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SPECIAL MISSIONS EDITION REPORT FROM THAILAND

JANUARY 1989

A TRIBUTE 10

JAN TA,

BELOVED AND LOYAL SERVANT OF GOD

Jan Ta with my cook's daughter.

children loved him.

All the

^ remember the story Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus? "....the angels came and took Lazarus

to Abraham's side" (heaven). We didn't hear the "flutter of angel wings" when they came for Jan Ta, but we knew they were here. He became very ill Nov. 18th and the family took him to the hospital. When I arrived back from Bangkok, two days later, he was some better. My clinic helper said "It's strange, while he was at home he said he heard the angels singing and when people came to visit he asked them to be quiet so he could listen to the beautiful music." He still heard them in the hos pital and said one came and stood near the foot of his bed. The doctors sent him home the next day so the family brought him hereo I was with him some d\iring the night and shared with the family. The next morning the clinic staff had prayer with him; then he got up to come to see me. They persuaded him to lie down and rest. He went to sleep and within an hour was rejoicing in the Lord's presence. He was very
special to all the clinic staff. Before he became very ill he had asked one of the
HE KNEW staff to follow up on people he had been teaching in different villages. the Lord was going to call him home. I'd like to tell you about the life of this unusual man.

Jan Ta was just a country

villager with only a ^th grade education and 2 or 3 years in the Buddhist priesthood. He began to make a name for himself as a spirit doctor and user of herbal medicines. Both Thai and Bnong called on him to do demon worship and find what spirits had been
offended to cause an illness. When his second daughter was about 3 years old she had high fever and convulsions which left her mentally deficient and with epilepsy? so he

started coming to clinic for medicine.

eagerly accepted tracts.

He liked to read and learn new things so he

heard questions. know about it be true

One day while doing demon worship for a Hnong family in the mountains, he there was a foreigner teaching in the village. He went to listen and ask He and Garland Bare talked for a long time. This increased his desire to Jesus. The tracts and gospel portions gave much food for thought. Could
that there was no need to make merit rebirths..,,,an assurance of heaven

that there was forgiveness for sins.....no a living Saviour??????????

After months of thinking, he wrote a long letter telling of his faith in Christ and
his desire to follow him. I was thrilled until I turned the letter over and read,

"So, if you will build me a house, I will become a Christian." Teaching continued as the months passed; then another offer to believe if we'd b\iild him a house. BUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS WORKING. He was counting the cost of following Christ. He would have to give up his livelihood as a spirit doctor and Buddhist villagers would reject him. He was talking to others about Jesus and one friend was interested. The villagers

told them if they became Christians they could no longer buy or borrow rice in the
village. No one would go to visit if they or their family became ill or died. Villagers would not allow a Christian to be buried in the cemetery? nor would they
help with the funeral. HOW COULD THEY BECOME CHRISTIANS UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES?

Jan Ta was very sad. A Hmong friend stopped and visited him and asked what was wrong. "I want to become a Christian" Jan Ta said. His Ifciong friend didn't bat

an eye. "That's fine. Why don't you?" Jan Ta replied "Because I run out of rice every year and have to borrow or buy and the villagers won't sell me any if I be
come a Christian." "No problem" said his friend. "If you need rice come to me

and I'll help you."

THAT WAS ONE PROBLEM SOLVED,

What if he or Mr. Non became sick and

The second problem was even more serioust

died? He no longer believed that one had to have a big funeral and a lot of merit making to be reborn in a better life? but what could one person do if the other

died? Where could he be buried?

In his extremity the Lord spoke peace to his heart.

A buffalo could be used to pull the corpse and if no graveyard, the body could be dumped in the river. With that decision made, the two men prepared another letter saying they were ready to follow Christ and be baptized that day. No request for
money or a house; but only a deep .desire to follow Christ and have sins forgiven.

