Saturday, July 24, 2010
Feast
There is something about eating an amazing meal with friends. Meat, cheese, good wine, and wonderful relationships... sounds a bit like the marriage feast in heaven. Thanks for the taste of heaven to Suzie and Anthony Jones.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Visiting the States
We stopped over at the Jelly Belly factory on our way back to San Jose from visiting my sister in the Napa area. Kids came out with 12 pounds of jelly beans!
How are we getting this home?
Paul
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Chennai, India
I had an amazing week in Chennai, India, unlike anything I have experienced before, in India or elsewhere in SE Asia. (Chennai is a city of 7 million, with 300,000 living on the streets). My last day there, specifically, was completely Spirit directed and annointed, and I felt like I was part of a New Testament-like experience. Ministry is really taking off there and many pastors and leaders are gaining a vision for reaching their military and police officers for the Lord. For those of you who want to read more of the specifics of my time there, see below. Thank you for your prayers!
Here is some of what I experienced, as I communicated them to Sandra in an email to her... they were both amazing and humbling.
“We stopped by the police quarters (thousands of police families live in govt. housing) to visit a few families for 10-15 minutes and then Lamech (our Indian contact) was going to take me to the aiport. Martin, an Indian in Chennai, has been working with some of the youth in the police govt. housing). It was dark as we arrived... Not many lights... and I felt like I was walking into what I think the projects of South Bronx New York might look like. We walked upstairs to the first families’ apartment (total space not bigger than our living and dinning area combined).
We are warmly greeted with big smiles that quickly put my apprehensions to rest. Two generations live in this little space and they are all Christians. Both the husband and wife work as police officers and they have a small child. All the homes we have visited have bent over backwards to be hospitable and offer tea, soft drinks, and some kind of cookie or something.... This home did not disappoint. We sat around for a few minutes talking about life in the quarters and what it is like being a Christian in the police force. It was then determined that we should pray for the home and go. I was the designated special guest so I was asked to pray. Before I began, requests were given so I ended up praying for several children and a single girl to get a husband “because it is time”.

Martin (guy who has been working with the children of police officers for several years) and myself at the police quarters. The apostle Thomas was martyred on the mountain behind the quarters.
As we were walking between homes we are meeting other believers and a few others who want prayer so we pray for them between the buildings. (this happened several times)
This began a cycle that lasted 2 hours. The next home was a Catholic family that wanted to meet us and have us pray for them. Two generations live in the place as well. Dad has been retired only 3 months. While we were meeting (this place was on the first floor) there was a small commotion outside and I saw a guy coming up using a walker. Two men assisted him into the house and he asked me to pray for him because he was in an accident with a motorcycle. I found out he is a fairly high ranking officer. His left foot was really jacked up, missing all but 2 little toes and it looked black. This happened when a bulldozer ran over his foot years ago. But that was not his current problem--now his leg is broken and his knee joint is out of place. He broke out xrays for me to examine and I was thinking to myself “why is this guy not in a cast and having an operation?” There were clearly bone fragments and a serious break below the knee.
I couldn’t get a clear response as to why he was not in the hospital with this but he asked me to pray and lay hands on his leg. So I went for it. Ok... This is weird... I began to feel his knee getting hot as I am praying... Wasn’t sure what was happening.... But I kept praying. Lamech was translating and everyone around me was praying out loud as well so I was in a cacophony of language of which I don’t even know one word. I started to pray for this man’s healing and I began to pray that the Lord would use the combined faith in the room to make up a mustard seed of belief. When I was finished I looked up at this officer and there were tears coming down his face and he was clearly shaken emotionally. He took my hand and touched his forehead to the back of it. We then prayed for the family there.
The police officer with the damaged leg was assisted out of the room and left. I asked the family there how they know this man and they told me he is a strong Hindu and has been cursing them for years for holding prayer meetings and singing. They were as surprised as I was by his presence. For some reason, he was moved tonight to come and ask for prayer. The younger son told me that while I was praying he had a vision of the man’s bone moving back into place and that there was fire coming down my arm to his leg....wow....I have not heard anything else in the way of follow-up yet but what I do know is that a man who was once attacking Christians has now softened his heart (or God has softened his heart).
( Pictured next to me below)
The next house was the home of one of Martin’s former disciples who is now a police officer. All in the family are believers except his father. We met in their living room and talked a little and then they pointed to a door that was shut near me. They told me that their father was closed up in there surrounded by Hindu idols that line the walls. In the living area where we were sitting, there were pictures of Jesus and a few scriptures displayed. I prayed against evil and specifically against the evil that had been brought into the home by the head of the house. I prayed the the Lord would be their head and for the salvation and deliverance of the father.
