When Jack was 2 years old, his mother and he were diagnosed with a disease that carries a heavy stigma.  His father took the two to a local hospital and left.   The hospital called the Agape children’s home, an orphanage established to care for mothers and babies left alone by this terrible disease.   Within a few years Jack’s mother had died.  But, Jack thrived in his new environment.   As he grew up and learned about the unconditional love and acceptance of Jesus, he gave his life to Christ at an early age.    
 
         By the time he was in high school, Jack had chosen to pursue Cooking as a career. He thought it would be exciting to be a chef in an international restaurant.   But, in his senior year a DOR team from Lanna Theological Center came for a weekend revival.    They challenged the youth to consider how they planned to use their life and skills to serve God and His Church.  Jack couldn’t shake the sense that God wanted more from his life, so he decided to enroll at LTC.    
 
       His dorm dad was not happy with Jake’s decision.  He counseled Jack to consider his situation. He was an orphaned with a chronic disease. He had no family to help support him. Why would he choose a career that did not promise financial security?      But, God was faithful and gave Jake a confirmation.  This is his testimony of that confirmation. 
 
“On the day I was to move into LTC, I had to wait for my dorm dad to finish his errands.   I was sleepy, so decided to lay down and take a nap.   In a dream, Satan came and began to ridicule me; telling me how stupid I was to choose Bible College over Cooking school.   But as his voice got louder and I turned to look at him,  I heard a sound behind me. I turned and there was God and his angels.   A loud voice say:  “Jack, Praise me and Praise me only!”   Satan spoke louder.  Then God spoke…even louder.  And the two went back and forth, getting louder and louder.  Finally God took a deep breath and with deafening shout, said. “Jack, Jack, Praise me ONLY”   and the wind from his voice blew Satan away.   And I woke up immediately.” 
 
When asked the meaning of this dream, Jack replied:   “ I will always serve God because He is the One who fought for me.”  
 
 
                                         Exodus 14:4  “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still!”  

     Mr Sir-ri-sak Puche is the pastor of a small congregation in the mountains just south of Chiang Mai.   The congregation is small and unable to pay him a living salary.   But after years of worshiping without a pastor to teach and guide them, they were hungry for leadership.   Sirisak and his wife answered the call.  But that decision came after years of doubt.  

As a young man, Sirrisak  decided to study at Bible College with the idea that he could be a pastor.   He enrolled at LTC, but he struggled with doubt as to his value and skill .    So, he quit, went home, got married and started farming. But the little church in his home village needed help.  Like so many churches scattered throughout SE Asia, there was no leader, no pastor,  to teach the Word and help the believers walk their faith through life’s events.   
 
Slowly Sirisak was pulled into ministry.  He soon realized that he needed to finish his leadership training. So, he and his wife came back to LTC and he finished his BTh in 2014.  After graduation he was invited to pastor another small congregation, the Mae Am Khang Mai Church.   There are about 30 members who have remained faithful despite having no pastor.  Since the church was planted years ago, there had been no teaching and no evangelistic outreach.  The children of the Christians there grew up and moved to the city for work. The parents continued to remain faithful, but they were hungry for more.  They needed a leader…. a pastor…to teach, guide, encourage and challenge them to a greater commitment in faith and service.  Sirisak and his wife responded to the call. 
 
 It has not been easy. The church has little money to pay Sirisak so he has to farm as well as fulfill his responsibilities as a pastor. One of his concerns was how to find open doors into the community  for sharing the Gospel. There just never seemed to be enough time.  But he continued to pray for the Lord to show him a way.  The Lord answered that prayer in a most unexpected way. 
 
You see, Sirisak’s village is the market town for that district.  This means the schools for the whole district are located right there.  However, the kids must find their own means of transportation to the school.   He noticed that some kids had to travel 15 miles to get to school and then home again.  It was cost prohibitive for many families, so kids were dropping out at Jr. High.  The Puches started to take kids into their home, providing a home and food and parenting while they attended school.  Soon, they had 6 teenagers in addition to their own 2 children.   It wasn’t long before more families were asking them to take in their kids too. 
 
