A surprised Birthday for Thuan Muc su

2 days before Thuan's birthday, I asked some of our youth if they wanted to surprise him. We came to the decision of making that at 00:01 am of his birthday, they would come to sing happy birthday to him. Agree! I then secretly cooked some food. Our sister bought the birthday cake, balloon and candles were well prepared. We sent messages back and forth to update if things were ready for them to come to our place. But guess what? Thuan did not go to bed until 11:55. It was not him at all! And when he came to bed, he did not sleep but kept talking to figure out what I would do for him tomorrow. I said we would date out and eat his favorite food. And since he did not sleep, I could not tell our youth to come in. As a result of that, they suffered beaten by mosquitoes and guess what? The neighbors' dogs started barking. And Thuan understood that some people must be outside.

**Without brushing his teeth, Kairos enjoyed the balloon in the morning after that. =)

Well, we had a great time to somehow surprise him and express our appreciation to him as a pastor, discipler, brother, and a friend to us.

Blessed Happy Birthday to you, Muc Su!

The Luna New Year

The beauty of countryside

Making Bánh Tét for the Tet holiday

Thuan's parents and his three siblings

Thuan's whole family

The Luna New Year was a learning and growing experience to both of us as we spent time with our families both sides, somehow ministering to them and strengthening the family relationships of God’s servants’ homes. We thank God that we have two blessed families serving Him in different areas and being supporters for us ever since we have committed to serve Him.

Morning in a Park nearby

God is a great Creator I know, of the universe. But I think that He "hides" something in the nature, something very special. My mind is refreshed, my heart is more open and my soul is renewed when I come to Him in His marvellous creatures. I see thing diffrently. Not in a box. I see life problems differently before the great Creator God, the Planner and Finisher of life.






We had a great time this morning, enjoying our family devotion time in a park not for from our house. And Kairos was so excited when he saw trees and many people. Thank God for a good morning!

Long time blog silent

Long time blog silent ... It's not because I was busy with Kairos but life as a young mom is not easy at all. Moreover, there were some hardships in the past 2 months. In order for us to cope with that, God has been with us along the way, comforting, strengthening, providing, giving peace and instructing step by step. We are grateful for your prayers. We are grateful for so many friends and family members who have stood beside us. Here are some pictures of Kairos. He is so blessed by God and so loved by many people. Thank God! Thank you!

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.

**************************************************************************

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

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.

...2nd AnNiVeRsArY..!

Days passed and we completed our 2 years living together... (and more than just living!) I still remember our first wedding anniversary last year in the Philippines when we were still students: sweet, fantastic, and romantic!
So... what did we have this anniversary?
We did not have much money to think about many things or to do some "luxurios" stuffs which couples might allow themselves to "throw money away through the window" in such special and memorable day. But we had a real good day together. We asked about our last anniversary wish and we wished for our next year of marriage.
Kairos is the answer of our wish last year! And we are now excited to welcome him.
Indeed God is so good. He brought us together and used this marriage to build us up. We have learned and grown together as a couple. Even just two years but I could not count all of His blessings. Times He provided. Times He cared and forgave. Times He led and protected. Times He taught and lifted us up...
To be honest and transparent, we are doing better together after two years of living, learning, and growing.
I have learned so much to submit, honor, and trust God with Thuan. And He has learned to love me, lead me, and our little family in the way God wants.
If there was one happy and memorable event we went through together during the past two years was our trip to Korea. It is like that for some reasons: we just finished our "heavy" studies in the school with some encouraging achievements, we went through a process of faith and patience to have the visa coming there, we had a wonderful trip in the fellowship of Christ's body, and especially we had a FaMiLy there....
And if there was a difficult and bad time we ever experienced as a couple, was the time of financial crisis. When I had to sell some of our wedding jewels to pay monthly rent. It was not tough because we had to sell them but it broke Thuan's heart when we needed to do so.
And of course the most wonderful and beautiful gift we ever received was nothing than our baby. We are thankful to God forever for this heavenly gift.
Our Father watches over us every moment and we know He found us wanting many times with so many shortcomings and weaknesses. But we praise Him for His acceptance and long-suffering compassion to both of us.
Another new year to come to our marriage, I pray that we will bring delight into His heart through our communion with Him, our life and service.

