~Thai-Gram - September 2010

Thai-Gram

Taking the Gospel from house to house. This ancient former capital,
Sukothai, is home to some of the earliest converts in Thailand.

Sukothai ruins, ancient capital of Thailand

Rice fields, planning
     for the harvest         

The old and the new.
This solar panel (provided
free by the government)
 will supply this home with all
of it's electrical needs, lights,
fan, etc.




Thank You for your PRAYERS and SUPPORT!

Ed & Mary Simmons
8855 Dunn Rd.
Hazelwood, MO 63042
USA

edsimmons238@yahoo.com
http://www.thailand4jesus.org/

~Character Does Matter - to You and God! Part II

A person of character...exemplifies the following:

Fairness

Justice

DO: Be fair and just • Treat people equally • Make decisions without favoritism or prejudice • In imposing punishment be sure the consequences for wrongdoing are consistent, certain, and proportional (not too harsh or lenient)

DON’T: Take more than your fair share • Take advantage of or blame others unfairly

Openness

DO: Be open-minded and impartial — consider what people have to say before you decide • Be careful — get the facts, including opposing viewpoints, before making decisions (especially blaming or accusing another)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caring

Concern for Others

DO: Be compassionate and empathetic • Be kind, loving, and considerate • Be thankful and express gratitude for what people do for you • Forgive others for their shortcomings

DON’T: Be mean, cruel or insensitive

Charity

DO: Be charitable and altruistic — give money, time, support, and comfort for the sake of making someone else’s life better, not for praise or gratitude • Help people in need

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Citizenship

Do Your Share

DO: Be a good citizen and a good neighbor • Care about and pursue the common good • Be a volunteer — help your school and community be better, cleaner, and safer • Protect the environment by conserving resources, reducing pollution, and cleaning up after yourself • Participate in making things better by voicing your opinion, voting, serving on committees, reporting wrongdoing and paying taxes

Respect Authority and the Law

DO: Play by the rules • Obey parents, teachers, coaches, and others who have been given authority • Observe just laws • Honor and respect principles of democracy


Excerpt from http://www.charactercounts.org/

~Character Does Matter...to You and God!

A person of character...exemplifies the following:

Trustworthiness

Integrity

DO: Stand up for your beliefs • Follow your conscience • Be honorable and upright • Live by your principles no matter what others say • Have the courage to do what is right and to try new things even when it is hard or costly • Build and guard your reputation

DON’T: Do anything wrong • Lose heart if you fail or don’t get what you want

Honesty

DO: Tell the truth and nothing but the truth • Be sincere • Be forthright and candid

DON’T: Lie • Cheat • Steal • Be sneaky, tricky, or deceptive

Reliability

DO: Keep your promises • Honor your word and commitments • Be dependable • Do what you are supposed to do • Return what you borrow • Pay your debts • Be on time

Loyalty

DO: Stand by and protect your family, friends, school and country • Be a good friend • Look out for those who care about you • Keep secrets of those who trust you

DON’T: Betray a trust • Let your friends hurt themselves • Do anything just so others will like you • Ask a friend to do anything wrong or spread gossip that could hurt others

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Respect


Golden Rule

DO: Treat others the way you want to be treated • Respect the dignity, privacy and freedom of all individuals • Value and honor all people, no matter what they can do for you or to you • Respect others’property — take good care of property you are allowed to use and don’t take or use property without permission • Respect the autonomy of others — tell them what they should know to make good choices about their own lives

DON’T: Use or manipulate others • Abuse, demean, or mistreat anyone

Tolerance and Acceptance

DO: Judge others on their character, abilities, and conduct without regard to race, religion, gender, where they live, how they dress, or the amount of money they have • Be tolerant, respectful, and accepting of those who are different from you • Listen to others and try to understand their points of view

Nonviolence

DO: Resolve disagreements, respond to insults, and deal with anger peacefully and without violence

