 9. They are all converted from idol worship to Christ. Please keep this new Christians in your prayers. The Burmese refugee meet very difficult life in Thailand. They are so poor . No good shelter, no food, no good health, no good security for themselve. They always work for a rice bowl on Thai farmers land and live on farm with a whole family. Until they die by different kinds of sickness, they can not go to see doctors because they have no ligal paper. (I am assuming the living conditions are much like those of The Orange Village that we visited atop the hills of Mae Sot)

Moses and my daughter Leah taking care them through preach the gospel, take to doctors who are sick and, supply a lunch every Lord's day when the new Christian come to worship to God at MBTC. To feed a lunch also a necessary for these poor refugee. Therefore, their ministry among Burmese need finance support for medical fund and food supplies for refugee. Please keep this needs and new Christians in your prayers.

Four evangelists are already left from Putao, on their way to northeast Burma, along on Burma-China border. They will be back to their home Putao, northern Burma some time at the end of October. They will be traveling on foot for nearly six months through very high snow mountains and deep valleys. Please keep this four evangelists in your prayers.

Please continue keep the students and teachers in your prayers. The classes started two weeks ago. Teachers and students are in good health. Every one is working hard on their teaching and studies. However, on the physical way all the people in Thailand has a big depression and stress because the political problem at this time. This year is the most difficult year in Thailand as I saw in thirty six years. The political situation is so bad at this time. There are no peace in the hearts of civilian. Every body has a big worry and fear for future life in Thailand. Under martial law is not happy for any body. Not easy to travel one place to another. There are so many check points along the high ways. Some private TV channel signals block/shut down by authorities and some local radio stations those run by private company also the same. In Bangkok, the troops and demonstrators fighting day and night. A lot of innocent people lost their life every minute. Please pray special for Thailand at this time so that God will save Thailand from political crisis and restore peace again.

We are praying to God to get a ten acre of land or more in Burma side to start a Biblical Training Center. This is tremendously need to extend wider our ministry in that area to give biblical training for the new preachers and leaders. Then, they will go out to their own people in their are to share Jesus with their relatives. No Bible School is in this lower part of Burma. If we have a place of Biblical Training Center in that area, I hope we can establish many new Churches among the Burmese and many other tribes such as Karen, Pa-U. Please pray for this new vision. One acre will costs $1,000 at this time.

We thank you so very much for your finance support, your prayers and your never ending Christian love then and now.

Yours in Christ,

Ezekiel Fish



One thing i do remember from my visit to Thailand is no brand is safe from being reproduced and sold in the markets. Also most brands done hold any value other than "Hey, its American, or looks American." As you can see by the Playboy bunny on this chaps shirt. He probably has no idea what Playboy even is.










This, I am assuming is the land that Ezekiel is look to purchase to continue to build on. Yeah, it don't look like much but i have seen the wonders that Ezekiel can do with "not much". Pretty impressive.

Thailand Thanksgiving

I just got an update from Ezekiel with some photos of the rice harvest that we were unable to partake in while we were there in Thailand. Looks like it was a time, good or not i'll let you decide if you think it would have been fun. I wish that i would have been able to be there with the students.

Here are some shots for the rice fields.




Students and staff harvesting the rice.


That is a nine foot green snake, pretty much the same color as the rice right. i am sure that Julie is glad to have not seen this in person or have me be around when this was in the rice.



The Thanksgiving/Harvest Meal for the Students and Staff of MBTC. A refresher... thanksgiving comes when ever the rice or harvest is ready to be taken. Then the celebration for God providing begins in the form of thanksgiving meal. I miss the food cooked in banana leaves. Truly a wonderful thing. Might have to try that sometime state side and see what happens.



Whats everyone thankful for...Graduation time.
Here are a handful of the students that we worked along side during our time there in Mae Sot that are now graduated and going out into the world to share the Good News!



Here is the Tithe for the rice that the students brought in from the fields. Is that a lot of rice or what!


The new hymnals arrived as well. I am sure that all of these have all of the latest from Hall, Tomlin, Crowder, Redman and Hillsong. If only, that would make for a killer Hymnal.Though some would argue it not a hymnal anymore, but i digress.


Again looking over some images from the trip with the family this Christmas season mad me thankful for everything i have been blessed with...friends, family, co-workers near and far. You are awesome Yeshua thank you for everything even the thorns!

God bless you all in 2010
TTFN
Doc

A Different Way Of Life

Watch these guys load the cattle for about 20 minutes or so. That cow did not want to get in that truck. It was quite the undertaking. By the time it was over there were about 15 folks standing around watching or helping push the cow in. By the time the cow was in there was a huge pile of crap steaming in the road, a large and i mean large piece of bamboo that lay broken on the side of the road