Bring Jesus to kids

People see it hard to hold an evangelism program for kids and tasks are not given to "amateur folks" because it's real hard to get kids quiet, sit, and participate properly. So, I felt hard, too after being asked by our pastor to be the speaker of the kid's evangelism program in church this Christmas. But Thuan agreed right the begining as the pastor asked him if I could join. I don't know if Thuan remebered his wife was moving to the ninth month of her pregnancy but Thuan said yes after telling me that I could do it well and that I should take it as a privilege. Well, of course I am always aware serving God is a privilege but... However, I obeyed God and Thuan. I know He had made a way for me to serve. And it was a great night! There were 70 kids as we prayed and we all enjoyed our night together. It was so cute when they answered the Sunday school teacher's question of what was there in the place where Jesus was born. One of them said there was horse and another ostrich! =) =) =)=)=)

...like angels sing...

I always love seeing kids singing and I am thankful that their teachers taught them many beautiful songs. And they really love singing to God.

It was funny to me, too as I started relating me with the pregnancy and one day my baby will be born and we would celebrate his birthday next year. They got the idea that Jesus was really born, that's why the world celebrate His birthday.

I guessed Kairos, my baby was tired because I needed to take long and deep breaths to speak loud enough and to do the actions along the story.

But I finally finished it! Yes, baby and mommy did it with a very great help and empowerment of God.

And these kids prayed to receive the gift of the Christmas, Baby Jesus into their lives. We all know they are too young to understand properly about faith and the importance of Jesus in their life but many churches over the world were planted by reaching kids.

One of them is Anh Thu, my little neigbour. I had her name in "my evangelistic prayer list" with the other nine. I prayed for her and her family members daily and I am grateful that He saved Anh Thu. Thuan said she would be my "peace of man" to reach the family. It sounds funny but why not? I am continually praying to invite her grandma, mother, and auntie to other gospel meetings. God loves Anh Thu and He truly has a wonderful plan for her life. I am convinced about that as the Proverbs said: "Train the child the way he should go, and he is old he will not turn from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

I thank God for the chance and I thank God for all the labors of the teachers!

My daily prayer for Kairos, my baby is that he will acknowledge God in His young age and grow in the knowledge and the grace of God as his father, Thuan. We always pray and ask God to teach us how to build an independant faith in our children in the future.

You can join praying for us.

To teach is to learn

To all those who ever taught in their life, teaching is an extremely good chance to learn, to understand more, to improve and perfect one's knowledge and even skills.

Thuan finished his teaching on the class Synoptic Gospels for the second time (Dec 9,10&11). This time he taught a group of students different from the first one. He had more than 10 old students who are serving in different ministry in various churches, several among them are pastors. Also he had other ten who are young, a little bit faster in learning but unexperienced in ministry. And a group of 6 tribal students who worked real hard for their study but they find hard time analyzing things and putting them in Vietnamese.

Dealing a class like that, Thuan really learned to communicate well so they all could understand but manage time alotted and goals set for the subject. It was challenging! And it was exciting!

I asked Thuan to take me with him during the last afternoon when the students had class, just want to be with him and see how the students responded after 3 days being with him. (Thuan did not want me to show up there but he finally humoured me). They have learned and grown differently in different areas as they responded and gave the feed back. I thank God for making it possible for Thuan to impact them spiritually with his young age and unexperienced state in ministry. God's Word is powerful. Knowing His truth can deliver Christians to move to another higher step of a spiritual ladder. It's all about Him who worked through Thuan for His purposes.

My brother also came for that class. Before he returned to our hometown, I had a short talk with him regarding some problems going on in His life. It moved me when he shared how deeply God touched him through the truths he learned from the ministry of our Lord Jesus and he was convinced to give up some bad habits and renewed his personal walk with God. I was moved from being frustrated to grateful to what He has done. So, I learned, too although I was not a student in his class.

God used this class to prove that teaching is His given-gift to Thuan and with prayer and humility, we are excited to see how He will use it for His glory and purposes.

Glory to Him alone!

We thank God for His strength for Thuan after the class, too.

Countdown to Kairos' birth...!

Kairos my dear,
So we have been together for almost eight months. Only more than one more month to go but it is so long to me. How I long to meet you, son! And how much I love you!!!
Together we pray, we eat, we sleep, we act, and we serve God this Christmas. Sometimes it's hard for us to move fast or sit for long, right? But we have been doing good and I am thankful to God.
Son, I am so eager and so excited to meet you. I marked the date our doctor said you would be born and I am waiting and praying.

A busy but exciting Christmas is coming...!

