Philokalia Ministries Update
11/29/08 08:54 AM
I received the following update this morning from Jerry and Pam Headen:
Dear Supporters and Friends of Philokalia Ministries:
We lead off this update with the report of a baptism on November 12. Laa, one of the HIV+ ladies, comes from a very poor family. Her husband is also HIV+ and an alcoholic. She had been a regular attender of our Sunday worship for a number of months before we left for furlough in 2007, but her and her family moved away from Chiang Mai. After our return this summer, Laa began attending again as she and her family had returned to Chiang Mai. She expressed an interest in becoming a Christian, but felt she couldn’t because she could not read. We had to devise a plan to teach her about the Christian life using no books, or helps that involved reading or writing.
Dear Supporters and Friends of Philokalia Ministries:
We lead off this update with the report of a baptism on November 12. Laa, one of the HIV+ ladies, comes from a very poor family. Her husband is also HIV+ and an alcoholic. She had been a regular attender of our Sunday worship for a number of months before we left for furlough in 2007, but her and her family moved away from Chiang Mai. After our return this summer, Laa began attending again as she and her family had returned to Chiang Mai. She expressed an interest in becoming a Christian, but felt she couldn’t because she could not read. We had to devise a plan to teach her about the Christian life using no books, or helps that involved reading or writing.
She had been in several study sessions when her health began to fail. Upon a visit to the doctor she learned that her kidneys were failing. The doctors predict she will die soon as she cannot afford dialysis. She has a bag attached to her, and is in and out of the hospital. Her husband left town to find work, but
most probably because he can not deal with her sickness. She has a three year old boy, and no way to care for him and finds it difficult to afford food and other needs. We have taken Laa under our wings and have worked with her on getting the care she and her son need. Her initial reason for wanting to become a Christian was, “I want to be like you.”
Sales of our saa paper handicrafts have been brisk this fall. The group has had good success with sales at two sales sponsored by international schools here in Chiang Mai and at an international women's retreat. Sales have been good in the U.S. as well.
We have, throughout 2008, been in regular communication with a company in the U.S. who is a potential wholesaler of our products, but so far they have been unsuccessful in obtaining orders from their clients. So, even though we have had good sales recently, the work from our orders is still insufficient to provide long-term steady work for them, requiring us to bring in outside work which pays less.
One of our supporting churches recently ordered 200 of our note cards and made them available to their members after their Sunday service at which our work was highlighted both in the bulletin and in a video presentation during the service, and encouraged their members to place orders. Maybe your congregation could try something similar as a way of helping boost the amount of work for our people here.
This handicraft group is an important way for us to minister to people in need. Recently a ten year old boy named Pum joined the group. He is HIV+, and was teased so badly at school by the other children that he quit going to school. He is being raised by a grandmother because his parents have passed away. She does not know what to do with him, as he likes to play video games all day. We took him into our paper group, and he has been helping out with the work. When he first started coming to the group, he did not talk. We noticed after a couple of weeks that he attached himself to Jo, one of the men in the group. If Jo worked Pum would work, if Jo laid down to rest, Pum would join him. Now he is opening up and talking to the others in the group. We are more like a family than a group of workers.
The group also is helping the daughter of one of the ladies in our group. She had a child out of wedlock, and now has to find a job. Her mother brings baby NongToon to the center to work on the bags and cards, and the whole group helps watch the baby. The group is planning a trip to the Chiang Mai zoo after the Christmas rush, especially so that Pum can experience it, but the whole group is excited about going together. Some of the group are Christians, and some are not. It is a great place to be a witness about the power and love of God. We pray together, and when God answers we thank him together. Most of the group attends our Sunday worship service.
In recent months we have privileged to have Drewann Lynch work with us. She was seconded to us by her organization, Pioneers International, and she has been working with Pam, Yai and the saa paper group, advising on design, assisting with communications with the potential wholesaler and in other ways. She also taught English classes to children from families we know. Drewann is from Jerry's home area in North Carolina (nice to have a fellow Tarheel working with us) and we had a great time getting better acquainted with her. She has now returned to the U.S. and we pray for God's blessings in her future endeavors.
Though rainy season is now over, we are still unable to move ahead with the rest of the landfill to be done on our property due to lack of funds. We put out an appeal letter, together with our printed newsletter, in early September and have received $3300 in gifts since then, but added to the $5500 already on hand, we have just one-third of what is needed to do the work. Please keep this need in your prayers.
Speaking of our September printed newsletter, some of you who receive this may not have received it due to not being on the mailing list for it. Copies as still available by emailing Adele Spurgin at spurgina@hotmail.com and requesting one. It contains recent pictures of the property development, as well as other information. Unfortunately, we do not have a version that can be emailed to you.
