Verjaarsdag Hope Koh Phangan

Hope of Koh Phangan het sy sesde verjaardag gevier en ons baie

dankbaar vir die groei wat in 2010 plaasgevind het.

Ons oggend gebedsgroep het baie mooi gegroei en ons is dikwels

17 mense wat soggens saam bid. Hier sien ons hoe gebede

beantwoord word - van dit moet reen en asb nie reen nie, tot

genesings van siekes.

Die Bantaai Hope is ook mooi op dreef en ons dankbaar dat die

aanddienste baie mooi bygewoon word, iets wat nuut is vir

die mense op die eiland.

Die Sondagskool van Hope is ook geseend met tot 22 kinders

op Sondag, ons verdeel die twee groepe na die ouer en jonger

kinders, ons dank Ons Hemelse Vader vir hierdie kindertjies.

Dikwels buddistiese kinders wat ook saam met Christen maaktjies

kom, ons glo dat die materiaal wat huistoe gaan ook sal spreek

tot die ouers.

Sandduine Seen

Cobus en Deirdre

COMBINED PRAYER EVENING

WE DID ORGANISED AN EVENING OF PRAYER FOR CLAIMING BACK THE GROUND AND SOULS OF THE BANTAAI AREA ON OUR ISLAND. ON THE NIGHT OF 13 AUGUST THE HOPE AND VICTORY CHURCHES` MEMBERS DID COME TOGETHER AND WE DID START HAVING SOMETHING TO EAT WHILE THE SUN WAS GOING DOWN. WE CALL TO GOD ON THE PROMISES HE MADE IN HIS WORD THAT WHEN WE REPENT OUR SINS AND TURN TO HIM HE WILL HEAL OUR LAND.

WE DID START AT THE VICTORY CHURCH WITH A SHORT SERVICE OF SCRIPTURE READING, PRAYER AND WORSHIP. THEN WE WALKED THE STREET OF BANTAAI DOWN TO THE BANTAAI HOPE CHURCH, ALL DRESSED IN OUR WHITE "I LOVE JESUS" T-SHIRTS CARRYING A CROSS, BLOWING THE HORN AND CLAIMING THE GROUND THROUGH PRAYER.

WE FINISHED THE EVENING WITH PRAISE AND WORSHIP AT HOPE CHURCH. WE ALSO DID PRAY FOR THE FUNCTION OF THE "WOMEN WHO BELIEVE" GROUP IN SOUTH AFRICA THAT WHOULD START 2 HOURS LATER. THEY WERE TRYING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THAILAND SENDING(MISSION). WE ARE SO PROUD THAT SO MANY THAI CHRISTIANS DID TURN UP. THERE WERE STILL 50 OF THE APROXIMATELY 70 CHRISTIANS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE ISLAND AT THE PRAYER EVENING. WE THANK GOD FOR SUCH A BLESSING.

ANGELS FROM KOH SAMUI

WHEN WE TOOK MARIKE TO KOH SAMUI TO FLY OUT TO BANGKOK AT THE END OF HER PRAYER OUTREACH, WE MET TWO SOUTH AFRICANS, JACO AND GARRYLENE, LIVING IN THE EMIRATES. THEY WERE STAYING IN THE SAME RESORT AS US. WE COULD IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCE THAT THERE IS A SPECIAL BOND AS WE COULD TALK ABOUT GOD AND THE MIRACLES HE IS PERFORMING.

THEY DECIDED TO VISIT US ON KOH PHANGAN AND WE DID SPEND TWO SPECIAL DAYS SHOWING THEM THE ISLAND AND THE WORK WE ARE BUSY DOING. WHAT IS EVEN MORE SPECIAL IS THAT JACO COMMITED HIMSELF IN TRYING TO BRING A GROUP OF MEN COMING HELPING TO FIX WHAT IS NEEDED TO BE FIXED. WE EXPERIENCED THEM AS ANGELS IN OUR LIFES AS WE REALLY DID NEED SOME-ONE TO COME AND PICK US UP AGAIN AS WE WERE A BIT DOWN AT THAT STAGE.

MOTHERSDAY IN THAILAND

MOTHERSDAY IN THAILAND IS CELEBRATED ON THE QUEEN`S BIRTHDAY, WHICH IS 12 AUGUST. THE CHRISTIANS OF HOPE CHURCH CELEBRATED MOTHERSDAY ON THE SUNDAY PRIOR TO HER BIRTHDAY, THE 8th OF AUGUST. THE CHURCH WAS SPECIALLY MADE UP WITH RIBBONS, FLOWERS, ETC TO CELEBRATE MOTHERSDAY.

