Mel In Thailand

Mel was invited to teach in Thailand for one week at the YWAM Discipleship Training School (DTS) in the city of Khon Kaen. He was away from us for 12 days during mid April and came back encouraged, blessed, fulfilled and very tired! He said he felt very at home in Thailand as it is so similar to the Philippines in many ways. However one difference he noted was that the people were so respectful and quiet compared to that which he is used to at home and especially in the province he comes from.

The DTS Leader (Man Thawiphak) along with his wife (Yung) were our FMS students in 2005 here in Baguio. Man collected Mel from the Bangkok airport and then was driven by car to Khon Kaen a city supposedly six hours north. However a festival was on at their time of travel and the trip took a mere sixteen hours instead! Here is Mel taking a short break from their very long and warm trip up to the city of Khon Kaen.

YWAM Khon Kaen. The guest speakers room ..this is where Mel slept etc.

DTS Lecture Room. Mel's topics were on communication in our relationships and especially with our families. It was a good time of teaching and even though he worked through an interpreter the messages were well received by the Thai students who were so open to receiving from the Lord

DTS Lecture room. Sorry there are so few students pictured but Mel was not able to take pictures while he was teaching!

He was also able to share at a few evening meetings including the open meeting at the YWAM centre and a local church on the Sunday where many Filipinos attend.

YWAM Khon Kaen -DTS Dormitories

DTS Lecture Room

After finishing his time in Khon Kaen he traveled to Chiang Mai to do some counseling and then back down to Bangkok for a night before flying home to the Philippines.

Matthew the leaders son.....when he greeted Mel he clasped both hands in a prayer like gesture and then bowed from the waist down. Afterwards he ran off to play.

No this is not a picture of a scene in New Zealand that I happened to slip in. The Thai students loved to play sports but with the temperature at 36.C and upwards Mel declined the invitation to join them. He found it so warm in Thailand compared to the cooler temperatures we are blessed with in Baguio. We may be getting some more pictures later with some people in them! Don't hold your breathe waiting though.

Man & Yung hope to come here this September to be on staff of the Family Ministries School. They are planning to bring some of their staff to be students in the school in the hope of starting Family Ministries in Thailand. Please continue to pray for this!