DON’T: Use threats or physical force to get what you want or to express anger

Courtesy

DO: Use good manners • Be courteous, polite and civil to everyone

DON’T: Use put-downs, insults, yelling, or ridicule to embarrass or hurt another

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Responsibility


Duty

DO: Know and do your duty • Acknowledge and meet your legal and moral obligations

Accountability

DO: Accept responsibility for the consequences of your choices, not only for what you do but what you don’t do • Think about consequences on yourself and others before you act • Think long-term • Do what you can do to make things better • Set a good example

DON’T: Look the other way when you can make a difference • Make excuses or blame others

Pursuit of Excellence

DO: Your best • Persevere • Be prepared • Be diligent • Work hard • Make all you do worthy of pride

Self-Control

DO: Take charge of your own life • Set realistic goals • Keep a positive outlook • Be prudent and self-disciplined with your health, emotions, time and money • Be rational — act out of reason not anger, revenge or fear • Know the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do • Be self-reliant — manage your life so you are not dependent on others; pay your own way whenever you can


Excerpt from http://www.charactercounts.org/

~Sheaves For Christ - Join the Story

Sheaves For Christ provides vehicles for missionaries around the world...


...watch the video below to learn more about Sheaves For Christ!




Receive a generous offering Aug. 29th for the
         SFC 'Live 2 Give' campaign.

~CSI News - Pakistan Flooding Update

Pakistan Flooding Update

8/24/2010
Appeal - Pakistan Flood Relief

Greetings,

Recently, Brother Aslam Malik and Allan Shalm, along with two of their pastors, made a preliminary trip into the Northern Regions of Pakistan to assess the flood damage that has occurred. Below is their report of this trip.

Brief Facts About the Flood

**20 million people have been displaced

**According to UN estimates, up to 20% of the country is presently under water

** More people have been affected in this flood than with the tsunami, the Haiti and Pakistan earthquakes and Katrina combined

**Entire villages are under water and national road system has been badly damaged

**Water-borne diseases such as typhoid, and other diseases, i.e. cholera, are now confirmed

**Much of the agriculture has been destroyed, and it is extremely difficult to transport what has been saved because of the damage to the roads

Our trip on August 13th

**We traveled for 12 hours, and saw massive devastation everywhere we went

**We visited Nowshera, a town near Peshawar that was severely affected because a nearby dam had to be opened to prevent it from bursting

**Water from 15 to 50 feet deep flowed through an area twelve miles wide

**We visited some nominal Christian people who up until that time had had no one come to offer them any assistance

**I made a small donation to these people for food from the funds I have already received from CSI

**The Indus River, at this stage much higher than normal, is presently 150 feet below the bridge. Just a few days prior, as the flood went through, the river was 50 feet over the bridge.

**To reach this area, we had to drive over several flooded causeways. Many of the bridges have been washed away, which has isolated the people who live in those areas.

**We made contact with a nominal Christian group in the city of Abbottabad which has organized some aid. They were able to give us information on the peoples needs and prices for some goods.

How YOU Can Help

**We would like to put together food, health and bedding kits. The Food kits would contain basic items such as rice, lentils, tea, sugar, cooking oil, wheat flour and milk powder. The health kits would contain body and laundry soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, towels, oral hydration packets, aspirin, diarrhea medication and other necessary items. The bedding kits would contain cotton mattresses, pillows and bed sheets

**It is easier and cheaper to buy these items locally rather than having them shipped from the US

**Since so many people have lost their homes, the affected people told us that tents were one of the most urgent needs because so many are living out in the open.

Please pray for the country of Pakistan, the people affected by the flooding, the churches, leaders and saints of God who are doing everything they can to HELP those displaced in this natural disaster.

When God puts it in your heart to HELP please send all monies to:

Pakistan Flood Relief
Compassion Services International
8855 Dunn Road
Hazelwood, MO 63042.

~Sheaves for Christ - please give a generous offering

Sheaves For Christ 2010

Are you looking for an investment opportunity with a guaranteed return?