OAR MADE UP SOME SMALL PRESENTS FOR ALL THE MOTHERS AND HANDMADE FLOWERS WERE PINNED ON THE MOTHERS. WE HAD TO GIVE SUNDAYSCHOOL AT VICTORY CHURCH. DEIRDRE DID MAKE THE CHILDEN TO MAKE MOTHERSDAY CARDS AND TO GO AND GIVE IT TO THEIR MOTHERS AT THE END OF THE SERVICE.

DEIRDRE BROUGHT THE MESSAGE AT THE SERMON THAT SUNDAYNIGHT AT THE BANTAI HOPE CHURCH. IT WAS VERY SPECIAL FOR US WHEN THEY THANKED US FOR BEING THEIR SPIRITUAL FATHER AND MOTHER GUIDING THEM THROUGH THEIR LIFES AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST. SOME MOTHERS TOOK OFF THEIR FLOWERS AND PINNED IT ON US.

ON THE NIGHT OF THE QUEEN`S BIRTHDAY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATED HER BIRTHDAY THROUGH SPEACHES, SONGS, LIGHTING CANDLES FOR HER AND A FIREWORKS SHOW. THE CHRISTIANS PARTAKE IN THIS EVENT.

DONATION FOR VICTORY CHURCH

A WOMAN FROM BLOEMFONTEIN, FRANCIS VAN TONDER FROM THE WOMAN WHO BELIEVE CHRISTIAN GROUP, HAD A VISION THAT VICTORY CHURCH AT KOH PHANGAN IS GOING TO GROW REALLY BIG. SHE HAD ALSO THE URGE TO BLESS THEM BY DONATING A BIG COPPER BOWL AND PLATE AS A SIMBOL AS OF WHAT IS TO COME. THE DONATED ITEMS WERE MORE THAN 100 YEARS IN THEIR FAMILY.

THE ITEMS WERE ACCEPTED BY PASTOR PRAYOUL, HIS WIFE TOMMY AND THEIR DAUGHTER PALEE WITH GEAT JOY AS WELL AS THANKFULLNESS TOWARDS FRANCIS AS DEIRDRE EXPLAINED TO THEM THE VISION AND THE SENTIMENTAL VALUE THAT IT HAD FOR HER.

Our new house

We move to a house near the jungle and enjoy it very much. We were 10 people for lunch in our tiny sitting area, people visit us from Suratanee. We gave them African food and share some gospel with them it was a wonderful time. We alo s get a dog with the house and we have to do a new garden. But we enjoy the squirels stealing my orchids to eat and a lot of birds and big Gecko( real dangerous) hoping catching rats and snakes.

We love the big outside area and natural surroundings.

Dunes of Blessings
Cobus and Deirdre

Uitreik Junie 2010

Marike se uitreik na Thailand was maar baie nat..soos die foto's wys, maar sy
het geseende tyd saam met die Thai's deurgebring en baie harte aangeraak

Dr Ling(Monkey) sy studeer vir veearts, daarom noem hulle haar so, het ook haar eie klein Ling hier ontmoet sy kon ook Hope Bantaai help met waaiers en stoele,
Verder het sy ook kos voorsien aan gesinne, hier is min toeriste is op die oomblik sodoende het die mense nie werk nie.

Weereens na uitreik kan ons laat weet dat 4 Thai's wat laasjaar laas in die kerk was , na gebede by hul besighede en huise dienste bygewoon het, by Victory en Hope.Dankie Jesus vir die antwoord op hierdie gebede.

Sandduine seen
Cobus Deirdre

OUR NEW HOUSE

MOVING TO ANOTHER HOUSE

TWO DAYS BEFORE WE HAD TO LEAVE FOR SOUTH AFRICA FOR COBUS TO DO HIS MEDICAL, WE HAD TO MOVE TO A NEW HOUSE. WE WERE LOOKING FOR A MORE QUITE HOUSE WITH A BIT MORE SPACE AND PRIVACY THAT WE DON`T HAVE TO KEEP THE INTERNATIONAL CHURCH`S CAREGROUP AND BIBLE STUDY IN OUR ROOM.

OUR LANDLORD INFORMED US THAT THE HOUSE AT THE BACK OF THE AREA WHERE WE WERE LIVING ARE AVAILABLE AND THAT WE COULD HAVE IT AT THE SAME RENT. THE HOUSE IS OLDER BUT BIGGER AND IS SITUATED RIGHT AT THE BACK CLOSE TO A PATCH OF JUNGLE. IT IS REALLY QUITE DOWN THERE AND ONLY THE BIRDS, SQUIRRELS AND A FEW COWS AND WATERBUFFALOWS THAT ARE GRAZING AROUND THE HOUSE.

