DECEMBER 2011 NEWSLETTER # 58

Streams of Living Water

A note from the Derbyshire family, missionaries to Thailand
We were blessed to have 2 teams
from the US come and help us share
the Gospel through mobile clinics in
October. Jeff and Deb Wolfreys
team came first, and then Dave
and Jamie Engstrom brought a
team 2 weeks later. I was deeply
grateful for both teams. I have so
many highlights from their time here
that come to mind. Let me tell you
just one
In one village, after the mobile
clinic, we sat together with the
Bangkla team, the American team,
and the local believers and
worshipped and shared testimonies
to what we had seen the Lord do
that day. Three people had prayed
to make Christ their Lord that day,
and others had asked for visits to
talk more. Near the end of the
meeting the local pastor said, I
thank God for you Christians in
Bangkla. After watching you today
my church members came and
asked me to teach them how to be
like you. Your boldness and abilities
in sharing the Gospel has inspired
us. So I will do a seminar on 1 on 1
witnessing to help our people
grow. He said, I am deeply
grateful to you for:
1. Sharing Christ with people who
have never heard the Gospel
before. We are trying to start a
new work in this village, but there
are still many who have never
heard about God before. But
today you brought the Gospel to
many. Thank you. And:
2. Showing my people how to
witness. The words flowed from
you so easily and you shared so
boldly. We have never seen
anything like it before and we
will be changed because of it.
And:
3. You have opened the door to
the community to the next level.
We began doing childrens work
here 1 year ago as a means to
get our foot in the door to the
community. It helped some, but
we have been feeling like we
wanted to reach the community
on a higher level. We have
been searching for a means to
do that for a long time.until
today. Today the mayor came
to me and asked to talk with me
awhile. During our meeting he
said that he would like to
cooperate with our church to do
more projects like this one in the
future. Before this, he was
always very cold toward me. But
you have opened the door we
have prayed about for a long
time.
I was so blessed to hear this dear
man speak. He said exactly what
has encouraged me for many years
to continue doing mobile clinics.
October 26
th
marked our familys
19
th
anniversary in Thailand, and for
19 years it has been a joy to do just
as the pastor said To share the
Gospel with those who have never
heard; to lead people to a saving
relationship with Christ; to
encourage other believers to join us
in doing the same; and to open
whole communities to having
access to the Gospel message.
Maranatha is the word that
started my day, the Lord is near.
What if Jesus came tomorrow,
what if he came today? What
would I do on earth this day if it
was my last? Playing in an NBA
sponsored basketball tournament
in Bangkok was what was on the
agenda actually. How could this
tournament make any difference
if Jesus came back today? I dont
know, but I will do my best in it.
What an incredible experience to
be in a tournament being held in
such a great place. Cameras
cramming through getting every
angle possible, up beat music
pounding, feeling as if I was David
when giant men strutted by. Wow,
here participating in an event so
new and exciting. Wearing a
jersey that had the NBA logo
smacked on it gave you a sense
of pride when onlookers shot a
glance at you.
The next thing I know Im out on
the court with my team whose
relationship and had just began.
Shot, pass, swish, steal, bam
games over, 12 to 5 we won.
Having a game thats only ten
minutes long really puts you in a
shock when its over. Our first win.
Not knowing what to really expect
out of the competition, we were
grateful to have an easy team to
play first.
Day 2 in the experience of a
lifetime. Rain, sweat, delays,
cheerleaders, horrible Thai music,
cameras, ginormous men, all this
almost identical to the day
before, only today, was the
championship. Today we got to
play on the specialized red and
blue NBA tiled court in the heart of
the tournament.
Game time. The games were so
short we knew we had to get a
fast start. Bam, we were ahead
11-0 within the first few minutes, all
attention on us for these moments.
We won. The excitement welled
up within me to get my hands on
the beautiful trophies that
awaited on stage.
Stage time. We were presented
with the coveted trophies. A
10,000 baht scholarship certificate
that only appears on game shows
was laid across us for all to see.
Cameras from every direction
swooped in, dots lit up inside my
eyes like I never imagined
possible.
But what if Jesus came back
today? My trophy I just won
wouldnt add to his golden streets.
If Jesus came back today I could
say I did my best, loved those
around me, and I did it all for Him.
