1015 - Annual Report 2022

1015

LETTER FROM THE MILLERS

Believeitornot,wearecompletingourseventhyearonthemissionfield!Whoever coinedtheterm"timeflies"wasrightandthankfullywhoeversaid,"Timeflieswhen you'rehavingfun"wasrighttoo.DuringourtimehereinBangkok,wehaveexperienced someexhaustion,loss,uncertainty,andhomesickness soithasnotalwaysbeenfun. ButwehavealsoexperiencedtheinexpressiblejoythatcomesfromservingourKing.

WehaveespeciallyenjoyedthepastyearbecauseCovidrestrictionshavebeenlifted.We havebeenabletogiveourselvestothepeopleandprojectsweserveinawaythatwe wereunabletoduringthepandemic.MatthasbeenabletoteachandpreachtolargerinpersonaudiencesandinteractwithourThaicongregationonamorepersonallevel. BobbiJohasconsistentlyservedthechildrenofConstructionofHopeandhasalso helpedtheschoolLexiandJudeattendbysubstituteteaching.Together,wehavebeen abletobuildstrongerrelationshipswithpeoplebothinsideandoutsidethechurch. As wedoeveryyear,wewillgiveyouaglimpseoftheministrywe'reengagedin,thepeople weserve,andthewaysthatGodusedustochangelivesinthefollowingpages.

Love, Matt,BobbiJo,Lexi,andJude

PREACHING AND

AT TAIROMPRAKHUN

Each pin represents one of Tairomprakhun's eight churches. As you can see, Matt's teachings are reaching people in northern Thailand, as well as people living on the borders of Laos and Cambodia. Matt's teachings are therefore helping to equip the saints for the work of ministry both inside and outside of Thailand. These believers do outreach both in their own communities and across the border

For the better part of 2022, Matt has been teaching through just three books: Psalms (Thursday evenings), the Gospel of John (Saturday evenings), and the Book of Acts (Sunday mornings). The church has really been encouraged and equipped for works of ministry through these three powerful books of God's Word. Matt is humbled and thankful for the opportunity to impact God's Kingdom through teaching and preaching God's Word

PONGPAN AND TIDARAT - TAIROMPRAKHUN SURIN

PongpanandTidaratserveatTairomprakhun'slargestchurchplantinSurin,whichison theThai-CambodianborderineasternThailand.Theyareahugeencouragementtous personallybecausetheyfrequentlysendMatttheirnotesfromhissermonsandpicturesof thechurchmemberswatchingMatt'steachingsviaLivestream.Moreover,theyencourage usthroughtheiroutreachefforts,particularlytoCambodianpeoplerightacrosstheborder fromthem. Duringthepandemic,theywereunabletosharethegospelontheothersideof theborder,butforthelastseveralmonthstheyhavebeenrelentlesslyservingtheir Cambodianneighborsandproclaimingthegospeltothem.

Onthenextpage,youcangetaglimpseofwhatPongpan,Tidarat,andtherestofthesaints atTairomprakhunSurin,throughthegraceofGod,havebeenabletoaccomplishintheir outreachefforts.

WEEKLY MISSION TO CAMBODIA

Praying for the mission's success Teaching children God's Word and songs

Pongpan at home of Cambodian people.

BAPTIZING CAMBODIANS INTO CHRIST

We

are pictured here with Kyle and Jessica Baldwin. Kyle had served at Milan Christian Church with us before we came to Bangkok. He and Jessica have a heart for missions and so they came to serve alongside us for four months. It is possible that this humble, faithful, and adventurous couple will return to Thailand after completing their degrees and serve with us. One thing is sure they will serve God and proclaim the gospel wherever they are.

SERVING CHILDREN AT CONSTRUCTION OF HOPE

BobbiJohasbeenteachingandservingatConstructionofHopeforfiveyears.Whenwe returnedtoThailandinAugust,theministryhadfinallyopenedbackupandBobbiJohas beenabletoservethesebelovedmigrantCambodianchildrenconsistentlyforthefirsttime inalongtime.Thegrowthofthechildrenwhomshehasbeenabletoteach hasbeen tremendous.TherearetwogirlsinparticularwhocouldpotentiallyusetheirEnglish languageskillsintheworkforceoneday.MichelleandDani,whowewillhighlightinthe pagesbelow,arewonderfulexamplesofwhatmarginalizedchildrencanbecomewhengiven attention,opportunities,care,hope,love,andthegospel.

BobbiJoalsoenjoyedhavingKyleandJessicaservealongsideherfromAugustthroughearly December.JessicaisworkingtowardsadegreeinEarlyChildhoodEducationandBobbiJo wasabletomentorherandhelphertogainvaluablepracticalteachingexperience.Whether BobbiJoisinaformalclassroomorteachingoutsideonafloor,sheisinherelementand usingthegiftGodhasgivenhertoserveotherswhensheisteaching.

