We've started a new category in our journaling because know we are really doing what God has called us here to do. We can't wait to join Him in His work among the people here in CK. Today we celebrated Christmas with the "staff." "Staff" is just the business term for our team. . . our friends. . .our new family. We started the morning off with a 2 hour devotion (all in Thai). Then practiced our skit and songs that we are going to be using in a performance at the local middle & high school. God has worked a miracle in that the school has asked our team to come and share with the students the meaning of Christmas. By lunch time, we had polished up a drama of Luke 2 and practiced 4 christmas carols. Our friends were so patient with us as they taught us the carols! I helped sing and Blake helped out by playing the electric guitar in the band. Plus he was an angel and a wise man in the play. After lunch we all took a little break and came together for the party a few hours later. Mindy lead us all in some funny games that had us all laughing and then the caterer showed up. .. all you can eat Noodles! It's a special soup that they eat all the time. We love it too. Then we presented the group with a ping pong table that a previous volunteer team wanted to purchase for them. So, some played ping pong while others gathered around a fire to make a special sticky rice snack which cooks inside bamboo. It was delicious! The party kept going but I couldn't keep up. I think I heard the ping pong ball bouncing way into the wee hours. . .

Being able to Celebrate with Christian brothers and sisters is such a blessing. And as we build relationships with our dear team members we are able to see more of their hearts and their love for those who don't yet know the Lord. How blessed we are to by able to join the army of the Lord as we march into the battle fields.
We live in and are surrounded by lostness. We are grieved over the condition of their hearts. So many eyes have been blinded to the truth. So many have never even heard about our Savior's birth. Don't give up praying for the people here!

O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods! (Ps 63; 1-5) Help me, then, not to grieve, for Your joy is my strength (Neh. 8:10) If I call to You, You will answer me and tell me great and unsearchable things I do not know. (Jer 33:3).
How exciting it is to serve a living God!!