More good news...

A few days ago, Dale and I received the good news that two more SYME students decided to become believers in Jesus Christ. We began the term last Fall with four students who were not Christians. One of them, Sam, became a Christian last November toward the end of that term. Sam shared his testimony publicly during the SYME USA term last February.  A second student, Neil, made a profession of faith when he returned to his home after graduating from SYME in March. The last two, Aeslin and Kate, decided last week also to receive Jesus as their Savior and to declare their faith in Him! Shouts of praise have gone up around the world, thanking the Lord for these young men and women and the work He has done in their hearts!

It's been thrilling to see the transformation that has already begun in their lives. Dale and I remarked when they told us of their decisions that we could tell by their faces they were about to share good news. Their joy and relief was so obvious. The greatest need now for all four is prayer for boldness and courage as they begin sharing with friends and family. It's hard to imagine how difficult it can be for new Christians when none of their friends or family are believers. Worse yet, they are surrounded in the culture by a very active spiritual opposition to the Gospel. We are praying that the Lord will make each of the four like Lydia or the Philippian jailer who saw members of their households coming to know the Lord shortly after their own professions of faith!

By the way, I want to also write a word of praise to the Lord for everyone who had a part in helping Sam, Neil, Aeslin, and Kate come to know Christ as their Savior. The SYME staff in Japan is amazing. They poured their hearts into these students. So have others. I know their home stay families from last February have also been praying earnestly. No doubt they are rejoicing too!

Thailand Missions Reality Team

Under the headline of Good News from the Rest of the Pacific Rim, I received this report today from Jeff Gordon, our Director in Thailand:

We had a great week of Missions Reality. Once again, we had a remarkable group of students. It was quite an undertaking moving 36 people around Bangkok using the trains, subways and vans, but God looked after us and the students did great.

We spent the week working at our local church fixing our new youth room, then visited ministries working to rescue women out of the sex industry. The students even had the opportunity to prayer walk down "Soi Cowboy" a street made famous by the "Hangover" movies.

Another day we delivered food to Pakistani Christians who have been forced to flee because of persecution due to their faith in Christ. Their stories were truly sad and very convicting. They are in Bangkok as refugees while they apply for political asylum from the UN. But they are not given a visa or any official status during the 2 to 3 year wait time to receive asylum status. So they have no means to work or draw income. The students were able to spend a day listening to their stories and helping in a small way.

Missions Reality is the name given to various Spring mission trips for students at the Word of Life Bible Institute in NY. Jeff Gordon and his wife, Jesse, hosted one of the teams there in Thailand a little over a week ago. Praise the Lord for their leadership and fruitful ministry in a difficult part of the world!

On Monday, Dale and I welcomed one of our SYME students from this last February back to the US. Ricky will be staying with us for a few weeks this Spring and Summer, working to improve his English and to grow in his understanding of how to study the Bible. For those in Fishers or the Indianapolis area, let us know if you would be interested in hosting Ricky for a meal and some English conversation.

Finally, we appreciate your faithful support of our ministry! We have been especially blessed by how Hamilton Hills has helped us! It's great to be sent out by them!

If you are interested in sharing in our ministry financially, there are several ways to do it. The principle way is through Word of Life Fellowship, International, PO Box 600, Schroon Lake, NY 12870. Gifts should be marked with the code 07118S to be credited to our work. It is also possible to give online @ https://give.wol.org/specifyamount/Randy+Gilmore+07118S. It is also possible to give through the Nippon Initiative @ https://secure.qgiv.com/for/nim/. Gifts of any size are being greatly blessed. Even something as simple as sharing the cost of a lunch each month (about $8) will help.

If you are unable to give financially, your participation through prayer also means the world to us!