A post from Sarah Gordon, intern at CTR while serving in Thailand, summer of 2013

August 2013

Dearest Friends and Family,

I write to share with you my joy and privilege to have spent this summer season serving in Thailand with Remember Nhu.  I wish to express my thankfulness to you, for your partnership in the gospel work, from the first day of my arrival until now (Phil 1). I have much to share about the goodness of our great God and the good work He is continuing throughout the Far East.  One of the many highlights of this opportunity as an intern with RNhu is a greater understanding in seeing and experiencing how Christ’s kingdom is furthered here on earth.

Another highlight was being used in a small way to help prevent the evils of human trafficking in young lives.  As God’s Word states in the book of Isaiah: “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? (Is.58:6)....’Then your light shall break forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard’” (Is 58:8). Indeed, Christ was present because God was being glorified through the obedience of His children in this effort to loose the bonds of wickedness through sex trafficking prevention.

I lived in Chiang Mai for two months at RNhu’s newest home with fifty-two Thai girls whose ages ranged from four to twenty-two.  Part of my responsibilities as an intern was to get to really know the girls and love them.  Christ overwhelmed me with His love through these relationships which transcended language and cultural barriers.  I was given daily opportunities to depend on Jesus Christ to supply His power and perspective so that my labor would not be in vain.  Because of our commonness in Him, deep relationships began to take root with some of the girls and other interns in ways I had not expected.

The Lord used the circumstances to reveal to me more of His character and how He works for His children.  He didn’t need me to go to Thailand, He chose for me to go, having planted the desire in my heart.  My time at RNhu confirmed my desire to serve overseas in ministry for a season of my life, whenever and wherever that may be.  My relationship with those precious girls has touched my heart in such a way to anticipate a return to Thailand for a period of time in the future. In the meantime I am starting back to my senior year at Moody Bible Institute.  In due season, I believe God will lead me back.

Thank you for your willingness to share this experience in helping to send me to Southeast Asia.  God had begun His work in Thailand long before I showed up and has been using the ministry of RNhu to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with hundreds of girls and boys in that region. Through your abundant provision of prayers and financial support, I was 100% supported to go this summer. In this I am confident, that God was glorified in this venture!  

In Christ, His bondservant,

Sarah Gordon

What's my job again?

What is my job? A good question. I’m a Youth Director at Christ the Redeemer, right? But what is my job here in Uganda? This morning we sat down as a team, with Darrie’s prompting, and read the first chapter of Colossians. We came across these words:

"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." Colossians 1:28-29

Here then is my job. Like the apostle Paul, I’ve been called to encourage, exhort and equip others with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether I’m with a group of high schoolers on a Wednesday night in Spokane studying through Ecclesiastes, or with a group of pastors in Uganda thinking through Biblical counseling within a struggling marriage, or even sitting at home with family reading through the gospel of Matthew, my job is to help men and women come to fully realize the powerful effects of King Jesus’ good news in light of eternity, and for today.

What truth! What a job! What a Savior!

Please be praying for our team that we would be able to magnify King Jesus as we share vital medical information for pregnant women, and as we share the power of the gospel to transform lives to the glory of God.

Stumbling toward Christ and His glory,

Loren

P.S. Here’s a few pictures of the market we visited today. Just a microscopic snapshot of what Kampala looks like.  

Uganda 2013! We made it!

Our team made it! We arrived in Uganda last night or maybe it was this morning which may have been afternoon in Spokane...I am really not sure because the 30 hours of flying and traversing across multiple time zones makes me feel like I have been through a bit of a time warp. However, we made it here safely and without major event. Our gate was only changed about four times in Amsterdam which was nothing more than a point of joking after the events of last year. When we arrived at Ebb, we even received our bags after only a 5 minute wait. Praise God! For those of you who may not have heard the events from last years travels, the ease with which we arrived this time was truly a miracle. We all slept pretty well last night and woke up this morning to a delicious breakfast of pancakes with pineapple syrup and fresh fruit. What a miracle to leave one morning from Spokane, Washington and to wake up the next morning in Kampala, Uganda. And whats even more miraculous is that as we ate breakfast this  morning, we had the opportunity to fellowship with people who have such huge hearts for God. After breakfast as we read Colossians I was struck by how amazing it is to see how God works. So we pray that God will work through us and that we will shine Christ's love every where we go. We are all very excited to be here and are currently adjusting as we spend a day in Kampala before traveling out to Kasese, where we will be doing our seminars. Darrie is currently talking to us about orphanages in Africa and as I am interested to hear about it, I think I will say goodbye for now. Please be praying for our travels in the next days as it is a five or six hour drive out to Kasese. I know I would also love for you to be praying that God would use me to advance His kingdom...in whatever way that might be. We are so thankful for all your prayers and support from back home.
In Christ love,
Joselle