The South Canyon Baptist Church men meet inmates the fourth Sunday of the month from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Pennington County jail.

“It’s an on-going affair too, not one or two months and that’s it,” Chuck added.

“Some inmates are petty offenses, so it is an one or two month sentence here. Others are waiting, transferring Sioux Falls for longer sentences.

“Either way, Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven. But it’s a choice, and each prisoner, as well as a millionaire and middle class chooses–either humble himself and choose Christ as THE personal Savior, or choose the world and ultimately Satan. It’s simple as that,” Chuck added.

“We’d would talk about the Jail Ministry and talk about fitting in anytime for new members,” Chuck concluded.

Awl bon aif jad (aw bute en jaw) Lahu for thank you. First to the Lord, and to those of you who prayed for safety, health, and for financial support for the missions trip. A trip to Thailand was not on my “to do” list. I am NOT a traveller and I didn’t even know where Thailand was. I was kinda like Moses–”here am I LORD, send Aaron.” But God works in mysterious ways His wonders to perform. This was my first missions trip.

The spark that started the fire was the Evangecube. Phil from International Commission (part of Baptist missions) was at South Canyon Baptist Church sharing plans for a missions trip to Thailand and he showed the cube, distributed applications, and encouraged us to complete the application and GO. (You can’t spell GOSPEL without GO).

1) Passport – obtained for a cousin cruise to Alaska last year (Chuck Swindoll’s inspirational cruise accompanied us);

2) Arrange schedule; (had the time off for a family reunion in Texas), Rita had advised Bob to evaluate eternal versus temporal priorities;

3) Prepare testimony – wrote after attending Jim Morgan’s class before motorcycle rally last fall (also got a tattoo, but don’t tell that biker pastor of ours, chill .. only eye liner.

4) Arrange prayer partners. Lord sent Voreta, Lana and Phyllis to mind.

I didn’t take the application but on the drive home something clicked like 4/4 completed ?? and I said “OK I’ll go LORD, but I wouldn’t do it for anyone but You”. Got the application; told Bob the Lord was opening doors, but it would be fine if He would shut it. God had a better idea.

COMFORT ZONE

This was during the time of revival meetings at church and pastor had encouraged us to “get out of our comfort zone.” Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) leader had challenged us to “get out of our comfort zone” and this was definitely out of my comfort zone. The Lord just kept opening doors and gave me peace about it, except maybe the Travel Medicine immunizations. Shots weren’t so bad, DPT, hepatitis, and typhoid, pills for malaria and traveler’s diarrhea, but making decisions on whether to get the $500 shots for Japanese encephalitis, rabies etc., required considerable prayer. We had also been studying in BSF the parable about good seeds getting choked by the cares of the world and not being fruitful. Ouch.

PREPARATIONS

• Practiced the simplysharejesus.com Evangecube presentation.
  Couple days before we left Bob received message from friends in Ching Mai that the temperature was 100 degrees and humid.
• WORDLESS BOOK from CEF – called the director in Huron and Joel planned trip to Rapid, to SCBC with Wordless books and workshop, thanks Judy.
• God arranged visit with lady from Thailand living in Rapid City.
• SOLAR POWERED RECORDERS with Bible messages in Lahu language for followup. Bob obtained about 30 (more fun going through security). Also in contact with friends at Global Recordings (formerly Gospel Recordings) and their work in Ching Mai with the Lahu people.

International Commission had our testimonies translated into the Lahu dialect. Each missionary had 250 tracts prepared to leave at the homes we visited (400 words or less). It was such a blessing to meet the other dedicated individuals from California, Colorado, Idaho, Texas and NC. On Saturday night and Sunday we had church services (meetings x 4). There were 4 ladies on the trip, so two were assigned to share a village. In addition, we each had an interpreter. God orchestrated our assignments for a perfect match of village and interpreter. My interpreter was a young teacher, Marlee, from the Lahu Bible college, very musically gifted, but had limited experience as an interpreter, also had many cousins in the village. We agreed that I would KISS (keep it simple saint), but the words – resurrection (from my favorite object lesson resurrection egg -empty) doubt, crime, snow and perfume were a challenge. The humble Chinese interpreter for my village mate, Ginny, was a God-sent intercessor.

Students from the Lahu college also accompanied us for training in evangelism. The pastor and his wife in the village I was assigned hosted 4 students, Ginny and I, and Ginny’s interpreter, Peter, and his wife, Lucy. The 14 missionaries visited 500 homes, witnessed to over 3500 and experienced over 1300 decisions for Christ. Each day 2 people from the church, plus 2 students and our interpreter accompanied us as we went from hut to hut to share the gospel and love of Christ and how they could have a personal relationship with Jesus. They were very receptive and thought Americans were the greatest.

The villages weren’t nearly as primitive as expected. I was raised on a farm and remember the days of the outhouse and life without electricity. Most of the homes were huts, saw very few chairs, some had dirt floors, some concrete. The 100 degree heat/humidity made us grateful for the cold water showers (running water as it was poured from a pitcher). We did have electricity and were thankful for the electric fans, some even had TV sets. There were a few chickens running loose and roosters crowing from early morning on. Saw a few geckos, but Nita had prepared me for them as a good thing, they eat insects. Saw very few mosquitos. Didn’t even need to sleep under the mosquito netting. I took an inflatable mattress and memory foam so slept very comfortably. The ladies cooked 3 meals a day over an open fire. Rice for every meal with all kinds of toppings. I brought some rice home as a souvenir if you would like a kernel.

We did a little sight seeing on the last weekend in Ching Mai, saw an elephant show (rides available to $1500 baks (30:1 conversion to American $) and visited the night market. Had opportunity for massage ($150 baks/hr) about $5. Our closing service and supper were at the Lahu Bible college and following this a visit to the New Life Mission for girls rescued from the streets where Bob’s interpreter worked. Swam in the hotel pool (on 7th floor) and could look up and count the stars.

The trip was a mountain-top experience. To simply share Jesus with those who were so eager to hear was a joy. Our prayer had been for the Holy Spirit to prepare hearts and He did. The pastor’s wife where we stayed accepted Christ the last night we were in the village.
One of my students, Jentanah, accepted Christ during the Lahu church service in Ching Mai so I expect I will be having spiritual grandchildren soon. As Phil said it was like the “fish jumping into the boat.”

My prayer would be for the Lord to open doors for each of you the opportunity to share a similar spiritual blessing. My grandmother had a plaque with the motto “Only one life twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Thanks to Bob and Nita for emotional support and care and concern. Nita not only came in the middle of the night to take me to the airport but came and picked me up when we got back. Her heart was with us even though she wasn’t able to be there physically. She was hospitalized after her immunizations; had cough and suffered an inner ear infection and the specialist recommended she not make the trip. I have a passion for memorizing scripture but the opportunity to live it is much more exciting. Memorize, meditate and minister. And it is true that we are “safer in the boat in the midst of a storm in God’s will” than on shore. The cyclones in Burma and earthquakes in China across the border from Thailand occurred shortly after we were safely home. MARANATHA.