Sheaves For Christ is that opportunity. Every dollar you invest in SFC connects you to ministry in North America and around the world that will yield eternal dividends. Students are impacted by district events, General Youth Division ministries and events, and SFC allocation partners. The gospel is preached and the great commission fulfilled by the means of foreign missionary vehicles and home missionary property/building grants. We invite you to make your investment by receiving a sacrificial offering for Sheaves For Christ on Sunday, August 29, 2010.

Missionary to Spain Nathan Harrod and his family are thankful for their vehicle provided by Sheaves For Christ. Watch their expression of gratitude below.

Nathan and Tanya Harrod's gratitude to Sheaves for Christ

~EYES WIDE OPEN - the Jared Staten Family, Republic of Georgia

An eye opener:

                                                                      Your Georgian Family

In 2006 Jesus dealt with my heart about going to the Republic of Georgia as a missionary. I quite my job at the U.S. State department, sold everything we owned, and moved my wife and two daughters to Georgia. We were very blessed to be able to use the procedes from our “stuff” to pay for our first year.  Selling every thing was the first eye opener. I found out exactly how much junk we had. I was amazed at the amount of things we had, and how little we really used most of it. I also saw how we had found security in things and not in Jesus.

THE BLUR BECOMES CLEAR:

We arrived in Tbilisi and were taken directly to the village of Signahi, which lay two hours outside of the Capital of Georgia. God spent the next six weeks showing me what it means to just survive. After having a job with a six figure salary, and being debt free and able to purchase anything that caught my attention, I had forgotten that survival and the blessings of God had nothing to do with stuff. In Signahi we were faced with sickness, and substandard living conditions. We couldn’t communicate with anyone. and our one link to civilization (my car) was stolen from us. God delivered us, and taught us what really mattered in life.

KHATUNA: Taught us Georgian and we taught her the Bible

LIKA HEALED: Lika was healed of terminal cancer, and was later murdered by the Orthodox church because her testimony was leading people to our church.






JARED AND BODRI: Brat (Brother) Bodri wants to help plant churches in Tbilisi




FIRST THINGS FIRST:


We moved in to the Capital city with all of our pride and delusions destroyed. The only thing left was God and what He wanted.

I began to walk the city streets and pray that God would send me to anyone, anywhere. He brought me so he must have a plan. I was led to start a Bible school in our living room, with six people from a small group of believers we had been introduced to through a mutual friend. I began to teach be the book of Acts. God let me be the book of Acts first. After teaching in a school in one of the smaller cities the Orthodox church there threatened to kill me if I returned, without thinking I told the priest to kill me in front of every one. I would meet him in the town square in six hours (driving time from the capital. God delivered me that day, but I could have cared less. I just followed God and allowed Him to do what he does best. Upon returning toTbilisi I was blessed to lay hands on a dying two year old girl and watch God heal her instantly. I watched as story after story from Acts jumped off the page and into my life. I found that the priority should be kingdom of God first, and nothing else matters.

THE SECRET TO MIRACLES:

There are actually two secrets to seeing the miraculous in your personal life.

The first secret is to die. Paul said I die daily. Acknowledging that the life you are living does not belong to you. You died when you are buried in Baptism. Sacrifice is in death, you can not live your life (do your own thing) and be a Christian to. You are either dead to this world or this is your world. Yes, we are to become radicals for Christ, and even martyrs if necessary.

Second, throw all caution to the wind and step out. Love when they hate, give till you have nothing. Don’t look for comfort in this life; there is none to be found, but in Jesus. Welcome tribulation for it is the blessing of God. Find where God is moving and jump in. The American church has forgotten that sacrifice is a life style not a Dollar. We no longer work to cloth and feed our families, but now we work for toys, and things, what will we say when we stand next to the church of Georgia in heaven. This year two of our church members where murdered by the Orthodox church for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What have we given? They will say simply “Lord we bled and died for you and those around us...” what will we say. “I went to church three times a week, I dressed Holy... I gave an extra dollar...”

I have seen the people in our church scavenge for food so they could eat, and put there last dollar in the offering plate, so the gospel could be preached.

