DOWNLOAD PDF - JULY 2009 DAHLFREDS PRAYER LETTER

Dear Friends & Family,

The beginning of July saw the start of two new evangelistic efforts in Nong Doan.  Every Wednesday afternoon, Karl is teaching English and Bible to students at Anubaan Nong Doan Elementary School.  The school called him up to come teach English, and Karl negotiated with them to teach for free as long as he could use Bible stories as part of the curriculum.  During every class hour, Karl will teach just English for 50 minutes and then gets the last 10 minutes of class to tell a Bible story in Thai.  The first week, first through third graders heard about how God created the world.   Next up will be the creation of man and the fall.

Besides the English teaching time within school hours, every Friday afternoon we will be doing an English and Bible kids club in Nong Doan.  We were going to do it in the market area but when we were told that 30 plus kids were interested, we decided to accept Anubaan Nong Doan’s offer to hold it in their school cafeteria.  Unlike the English teaching that I (Karl) am doing during school hours, we can put as much Bible as we want into this afterschool kids club.  The first week we taught numbers 1-7 and what God created on what day.   Our new short term worker Brent, Thai student worker Tam, and another Thai guy helped out as we presented the creation story in Thai and English, sang songs, and played a game.  It seemed to go well and some parents and teachers sat on the side watching the activities.  Our hope is that the children will get some Bible content that will lay a framework for understanding the Gospel and that we can meet and talk with some parents as well, with the aim of finding people who are interested in the Gospel.  I was hoping that one or two young men from PhraBaht church would be helping with this but so far nothing has materialized.  We’ve been hoping to do an English/Bible kids club in our neighborhood as well but we have yet to hear back from the neighborhood committee.

There is a messy church discipline situation at PhraBaht church that requires prayer, wisdom, courage, and faithfulness to God’s Word.  I can’t say too much about it now but it involves an influential family in the church.  If there is humility, repentance, and good communication, there could be a happy ending.  If not, then a big blow up could result in people leaving the church.   Pastor Jareun and ourselves are in the midst of it now.  Please pray.  Hopefully we will have something positive to report next month.

We are both pushing on in language, especially Sun as she is determined to sit her third year exam before the baby comes in September.  This would be her final exam, thus completing the OMF language study program. Pray that she’ll be able to finish in time and that the baby doesn’t come early.  Sun is feeling okay at the moment although the baby is getting heavy, which makes her feel uncomfortable at times and needs to lay down.

Joining us for six months is Brent Meyers.  Originally from New Orleans, Brent is studying Thai, helping us in ministry, and exploring God’s call upon his life. Karl is mentoring him during his time here.  Pray for Brent as he settles in and adapts to life in Thailand. 

Thank you for praying with us and for us, and for the Thai people.

by Christ’s grace,
Karl & Sun Dahlfred

PRAYER POINTS

• Kids club evangelism and English teaching in Nong Doan
• Resolution to messy situation at PhraBaht church, involving an influential family in the church
• Sun’s pregnancy
• Weekly Bible study with Chaat & Muay in Nong Doan
• Perseverance and progress in language study for Karl & Sun
• Brent Meyers learning Thai and exploring God’s call on his life

PRAISES

• Sun’s pregnancy progressing well
• Progress in Thai language study
• Good start to evangelistic kids club and English teaching in Nong Doan

CALENDAR

7/10 Sun’s birthday
7/14 Sun language checks
7/16 Karl language checks
7/19 Karl preach Phrabat Church
7/24 Prenatal check-up, Bangkok