In spite of much persecution they remained faithful As the months and years passed they saw their wives and children come to Christ, Two or three years later
another man accepted the Lord, Because of continued persecution the other two fami

lies moved to a Christian village and Jan Ta and his family were left alone. The village headman called a meeting and told him to either quit talking about Jesus or move, Jan Ta remembered Peter being threatened and saying "I must obey God rather than man". When he told the headman that, they let Mw go for they didn't
know how to silence himo

After becoming a Christian he supported himself by trading and teaching Thai to

Ifinong men. Usually traders take opium in exchange for goods and Jan Ta did this for awhile, even hiding it in his bicycle tire to escape the police check. Later the Lord convicted him and he stopped that, as well as gambling and smoking. While teaching in the mountains the situation became dangerous with both bandits and com munists infiltrating the area. Twice the villagers all fled to the forest to es cape a raiding band that was coming. Each time Jan Ta asked the Lord for guidance and stayed in the village alone. The raiders didn't come. One day in I96I he came to see me and I asked him if he WD\ild come to work in the clinic as my helper was leaving. He was very pleased to do so. Two months later the police started arresting and jailing any Thai trading in the mountains as they were suspected of taking supplies to the communists. Jan Ta said "I'd be in jail too if the Lord hadn't given me this job in clinic". So again we saw the Lord's timing.
Jan Ta loved to gossip the gospel. After clinic was over for the day, he would often sit in a shelter along the road. When people stopped to rest he would visit with them a bit and then begin to tell them about Jesus. Saturdays he'd visit in

nearby villages and on Sundays we'd meet at the home of a new Christian. Some of the village children chuckled \dien they saw him going by with a fishing pole for they knew he seldom got down to the river. He'd usually stop to visit on the way
and soon the conversation xrould turn to Jesus, Two men and their elderly mother, in a nearby village, accepted the Lord, We met every week in their home. One day granny was very ill and she said a little girl dressed in irtiite sat near her

all day.
diedo

The family thought she was halucinating.

Early the next morning her son

^aw his moTiier and a^little girl'dressed innate climbing the stairs to~ his^Quse

and then they disappeared.

He ran to his mother's home and found she had just

THE LORD HAD GIVEN HIM A VISION TO REASSURE HIM,

Disappointments cane to Jan Ta as some of his children and grandchildren didn't follow the Lord; but the Lord raised up many children in the faith. He won over 60 people to the Lord, Two are serving the Lord and two are in Bible college. The influence of one man, Tdiose b\irning desire was to make Christ known, has spread throughout the Chiengkam area. Many didn't accept the Lord, but they respected him and knew they could trust him. Remember the song "Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown"? One doesn't have to ask that of Jan Ta, WE KNOW THAT THE CROWN HE
RECEIVES WILL BE LAID AT THE MASTER'S FEET IN HOMAGE TO THE ONE HE LOVED AND SERVED. With love in Christ, Field address 1 DOROTHY UHLIG
P 0 BOX 5 CHIENGKAM

PHAYAO 56110 THAILAND

+++++++++++++

Dorothy is having complications from her hip replacement surgery, is back on crutches and having a great deal of pain, PLEASE PRAY FOR HER HEALING I

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MISSIONS EDITION

DOROTHY UHLIG'S REPORT FROM THAILAND

MARCH 1989

NAI AWN and MUEY

Dear Friendsi

Our dorm parents,

Yao Awn and Mwang,

retired this year after 20 years of service He has had health problems the past two years so plans to build a house in the Yao village of Pleas*
antville and retire there. It is

very difficult and expensive to buy wood now, so it is uncertain how long it may be before they will be able to
build. Their son, NAI AWN and his wife, MUEY are now in charge of the dorm# Ihey have a little boy just over a year oldi Nai Awn has had a year of Bible college and enjoys

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gardening, Muey graduated from Bang kok Bible College with Oratai several years ago and has helped teach child
ren and assisted in a Yao village They understand dents and should
at the school.

with missionary work before her marriage.

. t-iaT

the problems of stu be able to help them more and also keep in close contact with teachers

THIS IS A VERY BUSY TIME OF YEAR FOR US AS IT IS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THE

BEGINNING OF CAMPS AND CONFERENCES, year or so.

We went to the Phayao Bible College graduation

on March l6 to share in WANCHAI's graduation.

He is a younger brother of ORATAI,

Five

He

will be going to work with an evangelistic team in a Cambodian refugee camp for a
The following night was our banquet for the dorm students here.

graduated from high school, seven from junior high and two from the 6th grade. Only three or four of those finidiing junior high are expec+.ing to come back next year.
Some will go on for vocational training and others will help their families
jobs. In mid-March SIX HMONG FROM RONG SAN VIIXAGE WERE BAPTIZED. SAENGCHAI has been teach

or find

ing this group and his wife acts as interpreter for him,

(She is a Hraong nurse work

ing in the Phayao for attended. a group of

local refugee camp,) This week there was a leadership training session at Hmong leaders. Leaders and their wives from the 3 villages in this area Next week is a Hmong youth conference in Chiengmai and CHAO will be taking ^ or 5 from the villages here. Then, the last of April there will be a
It will be held in the Pua area vhere

Hmong conference for all the Christians.

