A God Given Friend

A few months ago we were on our way to do some errands and came fifteen minutes too early to the mall. To be effective we decided to walk over to the super market. On the way there both of us sensed that we should go back and see if there were anyone we could talk with. When we came back to the mall a well dressed young man stood there on his own. He didn't look like a Thai so we asked where he came from. He shared some of his life story, that he was from Bhu*tan and that he had worked here in Bangkok for the last three years. When he asked us, we told him that we are here to start LifeCenter International Church and immediately he said he would like to come some time. A year earlier some missionaries had given him a tract about Jesus on the skytrain.

Since then we have met a just a few times but yesterday we had a wonderful time together in our living room. We prayed a prayer together where he received the forgiveness of sins and gave his life to Jesus. He is a talented and very humble man. He has already become a dear friend to us. Right now he is going through a tough time in his life. He has spent the last days on the hospital with his Thai father-in-law who has blood cancer. Please pray with us for him, his family and that the father-in-law would be healed in the name of Jesus. God hears prayers!

Celebrate Marriage!

On Valentine´s Day (in Sweden we call it "All Hearts Day") we had invited some friends to "Celebrate Marriage" with us. We had a great evening at Rossini´s restaurant, enjoying a first-class Italian dinner and good fellowship. Thank God for friends! All these couples are our valuable friends and we believe we all were encouraged as husbands and wives this evening.

When Jesus shows up

The two guys on the left came looking for us at the university today. The reason: They wanted to be saved. They have gone through some tough crisis and among other things they have lost relationships and jobs down in the south of Thailand. (The financial crises is affecting Thailand as well.) They came to Bangkok a few days ago in search for a new job and a new start in their lives. They ended up in our friend Chaart´s one-room apartment. He has been sharing Christ with them and last night one of them had a dream of how Jesus came to him.

So today we bought them a lunch and shared about God´s love. With tears in his eyes one of them shared his dream and then we just prayed together. Isn´t it wonderful how Jesus comes to us when we are in the crisis, and how he offers to carry all our troubles?
Please pray for Suu and Hard as they start their new life with Jesus and that they will get the right jobs. Pray for Chaart as he will guide them in their new life and that he also will get a good job.

Ice Cream Party

This afternoon we had an Ice Cream Party for some of our friends at the Ramkhamhaeng University. So fun! We had our kids with us and they enjoyed the Ice Cream as well as the company of these wonderful young friends. Please pray for them. Some of them have already decided to follow Jesus but all of them are eager to learn more about Him.

House of Grace

On Thursday, Daniel had the priviledge to go with Rev. Jörgen Algesund to an orphanage. Rev. Jörgen is a Swedish missionary who has been serving in this country in almost 50 years. Many of the Full Gospel pastors know him and regard him high as he has been a pioneer in theological training in Thailand. We are always encouraged to meet him and his wife Inger.

The orphanage we visited was a few hours drive from here. When we got there I was really moved in my heart for these children's situation. House of Grace is an orphanage for AIDS-affected children whose parents has died of this terrible disease and who have no one to take care of them. 30 girls and 27 boys. A 2-year-old boy had just arrived there, as old as our son Jonathan but already with this death sentence over his life.

Thank you Jesus for House of Grace and pastor Kitisak and his wife, who give their lives for these AIDS-affected children and widows. Read more at their website: www.houseofgracethailand.com

The invitations has been sent

On Valentine´s Day we are arranging the party: "Celebrate Marriage". Now these invitations has been sent out and we expect around 15 couples to come. Every couple invited are precious friends that we have got to know in this city. Our prayer is that they will be encouraged to build great marriages and inspired to find out more of God´s principles of how to do that.

We've got a great deal with an award-winning (and very exclusive) Italian restaurant and the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit has promised all the married couples who wants to a complimentary hotel room! We really sense God´s favor when we are preparing this. At the same time we experience that we are in a war when we deal with something so important. The Bible teaches all of us to hold every marriage high. So please stand in prayer for this party and all these marriages and families represented.

A two year old miracle

I thought my wife was just about to give birth when the midwife yelled to the nurse to press the alarm button. The midwife jumped up on the bead and pushed back the baby. The naval cord had come first. Within a minute my wife was rolled into a room where I could not follow, she was knocked by the anesthetic and surrounded by doctors. I was left in the corridor, put my hands on the wall and started praying desperately for my wife and child. I knew the situation was serious but also sensed holy faith rise up within me. A worried nurse told me to sit down. After a few minutes we heard a baby cry. "Oh, your child is alive..." said the nurse with a smile. But her facial expression changed as we both realized it was from another room.

A doctor came running with Jonathan´s lifeless body, they put him on a small bed and started to give heart massage and oxygen. I grabbed my son´s hand and prayed aloud that my son would live and be a strong and healthy boy. The levels were not good at the start but I knew God´s life giving breath was coming into his body. After a few minutes things were looking better and then he peed on the nurse...

Every child is a miracle. We have four. Today is our youngest son´s birthday. He had a miraculous start and today he is a healthy and strong boy. Last night he told me he wanted "brumbrum and namnam" (cars and candies/cookies/goodies) for his birthday. And so far he has not let go of his new car this day.

Yes, I am a very proud father of this miracle boy and a very proud husband of my super-wife.

Friends in high places

This year is going to be special. On Sunday there is gubernatorial election here in Bangkok.

This weekend we went to Chatuchak-market. As we sat down and had a cup of coffee one of the candidates walked by. Waving, smiling and picking up small kids and being photographed. There was a big team of people walking around him handing out flyers. He took a brake and sat down at the same coffee shop, the table next to us. We exchanged a few sentences (in Thai that is, he probably knows English better than I do, but I didn´t think about that). I (Daniel) told him I am a pastor and that I pray for this city every day and that I would gladly pray for him as well. We then exchanged business cards. Please pray for him and the elections on Sunday.

New beginnings

This is our city. This is our slogan. This is the first day of this year. This is our first blogpost in english (it might not be the best grammar or spelling... please send us corrections).

This is the view we woke up to this morning. Last night we found a "last minute deal" on a hotel downtown so we could get a good view of the fireworks and the celebrations. We actually managed to keep all our kids awake until midnight (four kids under the age of eight) and they all got up to enjoy a great hotel breakfast. What a great start of 2009!

We love this picture of Bangkok. It speaks of the new face and the new phase of missions among the unreached. (We´ll be back on that subject.) It speaks about the masses in Asia and its mega cities. It also speaks about a new season in this part of the world. A harvest season. The lovely Thai people is among the least reached people groups of the world. But there is something on the horizon. The power of darkness is losing its grip, "the sun of righteousness will rise".

Trust God for your best year ever. We do. We are expecting many people to come to the Lord this year in this city. We are expecting a church, LifeCenter Bangkok, to be born this year.
Please stay tuned, we need your prayers.