Tony
Wilson comes from
Harrogate Elim Church,
Yorkshire and Ursula from
Townsend Street Elim,
Belfast in Northern
Ireland They have 3
children who have all
grown up on the field.
They have been in the
ministry for 30 years and
in January 2006 will have
completed 24 years in
Thailand where they have
been church planters. They
are also actively involved
with Elim's work in
Malaysia which includes
four trips per year to
counsel the Pastor, and
teach and preach in the
churches.
Their email address is
jawilson@bkk4.loxinfo.co.th
should you wish to
encourage them.
Dear
Friends,
It
is time once again to
write to thank you
sincerely for supporting
the work here in Thailand.
You
will recall that each
month we go to the
provincial prison to teach
and evangelise both men
and women. The last time
we visited the men we had
an unfortunate incident
occur that has caused some
difficulties. We go to the
prison on the
understanding that we
abide by the rules they
have. Over a time, the men
especially, have tried to
take liberties with these,
which are often
understandable: for
example if they have no
money for a stamp they
will write a letter to
their relatives and give
it to us to post for them.
If they approach me I
always request that it
passes the censorship
department first.
But the last time
we were there I noticed
that one of the inmates
who is not a regular
attender was sat on the
floor on the front row
instead tucked away at the
back. In front of him was
a hand written letter with
a thumb print on it. He
looked pretty miserable I
noted that his arm was
limp. At the end of the
meeting I just said I
thought we ought to pray
for him and laid my hands
on his head. I did note
that the guards were
suddenly taken aback (but
they had seen us do this
on many occasions without
any reaction). Another
guard came close swing his
truncheon. This was a bit
of a shock. Any way we got
all our equipment together
and walked to the gate.
The next morning I got
this very “hot”
telephone call with veiled
threats etc. What happened
was that Song, our trainee
pastor had been approached
to take a document out
which was to accuse the
authorities, but thank God
he refused. However, he
did take a slip of paper
with a telephone number so
as to call the man’s
relatives. What transpired
is that the inmate had
been severally beaten
& was unable to use or
move his arm. He could not
get any action taken by
the authorities there and
was going to make an issue
via his relatives. The
next time we were there
was for the ladies meeting
and the security at the
meeting was different.
Guards never left us for a
minute but in the end we
felt it may work for the
benefit of the gospel in
that they too would get to
hear the gospel. But the
men have been very
troubled from with and it
has not been easy and we
are doing our best to
smooth things over so that
the ministry there will no
be curtailed.
You
too will remember that we
had to discipline a very
serious moral lapse in the
church. We have
endeavoured to engage in
damage limitation but
unfortunately the storms
are raging and numbers
each week are greatly
down. Discipline is not a
word a Thai (means free)
takes to easily or
understand at all. In fact
the whole thing has
depleted but we are
maintaining the stance we
have taken if that is
bringing a clearing within
for something better then
praise God, but it is not
one of the easiest of
times I have serve the
Lord in.
Apart
from that people, poor
enough already, have been
made redundant, one family
that are big traders and
have a fleet of Lorries
are nearly bust and a
mistake was made in a
pleading at Court. One of
them decided to plead
guilty to get a matter
settled quickly, without
realizing that a verdict
of guilt no matter how
lenient would be served
up. And it was, six month
suspended for two years
but the likelihood of
defaulting on loans which
are criminal cases here is
like to occur and we are
praying like mad for some
way out!
We
are preparing for furlough
and knew that we were
heading for white water.
We therefore need the Lord
in a special way. I did
notice that on the
anniversary of us being
here in Thailand for 25
years, ie the 19th
January 2007, that
spiritual warfare was not
wrapped up nicely with a
truce for a day or too, so
that we could celebrate
– if anything that day
was a real baptism of
fire. But it teaches us
not to rely on our own
strength but to in God
more. In it all we admit
only one thing that we
want as much as ever so
see God glorified Jesus be
lifted up and magnified
and some great victory to
come to this dark, dark
city. Pray for us please!
