LMI SEAisa: UPDATE Tuesday, January 10, 2006 Hi Everyone, Happy New Year! Are you off to a good start?   We had a restful break over the holidays. We didn’t go anywhere because most of Bangkok seemed to come and vacation here and get lost while driving on the streets. But we did manage to see the movie, Narnia, and we all enjoyed it.   Our church members are all doing well and it seems that God is leading them go get involved in other ministries as well. Two of them, Gate and Yim, were able to go to refugee camps along the Burmese border to hand out clothing and supplies to those people still living in hostile conditions.  Noah spent a lot of time taking care of relatives that come to stay at his house during the holidays. Most people go back home or travel for the new year celebration.   On New Years day at our church, there were just 2 families and Aunty Cheng (Yim’s mom)  worshipping together. I was so impressed to see Noah just lead the service without being asked to. I think God is raising him up to one day open his house as a church.   Iris is back at school and we have already seen a wide assortment of problems (illnesses, behavior, etc) amongst both the staff and student body.  We still don’t know when the head nurse will be coming back. It’s always good to see the young kids. Chris has already been asked to substitute teach at the end of the month for the 5th grade class.   Today was warm and we are hoping that it’s not yet the end of the cold season. It’s been rather short this year.   Requests: 1. For Peace Church.  We have yet to meet together as a church to decide how we will be going to the neighborhood nearby and hold worship services for the children who have been attending Sunday School.  We have seen that our members have a heart to reach out to the children and their families and hope that there will one day be a church in that neighborhood. This coming Sunday we will celebrate Peace Church’s 4th birthday. It’s hard to believe that it started in our house 4 years ago. Although our numbers are small, every Sunday is such a blessing when we see how much the body loves each other.   2. For our health.  The boys are playing in sports this semester. Since Nathaniel ran track and Iris, a former track athlete herself, had helped last semester, the 2 of them will be helping the elementary children learn the sport. It takes up 4 afternoons a week as the grades are separated into upper and lower elementary Levels.  Nicholas plays basketball on Tues, Wed and Saturday.  On Wed and Sat, Michael also plays basketball in the younger division. Our allergies are okay, but there has been increasingly bad pollution in the city.   3. For Chris’ ministry and his desire to pray for healing for people. He has been thinking about going back to the English ministries at Payap University and also visiting people in 3 other children’s homes (outside of Chiangmai)  to minister to the staff. God will have to open the doors for him for the staff to welcome him. God bless y’all big time.   Love, Da Toms

CHIANGMAI CHRONICLE For a printed version (PDF - 438 KB - 4 Pages): >click here December 2005 Volume XII Issue IV Cold weather has finally come to Chiang Mai just this past week.  With nighttime temps dropping down between 65 to 70, it’s very refreshing and this is our favorite time of the year.  Last Friday, with a half day of school, was the start of a 2 ½ week break.  It has been a busy first semester, very rewarding and challenging at the same time.  Iris wore several hats as elementary art teacher, part-time nurse, and journalism adviser.  Chris helped in the afternoon art classes and substituted for some of the teachers on several occasions.  Volunteering at Payap University 3 mornings a week gave him opportunity to pray for several people and share the Good News of God’s love. This past December 5th marked our ninth anniversary in Chiang Mai.  Though we have remained in the same house, our ministry has taken on several directions as the Lord opened doors we never thought of entering.  On December 23rd, we will, hopefully, get our visas renewed in one day. It’s always unpleasant to have to deal with the red tape and whims of government officials. It was just last year when we began looking for a new visa sponsor.  The Lord has been faithful to us and He has led us every step of the way in our journey.  We have great peace of mind now that Grace International School is sponsoring our visa. GIS is an accredited Christian School and we feel secure in our visa situation as it provides a valid and honest reason for our ministry in Thailand. In the past three months, we have been ministering with many wonderful people. Back in October, a team from Nuuanu Baptist Church came for the 2nd time to serve at Khao Dee Children’s Home just outside of Chiang Rai. This time all of the children were out of school so the team members were able to spend more time with the children and staff.  Chris counseled and prayed for some of the staff who were facing difficulties; introduced the NBC team to eating bugs, dog meat and other delicacies; got to know another great bunch of people from Hawaii; and strengthened relationships with Khao Dee.  At Khao Dee, the children worshiped every evening and Chris got those Southern Baptists to get to their feet and dance like David before the Lord.  God released such a spirit of freedom and there was so much joy.  The NBC team will be returning again next fall, and maybe send smaller teams at other times during the year. Grace Home for children has been going well.  Pastor Somkiet continues to live by such great faith raising 36 children in the way of the Lord.  Laulima Ministries International raised more funds and now there is a separate dorm for the girls.  Working towards self-sufficiency, Somkiet and the children tend a plot of land and raise several types of vegetables. Next year, LMI will donate $2500 for a fishpond so there will be a consistent source of protein rich food.  This year it is very cold in the mountain village, and some of the children have gotten sick.  Additional donations will be made so that the children can have warm jackets and blankets. In October, LMI sponsored Chris to fly back to Hawaii for a two-week intensive basic training for Elijah House School of Prayer Ministry. It was a wonderful to receive training and more healing.  