Jerry has been enjoying teaching two classes at Lanna Theological Center since October 7, Gospels and How to Study the Bible. The Gospels class has five students, and the Bible study course has four. The current semester runs until February 20.
For the past several months there has been a very active protest movement in Bangkok against the present government, participants of which have occupied some government property in Bangkok, and most recently the two airports in Bangkok, which have been totally closed since this past Tuesday (causing untold inconvenience and financial consequences), and there has been some associated violence. While not directly affecting us, it is a very divisive situation for the country. Please pray for a peaceful outcome and for healing of divisions within Thai society.
Thank you for your continued participation in our work through your support in finances and prayers.
Grace and Peace,
Jerry and Pam Headen
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most probably because he can not deal with her sickness. She has a three year old boy, and no way to care for him and finds it difficult to afford food and other needs. We have taken Laa under our wings and have worked with her on getting the care she and her son need. Her initial reason for wanting to become a Christian was, “I want to be like you.”
Sales of our saa paper handicrafts have been brisk this fall. The group has had good success with sales at two sales sponsored by international schools here in Chiang Mai and at an international women's retreat. Sales have been good in the U.S. as well.
We have, throughout 2008, been in regular communication with a company in the U.S. who is a potential wholesaler of our products, but so far they have been unsuccessful in obtaining orders from their clients. So, even though we have had good sales recently, the work from our orders is still insufficient to provide long-term steady work for them, requiring us to bring in outside work which pays less.
One of our supporting churches recently ordered 200 of our note cards and made them available to their members after their Sunday service at which our work was highlighted both in the bulletin and in a video presentation during the service, and encouraged their members to place orders. Maybe your congregation could try something similar as a way of helping boost the amount of work for our people here.
This handicraft group is an important way for us to minister to people in need. Recently a ten year old boy named Pum joined the group. He is HIV+, and was teased so badly at school by the other children that he quit going to school. He is being raised by a grandmother because his parents have passed away. She does not know what to do with him, as he likes to play video games all day. We took him into our paper group, and he has been helping out with the work. When he first started coming to the group, he did not talk. We noticed after a couple of weeks that he attached himself to Jo, one of the men in the group. If Jo worked Pum would work, if Jo laid down to rest, Pum would join him. Now he is opening up and talking to the others in the group. We are more like a family than a group of workers.
The group also is helping the daughter of one of the ladies in our group. She had a child out of wedlock, and now has to find a job. Her mother brings baby NongToon to the center to work on the bags and cards, and the whole group helps watch the baby. The group is planning a trip to the Chiang Mai zoo after the Christmas rush, especially so that Pum can experience it, but the whole group is excited about going together. Some of the group are Christians, and some are not. It is a great place to be a witness about the power and love of God. We pray together, and when God answers we thank him together. Most of the group attends our Sunday worship service.
In recent months we have privileged to have Drewann Lynch work with us. She was seconded to us by her organization, Pioneers International, and she has been working with Pam, Yai and the saa paper group, advising on design, assisting with communications with the potential wholesaler and in other ways. She also taught English classes to children from families we know. Drewann is from Jerry's home area in North Carolina (nice to have a fellow Tarheel working with us) and we had a great time getting better acquainted with her. She has now returned to the U.S. and we pray for God's blessings in her future endeavors.
Though rainy season is now over, we are still unable to move ahead with the rest of the landfill to be done on our property due to lack of funds. We put out an appeal letter, together with our printed newsletter, in early September and have received $3300 in gifts since then, but added to the $5500 already on hand, we have just one-third of what is needed to do the work. Please keep this need in your prayers.
Speaking of our September printed newsletter, some of you who receive this may not have received it due to not being on the mailing list for it. Copies as still available by emailing Adele Spurgin at spurgina@hotmail.com and requesting one. It contains recent pictures of the property development, as well as other information. Unfortunately, we do not have a version that can be emailed to you.
Jerry has been enjoying teaching two classes at Lanna Theological Center since October 7, Gospels and How to Study the Bible. The Gospels class has five students, and the Bible study course has four. The current semester runs until February 20.
For the past several months there has been a very active protest movement in Bangkok against the present government, participants of which have occupied some government property in Bangkok, and most recently the two airports in Bangkok, which have been totally closed since this past Tuesday (causing untold inconvenience and financial consequences), and there has been some associated violence. While not directly affecting us, it is a very divisive situation for the country. Please pray for a peaceful outcome and for healing of divisions within Thai society.
Thank you for your continued participation in our work through your support in finances and prayers.
Grace and Peace,
Jerry and Pam Headen
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