The Puches decided they needed to add rooms to their house. Without any funding,  they started to build; a roof, and then the floor.  Slowly they are adding one wall at a time.   
 
In the meantime, Sirisak started teaching guitar and coaching soccer on Saturdays.   The teens bring their friends over all the time.  The Puches found themselves developing relationships with a whole slew of families in the community.    They were no longer the Christian leaders of “that church”, but he was now “our son’s soccer coach.”    
 
Sirisak has not finished the extra rooms and has little income.  And his family doubled in size; meaning more food and more utilities to pay.   Despite all the obstacles, Sirisak and his wife are excited to see how God will provide.   
 
LTC graduates like Sirisak are scattered all over northern Thailand and Laos, quietly serving and touching lives for Christ. 
 
If you hear God calling you to help Sirisak build his dormitory for village children, we invite you to click here to make a contribution to the LTC Alumni Ministry Fund. This fund is used to encourage and help with ministry projects led by LTC alumni.   

By Sharon Filbeck

   The entire team that God put together was made up of LTC faculty and Alumni.   What a privilege to see our alumni from different places working together in ministry.  What we didn't know was this was the very first time they had had a women's retreat where the women taught the women.   It almost didn't happen.

 In January I was able to participate in the LTC’s Church Leadership Development program in partnership with the Mennonite Brethren Center located beside Thailand border.  Over the years. Out of our conversations with the MB leadership was birthed a plan to host a Women’s Retreat for the women from across the border.   (The church on that side is under persecution, so Christians cross over for special events)   However, months went by and we did not hear back from the MB leadership.  We had almost decided it wasn’t going to happen.  But, in May they emailed me and announced everything was in place for the retreat to happen the first of June.  I was still in the States.  It was summer in Thailand and everyone was scattered doing summer ministry projects.   Also, the dates coincided with the first week of school at LTC.    It was going to be a challenge to get things pulled together. 

      The theme for the retreat was being Women of Christ. We focused on lessons and activities on becoming women who: seek to please God, to delight in God and to hunger for God, and to find satisfaction and healing in Christ.  We talked about our most important relationships, meeting the needs of our families, examining how faith expressed in love works to bring hope, knowing your value, and releasing hurts to God to be renewed in Christ.

      LTC Alumni, Dada was a wonder to behold. She seamlessly took turns leading different parts of the program. She facilitated with small groups,  ran the power points for the worship teams, helped explain instruction for activities, and bonded with the ladies at every step of the way. Her presence was a blessing to everyone! We could not have had such a retreat without her!
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    Pray for us as we plan for next year’s retreat.  Pray for the women who attended.  Pray for God’s fruit in their lives and the love of Christ would shine forth in their homes and communities.

By Sharon Filbeck
You know how wonderful it is to be caught by surprise. Here, red-tape and waiting becomes the rhythm of the life. Every now and again, the mundane becomes something unexpected.  In that moment, you could never guess how much you needed the mundane to be transformed into something fresh. Those moments that stand out and say to your soul, “God is here” if you are looking for him.  We experienced an adventure of unexpected moments recently.

Every year, and sometimes more frequently than once a year, we compile paper work and information required for visas. The rules and requirements frequently change.  I don’t know what we would do without kind government officials, our wonderful secretary Fan, and Able Sairattanyu the Chairman of the Youth Development Foundation (YDF) of Chiang Mai.  Generally, I look at the requirements each year and say “how high” when asked to jump, because jump we will and with pleasure. It's way easier on my blood pressure.

Two days before presenting our combined four inches of paper work, David went to stand in line at 5 a.m. to get a queue number for immigration. Yes, you have to stand in a line to get a number to stand in line later. This year, 5 a.m. wasn’t early enough. He came home without a number.

It occurred to me that I had never worried about our visas. In 29 years of ministry overseas, I had with child-like assurance expected that eventually all would work out. 

I asked God if my attitude all these years was taking him for granted?  Was it a sign of a faithful heart or a heart asleep? I pondered this before the Lord. 