Christmas is coming as usual every year but as a family, Thuan and I are welcoming it with many diffirent thoughts and feelings for some interesting reasons.
First, this is our first Christmas serving God as a family in our homeland.
Second, Christmas is also our thanksgiving time with our wedding anniversary. This year will be our second.
Third, we are excited and overjoyed to see our baby soon after this Christmas.
Fourth, this is our first time enjoying Christmas season in HCMC.

And for me, I have special gifts from the Lord of Christmas and because of that, I am happy and grateful! I thought I might not do anything for Him during this season but He provided me some opportunities where I can serve him with Thuan, and our Kairos (in my womb!)

We are expecting an exciting Christmas... May His Son's birthday celebration bring joy and love to every one of us. And may many will be saved into His kingdom as a gifts for His birthday through our acceptable and pleasing service!

Wow, toys!

This is my first time receiving this many toys, especially bears like this in my life! They are all in our house. One lady came to Vietnam from the States and it seemed to me that my brother, Daniel brought the whole kindergarden to us. It is extremely kind of the one who brought these for us. Bless her heart. She said the children ministry in church had to be moved to another place so they asked if some one likes to have these toys and Daniel really loved to get all.

And it did take his courage and faith to ask someone who would fly that far to carry them all for him. Our one niece and three nephews will have their Christmas gifts soon this year. And for sure they like it.

I found interested about it. In this world, there are people who are willing to give and then others who care so much about their loved ones that take courage to ask, and others are available to help and to be a blessing for others. It takes something for someone to go extra miles in our daily and challenging life with our human self-centered and selfish nature.

Bless all of these with His richest blessings!

Thuan's class on Synoptic Gospels for NST

You may remember that I once shared about Thuan's brother and his ministry in CCC. Receiving the new trainees this year for the future service, he asked if Thuan can teach a class for them. He knew Thuan was going to teach Synoptic Gospels so he asked Thuan to do it. Certainly, Thuan was grateful for the opportunity.
This time Thuan's father have come to visit us and he sat in that class of 4 solid days, from 11 to 14 of November. Being a Christian for most of his life time, our father, a nearly 60 year-old church worker was refreshed and somehow enlightened by the class. He took note carefully and shared with me the insights he learned during the class. He is such a teachable student of God's Word. He may not know how much Thuan was encouraged by the fact that he sat in his class with four other 24 year-old classmates.
Thuan appreciate more the opportunity when he went through the life of our Master Jesus again by studying for the class and conveying the spiritual truths to them. Because it was his first time teaching continually for 4 solid days so I saw him being tired physically but he was refreshed spiritually, too. He diligently did research and readings for students' questions which he was not clear about the answers. I thank God for his integrity and commitment. I pray that he will continually walk with God in teaching ministry teachably and humbly with integrity.
This class with 5 students will be a good step for Thuan's teaching this coming December in a 30 student class. Praise God!

Family prayer time

Today we had our first family prayer time with the family of Thuan's brother. We have committed to set aside our first Monday of the month to meet together to fellowship, to study God's Word together, and to pray for one another. As Thuan's brother shared Luke 18:1-8, we were reminded to pray passionately and persistently and not to give up. The worship and prayer time were really inspiring and I was so much blessed.
Our brother and his wife have been serving with the Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) amolst 10 years and they have found favor in God's eyes and their colleague's eyes. With two kids, they have put their trust in God completely, going extra miles to extend their help and service in any time and for any one in need.
Living in HCMC, Thuan's brother is not only a real brother to Thuan but also a great friend and partner in church.
Thank God!
We are looking forward to meeting again next month.

DON'Ts and DOs!

Thuan's mother has come to visit both the family of his brother and our family (Thuan, me, and the coming baby) when Thuan has been away from home for a trip. She and I always enjoy talking and sharing to one another. She has a listening ear that not every one has. Not all mother-in-law is like her. She takes care of me just like her own daughter who comes home for a visit after a long year with her hard work. She provides the best for me. I have always found joy and pleasance being with her. We often talk about everything on the earth, sometimes with tear and at the other times with laughters.
This time, she has come to me with a list of "DON'Ts and DOs" that I should attend as a pregnant lady. There are so many things I cannot understand why they should be like that, so I asked her if I can miss some of those. However, I know she is experienced. She obviously was pregnant at least three times to bear Thuan, his older sister and brother. Besides, I know she loves me, truly. Therefore, it did not take long for me to follow her directions.
Interestingly, as I read the book "What to expect when you are expecting" for expecting mommy, I found her wisdom is in the book also. I am happy because of many helps I have during this very special stage of my life.
Thanks be to God for those who have gone ahead of me in life!