Not just a house but a Lighthouse

Dear Friend,

Warm greeting in our Lord Jesus Christ!
We thank God for your friendship Christ and partnership in His kingdom throughout the year. It has been always a great encouragement when we think about you and your heart for God and for us in the Lord’s harvest. We praise God for you and we pray that He will bring the joy and peace to your heart as you read this letter written from our own heart.

We give thanks and praises to our Heavenly Father who has saved us, made us His own, and called us into His service. As you know, after finishing our theological trainings, we returned home to settle our family and start our ministry here in our homeland despite of many offers which may distract us from His call to be ministers for our people. Truly, you and I have a great God and a loving Father! We cannot count all of His blessings for us throughout the year; especially Kairos, our first child is a precious God-given gift to us. We welcomed him with our tremendous joy and gratitude to God’s awesome work though we had to experience some unexpected situations. He is now nearly two-month old. With all that God has done, we have set our hearts to be true to Him and His ministry all the more.

In a mission trip thru medical care for kids & charity house in a Southern province.

Understanding God’s purposes and dreams for our lives, we stepped our feet in Ho Chi Minh City, doing little things He has entrusted. God is the One who makes things happened for His honor and glory. When Thuan was joyfully serving as an assistant pastor in preaching, teaching, and music ministry; Esther was exposing into translation ministry. We were both encouraged and inspired to move forward when we see life-changing in leaders and church members.

At the beginning of this year, we sensed that God was leading us to a new stage of our ministry, moving us toward a direction which will accomplish our vision to be evangelists for our people, establishing an evangelistic band (I Kings 18:36-37). We felt that we should move to another place to start Bible study and eventually plant a church as a home base for that long-term vision.

We are fully convinced of God’s prompting to take the move not just by seeing a bright picture of future revival in Vietnam, but also by our broken hearts when we realize the spiritual environment of Vietnamese churches at the present. Many church leaders today in this most developed city of our country do not appreciate the privilege of being trained and sent for God as those who have to experience persecutions and hardships for the sake of the gospel in the other parts of the country. Thuan has been feeling heavy-hearted in opportunities to work with leaders and pastors. Believing God for a turning point of our ministry, we also trust that a new house in a new community will be God’s tool for us to reach that community, building His church, and sending godly workers to the harvest.

Back to June of 2008, as a new couple we trusted God to rent a house in this city to live and it has been nearly one year. God has been so faithful and good in providing for us financially for the rental, which is nearly $2000 per year.

Esther's birthday Celebration in our current rental house, Sept 8, 2008

However, the desire for years of having a house for our own has been growing more strongly every day. During this New Year Eve, we made it as a very special prayer to God for this year, trusting Him to grant us a house by the end of 2009. Together with our two extended families, we have been praying, keeping our eyes on houses on sales, and as well as keeping our spirits sensitive with the Spirit’s revelation about His timing. However, with both of our parents serving God, depending on Him financially for their daily needs, we know we are to look for a miracle.

April, 2008, Thuan's parents with the family who were wholly saved through their evangelism ministry

June, 2008, Esther's father was giving testimonies of God's call to each of them into His service

And it happens that on this March 4, the house owner suddenly informed that he wanted the house back by May for his own use. The news surprised us and flashed in our minds the picture of looking for a renting house, and moving things with our baby who will be only four-month old then. After praying to God, we are convinced that it is time for us to trust Him to buy a house. We pray that it will not be just a house but a lighthouse.

Kairos, 6 week-old with Meo, our sister in Christ

We looked for houses on sales and found a house with the price $22.000 (64 square meters) in a suburb of Ho Chi Minh City. We have been praying to buy this house. However, we have too little faith to believe that He will give us totally $22.000 from someone who is willing to help us either for free or loan. And yet after praying, this is what we can trust God and we are convinced by His Spirit to do. Please do pray and take our honest sharing as a chance to bless us and contribute to our service in Vietnam.

At the beginning, adding the amount our families’ help to what we have, we have now $2000. So we still need $20.000 more. As we calculated, this $20.000 would be the payment of 10 years if we continue renting house. Meaning if we live in renting house for 10 more years, the payment for it can afford a house! With that, we are now asking for your help. Among our circle of relationship in God’s family, we are asking you, who are in our Lord’s service and understand very well our situation, and who also can identify with our desire of having a house for our own. As we do the same with other 19 friends, we are asking if you can lend us $1000. We pray and plan to pay back to you with the other 19 within 10 years from the rental that we would have to pay if we continue renting. With that plan, we will pay for you from our rental of 6 months. If your heart is moved to help us, time of payment is decided by you because we know you have your own plan to use your money. By this way, together with the other 19, you are helping us to have a house, just by saving from the rental!

It sounds and may seem funny but we are praying if the Spirit will work in you. We do not have anything to give you as a pledge for the loan except God’s leading in your heart that brings conviction to you to extend your kindness to us. We shared this project to some of friends and two committed to help, one gives freely and we will pay for another in the first six months Praise the Lord!, And it was so encouraging when Esther shared with her friend, who is now a student and that friend committed to pray and ask her 50 friends to help us because she is moved to be a part of our faith-stretching journey.

We are now looking for 18 more people within 2 months in looking upon God for His amazing work. Please pray whether God leads you to join us in the journey of faith and of friends in Christ! May God bless your heart as you always find a way to bless His people!

Yours in reaching Vietnam for Christ,

Thuan, Esther & Kairos Phan.

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Updates: In April 3, we have three committed, praise God! Be praying for the other 17.

A wedding to thank God for

From L 2 R: Anh Thach- chi An**, be Ty, Binh-An, be Na, and Me.
It was good to see An, the bride, on her wedding day. She is a real nice lady whom I met just few months ago when I first stepped on this city. Being a deligent and teachable student in my English class, she is kind inside out. I am grateful to God that she has found her better half, who just came to know Christ thru her but remains teachable and open to Him.

The atmostphere of her wedding is really special, warm, sweet, and like a family reuinion. As a young mom who is still in breastfeeding period, I enjoyed all the food. (It's really Me!) Thuan was so proud that he arranged things in order for me to join them. =)

Happy wedding and may God bless your marriage life!

Moving house...?

Moving house..? It's unexpected! Sudden. My first inner response: Challenged to trust God for the greater thing right. But how and When? Still something mysterious... Still something to be excited about.. but ... sigh...! Kairos is 1 month and 5 days today.