Last week in Nahong

Hello Everyone!

I realize that it has been some time since my last update. I apologize for that.

This is our last weekend in Nahong. We leave Thursday afternoon to spend 6 days in Chiang Mai before we fly home.
Leaving Nahong always brings a lot of different emotions with it. On one hand I am very excited to come back to the states, see family and friends and have some colder weather.
On the other hand it's hard to leave Nahong because I know there is still so much work to be done. So many people that need to see the light of Jesus Christ. So much hurt and broken homes that need healing. But it is God who brings people to Himself. It cannot be done by me or by any one of us. It needs to be God. I pray that the people of Nahong really come to know the truth about their Savior.

The last couple weeks have been up and down for me. I was feeling very heavy for a lot of the week two weeks ago. I was missing home and I don't know if I was surrendering to God as I should. I was getting caught in just the weight of the salvation of Thailand, of Nahong, and of the Buddhist. I was struggling with wondering what I was able to do in the large scheme of things. I need to trust in God and be faithful in prayer for the people here.

This last week has been very good! My dear friend and brother Pi Taa, came to be our translator. It was very good to see him. In the bible study with Urt I went through what we have learned since we started studying again and asked him some questions. By God's grace it seems as if all that he has learned is really sticking with him! He was able to tell me what we had gone through and what it meant. I was very encouraged to see that this young energetic boy remembers what he has been learning. Please continue to pray for him.
On Thursday night, Tom, Pi Taa and myself were able to go to a friend of ours house, Pi Sauk. We just talked with him and hung out for a few hours. In that time we were able to tell him the truth of Christ! We have talked with him about the story of Jesus and what we believe before. He was still very interested to hear more and after that we were able to pray for him and his family. Please pray that Pi Sauk, Cru Nit, Pooh and Ping would come to know the Lord of Mercy.

Tonight we are going to Lamud's house, to watch a movie in Northern Thai that talks about the power of Jesus the Lord of Mercy. Lamud is very excited as are we! Please pray that the movie would open up conversations and the hearts of Lamud's family. Another encouraging note is that Cheyenne got to spend more time with Lamud last week. She found out that in the last year Lamud has been studying the Psalms and she has been loving it! Praise God.

Please continue to pray for safety for our team and salvation for Nahong.

God bless, I will see you all soon
Heb 13:12-14 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

Lucas Neraasen