November 2011 e-newsletter
Dear Family & Friends,
CULTURAL CORNER
We had the pleasure of officiating a Lahu wedding in Ban Gao, where the groom gave his life to Christ prior to the ceremony. The ceremony was held in a village house with family and friends, followed by a special lunch which included lop (raw, marinated blood pork with seasonings mixed in). They also served it cooked. We were guests at another Lahu wedding later in the month with this ceremony being more of a western culture style wedding with white dress and white suit and held in a church. It was scheduled to start at 10a.m. and started only 40 minutes late. They also had a special meal following. A few years ago we had been guests at a Lahu wedding where they dressed in their traditional clothes and had two friends stand up with the bride and groom in the Ban Gao Church. Quite a variety.
DIANA’S DELIGHTS
Dr. RaymondMooi from Malaysia held a three day crusade in Mae Sot where about five or six thousand people attended. There were hundreds of healings and salvations. A Buddhist monk had no hearing for 20 years in his left ear was healed and could hear again; Somyot’s (boy from Home of Hope) mother received Christ as Lord and Savior. We have a Bible Study on Fridays with friends who own a restaurant and the wife became a Christian at the crusade, too. During the crusade they had a traditional Thai dance from the Issan area except the words were changed to have a Christian message of how God loves us, Christ came to die for us, how He will come again and that we all need to repent and be ready – so beautiful. We thank God for all the miracles and we want to thank you for all your prayers – God is answering them.
Hooray!!The roof is on the Home of Hope! This is what is needed next: $10,000US for the walls; $20,000 US for plumbing, steps, doors, windows, toilets, water tanks and kitchen; $2,000 for electrical work (total=$32,000US). We have half of that already and need another $16,000US to finish the building to the extent that the children and staff can move in and live there. Just by moving in, their expenses will be cut by almost $500 per month. Slowly but surely and with God’s help, we are getting there.
NEILL’S NOTES
I helped the Philippinas and a YWAM team with an English Camp at Don Gaeow School and then the team visited Ban Gao one evening where they shared God’s Word through testimonies, song and drama. They were a good group and a lot of fun.
Pastor John is starting a Bible School once again in Mae Sot. That was the original purpose for our coming to Thailand. We asked what we could do, so I will be teaching some courses for him, Diana will share at various times and he has asked us to help raise money for this worthy project. He is starting this on faith because this is what he has heard from God. We need to raise money for food, drinking water and electricity for the students. At this time there will be about 15 students, both men and women, who will stay on the church grounds while studying. Pastor John says that if we don’t teach the younger generation now, they will be lost and the church will not grow and bear fruit. We don’t know what the total costs will be yet but please pray about it and obey the Holy Spirit and everything will be covered. The school is starting Nov 14 so this is all happening on faith.
We pray that you are in good health, safe and a blessing to others,
Neill & Diana
Your partners in ministry
If you would like to write to us or send us something please use this address:
Neill & Diana Gilbert
c/o Foursquare Mae Sot Church
P.O. Box 13
Mae Sot, Tak
63110 Thailand
If you would like to support us financially you can donate online. Otherwise you can make your check out to "Monticello Foursquare Church" and mail it to:
Lynette Rohde
c/o Monticello Foursquare Church
PO Box 1356
Maple Grove, MN 55311
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P.O. Box 26776
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