“I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields!  They are ripe for harvest.” - John 4:35

It’s not called a “mission field” for nothing.  The Bible often draws upon the analogy of the work of God’s kingdom here on earth as being like a farm field, one that is ripe for the harvest.  The spiritual seeds are sown through the Word.  Despite the attempts of earthly weeds to halter growth, an abundant spiritual harvest will be gathered through diligent cultivation and the blessing of the Lord.

This spiritual truth is clearly evident in the blessings the Lord has continued to provide for the growth of the church in Hmong Village 9.  Situated near the foot of the Burmese mountains in Tak Province of western Thailand, the people of this Hmong village earn a living primarily from their work in the fields.  The climate and land allows them to have several planting and harvesting seasons within a given year.  The most recent harvests have included potatoes, peanuts, and avocados. [slideshow=70]

The Lord has also been busy at work in the fields of Village 9, but His harvest is one of people. This mission field was first planted in the mid-1990’s by missionaries from Chiang Mai and Minnesota who were led by the Lord to establish contacts with the Village 9 residents.  People gathered for worship in a large open area in front of one of the believing family’s homes.  These outdoor services had many passersby – whether people or wandering animals.Through the years, the Lord continued to bless the growth in many ways.  A physical church building was finished in 2005, and two graduates of the “It is Finished” Bible Institute in Chiang Mai began to shepherd the congregation as they returned as called evangelists to their home village.  A weekend children’s program was started – the “Bring the Children Home” Project – and now in its third year, approximately fifty children come weekly where they learn about God’s Word.  While one of the evangelists has returned to Chiang Mai to focus on completing seminary studies, in the past months two more recent graduates of the “It Is Finished” Bible Institute have stepped in to serve the Village 9 Lutheran Church.  These two gentlemen, both of whom come from neighboring Hmong Village 16, will also be able to focus evangelism efforts in their own village.

As you pray for the WELS Thailand Mission, please remember the words of Luke 10:2 – “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  May God continue to bless Village 9, Village 16, and everywhere else the seeds are sown by the Lord’s laborers, as we eagerly look for a ripe harvest of souls.