MISSIONS EDITION

Dear Friendsi

DOROTHY UHLIG'S REPORT FROM THAILAND

JANUARY 1998

It's a little late to say HAPPY NEW YEAR as Mong New Year was Dec. 28-30i U.S. New Year Jan. 1. But I can wish you a ^HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR" which is Jan. 28 or "HAPPY THAI NEW YEAR" ON April 15. Whatever you go byi it is a time for forgetting the things that are past
AND going forward INTO THE NEW YEAR IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD.

CHRISTIAN FUNERAL FOR AIDS PATIENT

Pastor Niran called about noon Dec. 16th to tell me that TUNGi the Aids patient who accepted

THE Lord last September* had died.

After lunchi instead of going out to distribute tracts# the

clinic staff decided to go and help the family with funeral preparations. Each evening a ser vice WAS held in the home to comfort the family and share the gospel with others. The pastor SHOWED ME A NOTEBOOK IN WHICH TUNG# THE DAY BEFORE HE DIED* HAD WRITTEN HIS REQUESTS FOR HIS funeral. They were simple;

1. 2.

Call Pastor Niran and let him take charge of a Christian funeral. Dress me in the white pants and shorts and black shoes that I wore
WHEN I WAS BAPTIZED.
FATHER IS TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE MONEY GIVEN FOR THE FUNERAL.

TUNG WAS NOT AFRAID OF DEATH BUT LOOKED FORWARD TO THE JOYS OF HEAVEN.
WAS A Christian* but they respected his wishes.

No one in his family

When we arrived on the second evening there were 20-30 Christians present but the majority WERE non-Christian villagers sitting in chairs outside the open living room where the casket HAD BEEN PLACED. OTHERS SAT IN CHAIRS ALONG THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. At MOST FUNERALS I HAVE ATTENDED THE NON-ChRISTIANS CARRY ON THEIR CONVERSATIONS WHILE THE CHRISTIANS HAVE A SERVICE. But here the villagers were quiet and interested in all that went on and they LISTENED TO THE MESSAGE. There WAS no drinking or gambling since this was a Christian funeral.

On the day for burial the service was held at 10 a.m.

ATTENDED AS WELL AS NON-ChRISTIANS.

Many Christian from other villages

ORIGINALLY THE PASTOR PLANNED TO HAVE INTERNMENT AT THE

Christian cemetery in Weang village# but the funeral procession would have to pass through
TWO OTHER VILLAGES. ThE HEAD MEN OF THESE VILLAGES REFUSED PERMISSION (DUE TO FEAR OF EVIL spirits); so the body was cremated in Bee village cemetery according to Thai custom.
'jfc

THEY wouldn't ACCEPT HIM I COULD NO LONGER-BE-THEIR PASTOR AS JeSUS DIED FOR ^
PEOPLE SEEM OPEN. PLEASE PRAY FOR BEE VILLAGE.
HOSPITAL EXPERIENCE

After the service I asked the pastor if there had been any objection by church members to accepting an Aids patient as a member. "Yes"# he said# "A few objected but I told them if

MEN." He

WILL CONTINUE TO VISIT THE PARENTS AND ALSO SHARE WITH OTHER VILLAGERS IN THE FUTURE.

ThE

A BOUT WITH PNEUMONIA PUT ME IN THE CHRISTIAN HOSPITAL IN ChIENGRAI FROM DeC. 5-8.
WAS OUT FOR A WEEK SO THE DORM HOUSEMOTHER ACCOMPANIED ME.

SCHOOL

I WAS IN A 5 BED "SPECIAL" WARD.

Special meant that there was an extra bed for a relative of each patient who cared for basic
BE PULLED AROUND THE TWO BEDS MAKING IT A PRIVATE ROOM# MORE OR LESS.

I WAS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE LORD'S CARE.