I truly believe we all have areas where our faith is strong, and we have tender areas that Satan attacks.  Those areas are different for different people.  What may cause anxiety for one person, may not cause anxiety for another.  The same is true with frustration and patience. When you live cross-culturally for any significant amount of time, you realize others may need a kind response while dealing with the challenges of life.  Only Christ knows the battle within another person. Although I had not responded to visa challenges with anxiety all these years, there were other aspects of cross-cultural living that could bring discomfort and unease. Just as I am aware that those discomforts do not produce the same effect in others.
Reflecting on this, I simply asked God to be present to me throughout the day and particularly in the visa situation.  I asked for simple affirmations. I asked to see God afresh. Nothing else was on the table.  No manipulative requests, no crystal ball prayers, only to simply see God’s hand.

We set off at midnight to claim a spot in the queue to get a queue number, and arrived close to one o’clock in the morning.  There were a few stools with water bottles holding spots and a few guardians of said water bottles asleep on the ledge near the stools.  We took our place behind them and relaxed with some snacks, determined to make the most of the adventure. By dawns arrival, the lines began to fill out and down the parking lot. The eldest grandmother in our midst warned off patrons that parking was prohibited in the queue area. A motley crew of students arrived doing their best imitation of the musical “Grease” with tricked-out cars, cigarettes, and obligatory fashionistas. Only one line-jumper tried to switch lines at the last minute, and found himself the focus of loud complaint among the patient crowd.

At seven o’clock the queue numbers were given out, and one by one recorded in a ledger. There were only a handful of people in front of our line, and we were advised to return by eight-thirty. We opted to get breakfast around the corner and returned straight away. We didn’t want to chance missing our appointed queue while stuck in traffic.

We settled in to wait as the morning progressed slowly. We were seen around 11 o’clock.  A few typos were caught, although official didn’t anticipate them being a problem with her supervisor.  She had just stamped David’s visa when her superior returned with his paper work.  A different government agency had miss-spelled the name of the chairman of YDF of Chiang Mai in its confirmation letter for the foundation. The letter would not be accepted. As I kept up with the dialogue between the official and her supervisor, my heart quickened its pace and I began to think of possible scenarios: quick trips to the border, unexpected travel costs and fees, and possible consequences to our long term schedules.

The Immigration officer was wonderful.  She quickly offered us the option, “Get the other office to write a letter saying they are in the process of fixing the mistake.” As well as reprint a few pages with minor corrections.

We would have to get it all turned in before four o’clock or they would cancel David’s newly stamped visa.  All the paperwork we had prepared would not be accepted for either of us until the other government office wrote the letter.  Our one-year visa renewal might be lost and we would have to start over.

Sounds like an easy fix, right? Only one letter, how difficult could that be?

Rarely, if ever, do those kinds of things get done in one day let alone in a few hours.  It was noon.  The day before Thai Mother’s Day.  All offices would be closed the next day.  We had four hours at most to get the letter, from the other side of town through rush hour traffic. I asked God, “What’s the game plan Lord, what’s up?... Ok, Lord, it’s all yours”.

My phone had died already, and Dave’s was plugged into a back-up battery (Thank you Rich Kemper!). Quick phone calls were made, the immigration officer explained to our secretary Fan what was needed.  Our chairman was contacted.  Dave’s sister, our co-worker, Carmen helped drive Fan to the other agency on the other side of town to get them to write the letter. Fan’s sister watched her baby. Our Chairman came out to immigration to authenticate the letter, and to vouch for us.
ALL of this was the backdrop.  Imagine a flurry behind the scenes to get the visa needs accomplished, and many people globally praying for our visas in real time. I was sitting still in a crowded office while all the players around me scrambled and blurred. There was nothing else to “do” but wait.

Time seemed to stand still.

A young woman enters. She sits beside me in the last row of chairs in the waiting area.

