Pattaya Praise

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A few weeks ago was the annual Pattaya Praise event here. Every year Christians from around the world come to lift up the name of Christ in Pattaya in song, service and prayer. Check it out here-http://pattayapraise.org/ This year was special for us.Dustin formed a praise band with fellow Christians he knew from his school and they were given two opportunities to perform and lead out in worship. It was exciting to see how the group came together!

I meet weekly with Carole Chocolate from Austria, for a time of specific prayer for our kids, husbands and homes. For some time we have prayed for our children to have the courage to stand up at Regent's, bond closer together and use the musical talents they have been given to praise the Lord. Dustin wanted to do it this year specifically because Pona, a 20 yr. old from South Africa who has been working as a Gap student at their school, who returns home in one week, has an amazing singing voice and loves the Lord. He was able to get his friend and classmate, Ha Eun from Korea who plays the piano at her Korean church to play keyboard. Max, Carole's son, who plays the drums and attends Victory Family church in Pattaya joined. Nicole and Daniella, girls that are children of two of our Praying Parents at Regent's, joined in vocals. Daniel, from Dustin's class and a member of the local Catholic Church played bass. The band was all set UNTIL God decided to answer our prayers even more than we could imagine.

A new family moved here two weeks after the band began practices from PA! Their Mom is Thai and her Dad planted a Thai church here many years ago. Joanna, the mom attended Bible College in America and met her American husband there. They just moved back to help her Dad with his church and get involved in some Prison ministries here. They have 4 children from the ages of 13-17!! We have been praying for God to send more Christian families to this area. They just HAPPENED to move next door to Ha Eun!! She brought them to the third practice and they all just jumped in and became a wonderful addition to the Stones Crying Out band!!

They were only given a 15 minute slot on two separate days, many bands come to perform in the three day event, as far away as Ireland. They sang 3 songs-He is Mighty to Save, Oh How He Loves Us-David Crowder and a new song for this area Behold Our God, a song that Dustin fell in love with this summer at the Worship conference he attended with Grace Church in August. It was amazing to see how God worked out all the details.

It was also exciting because for the first time our church was actively involved in the weekend. Our prayer since moving here has been to see more unity among the churches of Pattaya. This year I was asked to MC and lead out in prayer during one of the slum nights, the stage is moved into a slum community and many activities are provided for the people that live there while the gospel is presented and praises are sang. This year they had free meals, free haircuts, free crafts... Mark and I both had 2-10 min spots to share and pray with all there with a Thai translator. Our pastor also had 15 min to preach on the Saturday night at the huge, Central, mall where Pattaya Praise was held on the last evening. He speaks fluent Thai and didn't need a translator.

Many accepted the gospel during the three day event one of them being K.Nong!!!! A thousand Hallelujahs!!! This is Carole's maid!!! The Lord is so good to answer our prayers and allow us to witness and be part of His work here on earth. Khun Nong-now my sister in Christ!! Who will be praising the Lord for all eternity with Carole and I! How cool is that?