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Genesis & Verna Maraat

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Pioneering in a New TCM Country

Genesis & Verna arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand on May 28, 2008 to begin the difficult task of acquiring the Thai language. Their children are enrolled in Grace International School while the parents study the language and culture at Cornerstone Language School. On December 8 they were joined in Chiang Mai by TCM missionaries Nathan & Jessica Killion.

Genesis is the Field Representative for TCM in Thailand. The Maraats and Killions will develop a strategy for sharing the love of Christ with the Thai people as they continue in learning the language. The location of their future ministry is currently a matter of prayer and surveying the possibilities.

Newsletter- April 2010

Dear Co‐laborers in Jesus,

Greetings in the matchless name of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ from Chiang Mai, Thailand.
We are thankful for the privilege God gave us to be His ambassadors in this part of the world. Thank you to all who have stood with us in prayers and giving. Without your partnership we can never make it. Thank you for co-laboring together with us in the country of Thailand.

One more week until Andrea and Josiah will complete their two years at Grace International School. Andrea’s academic performance is excellent. We are thankful that she has good friends who also love the Lord Jesus. Several times they came to our house doing their homework together. She is one of the band members of the seventh grade class. She plays flute and also takes piano lessons twice per week. Josiah excels in sports. His team was the champion of Tag Rugby. He participates in soccer, track and field, and basketball and sings in choir also. His academic performance is B+, though he got a few A’s also. We are thankful that both Andrea and Josiah have adjusted very well to a school where their classmates are coming from different countries. As our children are receiving good education at a Christian school, we are constantly praying also that God will little by little transform them to have a godly behavior and that they will love and serve our Lord when they are grown up. We sincerely appreciate and thank those individuals who specifically send their gifts faithfully towards the education of Andrea and Josiah.

I had the privilege to speak at pastors’ seminars in the Philippines in the month of December last year. There were three pastors’ seminars: Cebu City, on Negros Island and the last one was in Metro Manila. One pastor wrote to me that the seminar made a turning point in his life and ministry. Praise God for the opportunity to speak to the grace leaders in the Philippines.

April 22 to May 4, 2010, I went to the Philippines to attend the TCM 52nd Annual Conference. Co‐missionary Nathan Killion and I were given the privilege to speak and report about Thailand. There were around 300 pastors, elders and members who attended the conference. TCM missionaries from Cambodia attended the conference. Ben and Joyce Anderson and Mrs. Eunice Heath were there also. It was a blessing to meet for the first time TCM Pastor and Mrs. Heng from Malaysia. They are very zealous students of the Word. Pastor Ruddy Akay reported that the TCM ministry in Indonesia is growing. They have more than 70 grace churches now in Indonesia. Many brethren in Indonesia are really suffering from persecution by the Muslim fundamentalists. One of the greatest things I learned during the conference is, “It Takes Sacrifice to Take the Gospel to the Regions Beyond.”God used Ben Anderson to speak powerful messages during the conference. To God be the Glory.

Recently the political demonstration in Thailand turned out to be nasty and very violent. Many people lost their lives and buildings were burnt. Thailand is known to be “The Land of Smile” but now the country is bleeding. The political divide is much stronger than ever. The angry protesters have uncontrollable behavior. Please pray that something good will come of this. Thai people take pride in their Buddhism and many times they turn their ears deaf to the gospel. Our prayer is that there will be openness of the hearts of the Thai people to the good news of Jesus Christ.

May 16‐19, 2010, my whole family went to the country of Laos. This trip to Laos was the answer to many, many prayers. Our Missionary visas were finally approved and stamped in our passports at the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Laos. Praise the Lord! A Missionary visa is very precious in the country of Thailand and God has miraculously given it to us. We have been praying for this since the day we arrived in Thailand; and even before we came to Thailand, many prayers had already been uttered by our dear pastors while we were still in Kenya. Coming back to Chiang Mai, Thailand from Laos was a miracle also. Our bus was the last bus which left Udonthani. The day after our bus left, all transportation was suspended because of political riots in Thailand. Our Thai neighbor called it luck, but we call it a miracle from God. The demonstrators burnt the city hall in Udonthani.

Beloved, thank you very much for your participation in our ministry. Sharing the gospel to the Thai Buddhist is next to impossible humanly speaking, but with God nothing is impossible!

Again, thank you and we love you dearly in the Lord.

Your co‐laborers in the gospel,
Genesis, Verna, Andrea and Josiah Maraat

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