I open my laptop and briefly think of working, but decide I am too preoccupied. I open Solitaire and then close it.  On a whim I distract myself with Mahjong. The young woman curiously looks at my laptop and exclaims in English, “Oh, you are playing Mahjong!”.  I smile and answer in the affirmative. I return to my game and continue to play.  Again she looks over and beams, “That’s Chinese!”.  I smile and said to her, “Yes, it is”. Again, I return to playing but opt for a more difficult level.  She turns to me and says, “I’m Chinese!” and nods vigorously for emphasis. 

I turned my lap top off, and decided to give her my full attention.  Someone willing to interrupt you three times and enthusiastically beams at you deserves your full attention.

It reminded me of being stuck in an airport and having one of those enjoyable conversations with a complete stranger. We covered the usual questions, the ‘warm ups’ to getting to know each other. I found out she was an exchange student learning Thai, where she had visited, her favorites experiences, her least favorites etc.  She was delightful.

The conversation turned to my occupation, education, where I worked, my family, children and grandchildren.  Very quickly God entered the conversation. We talked about the differences between East and West cultures in raising families, how the approaches may be different but that every parent cares for what is best for their children. I gave her the roots of grace in how I raised my children with the equipping of their potential, and the release to pursue what God had called them to do.  I gave her the example of my mother who released me to follow where God led me rather than keeping me close, and how we look forward to the times together.

We talked about faith, and her “no faith”.  Her experience with Thai teachers who did not believe that she had “no faith”.  They told her she had to believe in something.  The request for information by her Thai teachers puzzled her, and she was surprised by the many beliefs represented in Thailand.  We briefly touched on the different beliefs she had become acquainted with, and then we talked about evolution and atheism.  We discussed intelligent design, irreducible complexity, how a human being is too complex to have evolved, and how such “evolution” would lead to death of an organism not a “new” type of organism.

I shared with her about my professors in the anthropology department who looked to evolution as their God. I told her that when I see the world and all its complexity, I see the hand of God. I could not believe that it was just chance or the product of evolution when I considered DNA, and how only what is in the DNA develops. I simply shared with her of my faith in Christ.
It was not pushy.  I just put it out there with the things I had considered about faith and God, and the vast universe that God has created. I paused and let her ponder. She kept turning towards me as she thought.  So I made a simple out loud prayer of sorts. I told her I hoped that she would seek the truth.  I told her I hoped that she would get to know God herself, and that she may see his hand in her life.  My sentences were simple, and gently expressed.  Her countenance displayed deep thought.  After a bit more of a pause, I told her I was thankful that she had a great experience in Thailand and I wished her a safe journey, and that I prayed that God would bless her. 

Just as I said the last phrase, David placed his hand on my shoulder. All the paper work had arrived. Our two-and-a-half-hour conversation felt like only a few minutes had passed.

My attention was drawn elsewhere as I bid her farewell.  The blur became more focused and time began to run again as all the players once again joined the activity.

Visas were granted. Feathers smoothed, and gratitude expressed. Reassurances made to everyone. The Immigration official was very kind all in all. An hour and a half later the correct one-year visa was stamped in my passport, then a multiple entry permission granted, and a 90-day report made.

In the midst of those last two necessary items, the young woman came up to me smiling and reminded me not to leave my lunch bag and water.  She came up twice more to say goodbye as we were finishing up. 
I saw God move afresh in the smile of a stranger. A seed of truth planted. I pray that it would be watered and guarded as God grows her awareness of him in her life.  May God’s Word bear fruit in her life!

Oh, and we got our visas too after 15 hours at immigration!

If everything had gone smoothly, I would never have had the chance to have such a wonderful conversation with the unknown young woman.  In that unexpected moment, God was seen afresh. There, my assurance that all would work out was affirmed. There, the pleasure of being in the presence of God was celebrated. There, truth was spoken and seeds planted. Everything else was just the backdrop for the real purpose of the day, and I left light-hearted.