OK, check out this picture-- on the pillar of the front gate is the head of Satan that I had not noticed on the way in. No lie... Really freaky.
(Left gate post)
We then walked to the car when another family wanted prayer so we went back and prayed for 15 people. Again, the folks were very moved. One more child ran up on the way out to be prayed for as we finally made it to the car and began our trek to the airport.
Martin rode with us and told me he has never seen this before in all the years working there. I told him that this place is ripe for a police fellowship and ministry of prayer, if nothing else. Both he and Lamech were amazed. Martin verified that the man with the messed up leg was responsible for shutting down his ministry efforts there in the past with the youth. I also found out that the military quarters are connected to this complex of apartment buildings. I really feel that this place could be ground zero for the movement.”
Lamech is calling this new ministry to the police and military “Goodwill to Guardians”. How exciting! Thank you for your prayers!
Here is some of what I experienced, as I communicated them to Sandra in an email to her... they were both amazing and humbling.
“We stopped by the police quarters (thousands of police families live in govt. housing) to visit a few families for 10-15 minutes and then Lamech (our Indian contact) was going to take me to the aiport. Martin, an Indian in Chennai, has been working with some of the youth in the police govt. housing). It was dark as we arrived... Not many lights... and I felt like I was walking into what I think the projects of South Bronx New York might look like. We walked upstairs to the first families’ apartment (total space not bigger than our living and dinning area combined).
We are warmly greeted with big smiles that quickly put my apprehensions to rest. Two generations live in this little space and they are all Christians. Both the husband and wife work as police officers and they have a small child. All the homes we have visited have bent over backwards to be hospitable and offer tea, soft drinks, and some kind of cookie or something.... This home did not disappoint. We sat around for a few minutes talking about life in the quarters and what it is like being a Christian in the police force. It was then determined that we should pray for the home and go. I was the designated special guest so I was asked to pray. Before I began, requests were given so I ended up praying for several children and a single girl to get a husband “because it is time”.

Martin (guy who has been working with the children of police officers for several years) and myself at the police quarters. The apostle Thomas was martyred on the mountain behind the quarters.
As we were walking between homes we are meeting other believers and a few others who want prayer so we pray for them between the buildings. (this happened several times)
This began a cycle that lasted 2 hours. The next home was a Catholic family that wanted to meet us and have us pray for them. Two generations live in the place as well. Dad has been retired only 3 months. While we were meeting (this place was on the first floor) there was a small commotion outside and I saw a guy coming up using a walker. Two men assisted him into the house and he asked me to pray for him because he was in an accident with a motorcycle. I found out he is a fairly high ranking officer. His left foot was really jacked up, missing all but 2 little toes and it looked black. This happened when a bulldozer ran over his foot years ago. But that was not his current problem--now his leg is broken and his knee joint is out of place. He broke out xrays for me to examine and I was thinking to myself “why is this guy not in a cast and having an operation?” There were clearly bone fragments and a serious break below the knee.
I couldn’t get a clear response as to why he was not in the hospital with this but he asked me to pray and lay hands on his leg. So I went for it. Ok... This is weird... I began to feel his knee getting hot as I am praying... Wasn’t sure what was happening.... But I kept praying. Lamech was translating and everyone around me was praying out loud as well so I was in a cacophony of language of which I don’t even know one word. I started to pray for this man’s healing and I began to pray that the Lord would use the combined faith in the room to make up a mustard seed of belief. When I was finished I looked up at this officer and there were tears coming down his face and he was clearly shaken emotionally. He took my hand and touched his forehead to the back of it. We then prayed for the family there.
The police officer with the damaged leg was assisted out of the room and left. I asked the family there how they know this man and they told me he is a strong Hindu and has been cursing them for years for holding prayer meetings and singing. They were as surprised as I was by his presence. For some reason, he was moved tonight to come and ask for prayer. The younger son told me that while I was praying he had a vision of the man’s bone moving back into place and that there was fire coming down my arm to his leg....wow....I have not heard anything else in the way of follow-up yet but what I do know is that a man who was once attacking Christians has now softened his heart (or God has softened his heart).
