Missionary caught in Thai floods
We are calling for urgent prayer support for the LCA’s missionary serving in northern Thailand. Pastor Simon Mackenzie and his wife Oiy lost many of their possessions in a flash flood that devastated the area in which they are serving. Pastor Mackenzie, Oiy and their two-year-old son Aussie are safe in a hotel, after having ‘dug their way out’ of the mountains in order to get back to their home in Nan city.
Pastor Mackenzie, who has been serving in Thailand since 2004, said they were able to recover their car, motorbike, bicycle, computer gear and some clothes from their inundated home. However, they are ‘exhausted and very upset’ because of the heavy losses and trauma they and the people of Nan Province have suffered.
‘We continue to give thanks to God that our family is safe and well’, he said. ‘We will wait it out here in Nan, and tomorrow we will start looking for a house to rent. Some friends in Nan have offered to help us with the clean-up.’
Pastor Mackenzie said he and Oiy ‘greatly appreciated the prayers of those from afar’ and asked his LCA and LCNZ brothers and sisters to ‘please keep us in your prayers since we are feeling rather shattered. Please also pray for the Nan ministry team – Rev Amnuay and evangelists Tawee, Min, Bian, Korn, Bang – their families and all the people in the community. Power is still cut and we simply don’t know their situation at this point in time.’
Rev Neville Otto has promised that ‘the LCA will walk with the Mackenzies and the people of northern Thailand, just as we walked together with flood-affected people in our own country earlier this year.’
We are endeavouring to determine the extent of the damage in the areas served by Pastor Mackenzie and the ministry team, and how the LCA might assist.
Many of our partner churches are working in new territory for the kingdom of God; therefore, spiritual attack is their everyday reality. As a member of a congregation, school, or family, or a couple or individual, you are invited to commit to praying for our partners in mission. For regular prayer point updates, go to www.lca.org.au/international-mission/act-now/pray
Read more stories about our partner churches in Thailand at http://www.lcamission.org.au/category/stories/international-partners/thailand/