We have watched Michelle grow into a confident, inspiring, faithful, and beautiful young woman. If you were to visit her at Construction of Hope on any given day, you would likely find her leading worship, helping children around her, studying, reading the Bible, praying, or asking adults how she can be of help. We are blessed to know her and to work with her and to worship the King of Kings with her

We first told you about Dani a few years ago while we were on furlough. Like Michelle, Dani has grown so much. She is confident, joyful, curious, and considerate. She is learning how to play the guitar and lead worship. She always seems to be working with younger children, helping them to do whatever it is that they're supposed to be doing. If we walk into the ministry feeling frustrated or sad, those feelings disappear as soon as we see Dani smile

Virat Finding Hope in Jesus Christ

ViratisayoungmanwhocametoConstructionofHopemanyyearsago.Heisabrilliant artistandnowapublishedauthor,havingwrittenandillustrated Drawn to Hope: A Cambodian Boy's Illustrated Journey.It'savailableforpurchaseonAmazonandeverycent thatAmazondoesn'tgetgoesdirectlytoVirat.ThisbookisVirat'sself-illustratedstory abouthisjourneyfromCambodiatoThailand,andhowhefoundhopeinChrist. WehadtheprivilegeofhelpingVirattoeditthematerial,addadditionalcontentincluding

ON MISSION IN EVERYDAY LIFE: POOKIE

WehavebeentalkingaboutPookieforthreeyearsnow!PookieisawaitressatalocalThai restaurantandhasbecomeadearfriend.Weintentionallyeatatherrestaurantalmost everyweekanddoingsoblessesbothPookieandus.Whilewehaven'tbeenabletoget Pookietocometoourhomefordinnerorparties(Thanksgiving,Christmas,etc.),wehave beenabletointroducemoreandmoreofourbrothersandsistersinChristtoher.OneThai couple,DtonandPaula,joinsusatPookie'srestauranteverysooftenandplantsseedsof thegospeleverytime.

PleasepraythatPookiewouldovercomewhateveritisthatispreventingherfromallowing ourrelationshiptogoevendeeper.PraythattheHolySpiritwouldsoftenherhearteven more.Praythatourfuturecommunicationaboutherwilltellofherconversion!

ON MISSION IN EVERYDAY LIFE: CHOK

Onoccasion,wewillrunintoanotherWesternmissionaryorteacherhereinBangkokwho tellsus,"IsawapictureofMattwhileridinginataxi!"Thenthey'llshareabouthowChok toldthemthestoryofhowhecametobebaptizedbyMatt,andhowhe"lovesMatt's family."Itisreallycoolwhenthishappens!

Chokisdoingwellbothphysicallyandspiritually.Heisinamuchbetterplacefinancially, withtourismopeningbackup.Andhehasbeenworshippingwiththesamechurchfamily fornearlytwoyears.Unfortunately,Chok,andhiswifePenelope,aretypicallyonlyhomein theeveningsandwedon'tseeasmuchofthemasweusedto.Mattdoes,however,popin onthemafterhiseveningBibleclasses.PleasepraythatChokwouldleadhiswifetoChrist andthattheirdaughter,Security,wouldgetinthehabitofgoingtochurchwithherfather.

LEXI AND JUDE

Thekidsjustkeepgrowing.Lexiisin7thgradeandJudeisin5th.Whenthenewschoolyear beginsinAugust,wewillhavetwomiddleschoolers!Surprisingly,whenweaskthekidsif they'dprefertolivehereinBangkokorbackinAmerica,theiranswerisalwaysBangkok. Theylovetheirfriends.Theylovetheirschool.Theylovetheirliveshere.Thailandishome.

Lexiexcelsasastudent,havingbeenonthehonorrolleverysemestersinceshebegan middleschool.Sheisalsoagiftedsoccerplayerandisexcitedtostartanewseasonin February.Lexispendsalotoftimeinbooksandhasaloveforwriting.She'squietatschool, butquiteloudathome!ShehasahealthyfearofGodandlongstopleaseHim.

Judeexcelsasanathletebutisbecomingabetterstudenteveryday.Heespeciallylikes soccerandbasketballandislookingforwardtotryinghishand,andlegs,attrackandfield. Hehashisdad'ssenseofjusticeandhismother'ssenseofthoughtfulness.He'sanattentive listenertotheteachingofGod'sWordandasksreallygoodquestionsaboutGod.

BothLexiandJudehavebeguntoaskaboutbaptism,sowe'rereallyexcitedaboutthat!