(Id like to thank Sandi for this, her
first article appearing in our
newsletters. Hopefully it wont be
the last!)
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF
A STUDENT, AN
ATHLETE, AND A
FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
By Sandi Derbyshire
TEAMMATES
ANTI CI PATI ON
VI CTORY!
TROPHI ES
From the Journal
Sandi and Cher have been in the Philippines since Wednesday night.
Im looking forward to having them back today. I spent yesterday
morning in Bangkok, driving in to meet with a new believer who asked
to talk to me about predestination, prayer, and how to live a changed
life, as well as other matters.
I came home and studied the first 50 Psalms, writing down a number of
verses to commit to memory. Psalm 2:8 struck me in a new way. Lord,
am I allowed to ask for this? Is this a promise only for your Son, or can I
ask for this too? Today, Lord, if Im allowed, Im asking Lord, will you give
me heathen for an inheritance? Please Lord, save the lost around
me. Save the heathen! Save the lost. If I have a reward for service, may
it be in lost souls coming to you! Please save the lost!
Then today I taught Bible study for an hour before preaching on Matthew 19:16-30. What do I still
lack? What an encouragement for me to see that God has placed in the heart of the lost this
twinge of conscience that teaches them they yet lack -- before I ever come to them with the
Gospel.
Pa Jit, filled with the Spirit gave a testimony during the service. This same Pa Jit, to whom God spoke
audibly and told her to come to find healing at church has since grown much in the Lord and is such
a blessing to everyone.
She gave a powerful testimony of faith and devotion to God and how He has filled her in return with
provision and peace. She told of her 3 neighbors who cursed her for becoming a Christian and
how all three neighbors had flood waters fill their home but Pa Jits home, alone, was untouched
by the flood. She said, They cursed me, but God blessed me.
A 59 year old woman named Som
came to see me the other day.
She just wanted a physical. After
her physical and a talk about
health needs we talked about her
soul. She had come before but
had never been very interested.
But in Gods timing she now was
irresistibly drawn to the Message.
She left the clinic with Jesus in her
heart. She lives here in Bangkla
and has come to church here
ever since.
Then not too long after that a
woman with psoriasis made a 14
hour trip down from a province in
far off Northeast Thailand. She had
been given our tract about the
God that you dont know but have
always been looking for. She
made the long trek to see us
wanting to be cured of her disease,
but especially wanting to know more
about how Jesus could save from sin.
Gim, one of my nurses, led her to
Christ in the pharmacy. Gim was out
of breath with excitement when she
told me of how Pywan had prayed
with her after talking over her
questions. Gim said, She was so
ready!! I almost didnt have to say
anything, she was so excited
about coming to Christ already!!
All of us here at the clinic love
making people feel better. This
past month weve done CPR on
unconscious drug overdose
victims and watched them
revive. Weve treated heart
attack victims who arrived near
death and watched them revive.
Weve treated the sick, the very
sick, and the next to dead, and
watched the Great Physician heal.
But our greatest joy remains where
it has always been seeing the
Father save the souls of people
near us and those far away.
THE JOY OF BANGKLA BAPTIST CLINIC - NEAR JOYS AND FAR JOYS
Many of you have seen news clips of the
terrible flooding here in Thailand over
the past 2 months. Our province was hit
early, and now, over 2 months later,
much of Bangkok is still under
water. Thanks to a donation from the
saints at Casas Adobes Baptist Church
and Desert Joy Christian Fellowship, we
were able to take much needed relief
to people trying to live in extremely
difficult situations.
Many people had water up to their
waist in their homes. I finally quit asking
people why they didnt go somewhere
else. It was too painful to see their faces
when they replied, Where would I go?
In addition to our relief work out here in
Chacheungsao, Sandi went in with
some students to help in Bangkok as
well. She said it was strange taking a
boat out to where they were trying to
help people. The boat took the usual
route along the major roads just that
the water in the roads was meters deep.
Many times they could see cars in the
water under the boat. Occasionally, the
bottom of the boat would scrape the
top of a submerged truck. But often,
people are most spiritually perceptive
when they are most physically needy;
please pray that this crisis will lead many
to seek the Lord.
FLOOD RELIEF