Saturday, February 12, 2011

From blog to website

Our blog hasn't been updated lately and that is because we soon will have a website up and going to replace the blog. It's not finished yet but but from April 2011 you can find us at www.servingkarens.org.

Friday, September 24, 2010

New staff

We welcome two new staff members to our base. We have been praying for a long time that God will send more workers to our ministry. He has answered our prayers through these two young men. You can read more about them and their stories below.


Name: Khu Wah
Age: 21
Favorite food: Apple

My story:
I grew up in Deawi, Myanmar, but I was born in Ka Ta Kua. My father’s name is U Toe See and my mother’s name is Naw Sun May. My father is a farmer and my mother cooks in the home. I have five brothers and two sisters. A missionary told me about Jesus and he told me that Jesus saved me already. I believed because I had no hope in my life. After I died, I didn’t want to go to hell. I looked at my life and was full of sin.

Why I joined YWAM:
I think that YWAM is a good spiritual family, they know the way of God well, and they teach Christians God’s way of truth. I know that YWAM’s purpose is to teach people to know God’s will more. God called me here after I arrived here and met YWAM Mae Sod.
I staff here now, and next year I must be a student in the Discipleship Training School (DTS) because I want to know God’s will and I want to grow my spiritual life.

My dream for future:
My vision for my future is to learn the will of God. I must take the DTS. I want to study Thai language because I must talk about Jesus to Thai people and make them Jesus’ disciples. I plan to do this by obeying everything God tells me to do. I will preach in the market and hand out tracts about Jesus. When someone believes in Jesus I will bring him to our mission and disciple him regularly.


Name: Eh Doh Soe
Age: 25
Funny story: God created goats. All goats eat grass, but I have a goat that eats rice every day. I don’t think that it is healthy for goats to eat rice. It is funny when I think about this.

My story:
I was born on the Thai/Burma border in Shoklo refugee camp on July 2, 1985. I have three brothers, of which I am the oldest. My father’s name is Saw Pantee and my mother’s name is Naw Eh Hser. My father died when I was five years old. I want to see him, but I can’t. Most of my family members are Christians. My mother loves God and loves to study the Bible. She is very kind and friendly. She also teaches children in Sunday school.
I heard about Jesus when I was a child, but I did not believe in Him. Throughout school, we had a Bible study every week. In high school I first started following God a bit, but did not really believe. Just before I graduated I started following him more closely. After this I took the Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM and became very close to God.

Why I joined YWAM:
My friend, who had taken the DTS told me about what YWAM is. I wanted to learn more about God’s calling for me. This is the reason I joined YWAM.
I have much experience with YWAM. The best thing about YWAM is that, during this time, the Holy Spirit came in my life, cleared my mind, opened my eyes, and made me close to Him. I also learned about the Trinity: the father created; the son is the way; the Spirit is the counselor. Also, in YWAM, they encourage people to worship God freely and personally.

My dream for the future:
I want to share God’s word with my people, the Karen people, and have a relationship with villagers of other religions. I also want to tell Jesus’ good news and teach songs to children so that they can grow up knowing God. Overall, I want to go share the gospel anywhere I can and teach people about salvation.
The ways that I will accomplish these things are to listen to God’s voice as he directs me in each area, to make new Karen worship songs, record them on an album, and teach them to my people. I will show Jesus’ kindness and humbly serve others. Another great way to preach the good news is to teach English at the same time.

Wonderful Esther

We have the great pleasure of introducing our second daughter,Esther, to all of you. She was born the 19th of June, healthy and strong and mum was in the hospital only an hour before she came. Ever since she has been the loveliest, easiest, most smiley little girl you can imagine. The two sisters totally adore one another. So far so good:-). They both fill our house with a lot of fun, laughter, kisses and hugs. We are so blessed to have these two miracles come into our lives.
A short testimony about Gods faithfulness. Two weeks before Esther was born I was submitted to the hospital with dengue fever. The Friday before Esther was born the doctor declared that by blood platelets had recovered. God saw us through it all. Brought us healing, health, strength and brought Esther to this world on perfect timing. He is sovereign and knows all things!

