Sept-Jan, 2010 Prayer Letters

Dear co-workers in Christ,

We should have written to you in updating our life and ministry earlier but we could not make it. And now as we are putting many events, activities, and prayer requests into this prayer letter of ours, we would like you to know how much we long to the moments that we can share our hearts to you in a deep and an intimate way, believing that you are always willing to appreciate God’s work in and through us. Thank you for always standing beside us to live for the cause that God has laid in front of us. Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we believe that you understand so well: we need you when we are pursuing to fulfill His call for us.

Thuan continues to enjoy the privilege to teach in Bible school with the Minor Prophet class this time. He has learned so much in preparing the materials and seeing how the class impacted on his students. What is more wonderful for him is that his great friend visited him and was in the class for a short while. This special friend of his just came to see God's work upon him and was there for him to share in a very deep and very special way. And then he left with the assurance of his fatherly love, care, prayer, and support to us.

Esther had a great time with the charity trip to her hometown, helping the poorest and the church there with a Korean team, living in Vietnam. It builds the hope in her about a better community of her hometown. It is also a proof of God's amazing works upon her life, saving her from those poorest and now work through her to bless the community.

It was a great joy for Esther to organize the women conference and interpret for a powerful and strong speaker. She was so inspired by the speaker by her messages, life-experience, and sacrifice for God. She is truly an inspiration! Esther also thanks God for creativity, many ideas, and wisdom that God has given to her.

The evangelism training Esther organized and co-trained the youth was effective when 12 attendees among 16 went out and shared the gospel with 27 people in an afternoon. They have committed to share to 127 people in the next three months. Updates show that God is working powerfully on them.

In the same month, we suffered many relationship problems in and out, both from our families and with partners in ministry. As a couple, we survived through different wrong relationships by reflection, prayer, sensitivity and sort of humility. We know that God was working to mold us and to direct us to the right partnership and ministry involvement. Undergoing all of these, we appreciate Jesus' teaching in Matthew 18:15-20. Esther took initiative to come first to an old leader who is in high position of leadership, and who hurt her by his words. In all, she thanks God for Thuan, who encouraged her and prayed for her to do the right thing though it was not easy at all!

In Vietnam Teacher's Day, Thuan was invited to come to Mekong Delta, around 200km far from Ho Chi Minh City, to visit a student group there, to train them and to speak in their evangelistic event. There he learns to always keep his first love for God and obey the Great Teacher when he sees so many new believers serving God with their sincerity, passion, and love for God.

Christmas is the spiritual harvest of souls in Vietnam with so many Christmas evangelistic events. This year Esther had privilege to be the MC and co-organizer of several big events and she learned a lot to improve her gift in public speaking and leadership. We are grateful that God has used many in different denominations to bring salvation to our people.

However, our highlight of this Christmas is our church Christmas party in our house where we had 15 non-believers came. Esther shared her salvation testimony and it stirred their hearts. God added His chosen ones into our church and now we are 11. In gratitude with the very few that God has entrusted, we are doing follow-up with them and in contact with them closely.

It was a great privilege and opportunity for the three of us to contribute ourselves into a trip to the orphanage and the poor villages. We have learned so much from the team of more than twenty wonderful people. We have been impressed by their heart for God, moving out of their comfort zone, giving themselves as God's extended hand to bring hope to the orphans and the poorest of the poor. For more details, please check: http://www.lostorphans.org

You might still remember Esther's testimony of how God saved her whole family and caused them to share His love in their hometown and that they were praying to build the church there. By God's grace and faithfulness, the church building was finished and dedicated last Jan 26 in glorifying God's power over her family and His church.

We are now closing our first month of 2010 with our great thank to God in celebrating Kairos' 1st birthday- Jan 30. Though God did not grant Esther a natural delivery as she prayed but He did bless Kairos so much in the first year. He is always strong, healthy, active, smiling, and stays blessed by His grace. We are still raising him up in expectation that God will send revival to Vietnam in His appointed time, in Kairos' generation.

We are grateful for your partnership during the past year 2009. Please continue to pray for us and join us in our ministry move this year as we consider to join Evangelism Explosion in fulfilling our long-term vision of an evangelistic organization in Vietnam.