Shortly after being admitted a young woman came in with a bouquet of flowers# a big bunch OF BANANAS AND ORANGES# ETC. LaTER SHE BROUGHT BLANKETS FROM HER HOME AS WE HADN'T THOUGHT

TO BRING ANY. I HAD BEEN A CLOSE FRIEND OF HER MOTHER AND HELPED THE FAMILY (10 CHILDREN) WHEN SHE WAS SMALL. ShE WORKS IN THE HOSPITAL OFFICE AND SAW MY NAME ON THE COMPUTER SO CAME TO VISIT. She also notified her sister in Chiengmai (a ^ hour drive away) and the next day

Oke and her family came to visit. (Her mother died during Oke's senior year in high school AND I SENT Oke to teacher's college. She has been a teacher for over 15 years and is married TO AN ARMY OFFICER.) ThE BIBLE SAYS# "CAST YOUR BREAD UPON THE WATERS AND YOU SHALL FIJiD II _
after many DAYS." I CERTAINLY DID - INCLUDING THE GIFT OF A FOAM MATTRESS. CEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY! GOD GIVES EX

The housemother had an opportunity to witness to an Aids patient in our ward. His wife wasn't interested# but he was. Later she witnessed to an elderly couple. We shared bananas
AND ORANGES WITH THEM TWO DAYS NOT KNOWING THAT THE WIFE DIDN'T DARE LEAVE HER HUSBAND TO GO

TO BUY FOOD FOR HERSELF. ShE SHARED HIS HOSPITAL FOOD AND OUR FRUIT. (We LEARNED THIS WHEN THEIR RELATIVES CAME TO VISIT 2 DAYS LATER.) GOD'S LOVE HAD BEEN SHARED WITH THEM.

Another blessing was a Christian family the wife was admitted to the ward after surgery
TO deliver her baby. We rejoiced with them and had two days of fellowship.

'

I WAS ALSO blessed BY BLA'S ARRIVAL HOME FOR THE WEEKEND. ShE AND TAO CAME TO VISIT AND SHE SPENT THE NIGHT. SUNDAY LAO YA# PhAYAO BibLE SCHOOL STUDENT# AND NU# MONG STUDENT WHO
LIVES WITH ME# CAME TO VISIT AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEVELOPMENT VILLAGE CHURCH. IT WAS

GOOD TO SEE THEIR LOVE AND CONCERN.

OF THE MONTH.

AfTER RETURNING HOME I TOOK THINGS PRETTY EASY THE REST

OVER -

CHRISMS ACTIVITIES AND CHURCH DEDICATION YEARS agoj came TO VISIT Dec. 23-27.

Page 2

Christmas dinner Dec. palong with John Goddard and aPeace Corp worker. Christma^^ day we
Hike and Naomi Phillips invited us to join them for

Dr. Garland and Dorothy Barej who used to work among the Mong in Nan Province over 20

Hong near Pua.

CHURCH M WANG PAlV TENT^^N FRONT WAS FOR SHELTER DURING

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY & FOR FEAST. FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON HELPED SUPPLY MONEY FOR BUILDING.

We have had many problems among the Mien leaders which has adversely affected the churches and reaching out to the lost. Two of the Mien leaders came to Chiengkam to join us in an afternoon prayer meeting for leaders of the Mien and Mong churches. The scripture 2 Chronicles

7:14 was divided into four sections with times of prayer in between;
1. If my people who are called by my name 2. Will humble themselves and pray and seek my face 5. Turn from their wicked ways Then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.

How much we need this.

THROUGH THE CHURCH.

We pray there may be a cell group established in each church with

PEOPLE who are willing TO SEEK Tf^E LoRD UNTIL. HEARTS AND LIVES ARE CHANGED AND REVIVAL SWEEPS
WILL YOU JOIN WITH US?

The PRAYER MEETING WAS FOLLOWED BY A DINNER WELCOMING JOHN AND JeNI GODDARD BACK FROM
FURLOUGH AND A COUPLE WHO CAME TO VISIT THEM. 1n THE EVENING THERE WAS A WORSHIP SERVICE AND
John brought a message challenging us to seek the lost. In my last letter I asked your prayers for LIU, a 12 year old girl from Pepper village who had been expelled from school. She was accepted in the Chiengkam grade school and is living in our dorm. She ms adapted well and is very intelligent. PRAISE THE LORD SHE NOW

HAS A FUTURE AND WE PRAY SHE WILL COME TO KNOW THE LORD AND LET HIM l.EAD.
PLEASE PRAY FOR CHAO. He is far from the Lord.
With Love in Christ, Dorothy's field address:
DOROTHY UHLIG P 0 BOX 5 CHIENGKAM PHAYAO 56110 THAILAND Arlene Lundgren 17^5 Wall Street Klamath Falls. OR.-97601

Forwarding Agent address:

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