November 2002

Dear Friends,

We are coming to visit you soon! Would you like to learn about the good things God is doing in Chiang Mai, Thailand-at Payap University and the Christian Communications Institute (CCI)? We would love to meet you for the first time or to renew our friendship.

Here is our schedule so far:

• February 20 - 11 March - Esther available
• March 12 - Rob and CCI drama team join Esther for tour:
• March 12-17 California
• March 18-23 Texas-Oklahoma
• March 24-27 Arkansas-Kentucky
• March 28-31 Western Pennsylvania
• April 1 - 3 Eastern Ohio
• April 4 - 8 Western Ohio
• April 9 - 11 Missouri
• April 12-15 Oklahoma-Texas
• April 16-20 California
• 20 April - 15 May Rob available

If you are interested in a visit, please let us know ASAP. Some of you have already set dates and we are looking forward to being with you. We enjoy all sorts of meetings-from whole congregations of thousands to intimate dinners with a mission committee.

Payap's chapel overflowed during Foon Foo (Revival) Week as students and staff laughed and cried over the funny and poignant mini-musicals by the Christian Communications Institute. Many then checked out our fair and signed up for English Bible classes. About 60 students came to our new believers' retreat-which was also lots of fun. God is moving and God is needed greatly.

Payap student murdered. Others arrested for drug possession

University students here face the same struggles and temptations as students everywhere. With a student population of nearly 9,000 we encounter suicide and murder every year. Drug abuse and dependence are huge problems. Local dorms don't offer much more than a room, and lonely kids away from home for the first time are highly vulnerable. The institutional approach to these issues is to hold huge lectures and tell kids not to use drugs and to behave well. In the chaplain's office at Payap we are trying to build a strong club of caring Christian students and a network of friendly smaller care groups where laughter and friendship will be attractive alternatives.

Rom Thamm Resurrection

Rom Thamm means "umbrella of truth" or "shade of truth." It's the name of our Christian student group which has been languishing for the past couple years. A small group of eager and capable English majors has gathered around Singaporean missionary Nathaniel Heng who teaches English and asked to start a group. They have joined forces with Rom Thamm and we are asking God to knit them together so that many more students will find quality friends and eventually get to know the best friend of all, Jesus.

Christmas is coming and we've planned an all day fair, Santa visits, campus-wide dinner and a major CCI Christmas musical featuring a cast of thousands (hundreds, actually). It all happens December 3. Please pray that God will be at work revealing the depth of his love to many hearts. What a humble and precious Lord we serve-who would tiny-himself so small that we could begin to know him. Our desire is to reveal his love in similar small but tangible ways throughout Payap University.

May our Saviour be revealing his love for you in ways that you can really feel too! We would love the chance to hear in person what God is doing in your neck of the woods. We hope to see you sometime between February 20 and May 20, 2003. Let us know what works for you.

Sincerely,

Esther Wakeman and Rob Collins

The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 163