R & R in Chaing Mai

Here are some other picts of our team members from Thailand.

What a night/day. First of all I actually slept through the night till about 6:30 this morning. A real bed, what a treat! Not to mention real showers, running (clean) water (you still don't drink), and air conditioning.

I have to laugh because my new friend Stephanie and the CMA missionary that we work with Debbie Vik have called this "the land of almost." I didn't get it for the first week or so, but especially now in this very classy hotel, they almost get it but not quite. We actally get room service, and we got fresh towels today, but there are some things that you just take for granted (sp?) that aren't there; hand towels for instance.

Last night a few of us went downstairs to the lounge area. They had an Elvis impersonator that we listened to. It was hilarious, he was singing songs Elvis never sang, he had some of the gyrations down (almost) and the voice was precariously off key. It was quite entertaining:




On the more serious side, I went to a Wat today. A Budhist Temple... it broke my heart. I saw people actually worshipping idols made from cement, or wood, overlayed with gold or simply painted. They were praying to them and believing that these idols would answer their prayers if they were ferverent enough, or offerred enough prayers, incense or money. I left sick to my stomach. This wasn't just tradition, it is a belief system that many of them do not even understand but simply practice out of the tradition of their culture or family. Pray for Thailand and those who are trapped in this false religion. Pray that by going to the temple they would recognize the futility of praying to something made by the hands of mankind.

Thank you for your prayer support and please continue to pray for Travis (he's still sick).

In "His" grip in Thailand,

Dale

I will post more pictures of the temple when I can later. Above are the steps going to the top.

Made it to Chaing Mai! New Pictures!!

We made it to Chaing Mai today, and we finished our last clinic yesterday. Of course one of the people working with us shared Christ with the motel/resort manager the past two days and I had the opportunity to pray for him before we left this morning.

Here are some pictures from the last two weeks - not much time so I will narrate them for you later:

Back in touch!

Easy day today. We got up early (thanks to the roosters that can tell what time it is) had breakfast and walked around the village meeting with church members and praying for them and their families. A short drive out of the mountains and we are now in the village we will do the next two clinics (and then we are done) from here we will drive 6 - 8 hours in to Chaing Mai.

The village we have been at (Maey Kong) has been with out power for the past two and a half months. There was an internet cafe amazingly enough next door, but no electricity to run the computers. The connection was via satelite download and telephone line up load.

We got to pray with several people during the clinic yesterday and last evening that recieved Christ as their Lord and Savior.

One woman I prayed with late last night (along with a female Pastor Lee) had become afraid of the dark and couldn't sleep after her mother in law had died. They had given her the cord that the body had been bound with after the funeral. She was not supposed to have that, and felt like it was spiritual attack. Her husband has been jailed, one child is in Bangkok going to school, two are working in other villages and she has two children with her. We prayed for spiritual protection, and that she could indeed sleep. She had just had her hut torn down with the intent to be rebuilt next to her brother's home. When I encouraged her to gather with others who could encourage her and teach from the Bible. She only had an old testament, and had taught herself to read. They have no pastor here to teach them, yet there is a nice new building for the church and a half constructed parsonage.

Every one is tired in that the home we stayed at was over a small store/cafe. The roosters would start to crow once or twice around 2:30 am. After that they would all get in on the act by 4:30. By the time 5:00 am arrived it was all put war. All of the roosters in town were in a contest to see who could loose there crowing voice first. Not to be left out of the act, every other king of fowl fowl would start screeching and hooting, of course that annoyed the dogs, so they would start yelling "shut up, shut up!" It was really rather commical. I have never heard such a comotion before in my life.

My belt seems to be stretching or I've dropped a few pounds. Getting pretty tired of rice... but we have been well fed and have never lacked for food or fresh water.

These people have such sweet faces and dispositions, unasuming and so seemingly happy with what they have. Very appreciative us being there. I have several pictures of women using their new glasses to do what is similar to American cross stitching.

I should be able to get back to this internet cafe and upload pictures later. Thanks again for all your prayers. God is moving here, and doing great things through those that are ministering to them. It is in an honor to be included on this "great adventure." :-)

In "His" grip in Thailand!

Dale

Another day in paradise...

First of all thanks for all of the prayers. Travis is on several meds for the Bell's Palsy, and Riley after spending most of the night at the hospital is home. She recieved a couple of respritory therapy treatments and released her. It was that nasty "croup" rather than the RSV as they had first thought (a direct answer to prayer).

Susan White had gotten sick the night of my last update and stayed at the hotel yesterday, she felt well enough to go to the clinic today though (yeay!).

