Photo updates
Mien camping 2008 (December 26-30, 2008) in Chiangrai was very refreshing to us. I saw that the Mien youth are spiritually growing and are able to share their faith. Here's our group photo
Mien camping evening worship.
Mien youth were enjoying the camp activities..Thanks also for the participation of our brothers from Laos and Cambodia
Breakfast with traditional Mien food.
exciting update in April;
Songkran and the Hailstones...
Thank God I was able to get through with the hassle brought by Songkran Festival (Thailand’s new year celebration)….For the past two weeks, accidents were high cause by the people dousing water to the passers without exemption, and because of the drunk drivers….
Last week, on the way to Chiangrai, I was completely exhausted and wet. Children and young adult had no mercy to doused water at me..I remember in some places I passed by that suddenly water flew from at least 8 to 10 directions suddenly stroke me and found myself almost outbalanced when water has covered my eyes. But not just few times, because when I reached another town, almost similar circumstances took place…Different people with the same intention added what I’ve got from the other place. It was a bit hard and dangerous…..Another challenge was the sudden change of weather….When I was about to climb to Pangkhon, I had encountered heavy rain and hailstone along the way….Some of the hails were as big as marbles that it hurt me so bad besides the almost unbearable cold brought by the ice balls…..
But I thank God I was able to get through very safely…And we’re able to worship God and had a fellowship meal together that evening.….My experience, brought by the terrible local festival and the hailstones along the way, seemed a blessing since I was able to make a sermon that let them understand what is to be a real Christian…I related my whole bad experience about it and have drawn some points that God allows unexpected problems and trials along the way brought by other people and circumstances to let us grow spiritually…..and God has a purpose behind every problem and that He uses circumstances to develop our character...
I have stayed for almost the whole week and heard many of the problems my members have been facing when I made home visitations. Some have problems in health while some have relational and others financial...Other parents asked me to pray for them since they are struggling to pay the school bills of their children at our Adventist Academy and College ….Our Adventist schools have been doing great job to shape up their kids but it is quiet unaffordable, they said. That they are thinking to withdraw their kids from our school….
This brought pain in my heart since Mien SDA are very few and we are badly needing Mien Bible workers now…Since from the start, I’m sponsoring Mien students in our academy...But my incapability to help them all have caused pain in my heart …I told them I won’t stop praying for each of them….
I have come to believed that the effects of giving someone an education will last throughout the person’s life time….. God bless...
Bro. Jhun
Exciting update in March ...
Before Ieft for our Mien church in Chiangrai, Shibili my Moslem friend, shared to me what he discover about his Bible reading. He was so surprise about the things we agreed. I gave my small Bible to him….He said his experience inner peace the time he has started to read the Bible…..He wants to know more and complain why I wrote only very few text for him. I apologized and promise him that I will print a complete Bible study guide for him…He asked me what Bible really is…and so I explain that the Bible is the word of God and our perfect guide so we can live a holy life….when our first parents fall into sin, the intimate relationship between God and man was lost…and so our loving God sent the Bible to us using the prophets so all of us will know HIS plan of salvation to us….Shibili is very interested to know more, please pray for him…
Then when I arrived in Chiangrai Friday afternoon, Pi Gim, 46, a very sincere member of a Baptist church has called me over the phone to ask if I can comeback on Sunday to help play the guitar in their church service .....I said, I’m already in Chiangrai and I'm going to spend my weekend there....Then she asked me why I go to church on Saturday...She has been wondering when I mentioned that I rest and worship on Saturday....and so I explain to her that the Bible tells us to rest on the seventh-day. I asked her if she knows the Ten Commandments and she said yes. Then I said, the fourth commandments tell us to remember the Sabbath day. Then when I mention the text that she asked me to slow down so she can open her Bible....And so that was the start of an hour Bible study on the phone....
At first she tried to insist that Sunday was the 7th day. And so I asked him to turn her Bible to Luke 23: 55,56 the Luke 24:1 that made it clear. I was able to give almost all text about Sabbath and told her the history of how the change of sabbath happened. Then she exclaimed" I learned a lot from you this evening but why our pastor did not tell me about this." Then she asked more about the food....as she was wondering why SDAs are so concious about food. Then I shared some text in the Bible about food....
And then this morning Monday, I received a text message from her she wrote "I am reading the history of Sabbath from the internet. Pen wan sao ching ching na ka (the Sabbath which is Saturday that you told me is true)….please pray for her…I told her we can worship God in any day from Sunday to Friday but we need to rest and worship God on Saturday. It is our special appointment with HIM…..
