Gonzales Newsletter: August 2019

Our Beloved Partners and Friends,

Jiep with Pastor Lorenzo Aguilar and family in Manasses

We are grateful to God for the privilege to continue serving Him as missionaries here in Thailand since 2001. Thank you for your continual prayers and unwavering support. We returned to Thailand with thanksgiving in our hearts on May 24, after our six-month furlough in the United States. We really enjoyed our time with you, our relatives, friends, and lovely daughter, Liza. We were immensely touched by your kindness, warm hospitality, and generosity. Thank you so much!

Praise the Lord! There were five Buddhists who received the Lord Jesus Christ recently at our church in Don Muang, Bangkok in different Sunday services. Moreover, the number of members is increasing, including the children. We are praying and hoping to buy the property beside our church. If the Lord is leading you to be part of this vision, kindly send your donation to WMM project number 74520P. This church is the first IPHC church in Thailand.

My trip to Cebu, Philippines, from June 17-24, for a family reunion and speaking engagements in two IPHC churches was awesome. There were three people who were saved, and I was able to encourage my family, including my cousins and biological brother and sisters, by sharing the word that our hope is in Jesus Christ. I came back home to Thailand, praising and glorifying the Almighty God.
We thank God for His continuous blessings upon the ministry. During our quarterly meeting in Bangkok, on July 5, it was reported that several churches were planted and new independent churches were being added to the IPHC Thailand. We are now about to reach 80 churches from 70 in January. The Thailand Theological Seminary (TTS) is also progressing. There are now five school branches beside the Main TTS in Petchabun. These are located in Bangkok, Petshanulok, Phraea, Pattaya, and Mae Sai.

We thank God for strengthening our relationship with the Thai government, not only in Bangkok areas, but also in the provinces, by helping them to carry out their programs. We had a wonderful meeting with the governor and the vice governor of the Petchabun province, including the head of the Department of Social Development and Welfare and school district officials on June 26. We talked about the ASEAN Students Cultural Exchange. We were asked to organize and lead the students to make this government program work. We made a schedule to push this program from October 13-19, 2019, wherein 12 students, two teachers, and the Governor and his wife will go with us to Vietnam and will be led by Dr. Wallapa Wisasukmongchol. Praise the Lord!

The English camp that we conducted from July 23-26 to help Thai volunteer workers learn basic English communication and team building was a huge success. In spite of the very strict laws for a Christian organization to operate in Thailand, our good relationship with the Thai government helps us in many ways, such as renewing our religious organization and foundation licenses, visas, and medical benefits for pastors, missionaries, and volunteer workers. To God be the glory!

May the Lord richly and abundantly bless you all.

Your Co-laborers in Christ,

Brother Albert and Sister Jiep Gonzales