We believe in a lifestyle of healing. Jesus came so that we can have life abundantly. Jesus has saved us from the bondage of sin so that we may die to our old ways. Jesus desires to create new life in us, so that we would experience all that God has for us as we live out our divine destiny according to His will.  We try to seize every Spirit-led opportunity to pray for people whom we sense need a touch from the Lord. We will be busy this Christmas season helping out with several events.  Iris will be helping two different Campus Crusade teams make cookies for their outreaches.  Iris and helpers already baked for one outreach this past Friday and 4 young people prayed to receive the Lord!  This coming week, we will make another couple hundred cookies again. On Sunday Dec. 18th, Peace Church went caroling in the neighborhood of the children who come for Sunday School. At first, we thought they would be too embarrassed to show us where they lived, as it is a very poor area.  We ended up going to over 10 houses, singing, praying blessings, handing out treats and passing out tracts.  Even the S.S. kids ran ahead to pass tracts out to their friends. We could see the poor conditions of their lifestyle and we hope to start Sunday worship in their neighborhood once a month next year. FAMILY UPDATE Da Boyz are doing great in school and in their extra-curricular activities.  Nathaniel now stands 5 feet  6 inches, in between mom and dad in height.  He played the role of Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, in his 8th grade production of “A Christmas Carol”.  He went out for track, training for the 200 meter run, shot put and discus. Although he did not place in the year-end tournament, we were proud to see how hard he worked and improved.   Nicholas will get braces for his lower teeth two days before Christmas. He has adjusted to his upper set very well and has been able to learn to play the saxophone in spite of the hardware in his mouth. He is excelling in his studies and is waiting for the basketball season to start next January.   Michael is growing up, too.  He’s in a Pillsbury Doughboy stage now – but is quite athletic. He just used his allowance to buy a couple of small hamster babies, and they are quite cute in their cage. He still amazes us with his artist’s view of the world when he makes his creations during art class We so very much appreciate your wonderful support.  Your sacrifices make it possible for us to serve in Thailand.  We pray God’s richest blessings for you.  May we encourage you to keep fighting the good fight.  As we stand for righteousness, the evil one will try to lash back.  We can stand firm in the strength and victory of the Lord.  Together, with the Lord, we can advance the kingdom of our God, first with our personal revival and then in our own circles of influence. We love you!!! Da Toms Chris, Iris, Nathaniel, Nicholas and Michael Tom 21/22 Superhighway Road Moo 2 Soi Telephone Center T. Changpuak  A. Muang Chiangmai THAILAND 50300 Email – christom@loxinfo.co.th Members of Ripe for Harvest 2824 N. Power Road  #113282 Mesa, AZ  85215-1674   If anyone would like to send a gift to Da Tomz or their ministry, please send a check to RFH and write “for account 72” on the check. Please do not write our personal names.  Thank you!!

BIO: THE TOMS IN THAILAND Hi. We are a family of five. Our home church is Moanalua Gardens Missionary Church in Honolulu.   Chris grew up on Oahu, was trained as a dentist and spent ten years in practice before answering God’s call.  Iris hails from the sleepy town of Hilo and has degrees in journalism and nursing.  We have been married 15 years and our three boys, Nathaniel (7th grade), Nicholas (5th grade) and Michael (3rd grade) have spent most of their lives in Thailand.  The Lord has called us to minister to the Thai people in a Buddhist/animistic country locked within the darkness of the evil one. MINISTRY BACKGROUND The Lord first brought us to Chiangmai in the north of Thailand in 1996. During our first four-year term, we planted Grace Church Chiangmai which now has its own national pastor and is able to be on its own.   We finished our first term at Chiangmai Baptist Church after we saw that Grace church no longer needed such a large core group of missionaries. At CBC, Chris served as church leader, preacher, and teacher at Chiangmai Baptist. Iris headed up the Children’s Ministry and arranged many outreaches to neighborhood children.   In 2000, we furloughed in Hawaii for 7 months and then returned to the same rental home in Chiangmai to begin phase two. THE NEXT STEP In 2001, we began a house church. Peace Church, has about 15 members - 4 families and a few single people. Our vision is to reach out to others with the Love of Christ.   The Lord gave us a vision for a center for prayer and inner healing. So much of the church here is fragmented, leaders are burning out, and accountability and encouragement is sorely needed. Our desire is that the center become financially self-sufficient and we are trying to establish a small business.   As the scope of our ministry evolved, we joined another organization, Ripe for Harvest, a nondenominational sending agency.  Ripe for Harvest is an organization that facilitates and supplements our ministry. FAITH MINISTRY We strive to depend solely on the Lord’s leading and provision. We also strive to be open, transparent and be held accountable to our supporters.  Weekly emails are sent out along with quarterly newsletters.    We freely share what our needs are and leave it up to the Lord to provide. We hold ourselves accountable not only to our sending agency by submitting regular written reports, but also invite our supporters to contact us directly if there are any questions about our ministry. PARTNERSHIP In December 2004, we began partnering with Laulima Ministries International to be liaison for Grace Children’s Home in Mu Say Kii, a village 3 hours from Chiangmai. Pastor Somkiet, and his wife, Freepaw, have 32 children under their care. The children range in age from 2 years up to 15.  There are nightly worship services and teaching on weekends.  Grace Home provides an opportunity for underprivileged children to grow in Christ in a loving family environment. There are several ways you can reach us. LMI’s email address: Office@laulimaministries.com   Hawaii contact address: 4910 Maunalani Circle, Honolulu, HI  96816   Chiangmai address: 21/22 Superhighway Road Soi Telephone Center T. Changpuak A. Muang Chiangmai  Thailand  50300   Tom’s email address: christom@loxinfo.co.th May God richly bless you. Chris, Iris, Nathaniel, Nicholas and Michael