WE ALSO DID GET A DOG WITH THE HOUSE. IN THE BEGINNING WE THOUGHT IT WAS A MALE AND GIVE HIM THE NAME "BRAKKENJAN" BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS SHE WAS COMING CLOSER AND WE REALISED IT IS A BITCH DOG. HER NAME WAS CHANGED TO "BRAKKENSAN". WE BELIEVE SHE WAS BADLY MISTREATED AS SHE WAS KEEPING A DISTANCE BUT NOW SHE RELAXED AND AFTER TREATING HER FOR TICKS AND FLEAS WE LET HER SOMETIME COME TO LIE INSIDE THE HOUSE WHEN THERE IS A BAD STORM.

April 2010

Goeiedag/ Goodday

Time is passing so quickly and we just started a new year on 13 April 2554, yes Thailand is in the year 2554. Songkran was a day full of laughter and very wet, the tradition is to throw water to bless others, we and the prayergroup enjoed the day with the Thai's on the island. We than the Lord for a succesful prayerwalk visit from South Africa. We really had a wonderful time with the ladies from South Africa and they do a lot of visits to the Christians on the island.

We had a wonderful easter weekend... we had a movie night with the Passion of Christ and we washed the feet of the Thai's and afterwards we had communion. We rejoice that two families who was away from the church is back.

One of the highlights of the group was giving a christian lady a bible, she just burst into tears and then we all were crying in the end of joy with her. I can't remember when I saw a SA person cry about a bible as a present. We just again realised how blessed we are to have more than one bible.

Please Pray with us:

- The families re-unite with the church thank the Lord for coming back

- The bibles, that God will inspire the people to spend more time reading and praying

- The pastor's in Thailand and their families

- God will protect us on the motorbike, Deirdre still not at ease

- Thank God for the growth in both churches on the island

- Finances of the June youth prayergroup and for Deirdre for plane ticket

Thank you for praying with us

Dunes of Blessings

Khoo and Dee

March 2010

A lot of exciting things happened the last month. We started sundayschool at Victory church with 7 children and it is still growing.

We have a special Praise Service on valentine's day. Here we thank God for His love on valentine's day the focus is not on romantic love, But God's love.

Very hot at the moment on the island, little children swim in the main street of Thongsala to cool down.

World Women's Prayer Day on 5 March 2010. Second year we take part and last year we were 16 women this year we were 50 women and 9 girls. Please thank God with us for this prayer meeting

Dunes of Blessings

Khoo and Dee

fot us.

News Flash March 2010

Goodday Prayer Warriors

We want to thank you all for your Prayers, it certainly makes a difference for us here in Thailand.

We just ask that you thank the Lord with us for His protection when we had a motorcycle accident 1 March and just got minor injuries. Absolute Miracle
Thank You Jesus!!

Prayer List:
Prayer Group on their way to Thailand
Safety for us on the roads
Sunday School children and lessons
Finansies vir die bediening hier op eiland
Gesondheid
Nuwe Christine nie sal terugval nie
Dank God ook saam met ons vir die groei hier op die eiland van die Christen getalle.

Dankie dat u saam met ons bid
Sandduine seen
Cobus en Deirdre

Buddhist Funeral

We have a chance to attend a funeral at the temple, it is a long process take one whole week.

Die liggaam le in die kis vir 5 dae en die naaste familie slaap by die temple. Een van die seuns gaan in "monkhood" in om merits te verdien. Al die besoekers wat "merits" vir die man kom verdien moet voorsien word van kos en drinkgoed.

This is very expencive and they also hire the coffin from the temple. Flowers is sent and people bring offerings to the temple.

Dunes of Blessings

Khoo and Dee

Chinese nuwejaar en Valentyns dag 2010

Sondag 14 Februarie was Chinese nuwejaar en Valentyns dag en ons het met Praise en Worship vvalentynsdag gevier soos elke jaar deur die Christene gedoen word. Family love was the theme this year and we had a barbeque afterwards.

Nuwejaars voornemens hoef hier nie lank te hou nie want een van die dae vier ons Thailand se nuwe jaar. Chinese vier die jaar van die tier.

We have an expo on the island and a few photo's show the food and dancers on the expo. Cobus shoped and bought himself a new gardenscissor.

Snaduine Seen

Cobus en Deirdre

While the year is running so fast we feel an excitement in our hearts for 2010 and believe that growth and an abundance of new things will happen in Thailand 2010.

Projects for 2010 are:

-Prayer groups visiting Koh Phangan

- New Sunday school at Victory Church

- Praise and Worship in June 2010

- New Bible study group

- Growth of the international Bible study

- English lessons during School holidays for Thai children

- Bible for Thai Christians

- Caregroup for old Thai People

and all the other projects running.

Please pray for these projects on Koh Phangan and thank you for you support and paryers.

Dunes of Blessings

Cobus and Deirdre

Khoo and Dee