OMF Thailand

"In the middle of her scrolling, Ms. Siri paused..."

Let's pray about something that is in many ways “unseen” in Thailand: God’s kingdom.

- Praise the Lord that He is building his kingdom in Thailand, even though it is not much seen in public

- Pray that believers grow in Christlikeness, influencing people in their families, workplaces, and neighbourhoods (like sourdough that makes the whole dough rise, or a plant that grows from tiny seeds)

- Pray for churches to reflect kingdom values and to be places where outsiders can “see and taste” God’s goodness

- Pray for the Lord to reveal Himself to the people in Thailand, by whatever means He chooses – whether through supernatural encounters, Christian witness in conversations, radio or television, internet or print media, Christian songs, or other ways

- Pray for God’s kingdom to grow continuously in Thailand in seen and unseen ways

Each time Andrew plunges into the Andaman Sea, he sees new layers of incredible diversity and vibrant color. Join him on a brief journey into the heart and creativity of the Creator! (Andrew is the son of Mark & Becky Leighton, who served with OMF Thailand for 31 years.)

Do you love snorkeling or diving? What's your favorite "unseen" underwater neighbor?

It started with a simple question in a Facebook ad and led to a visit at a local farm...

In Thailand, the average person spends over eight hours a day online, and Facebook advertising has the potential to reach 77% of the population aged 16 and over. This week, please pray for the wise and effective use of technology, especially in making the gospel known to those who have not yet heard it.

• Pray for discernment for Christians in using technology thoughtfully in their daily lives—so that it becomes a blessing rather than a distraction.
• Pray for insight for the OMF Thailand digital media team as they discern how best to use technology to share the gospel.
• Pray for wisdom in selecting topics for Facebook adverts and presenting them in a way that speaks to people’s hearts.
• Pray for the three responders who engage in conversations with those who get in contact after seeing an advert.
• Pray for more multipliers—individuals willing to follow up with seekers offline in their local communities.
• Pray for sufficient funding to support this ministry.

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"Have you found this one yet?!" Some of our missionaries are avid bird watchers; David shares a few of his photos and insights from his "hunts" for some rarely-seen birds of this beautiful country.

Are you a bird watcher, too? We'd love to see your best picture or "find" in the comments below!

Our digital evangelism team seeks to have an easily-seen online presence -- but the work of responding is done online and in person by individuals in small, lesser-known villages:

This coming week, the Thai people will celebrate Thai New Year (April 13-15), also called Songkran, with families getting together, pouring water over Buddha statues and elders, making merit, and having water fights. Please join us in prayer for Thailand this week:

• Pray for safety on the roads as many people will travel to visit parents and the wider family
• Pray for families to have a good time of reconnecting with each other
• Pray for those who are the only Christians in their wider families, to have wisdom in how to show respect and love to their elders, while not having to be involved in rituals that would not honour God.
• Praise the Lord for being the “fountain of living waters” (Jer 2), the giver of (new) life
• Pray for Thai Christians to rejoice in God and to stay close to him so that “living water” will also flow from them (John 7) to the people around them – that Thai people will hear the good news and start trusting Jesus as well

"My journey takes about 10 minutes; my life momentarily in the hands of a stranger. Who is this man? What is his life like?"

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Lord Jesus, we praise you for this Easter Sunday as we reflect on your victory over sin and death. You made a way where there was none for us to have fellowship with God. Thank you for taking our guilt and shame and giving us freedom and life instead. Lord, help us to never lose the wonder of what you did for us, and never let us take it for granted.

At the same time, we hope for our Thai neighbours, friends, and family members to come and see and taste your goodness as well. We long for them to receive your gift of forgiveness and the hope that goes beyond death. While our earthly lives will end someday, whoever receives your gift will enjoy eternal life in your presence.

Thank you, Jesus, that by your death and resurrection you also declared to the unseen world that You are the victor. Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. We pray for the people of Thailand find hope in You.

Lord, bless the Thai people with joy and hope in You. Amen.

One older man on one little farm in one small district in the middle of Central Thailand ...

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A number of years ago, the "Unseen in Thailand" campaign invited the world to discover the country’s hidden natural wonders—its untouched jungles, mountains, and villages.

As we walk through daily life here, we find God continually opening our eyes to a different kind of "unseen." He challenges us to notice the mundane and the common—those parts of life so easily overlooked or brushed aside.

We also experience firsthand how "unseen" his kingdom is, as the Thai church is still very small -- less than 2% of the total population!

Join us this month as we look at small things and small churches, behind-the-scenes ministry, and lesser-noticed people.

"God chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. He chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important." (1 Corinthians 1:27-28, NLT)

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