We are so blessed here. We get to go to church when ever we want. We can find brothers and sisters in the lord all over our country. I want that for Georgia. We have decided that by the time our five years in Georgia are done we will have won. 2,980,980 people to Jesus. Why? Because we must. I know that the church in America is great in so many ways but lets not forget our first love, and our first works. Pray for laborers and join in the harvest with us.

Missionary Jared R Staten,

Pastor Kote baptizing in Jesus name. 

Pastor Kote’s Children:

Nunca and Kote jr.

                                                                Dato’s family

~The Finland Flashpoint - Update on TEAM Finland/Alphin Family

Thank you, Oklahoma District!

Our family would like to extend a huge thank you to the ministry and saints of the Oklahoma District. During Mark's two weeks of deputation there (July 13-26), he received 15 PIM's at $610/month plus $1,293.62 in Airfare Project monies! We appreciate your willingness to give, and pray God's mighty blessings upon you all.


Where in the World is the Alphin Family?

Our family is in Columbus, Ohio, working to finish our packing and final arrangements for departure. We are expecting to receive the Finnish Immigration Service's decision regarding our Residence Permits very soon, as their self-imposed time-frame expires between 45-55 days (with the 45th day being 8/15). We have been praying for God's perfect timing, and ask that you would do the same. We are resting in the knowledge that He is in control!


Miranda Approved as Associate in Missions

If you have been following our newsletters, you know that Miranda turned 18 in February and subsequently graduated this past June. Then, in July, the FMAC approved her application for AIM status! (Yes, Mom and Dad are very happy!)

~Suriname News Flash - July 2010

Suriname News Flash

July 2010

Hello from the Rhoads family in Suriname. Here are a few things which took place in July.

~July 4

International Day service in Paramaribo. One person filled with the Holy Ghost.

~July 10

Four people baptized.

~July 17

Advanced Bible School classes.

~July 24

Basic Bible School classes.

~July 25

Eight people baptized, seven of which were inmates in the central prison.

~July 28-August 1

Revival services in Paramaribo with Pastor Richard Lamont, from Trinidad, as special speaker. Twelve people filled with the Holy Ghost.

~July 31-August 1

Revival serices in Nieuw Nickerie with Pastor Richard Lamont as special speaker. Pastor Edwards and congregation encouraged by the word of the Lord.

Thanks for praying.

The Rhoads Family
Missionaries to Suriname

~Meditate Upon these things...

"If I had 1,000 lives, I'd give them all for China" — Hudson Taylor

JAMES HUDSON TAYLOR (1832–1905)


Founder of the China Inland Mission

Born at Barnsley, Yorkshire, England, May 21, 1832; died at Changsha, China, June 3, 1905. His father was an eloquent and able Methodist local preacher and his mother a woman of more than ordinary sweet and patient spirit. Hudson Taylor combined the ability of his father with the gentle disposition of his mother. He was converted through the reading of a tract at the age of fifteen, and not long afterward passed through a remarkable experience, at which time he dedicated himself to God for whatever service might be appointed. Unknown to himself, his father, who had been deeply interested in China, had prayed that his son might go to that land as a missionary, and very early, through the reading of Walter Henry Medhurst's China (London, 1838), the thoughts of young Taylor were directed to that country.

~R.E.S.P.E.C.T… What does it mean to you?

A few years ago, I read an article about a young man who, at age 23, went to work as the senior pastor of his first church. He found the experience very intimidating because he was to be the spiritual leader of people who had children and grand-children older than he was.

How did he handle it? By showing his people respect and asking them to treat them in kind. To make his standard clear to everyone, he shared ten rules for respect that he promised to live by, and he asked his people to do the same.


Here are his rules:

~If you have a problem with me, come to me (privately).

~If I have a problem with you, I’ll come to you (privately).

~If someone has a problem with me and comes to you, send them to me. (I’ll do the same for you.)

~If someone consistently will not come to me, say, “Let’s go see him together.” (I’ll do the same for you.)