( Pictured next to me below)

The next house was the home of one of Martin’s former disciples who is now a police officer. All in the family are believers except his father. We met in their living room and talked a little and then they pointed to a door that was shut near me. They told me that their father was closed up in there surrounded by Hindu idols that line the walls. In the living area where we were sitting, there were pictures of Jesus and a few scriptures displayed. I prayed against evil and specifically against the evil that had been brought into the home by the head of the house. I prayed the the Lord would be their head and for the salvation and deliverance of the father.
OK, check out this picture-- on the pillar of the front gate is the head of Satan that I had not noticed on the way in. No lie... Really freaky.
(Left gate post)

We then walked to the car when another family wanted prayer so we went back and prayed for 15 people. Again, the folks were very moved. One more child ran up on the way out to be prayed for as we finally made it to the car and began our trek to the airport.
Martin rode with us and told me he has never seen this before in all the years working there. I told him that this place is ripe for a police fellowship and ministry of prayer, if nothing else. Both he and Lamech were amazed. Martin verified that the man with the messed up leg was responsible for shutting down his ministry efforts there in the past with the youth. I also found out that the military quarters are connected to this complex of apartment buildings. I really feel that this place could be ground zero for the movement.”
Lamech is calling this new ministry to the police and military “Goodwill to Guardians”. How exciting! Thank you for your prayers!
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Thai Officer training weekend
This past weekend Surasak conducted the third of 6 training weekends for Thai officers held at the Chiang Mai hospitality House.
This training involves seminary-like classes about biblical leadership, bible study, theology, and bible history.
It has been really fun to see the lights of understanding coming on in the hearts and minds of these men and their wives.
The NCO (Non commissioned officer) families will meet on the 25th of this month.
This training involves seminary-like classes about biblical leadership, bible study, theology, and bible history.
It has been really fun to see the lights of understanding coming on in the hearts and minds of these men and their wives.
The NCO (Non commissioned officer) families will meet on the 25th of this month.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Woman (and her son) at the well
This past week I was visiting the nearly completed water supply project at Unit 14 near Pursat, Cambodia when a small boy and his mother came up to use the water out of the tank to bathe.
It was very rewarding to see this water being used for its intended purpose. (The tank will supply year-round clean water for families, a medical clinic, and eventually a community center)
I asked Sareth (Cadence National Leader) to ask the boy what he thought of the project and the boy replied “This is the water that comes from Jesus”.
It was very rewarding to see this water being used for its intended purpose. (The tank will supply year-round clean water for families, a medical clinic, and eventually a community center)
I asked Sareth (Cadence National Leader) to ask the boy what he thought of the project and the boy replied “This is the water that comes from Jesus”.
We have no idea if this mom and her son even knew the Lord (I had never seen them before) but we know that they believe this clean water source comes from Him.
I love the fact that he did not answer with “The water that comes from Cadence International” but that they knew it was from the Lord.
It was another one of those moments that confirm to us just how powerful sharing the gospel along with community development help is.
Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
It was another one of those moments that confirm to us just how powerful sharing the gospel along with community development help is.
Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
Captain Savorn and myself
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
From Sandra: Thank you for your prayers for our family during our recent trip to Cambodia. It may sound trite, but we really did sense God’s grace which enabled us to give of ourselves joyfully. We were both really encouraged by the way our three kids joined in and got involved in the kids’ VBS ministry and some of the agricultural training (i.e. dug holes!). The team we worked with from The Master’s College was top-notch, and we enjoyed serving along side them. It was really great for the kids and I to see and connect with the country and the people Paul loves so much. There is much to love about Cambodia, the main one being the warm, receptive people. There are challenges too...! (It was REALLY hot! And three of us returned with some kind of “bug”). What a great experience for our family!
Some of the highlights:
--Visiting the Minefield Hospitality House, the retreat center and home of our country leader, Sareth. We were able to play with some of the village kids while were there—they won our hearts instantly!
--Meeting the General of Camp 51
--Playing with the Cambodian kids at Camp 51
--Visiting the temples of Angkor Wat, ancient temples built long ago, which were forgotten over time and only rediscovered in the 1800’s
I was personally challenged as I was able to see the needs of the women at Camp 51 up close and personal. They have a strong need for discipleship and Biblical teaching, and they desire this greatly. The women are, in many ways, the heart and soul of the church at Camp 51, especially since the men are often away. This is a need which we must address. Please pray that God will give us wisdom as we consider how to provide spiritual food for these dear ladies, whether that be through me or through others. Thank you again so much for your prayers.
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