Our Lord was gracious beyond comprehension as He enabled Dr. and Mrs. Pine to travel to Cambodia and Myanmar last month to help Revs. Baldwin and Kima in their labors on those fields. First, He supplied all the funds necessary to go. Second, He prepared the hearts of young people and parents from two different Cambodian villages to desire to attend (and keep attending!) a first-ever VBS program in the countryside. Over two hundred children participated and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, many for the first time. Third, the Pines enjoyed the fellowship of not only Rev. Baldwin, but also Miss Miriam, who came down from her field for a “holiday” of fellowship and mutual labor with the children. The Pines and Rev. Baldwin were blessed by her help and company. And, the face-to-face opportunity to take care of vital business related to the ministries on their respective fields was of great value. Fourth, at our Sunday services in the village of Prey Pdao, a man who has been hostile to the work of the gospel there slipped in during the service and sat quietly through the message, attentively taking in every word. This man has been instrumental in hindering the work there prior to this, so we are praying that the Lord will use His Word to soften a hard heart and win this man to Christ.

The blessings continued in Myanmar. Miriam returned to her field, so the Pines arrived on their own in Yangon to work for about ten days in primarily adult ministries. Dr. Pine taught a concentrated course in biblical interpretation to the lay pastors of the mission churches in the Shan State and to interested elders as well. They were excellent students! The course was in cooperation with Western Reformed Seminary in Tacoma, Washington.

Karen Pine taught a seminar to the ladies of the churches on the roles of women in the church and home, and that seminar was very well received. One of the pastors’ wives in the Shan State will take this material and teach it again in her area (a village where foreigners cannot go). In addition, Karen did Bible clubs with the Yangon pre-school and the Mingala Children’s Home, which the children loved. As in Cambodia, the clubs were filled with Bible lessons, crafts, music, and games. The Pines also were able to host the children at the Yangon zoo and an adjoining amusement park on a Saturday. Dr. Pine preached in the Yangon church both Sundays the Pines were there, and the blessing of fellowship with God’s people in Yangon was incredible. For more on this great ministry, see Dr. Pine’s online blog at http://lenpine.wordpress.com.

The Pines are extremely grateful for the prayers of God’s people while they were traveling; for the hard work done by the ladies of the Grand Island BPC to prepare all the craft materials for the ministry (30 lbs. worth!); for the donors who gave so generously to underwrite the expenses of the trip; and to the Lord for His safe keeping and blessing as He demonstrated so clearly His presence in these wonderful works.