~Be careful how you interpret me. On matters that are unclear, do not feel pressured to interpret my feelings or thoughts. It is easy to misinterpret intentions.

~I will be careful how I interpret you.

~If it’s confidential, don’t tell. If anyone comes to me in confidence, I won’t tell unless (a) the person is going to harm him/herself; (b) the person is going to physically harm someone else; (c) a child has been physically or sexually abused. I expect the same from you.

~I do not read unsigned letters or notes.

~I do not manipulate; I will not be manipulated. Do not let others manipulate you; do not let others try to manipulate me through you.

~When in doubt, just say it. If I can answer without misrepresenting something or breaking a confidence, I will.

His story intrigued me because I had faced a similar situation early in my career. The young pastor’s list reflected what I’d learned in my own experience.

Most people greatly desire the respect of their leaders. And when leaders give it freely, I believe it creates a very positive relational environment. As author Alfred Glasow said, “The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude.”

Excerpt from John Maxwell's Blog

  

~Be Courageous and 'Walk the Talk'

Excerpt from the book "Walk the Talk."
   By Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura

Courage

QUESTION: What does "courage" have to do with being a person of good character...with someone who stays true to their principles and their values?

ANSWER: EVERYTHING!

You see, being values-driven means two things:

Doing what's right - following our conscience; refusing to compromise our principles, despite pressures and temptations to the contrary, and

Taking a stand against what's wrong - speaking out, whenever we see others do things that are incorrect or inappropriate.

Unquestionably, both of those require guts and fortitude...they require courage.

Courage is...

~Following your conscience instead of "following the crowd".


~Refusing to take part in hurtful or disrespectful behaviors.


~Sacrificing personal gain for the benefit of others.


~Speaking your mind even though others don't agree.


~Taking complete responsibility for your actions...and your mistakes.


~Following the rules - and insisting that others do the same.


~Challenging the status quo in search of better ways.


~Doing what you know is right- regardless of the risks and potential consequences.


Be Courageous!

~Impact ASIA August 2010 - written by Barb Seah

Praise the Lord! Chan Mei Choo!

I recently had the awesome privilege of accompanying my husband (Bro. Xenn Seah) to Hong Kong, China, and Singapore. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to all that helped sponsor this amazing experience. Thank You! Xie Xie!

Please be encouraged that any effort you may be pouring into Asia: through prayers, financial giving, or visiting the land physically to prayer walk, teach or preach, is having a huge impact on what God is accomplishing among the people. God's people are STRONG and the winds of revival are STRONG! The hunger in the land is GREAT and God's people are delivering the Apostolic Truth far and wide!!

Many, many things impressed me and have left a mark on me during the three weeks we were there.

First of all, let me tell you!!! There is nothing "underground" about the "underground Church" in China. There is nothing "underground" about our Jesus and there is nothing "underground" about our message. We all know that the eyes of the Chinese people are "looking up" more and more - in the spiritual realm as well as in the natural realm. In fact, you would be very surprised to know where some of our new churches are located in China. On The Rooftops!

~Revival report from Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona Commentary

Rev. and Mrs. Nathan A. Harrod
     ~Missionaries to Spain

Revival Update...


Month Of Harvest In Barcelona
This past month has been a month of harvest in the church that we pastor here in Barcelona. We have averaged well over 300 on Sundays and had eleven (11) receive the Holy Ghost and have baptized twelve (12) in Jesus name.

We are in desperate need to find a larger building. Please partner with us in prayer that God would open the doors for us to enter into a larger building. Our building is currently located in the heart of downtown Barcelona; like most metropolitan cities it can be difficult to find large buildings adequate for a church. But with God ALL things are possible! We are believing for a miracle!



Planting A New Church...Tarragona


There is a great need to start new churches throughout Spain. With over 46 million people in this nation, it is the only way to effectively reach this nation. Our goal is to plant a new church in the city of Tarragona by the end of this year.