Grace and Peace!
Sharon

Part of that uncertainty involves how to obtain visas for missionaries and for international students. Although it is still not clear how the visa situation will eventually work out, God has allowed our international students to continue renewing their temporary visas to come to LTC.  The first trimester of the 2014-2015 academic year began September 7.  In the week leading up to the first day we were not sure if any of our international students would be granted visas.  There was a minor hiccup on the paperwork for one student. But in the end all received visas for 90 days.  This is less than requested, but enough time to complete the first trimester.  The information given us was that an official of the foundation asking for the visas must present in person to the Thai consulate to guarantee the students.  So we will reapply in January and someone from the foundation will get to take a trip to a neighboring country.

In spite of the uncertainty God has blessed us with one of our larger groups of first year students in recent years.  Thirteen new students from two countries representing 5 different language groups registered for classes.   Total enrollment for this trimester is 30 students. (Of the thirty, 13 are from a neighboring country and represent 2 languages groups in that country.)  Our male student dorm is full!   

Thank you for praying for us and LTC.  God is faithful and continues to bless our efforts to train, equip, and send leaders out who will impact SE Asia for Christ.  Please continue to pray for our students and staff. Pray especially for our 13 first year students as they grow and mature into Christian leaders in church and community.

David Filbeck is currently in the US through January 10, 2015.  He and Sharon are available for speaking and presenting the needs of Lanna Theological Center.  Contact him at dsfilbeck@yahoo.com or 903-806-6639 to schedule a visit.

Carmen Filbeck will be in the US for November and December.  Contact Carmen at CLfilbeck@gmail.com to schedule a visit.

On a recent trip to a restricted access country I met with 10 graduates of Lanna Theological Center.  These young men and women were sent to LTC to be trained and equipped  to be church planters among their people. They live in a country that opposes the church and persecutes those who serve the Lord.  

        During the trip I listened to their testimony  of faith in service in difficult circumstances.  Sirisuk (not his real name) a 2003 graduate of LTC,  told of how the evangelistic team is involved in helping young women who come from the countryside to the big city looking for work.   Most end up working in one of the many factories located in the city making clothes or shoes for export.  They work long hours for little pay.  Often the wages do not cover all the expenses and many fall into debt within a few months.  The men of the city knowing this will wait outside the factory gates or at the bus station looking for a young woman who is in financial distress and take advantage of the situation. At some point the woman will become pregnant and the man will give her some money to either have an abortion or send her back to the village to raise the child on her own. 

Once a young Khmu girl came to the city to work.  She arrived at the bus station but could not find the person who was to pick her up.  Men on  motor scooters surrounded her and began to grab her and take her away.
        
 Sirisuk just happened to be passing by and saw what what going on.  He approached the young girl and ask her in Khmu if she needed help.  “OH, you are Khmu!. Yes, I don't know what to do, my friends did not come pick me up”  she cried.   Sirisuk took her home where he and his wife ministered to her, helped her find a job and a safe place to live. She eventually came to know Christ and returned to her village.

Sirisuk concluded his story with these words  “So you see, we do not just rescue the soul,  we also must rescue the body.  We have to rescue both body and soul”.

Sharon, Kara, and I arrived in Chiang Mai May 25.  A week later I was in the classroom.  This is the first semester of the new school year at Lanna Theological Center.  I am teaching two classes:  Expository Preaching and Holy Spirit.

I have four students in the Holy Spirit class. As we were going around the room introducing ourselves to each other one young man said his name was Santisuk (Peace) and he was from Surin Province.  We do  not normally get students from this far off province.  In fact we have had, to my memory, only 3 students from this part of Thailand.  In addition I noticed there was something vaguely familiar about his face. Over the next few class meetings I asked more questions about how he came to LTC.  Eventually I figured out that Santisuk was the nephew of one of my first students when Sharon and I first came to Chiang Mai in 1987. Santisuk's uncle, Mr. Boonlert Somniyam, graduated from LTC (Then it was called the Institute for Biblical Studies) and served many years on staff at LTC before leaving us to do a church plant.  Not only that but Santisuk's mother (Boonlert's sister) attended LTC and got her Mrs. degree.  And guess who performed the wedding?  That's right.  I did back in 1993.  You know you've been around a while when you start teaching the children of your former students.  

David and his Holy Spirit class with students. Santisuk is to David's right.