TEXT: NORMAN WONG
PICTURES: METHODIST
MISSIONS SOCIETY

HE TOOK time out of his busy schedule to meet me at the airport. A two-hour drive brought us to the rented shop house in the north-western sector of Bangkok that Rangsit Methodist Church is using.

It was a joy to see all four floors being fully utilised on Sunday - prayer meetings, children's meetings, Bible studies and of course the main worship service, with more than 100 children and adults in attendance. What a busy hive of activity! Apart from regular evangelistic activities around Rangsit, the church has also sent two of its Bible College students to help establish churches in the Isaan region.

After the Sunday service, we took a seven-hour drive to Payakapum in north-east Thailand in the Isaan region. We spent the night there encouraging the Methodist pastor and church leaders.

REV PRASERT PORNKIRATIKUL:
Has been serving the Lord
faithfully since the 1970s.


The next day we set off on another four-hour drive to Nong Bua Lamphu where again the Rev Prasert Pornkiratikul ministered to the Methodist pastor there. This was followed by a 10-hour drive to Chiangmai for more training and ministry there.


I flew home from Chiangmai exhausted, leaving the Rev Prasert to make the nine-hour drive back to Bangkok alone. He makes this "tour of Thailand" trip at least once a month!

Although the journey was long and tiring, I felt the presence of the Lord was with us all the way because the Rev Prasert and I talked over many issues concerning the church in Thailand - a country of 65 million people with less than 1 per cent of Christians.

He shared with me his life story, how God had called him at an early age to preach the Gospel.


And although I cannot understand Thai, just watching him preach with such animated passion was inspiring. He went to Bible College in the United Kingdom in the 1970s and has been serving the Lord faithfully ever since.

Rangsit Methodist Church needs
funds for its building project

There are so many issues that burden him, but I left Thailand sensing that the Lord would have The Methodist Church in Singapore help him with his biggest burden - help Rangsit Methodist Church purchase property to build a proper church.

Although his congregation's monthly offering is currently around 12,000 baht (approximately S$520), he said he would get help from other Thai churches and Christians and raise 2 million baht (S$87,000), a huge sum for them!

He asked if The Methodist Church in Singapore could help raise 4 million baht (S$175,000) for the project. I pass on his request to you for your prayerful consideration. Whatever you give will go entirely to the Rangsit Methodist Church building project. The Methodist Missions Society will not take any "cut" for its administrative expenses.

Rangsit Methodist Church: All four floors being fully utilised on Sunday.


Please help the Rev Prasert fulfil his passion to reach Thailand for Christ.

The Rev Norman Wong is the Executive Director of the Methodist Missions Society.

QUOTE:

'Although I cannot understand Thai, just watching him preach with such animated passion was inspiring. He went to Bible College in the United Kingdom in the 1970s and has been serving the Lord faithfully ever since.'

-- The Rev Dr Norman Wong
on the Rev Prasert (top left).