Dear prayer partners,
Since I have lived here for 24 years, we have not seen such bad air pollution in the last two weeks.
Even the public schools were closed for few days. I hope that it rains here soon.
It is good start of the year 2019 with sending a Thai missionary and receiving a missionary.
Please, pray for the transition time of OMTH leadership as Esther and I are planning the hand over to Thai leaders.
As We mentioned in our prayer letter, please, pray for the finance of OMTH staff that would be a big challenge for the budget of 2019 - 1,600USD/per month.
We believe that the Lord will provide our needs accordingly His good purpose. We appreciate your partnership in prayer and support.
Pray with us as we pray for you.
Blessings,
Woody & Esther Kim
January and February 2019 Prayer Letter
Dear prayer partners,
Belated New Year greetings for 2019!
May the Lord bless you to give and share the blessings of Him with others in 2019. Wedding of Nathan & Diane: Our son, Nathan married to Diane who is also a UCSF student in December 2018. It was a good short home assignment to attend his wedding in San Francisco. We celebrated Esther’s 56th birthday with family in 7 years at LA and spent Christmas holiday at Esther’s sister’s place in Sacramento. And we visited Irene in Downer Groves near Chicago where we saw snow. We moved 17 times, but we both were doing great, healthy and heavy. Prayer: Nathan and Diane for the preparation of STEP 1 exam in March. Irene’s rotation and safe drive in snowy weather.
Amazing Love Festival (Billy Graham Crusade): brought good news in the beginning of 2019. With the steady preparation in 2018 through prayer and evangelism training to Thai churches, the crusade turned out to be a blessing. The number of attendance and new converts in two-day rally (Jan. 19 & 20th) were: 19th- attendance 18,600 people, new believers 1067 people. 20th- attendance 23,400 people, new believer 964 people. Praise God more than 2,000 people accepted Christ for the first time!
Prayer: the follow-up on new believers and connect with local churches.
Commissioning Thai missionary: It was a blessing to commission Xing (Saphan Luang Ch:CCT) to Logos Hope on Jan. 20th. She is not only a child of an evangelist, she felt the calling to serve the Lord. She overcame many difficulties during the preparation of 2018. She could not pass the English test and not able to raise the support, but she trusts the Lord with endurance and faithfulness. She triumphed over hardships and we all witnessed her spiritual growth till we commissioned her. Praise the Lord!
Pray: The language barrier and adjustment at PreShip training in Chile.
New OM missionary to Thailand: Mimi from Taiwan has joined OM Thailand as a church planter in Northeast Thailand region where there are few churches among 18 million people. She arrived safely in late January. She is the 6 th OM missionary to Thailand.
Prayer: New work permit and visa process. Language training and settlement.
We are hosting a short-term mission team from Australia from Feb. 6-15. They will experience homeless, refuge, handicapped children, slum ministries beside church visit and campus ministry. It would be more likely be a vision trip as the Korean Church of Melbourne wants to partner with OM Thailand.
It is exciting as it is the first time partnering with Australia. May the team receive the blessing from Him as they bless Thai people. Pray for the annual OM International Leader Meeting (ILM) at Bangkok from March 1-6. We already have 350 leaders from 110 countries signed up and will have more. The theme of 2019 is “Lift Your Eyes” asking for God’s wisdom, leading and blessing through prayer and words. Pray for logistics team and safe arrival of leaders.
Last prayer requests: Please pray for the transition of OM TH leadership as Woody hands over the field leadership to Lynchee (who wears red dress on the above picture) in Jan. 2020.
Also, we have three full time Thai staff so the finance is a biggest challenge to raise their support. We are praying and reaching out to local churches for help and partnership, but the limitation of local church finance can not make it in full.
We are asking your prayer and support. God bless,
Woody, Esther, Irene, Nathan, Diane Kim