Dear Friends and Family,
Happy Easter! CHRIST HAS RISEN!
Here is what has been happening this past month at MH:
Grace Community Chapel (GCC) visited!
Not only did GCC NJ visit, but also their church plant in Sydney, Australia, and their partner church New Gate Church (NGC) in CO. We were so blessed to have 3 different pastors with us who could share such invaluable lessons and experiences with everyone.
Here are some of the main things we did together:
1.Retreat Retreat Retreat!
We stayed outside of MH for 3 days, where we worshipped, fellowshipped with one another, and learned more about Jesus Christ through small groups and sermons. GCC also led seminars such as "Spiritual Gifts" and "How to Resolve Conflict Through the Bible."
Here are some pics from the retreat:
2. Workshops
Outside of the retreat, GCC also led workshops that ranged from "How to Teach the Bible" and "How to Pray" to "Nail Art" and "Coding". God blessed MH with such a diverse team of individuals who exposed the kids to so much.
Here are some more of the workshops that GCC led:
3. Sports Day, Gender Reveal, and Recap Video!
I organized/led another Sports Day of tournament-style basketball and soccer.
This event is always a popular favorite! It is a great way for everyone to not only show their competitive spirits and teamwork skills but to also fellowship with one another.
We also did a gender reveal. Congrats to P'Brian and P'Esther for their new baby girl!
I wanted to highlight this moment because it was an indescribable blessing to witness how God has brought together these brothers and sisters in Christ from around the world so that we can gather and celebrate together as one family.
Finally, here's the recap video of their visit if you want to watch it! Thanks Chai Chai for another awesome video.
This past month and especially during the retreat, God has been placing the word vulnerability on my heart. Before I came to Thailand, my heart was closed off, and I absolutely hated showing emotion towards others.
James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
My stubbornness has often served as a barrier to growth because I was often ashamed to admit I was struggling. However, God has been teaching me the sinful nature of keeping everything to myself. Instead, I need to share my sufferings and sins with others and with God. Even though He is all-knowing, I still need to lay everything before Him. I have become more vulnerable with myself, with others, and with God in my prayers.
Pastor Paul, Director Sora, and Pastor Hope (the three pastors that came) along with Pastor Danny have all been preaching about trials and tribulations. How God uses all our trials and inadequacies in ways that help build His Kingdom. How by simply offering what we have, He will lead us to Him. Trials are ways of growing our faith, and we need to persevere through challenges and encourage others to run the race that God has given us.
Hebrews 12:1
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
Now, I have been challenging the MH kids (especially the girls!) more and more to speak up in small groups, build confidence in skits, and take on new leadership roles. Because even though I know that it is hard and I know that it's uncomfortable, I also know the importance of it and I love showing them the importance of it as well.
I was especially touched by one of the girls in my small group who openly shared her struggles with us. It was such an emotional moment as the Holy Spirit was filling this child of God with the strength to present everything in front of us and God. This is just one more indescribable moment of how God continues to work, and that with all my brokenness and sin, He can use me to help encourage and support kids like her.
We celebrated Easter!
At MH, we had a Good Friday service with communion and Easter Sunday Service. Also, some of the kids who had been baptized outside of MH had the opportunity to reaffirm their faith in front of their MH church community.
Afterward, P'Wonchang (the Taekwondo master) and I planned a special Easter activity. The kids ran around completing different "missions" to get an Easter egg prize with a special gift inside!
While this activity was fun, we also wanted to make sure that the kids remember the reason of this most important Christian holiday. For example, one of the activities was memorizing a couple of bible verses:
1 Corinthians 15:17. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
Galatians 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
These verses serve as a great reminder to the kids that faith is what saves us. Our faith allows us to understand that Jesus lovingly paid the price for our sins. He gave us a new life, where instead of being trapped inside our sinful selves, we can live in the flesh by faith and through Christ who now lives in us.
Here are some more pictures from the activity:
Other things that happened this month:
1.Regular school ended for the year!
All the kids had been studying so hard for finals. For example, Cherry was one of the students I talked about in my January update letter who originally struggled in my science classes. She came home after her physics final and told me that she thought the test was EASY. I was honestly so shocked but so excited that God gave her a tangible way to see her hard work pay off.
We also had a mini celebration to congratulate all of our graduates! Last month, Tae and Chai Chai graduated high school. There are also 3 elementary school graduates (Nike, Tony, and Leah) and 2 college graduates (June and Alao). I am so excited to see what else God has in store for them as they continue their walk with Christ.
2. Irene left MH to go back home :(
It felt pretty weird because Irene and I flew to Thailand together back in September, but I am so grateful that I could serve at MH with another sister of Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 serves as a great reminder of how we should act towards each other.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Due to this promise of spending eternity with Jesus, we will always be there for each other and continue to help each other grow. I know that we will see each other again soon.
Please pray for her as she continues on her journey in medical school!
3. Family Day!
Once a year, the families of the MH kids are allowed to take their kids out and spend one day with them. For the kids who do not have families or whose families do not come, we take them out to have our own day of fun! It is such a privilege to help show them that they have a family here at MH because no matter what, they are a child of God who loves them and provides for them.
Furthermore, especially during the summer, MH often brings in new kids to see how well they adjust to this new environment. After Family Day, we brought in 2 new kids into MH! It is such an exciting time to see the ministry continue to grow. Please pray that their transition into MH goes well.
Prayer Requests:
I will be traveling to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia next month to renew my visa (for the last time!) Please pray for safe travels.
All the MH kids going to America next month successfully received their visas! Please pray for this team as they prepare physically and spiritually, and that they will have the strength to withstand the intensity of the trip.
Please pray for GCC NJ, GCC Sydney, and NGC as they continue to fulfill each of their unique callings that God has set for them.
Next month, Kings Covenant Church, which is another church plant of GCC NJ, will be sending a team! Please pray for safe travels and to come with an open heart to serve.
Please pray for the recent graduates, the new MH kids, and everyone else involved in the ministry for protection and to allow the Holy Spirit to fill them with God's love and wisdom.
Lastly, my favorite moments this past month: (yes lots of good food moments😄)
ALSO!!🚨 I booked my flight to go home and will be leaving Thailand on June 6! This sadly means I have only two more months left, but all thanks to God for the memories and all the growth I have experienced within me and with those around me.
See you next month!
In Christ, Bri
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