We are all in good spirits and doing well over all. A few lower GI problems but nothing unmanagable. :-)

Still having problems with the sketchy internet. We will leave for the northern mountain villages tomorrow and will not be back where I can get the internet for four days. I will try to upload photos again tonight....

I'm continuing to improve in my Hmong and Thai - so much so that they think I'm fluent and rattle off detailed responses to my questions rather than simple yes or no.

Thanks for the prayer cover!

In "His" grip!

Dale

What an amazing trip!

First let me ask for prayer for my son Travis. He was stricken with Bell's Palsy yesterday morning. I know that often there is a complete recovery from this, sometimes not; please pray for his complete and immiediate recovery.

I have been hit with a doozey of a head/chest cold (see below>thanks Lindsey :-). I have my own personal staff of medical people to look afterme though, and started the antibiotics today. I'm already feeling a little better.

Today was another incredible day. I prayed with dozens and dozens of people and eiher praised God for their faith or prayed for spiritual eyes to be opened to the truth of Jesus Christ. We serve about 150 to 175 people at full day clinics.

This is a land of beautiful landscape and more beautiful people. The same sun that shines at home but very different culture. There is spiritual warfare going on that is very evident. It has manifest in many ways; dog fights that break out in the middle of a group prayer for a church with out a pastor, attacks of diahrea when I've been asked to pray for a man belived to either be possesed by deamons or at least harrassed by them in the night.

The woman in the post below was able to sew for the first time in many years.

Last night we were invited to go to the home of a family that had just had a wedding for their son and his bride. There are now four couples and their children that live in a house about the size of my living room. Custom requires you to go eat at every home you are invited to. Iwas told this after eating dinner...

I was also able to pray for a couple to day that have been infertile for 5 years. We laid hands on her as a group.

I will try to upload more pictures later, the connection in our very nice hotel is a bit sketchy. Plus the battery on the camera died after waiting about 20 minutes for several pictures to upload. Yep they were 99% uploaded - grrrr.

We stay here for 2 more nights and then out to stay in villages in the mountains. That will be pretty rough.

The team is doing real well, and we have been helped by some very sharp young ladies that are traveling missionaries/pastors that go around to help with church planting. Lee, Sye Tip, Jgya, Bpell, Nit, Poey, and Huey. They are not all with us now though because they could only take so much time off work.

I am learning to speak Hmong and Thai enough to help people pick glasses that work the best:

Sherzie Poepooh: Try these, can you see?

More later, Keep praying - what a great adventure!!!

In "His" grip here in Thailand!

Dale

p.s. I laugh a little when I see the jacket I packed. Temps are about 95to 100 and humidity that would stop a truck.

p.p.s. I am in a city called "Tak" about halfway from Bangkok and the northern border on highway 1 - see if you can find it on Google Earth!

God is Moving in Thailand!

Pray people, PRAY!

On our first day of our clinic we saw 130 patients! On day two of the clinic we had traveled to a very remote and dry area, in the village there we saw 97 patients, and on the third day saw 176! We were able to pray with many of them! Praise God!

People here are loving the reading glasses, thank you to so many of you who have helped give and participate in this mission. You have helped make lives so much better & the gospel is being heard. Our doctors and nurses have done surgeries and we are tired.

KEEP PRAYING!

On top of this Satan has kept up with his attacks as he is not happy with the good things going on here in Thailand. I have been hit hard with a head and chest cold and I start antibiotics today.

I am so blessed by the cards of encouragement that many of you have sent & they have helped me keep my focus on what's at hand in this mission & spreading good news.

Pray that we stay strong under enemy attacks. Pray for health, spiritually and physically.

Love to you all, we are doing good things in Thailand, in "His" mighty grip.

Here is a photo below from my friend Jen's blog of her doing a surgery here in Thailand. And another photo of a woman in the village that was blessed by the glasses that were given out.

More to come...

Dale

A link to the past

I received this link from a friend and thought I would pass it on to you. It describes the beginnings of the Remember Nhu Church: http://www.alliancelife.org/article.php?id=125.

My friend Jennifer who is one of the nurses on the trip is also doing a blog. The link for hers is: http://www.heartforthailand.blogspot.com/

The medical clinics we will be doing will minister to the Akah and Mong peoples in the villages outside of the modern cities. Some of them in the most northern areas are in the mountains. It will actually get chilly there at night. Right now it is about 90 degrees in Bangkok and about the same humidity.

