Monday, May 7, 2012

God Answers Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God is Good, All the time. 
All the time, God is Good.

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you have hopefully been praying for a young man named LahKuHtoo. His friend, LerGay, had asked me to teach him more about the Bible, so I invited him to our VBS a few weeks back. After the first day, LerGay called LahKuHtoo and told him he had to come and hear this teaching about Jesus. A few days into teaching, LahKuHtoo cut off the Buddhist strings that had been tied around his wrists. Both boys said they could feel God changing their hearts. One day as we were cooking dinner, LahKuHtoo started asking me questions about denominations (the two main ones out here being Anglican and Catholic). We talked about verses in the Bible and how we are not called to be a denomination but to be followers of Christ and do as the Bible says, not what man says. This led into a discussion of salvation, baptism, having a life that reflects Christ, and honoring our mother/father/grandparents, etc. We were interrupted with the dinner whistle, but after worship that night, I gave him a list of verses to read and meditate on. After we went to MaeLa together, he returned to his grandmother's house, a devout Buddhist woman who favors LahKuHtoo over her other children. She has high hopes of LahKu becoming a monk. The next day, LerGay, Mob and I went to visit them and share Jesus with the grandmother at LahKu's request. We prayed together and talked for a while and then left. About a week later, Mob and I went to visit him again. He said he really wanted to be baptized (being baptized in Karen culture is making your Christianity official-- and letting everyone know you are commited to the faith). However, he is afraid to tell his family because he knows they will be angry with him. We prayed together for peace and he decided to pray about if this was right. The next day, he called me saying he wanted to be baptized. I was overjoyed! I called Pastor Jimmy to ask if he could come, but he said he has not finished classes to be a Reverend so is unqualified.... sigh. To avoid speaking rashly and saying something I'd regret I avoided telling him he was wrong and the Bible says he is "qualified." I saw LahKuHtoo yesterday and he said when he is with me and the people at Shekinah he wants nothing more than to be baptized, but when he's home, his heart hurts because he knows it will hurt his family. We read the verse of Jesus telling us to love him first, more than our families, and then of how we need to honor our mother and father. Once again we prayed together that he would have peace with the decision to be baptized now, or wait until he had a blessing from his parents. He called me a few hours later saying he wanted to be baptized. He is sure. Praise God for his courage. Keep LahKuHtoo in your prayers! And his family as well! His decision will change his life, already has, but will affect his family as well. It could cost him alot. Thank you Jesus for being with us through it all! He never leaves us or forsakes us!

James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

 LerGay, Me, LahKuHtoo, and Nina


A few blogs back, I mentioned a girl, EhSay who was in a car accident and broke her pubic bone and cracked her pelvis. Good new for her as well! After visiting two other hospitals who could (or would not) help her, she was taken to one where a surgery was scheduled. However, it was discovered that she had TB so the surgery was cancelled. This would mean over 50 days of bed rest, lying flat on her back, not able to get up even to eat or use the bathroom-- absolute misery for someone used to an active life. However, after 2 weeks of bed rest, she returned for a check up and the doctor was amazed at her progress. She was allowed to sit up in bed and be wheeled around in a wheelchair. 2 week later, she was brought back and the doctor was in complete shock that the bones had healed so well, she would be able to start walking with crutches. A miracle! On Monday she was brought back to the Bible School where she lives near Mae Hong Son and was reunited with her teachers and classmates whom she's been seperated from for so long. Praise God for His ability to heal both hearts and bodies!!

John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.


Christine (a wonderful teacher and friend) and EhSay in the hospital