Then I have spent my weekend at Pangkhon....and got a wonderful time there.....the Sabbath was a real blessing to us.....I told my experience about how God has led me...and how God helped me to extend my visa......Bro. Jioun ( the new convert) has also shared his. He said that he has just experience tough situation since his son and his grand daughter met and motorcycle accident...It was really tough...But he thank God that noone died...his grand daughter who had a very serious injury was healed...
He said he leave it to the Lord and asked us to pray and God has answered our prayer...
and what was touching to me was when he said that he has amazing inner peace inside and he peacefully trust God....
The following day Sunday, was wonderful, Bro. Jioun brought his neighbor Lizou in his house. Lizou divorced his wife and has been in difficult situation....I was amaze of Bro. Jioun's enthusiasm to help his neighbor find the right path in Jesus....I felt I was in spirit that I was able to give message which was full of hope.....I told bro. Lizou that he comes in the right place...Jesus knows you....He wants to help you long before you acknowledge Him....He loves us so much and he is so interested in our happiness. He is not happy to see his children suffering. Jesus allows necessary trials along the way but He can give you peace of mind....." Bro. Jioun too gave his testimony how God has solved his problem and blessed him.....after the service Lizou asked if he can give his tithe to us and so I asked the members collect it and write a receipt so it can be remitted to the office….
Then after the short service, we all spent our Sunday morning cleaning the church…Happy to see they are helping and growing….and I praise God to be a part in HIS last days work….God bless…
In HIS service,
Jhun Cardeinte
Thailand
More exciting for February;
A Rare Weekend with Two Special Friends
Last Saturday, I’ve got a special weekend with my two friends joining with me. Shibili my Indian friend from Phayao seemed excited about joining any Christian fellowship. And so I can’t help inviting him to climb up to our Church in Pangkhon, Chiangrai. Few weeks before, we had shared about what we believe. He was a bit surprise about the many things we agreed, especially talking about food. I said I believe what the Quran says.
And so we used his new bike to climb up to the church. It was almost late in the afternoon when we got there. But the beauty of Pangkhon with its frozenness made him exclaimed “this place is fantastic, I want to come back here.” After setting all our stuffs, I toured him around the village and have met some old friends around. I took him to my Buddhist friend named Jay (Chinese missionary teacher). We talked about half hour and then invited him to join our evening worship. I told him we will start at 7:30 pm. Jay had promised to come before 7:30 and so it added my excitement but wondering if he can make it, the fact that he has students to take care of in their night classes, but good that he was free that evening. That’s what I learn later.
Then we finally went home for dinner. Then wait for worship time. Finally the time has arrived. Jay came on time. He seemed excited singing again the worship songs I had taught him almost a year ago, and so we started singing. Shibili, who was just new to a Christian fellowship noticeably felt strange and had struggled to join. I handed him the song sheet and so he tried to sing. And so to make him part of the meeting, I did sing many English songs. We had sung almost all songs I know from the song sheet.
Then I’d shared simple and Christ centered message that Jesus Christ is coming back to end all sufferings and sin and He will take us with Him in heaven. Our worship went very wonderful. I praise God for the rare opportunity to witness these kinds of people. Help me pray that the Holy Spirit will work in their heart and do miracles to change their lives.
Exciting for February;
Trip to the Nan Province
I just arrived from Huai Fai, Nan Province about 200 kilometers from my home station In Phayao Province. I spent my weekend and have made two worship services. One in the inner city for the Filipinos (4 of them- two of them are Adventists). It was a very refreshing fellowship having no trouble with the languages and to encourage our fellow Filipinos to hold on to faith though we sometimes feel God seems far away being in the Buddhist land. Many years that they long to have Adventist church fellowship in that province. To encourage our Filipino Adventists in Nan Province who do not have church yet e-mail sister Juwelyn at juwelyn@yahoo.com.
Then after lunch, I headed straight to our church in Huai Fai village. There in the Sabbath afternoon, I did house visitation and found out one of our church members (Ako Yienc- the grandma) who was so sick. She just arrived from the hospital after she had confined for 7 days. Her whole body was noticeably shivering with a very pale skin and a very bad cough. I think she has tuberculosis. Please include her in your prayer.
Pray also for me, that the Holy Spirit will continually use me. Great is the challenge to learn the Thai and Mien languages. Having their local languages are important to communicate the gospel and for the equipping of the Mien church.
God bless...