This is an area with 700,000 people and no church. We have begun traveling to this city and have made several contacts and we are believing that we will have a new church in the city that claims to be the birth place of Pontius Pilate by the end of this year. Please pray for us that God would help us to impact this city with the Jesus name message.

AIMers

We are thankful to have had AIMers Tommy and Brittanee Goodeux with us from Lake Charles, LA. Though they don't speak Spanish they didn't let that hinder them from reaching out to people around them. During their two months with us they were involved in preaching, singing, teaching Bible studies and were able to start a new "English speaking" home fellowship that grew to 10 people under their care. They were a great blessing to us and the church during their stay.


We are constantly looking for people who are want to come to Spain through the AIM program. There are many things that AIMers are able to help us and the churches with. If you know someone who is interested, please contact me by e-mail.


Thank you for all your prayers and support. Together we are claiming Spain in Jesus' name!

God Bless,
Nathan, Tanya, and Alaina Harrod

The Harrods - a beautiful family

Quick Links:
-Enroll as PIM
-Interested in AIM

www.pentecostalesbcn.com


Prayer Request:


ANDORRA


There is a great need to start a church in the country of Andorra. Andorra is a small country that borders Spain and France.


We have never had a missionary or church in that country. Please pray that God would open the door for us to start a church in Andorra and that God will help us to equip and raise up a man to establish as pastor there.

~Suriname News Flash - *Praise Report and Prayer Alert

Praise

We just completed three nights of services in Paramaribo, with Pastor Richard Lamont from Trinidad as the speaker. Praise the Lord for twelve people filled with the Holy Ghost.

Prayer

Tomorrow we plan to take Brother Lamont to western Suriname for special services with Pastor Edwards and the congregation in Nieuw Nickerie. Please pray for protection on the road, and for the outpouring of the Holy Ghost Saturday night and Sunday morning.


The Rhoads Family
Missionaries to Suriname

~From Limp to Limber by Glenda Alphin, missionary to Finland

Have you ever felt like God has forgotten you? Left you to “cry in your soup” all alone? I can’t tell you how many times I have felt like that over the last eight years. It seems like God has been wringing “the old man” out of me at every turning! Life has gotten increasingly more interesting ever since Mark dropped the missions bombshell on me in 2002.

I can remember the day well. I had gone to visit my sister during a Spring Break weekend, one of those rare visits that are hard to fit into a schedule because of ministry responsibilities on both ends. I left on a Friday morning, feeling rather bad about missing an all-night prayer meeting at church, but knowing that I desperately needed the time with my sister. We were expecting to have great fun! She and I had four little girls between us, ages 5 to 8½, and it was always a rambunctious time whenever we got together. I was sailing along in my weekend, having the time of my life, when I received a phone call from Mark shortly after awakening that Saturday morning. “I have something that I need to tell you,” he said. Immediately, my mind went to a-wondering, as is the normal reaction for most wives when they hear a statement like that. Then, I hear something I had never expected to come out of Mark’s mouth. “God called me to Finland last night during the prayer meeting.”

~Thai Gram from the Ed Simmon's family in Thailand

Thai-Gram
August 2010

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so . . . . . . .

Difficult to enter
   the 7-11






                                                    

                                      
                                              Guarding the bank

                                            Courtney's Graduation

                                                                         Ronald in Bangkok  

Mary always seems to be able to find critters
to take photos of.

This is a snake eating a lizard.

                       Almost too beautiful to eat, . . . almost.





                                                                         Hitching a ride

Ann, on right, baptized in U.S.

Steve Kebasen, Pastor UPC International Church Bangkok

Monthly leadership training in Bangkok, Sister O. interpreting

National Board secretary, Brother Atikom, and his new bride

             No, not a yawn and not indigestion, . . . preaching


If you haven't already, please add edandmarysimmons@aol.com
to your email contacts/address book.

God bless each of you. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support,


Ed & Mary Simmons
Bangkok, Thailand


Ed & Mary Simmons
8855 Dunn Rd.
Hazelwood, MO 63042
USA
edsimmons238@yahoo.com

www.Thailand4Jesus.org