IMOGENE WILLIAMS is working.

We are btdlding a new conference kitchen this year.

Lumber is almost impossible to get

so we cut down a large tree on the property and had it sawed into lumber for the beams

and roof.

Building is now being done with cement posts and blocks or bricks with gal

vanized roofing or tile. It should be finished in another 2 days, and two toilets in another 2-3 days. We've also had to cut back two other large fruit trees for fear

they would be blown down on the house or electric lines during the wind storms we get in March and April, It has made a lot of work for the kids. CHAO, NAI AWN and KWAN have done the high climbing and cutting and the other children help cut up the limbs

into firewood.

We are racing against time to get it finished before the Chiengkan

There will be about 25O-30O people in attendance at the

conference begins on April ii't

^ days of meetings.
As soon as the conference is over I'm looking forward to a week of vacation at the

Alliance Guest house in Bangkok, My leg has improved some but I'm still on crutches so a vacation at the beach or in the mountains isn't very practical, linoKene Williams
will be joining me there,

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY for the clinic outreach and visitation in villages.
pray for the growth of the Hmong Christians and for my health problems^
bless you all.

Also

May The Lord

With love in Christ,

Field addressi

DOROTHY UHLIG

P 0 BOX 5 CHIENGKAM

PHAYAO 56110 THAILAND

MISSIONS EDITION

EOBOTHT OHLIG'S HEPOHT FRCM THAILAND

JULI 22, 1989

iengkam
Dear Praying Friends,

In the past two months I have again experienced the

truthI

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morningi
GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS."

Lamentations 3i22-23

When I went to Bangkok in April for a peek's vaca tion with IMOGENE VflLLXAMSf I went to see a new doctor who had recently returned to work in Thai Taking the
Good News of Jesus Christ
to

land. He looked at x-rays and saw that my hip prosthesis was not stable one side was no longer
in contact with the bone. Solutioni total hip

replacement.

I decided to wait until school op

Thailand

ened in May and the dorm students got settled.

ISXOHIS FILBBCE volunteered to stay with me after surgery. (It is customary in Thailand for a rela

tive to stay a few days to help care for the patient.)

hospital May 29 and had surgery the following day.
I went to Bangkok by night bus and checked into -the

thesis he prayed a lot for the Lord's help as it prolonged the operation and made it more difficult. However, recov&ry was rapid and I was getting along well on crutches when I left the hospital ten days later. There was to be no weight

DR. ^30L is a Christian, and \ihen a wedge of bone broke off in removing the pros

25%?) The time of felloxrehip with Deloris was great and we enjoyed a study on
"The Pursuit of Holiness".

that leg for the first lacnth and 255^ this month.

(How does one measure

After leaving the hospital I stayed at the Alliance Guest House for three weeks

before returning to aiiengkam.

tion from college next week.

+ +

exam the last of August. The Lord has again shown his lovingkindness in providing a business woman to take the x-ray. She is going to Bangkok for her son's gradua
+ + + + + + + + + +

to patients. I have to send an x-ray to the doctor this month and return for an

clinic in the mornings but the nurse and clinic staff do the work and I just talk

THE FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP WERE SUPER,

I'm now in

new surname that he made application for almost a year ago.

change.

CHAO finished his mid-t^nn exams and returned home last week before going to Chiengmai for a training session for boy scout leaders. While here he got his
Thailand, in order to get a college degree or take ROTC one has to have a Thai surname. Tribal people have Chinese surnames so must

headman and an uncle come and sign the papers. He must have this to get a paper
saying that he has registered but is not eligible for the draft.
+ + + + + + + + + + + +

father and mother. He has made several trips to his home village, the court house here and at Pong to do this. Perhaps it will be finished next week if the

He had to drop his ROTC training this year since it didn't come in time; but we took that as the Lord's will. Now he has to get a certificate of death for his