I found this today, another medical team (not from Salem Alliance) had gone to the same area our team is going. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMwcaRVRT-A You will see what the area looks like in it along with a new building they construct through weaving bamboo.

Pray for the safety and health of the team, for the things God will do in us and through us as we minister to those we encounter by God's providence. I have been told that I will be asked to speak in three meetings now (I was expecting one). Pray also for the families that are left behind.

In "His" grip!

Dale

p.s. Special thanks to my daughter Lindsey who is helping me with the design of this blog! :>)

Tick Tock ...

A Group Home for girls Remember Nhu Church (one of the places I will be speaking).

Departure time is coming fast!

I've been told now that I will be asked to speak three times (instead of just once). Pray for God the Spirit to speak through me and use me to encourage and exhort those that hear.

I have just about completed my bi-annual update of my Personal Prayer Team email lists. These are the people that cover/bathe my life in prayer. I am so grateful for intercession - there is no better place to be than in the middle of God's will, being Spirit led and "force field" of prayer surrounding me.

Of the $3,000 I needed to raise for this trip, God has provided through many about $2,400. If you feel moved to contribute financially, please send your check to Salem Alliance Church, Attn Becca Mann, 555 Gaines NE, Salem OR 97301. Be sure to note "Labrum-Thailand" on the notes line.

Please continue to pray for:

• The team that is already there purchasing needed supplies for the clinic.
• The entire team - health, family details, preparation, spiritual protection, travel mercies.
• For those that God will have us minister to.
• For the hearts of our team to be open and malleable to God's hands (I'm expecting AWSOME things to happen with us and through us!)
• A co-worker Christina Zeeb who will be arriving in Bangkok the day after us to minister to the children of missionaries who will be there for a retreat together.
• That my spiritual antenna will be up and sensitive to the leading of God the Holy Spirit.
  

In "His" grip!

Dale

Puchasing meds in country

This just came in this morning. Diane G and Susan W purchasing medications for the clinics we will be doing. Now volunteers will begin counting and separating them into packets for dispensing to those that come to the clinic.


Below is a picture of the entire team:

Diane, Tom, Jennifer, Bob, Shelly, Susan & me!

Making preparations...Pre Team has landed!

Got a note today from Susan and Diane. They are on the ground in Bangkok buying drugs (from the local authorized distributors) in preparation for the rest of us arriving. The drugs are bought in bulk and separated into packets that will be used to treat certain needs. (e.g. packets of 10 pills etc). We have bought everything possible in Thailand, and brought what ever else we could.

Temperatures are 90+ and humidity is about the same - this should be interesting :-)
http://www.weatherforyou.com/clickcast/international/th/bangkok.html

I will be posting pictures as we progress and time allows. In the mean time here is the web site of the group home I will be preaching at on Feb. 28th. It is a church of sorts called "Remember Nhu" and the video will give you insights to their ministry. CMA partners with them in their ministry in Thailand and Vietnam (where ever they go). http://www.remembernhu.org/.

I feel like God has totally directed me with regard to the message I will be speaking to them about. Our middle school pastor (Josh Mann) and I sat down last week and talked about it. They had just done a retreat with the them "Thrive" and talked with the SAC middle school students about how four people in the Bible thrived under difficult circumstances; Esther, Daniel, Samuel, and Joseph. Very interesting parallels for these young women who have been spared the sex trafficking industry. More on that later.

In the mean time pray that I will be Spirit lead in putting together the daily devotions for my team while we are there.

In "His" grip!

Dale

SAC-religious vs sacrilegious

There is a difference between SAC-religious and sacrilegious. Sacrilegious is an act that involves committing sacrilege.

The name of this blog refers to Salem Alliance Church (SAC) and religious activity (things I do religiously) and how God is working in my life including the people around me. You can be religious about anything (brushing your teeth, Facebook, going to church).

I am not sure if I will keep the name, we will see how much controversy it creates for me - I've got more important things to do than deal with that.

I hope to use this blog for the next month or so as I travel through Thailand. I am on a medical mission team that will be offering completely free medical care and reading glasses to those that don't qualify for the National Health Care program in Thailand

We leave on February 11th and I will return on March 7th.

Please pray for both spiritual and physical health and protection. The attacks from our adversary have been consistant. Pray for the team (myself, Susan W., Shelly, Diane, Bob, Tom & Jennifer) that we would be Christ's ambassadors to all that observe us. Pray for doors to open to the national CMA church as they work with those immersed in superstition and other non-Christian faiths to share the light and truth of Jesus Christ.

More to follow... (pictures too)

Dale