Hsar Moo Paw, Liv Jorun, Hannah and Esther.



Monday, September 20, 2010

Steps towards unity

As I write this, ten pastors are on their way home after today’s third prayer meeting with pastors from different denominations. Last time we had only three people coming all from the same church. Today we had an amazing time were people came from many different churches. Afterwards they said that they wanted to get together even more often and we could tell that everyone were very encouraged after praying together.
We have been hoping that our base could become a place where people from different denominations can come together without feeling uncomfortable because it’s not their denomination. These pastors expressed this today, that they see our place as a “non-dangerous” zone in a way. It’s really great for us to hear that. It's been on our hearts to do this for many years and now it's really happening. Praise God!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Mini DTS

I’m sitting here by the computer feeling so grateful for what the Lord is doing. I just came back to our house after a great evening with staff and students in the Mini DTS where we had a time of speaking blessing and encouragement into one another’s lives. We could really feel an atmosphere of great appreciation and love for one another. Our words truly have power.
We started the Mini DTS eleven days ago and it’s been eleven amazing days. Many of our students have given their lives to Jesus for the first time. Most of them have experienced the Holy Spirit working in their lives somehow. Many give testimonies about how God has given them a new freedom after choosing to forgive people that have hurt them in the past. Students are sharing how the truths from Gods Word about unconditional love, salvation, The Holy Spirit, Gods grace, forgiveness and many other things are making a deep impression on their lives.
It seems like God has put this Mini DTS together for a special purpose. Our seven staff are functioning so well together each with their giftings of teaching, building relationships, serving practically, leading worship etc. Our nineteen students are more open than any other group we have had with us here in Way Te Loo. They seem to really soak in everything they hear and experience like sponges that are super thirsty.
Glory to God! He is so good and faithful. We can only stand amazed to what He is doing in the midst of us.

Students and staff in the Mini DTS,

Hsar Gu Gu teaching about unconditional love.

Fun and fellowship.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Naomi



Time goes by really fast and it's already more than 3 months since we welcomed Naomi into the world. Our beautiful daughter was born on January 13. It was an amazing experience seeing her for the first time. For about 8 months we had been praying for her and longing to see her. Suddenly we could hold her, Gods perfect creation. She is such a blessing to us and brings lots of joy to our family. What a special gift from God. We are forever thankful for the miracle of new life.

Gu Gu and Maria

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Days of inspiration
The 9th—12th of February we arranged a conference that we called “Days of inspiration”. We gathered a group of former DTS students, some pastors and we also had a DTS team from Norway visiting. We were really blessed to have Tom and Diana Hallas and Jeanette Montgemory coming to speak to us. Tom Hallas is the leader of YWAM in the Asia and Pacific region. Diana is his lovely wife and Jeanette his assistant. They make a wonderful team and were an incredible encouragement to all of us. As the Karens are so afflicted by the war and have no homeland Tom has over the years had a heart to share with them about their identity in God. While they are denied their identity as a nation and their rights as individuals in this world, God has a special place for them as adopted sons and daughters and heirs to the Kingdom. It was some very special days were people really could see their sonship in God and that they belong in the fellowship of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in a powerful way.
We also heard from Diana about women’s place in the Kingdom. She exposed some of the lies that people believe about women’s lesser value and bigger responsibility for the fall in the Garden. So deliberating and an eye opener to many of us. Jeanette encouraged us beautifully about being positioned with God by His throne in all kinds of situations. We were so blessed by her gentle and honest words.
We would like to do similar seminars especially for people that have done DTS’s here for them to be refreshed and strengthened to live life with God in their different life situations. We were so blessed to have them back her for fellowship and for a time to share some of the challenges they have been facing after coming home from DTS.
Liv Jorun

Tom Hallas.

Diana Hallas.

Eager listeners.