For the Mien church,
Jhun Cardeinte
Thailand
Exciting update for January;
Enjoy Rest at the Mien Hilltribe
If outing is your bag or if you plan to take a break to rest from your restless routine job in the noisy city, here’s a goodnews for you. You don’t need to take vacation in a wrong place. I have been working among the Mien hilltribe and is always in need of a volunteer team every week for the Sabbath program.
I have been pastoring the two Mien SDA churches in the mountain side in two provinces, one is in Nan Province and the other is in Chiangrai. This means I have two directions every month. Our church in Huai Fai, Nan is very challenging. I recommend this place for those who want to have deep and meaningful Christian adventure, but some sort of orientation is needed. On the other hand, our Mien church in Pangkhon village ( Chiangrai Province ) is perfect for visiting missionary like you. Part of the church is the American type parsonage that can accommodate many visitors. Queen’s garden is one of the unseen Thailand ’s attraction aside from Khon falls. Another goodnews is that you can enjoy the Mien lifestyle (Chinese origin) while you are there assisting me.
Few who came has been retelling their exciting stories of their fabulous vacation they had been enjoying simply because of the missionary work we were doing and the place itself. The place has a very relaxing atmosphere and weather and the likes. And so if you want to experience perfect rest and peace, then this may be the right place for you. I’m sure this is the place that would bring you to a right relationship with the SAVIOR. Try!!!!!
For more particular e-mail me at mienfield@yahoo.com or to (0066-875573162). If you want to know more about the Mien Hilltribe visit my article at this website www.peoplesoftheworld.org/hosted/mien/
Sulad Jhun Cardeinte
Mien SDA Church Pastor
Phayao, Thailand
A Weekend Visit
Sulad Jhun Cardeinte
Going back to Phayao Province was a bit challenging thing to me since I didn’t notice that my gas was already empty and so I pushed my motorbike under the heat of the sun, for about 30 minutes. But I thanked God it was only about 3 kilometers! What if it stopped in the middle of a very isolated place with nowhere to fill in? Many times God had intervened in my mission trips. Often times I’ve gotten my tire flat but it’s just happened close to the vulcanizing shop! I arrived home dead on my feet but praising God for letting me see how He works in circumstances…..
Discipling in the Mien Context
By: Sulad Jhun Cardeinte
We had just finished the 4 day Mien youth evangelistic camp in Kamphaeng phet Province last Dec. 20-24. I traveled 8 hours from my home base. The good things were I met many of the Mien youth whom I’d met last year’s camp, where I exposed myself to the Mien language and culture. More or less 20 Mien students participated in that event. We stayed in a house where the meetings were held. It was a place where there is somewhat place for many visitors. The first day was busy, inviting the whole village for the evening meeting and in the afternoon the place was clean up and we were ready to begin. By 6:30 p.m. the people started to arrive. As I watched, the people came walking, riding motorbike and car.
The success of our evening meeting will be determined by the effort of the Mien youth to invite people in the day time. This is far different from the Philippines style where we usually engage few months in advance to visit the neighbors and conduct Bible studies. I was reminded of how privilege many people in Christian countries where they can freely hear the word of God. But no Christian presence in that place, no laymen to do the work in advance. Instead each day the youth did more prayers for the success of the evangelistic meeting. We let them understand that we need more to depend on God to give us victory.
Everything went very well. We started the program with many people. The nightly program consists of singing Mien and Thai songs which is somewhat alternated. One way to let everyone understands. This was followed by singing the theme song then Sir Brian’s powerful sermon in Mien and Thai followed. The messages were so touching, inviting everyone to come to Christ, to repent while salvation’s door is still open. Each night more and more interest came. The last night’s meeting was so wonderful. That the meeting was packed with more than a hundred people. Most were standing since we had only 30 chairs. The youth perform 4 Biblical dramas, such as the 3 Magis, the birth of Jesus, the prodigal son and the raising of Jairus daughter. A short summary and spiritual implication followed after each presentation. Then Sir Brian did the final invitation to come to the feet of Jesus while there is a chance. The message was so penetrating that everyone was so quiet. Sir Brian talked about everything on Noah’s ark and how it fits and apply in these last days.
Everyone of us can tell his own story on how God has blessed the meeting. The true result of the meeting was immeasurable. It produces mature Mien disciples while we are obeying the command to preach the gospel in every tribe. The success of the meeting was due to the Holy Spirit of God and the sincere cooperation of the Mien youth. I could tell that the youth are getting mature to be called disciples, ready to go back home to represent Jesus to their respective villages. I had a privilege to handle some activities and speak encouragement in our group worships and had a small part of the whole activities. But all praises go to the Lord.