This term there are eight Mong students, 3 girls and 5 boys, who alternate weekends and teach in the three Mong villages in the Chiengkam area. The vil lagers have many problems, especially regarding their fields. Some have too

making a living. There is a Japanese company that is providing seed and know

li,ttle land and ?rfiat IJiey have is not reigr productive so tki^y have difficulty

how for i^antlng vegetables so they can have a year around income* LAO NENG'S WIFC has really grown In the Lord the past few months and we praise the Lord
for thate
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WANCHAIy Oratal's brother* graduated from Bible school in March. He is to be married July 29th and then will go to Northeast lhailand to work in a refugee camp on the Cambodian border It will be a new work and they need much prayer.
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We are making plans for a student retrbat to be held the first week of October at Fhayao Bible College. We pray for the Lord's guidance in arranging speakers. Thank you for your prayers i gifts and letters of encouragement as you share in
the work in Itoailando
VILLAit^ VISITATION.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE OUTREACH IN CLINIC AND

Yours in Christy

You may write to Doix>thy att

DOROTHY UHLIG
P# 0 BOX 5
THAIUNO

. C^mKAM. V&mo 56110

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MISSIONS EDITION

DOROTHY UHLIG'S REPORT FROM THAILAND

OCTOBER 1^, 1989

Dear Praying Friends,

Today, October 14, is the festival marking the end of the rainy season, youth of the area are celebrating with a youth rally I STUDENT RETREAT | ' '

The Christian

'i

rainy ireather didxA d^pen the spirits

nor

of the

campers

cancel the

vij^fe^siiaL"-is:

outing to the waterfall.

The kids prayed for the rain to clear off for the afternoon

and it did. High school re-opens for the 2nd semester October 2i('th, Please pray for follow-up on the students v^o made professions of faith, that they may really follow
the Lord#
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DEVELOPMENT VILIAGE

The Lord has been working in hearts of Mong in Development Village.

In July Lao Jur

SaeYang burned his demon things. He was not a demon priest but knew the ceremonies and often was consulted by the villagerso The spirits wanted him to become a medium

and he didn't want to, so decided the only way of escape was to become a Christian. He met with the Christians and they taught him and helped him destroy his demon things.
Since then his faith has been tested as snakes have come into his house and crossed

his trail. (The snakes are bad omens and usually someone in the family dies.) He has two wives and has been on opium for 2 years but is now breaking off opium. He is better educated than most of the villagers as he Joined the communist party for seven years and was sent to Laos for training. He later gave himself up to the government
and is now working for the Thai government in village development.
and asked for a Thai Bible.

He can read Thai

Late in August Lao Chao SaeYang, from Development village, took his child to the hos

pital with encephalitis. His wife stayed with the child. He came to visit a couple of days later and was searched by the police. They found a little opium on him that he had biought along for his own use. He was put in jail and 'that night his child died. He had done much demon worship for the child and they hadn't helped, so he told

his wife to destroy his demon things.

out of jail.

She was afraid to do so and waited until he got

Then the villagers begged him not to become a Christian as he was the

only one in his clan who knew the proper ceremonies. He decided it would be good to have a last feast for the demons and telJ. them he was leaving. It was two days later
that he spilled on his motorcycle and broke his arm. Instead of making him afraid, it made him more determined to believe on Christy On Sunday he destroyed his demon things. He too has had snakes come into his house but he killed than and prayed for the Lord's protection. Lao Chao's arm was not set right at the local hospital so this week he went to Chiengrai for orthopedic surgery, I suggested that he break off opium at the
same time, which he wants to do.
and grounded in Christo

He also has two wives.

We must be faithful in

praying for these two families that they will go on with the Lord and really be rooted

The headman of this village approached Neng, the leader of the Christians, and told

to have special meetings in the village they could use them t PRAISE THE LORD I Last year the Christians tried to buy land to build a church but no one would sell.

him that the new school and community hall were finised and if the Christians wanted

='^?s.nLi,is; "'.K

^ HAPPINESS n Happiness Village in Pong district the VILUGE Mong Christians have been told bv thA

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andon sister in our dorm for several as thev attandArt m k eybrother have gone to teachers' coUege. So we years pray for the Christians there.
+ + + ! + + + + + + + ^ + + + + + + + + +

Tbe ohildrw are all wall, Chao has been horiie for two weeks vacation hut to technical school today. I am gradually improving but the i returned

for the children and for spiritual growth and continued heL'in^ft^me.
May the Lord burden your htaarts for these tribal Christians.
Radioing in Hla,

You may write to Dorothy ati

DOROTHY UHLIG

P. 0 BOX 5

CHIEKGKAH, PHAYAO 56110

THAILAJID

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