Upcoming Trip: Thailand (and ways you can be part of it!)
- 25 minutes ago
- 4 min read
I will be going to Thailand to serve with a team at a Soul Care Retreat for our missionaries from Myanmar (more on this later!)
Lord willing, I will be going to Bangkok, Thailand from about May 9th to May 17th. (The retreat is from the 11th to the 15th, but the 30 hours of travel there and back extends the trip a bit.)
There is still a little time before the trip, but I want to get the details to you a bit early because there are some ways you can get involved practically this time!
Myanmar (Burma):
Bekah, I thought you said you were going to Thailand? Why are we talking about Myan
mar? (Where even is it, anyway?)
Yes, I am going to Thailand in May, but I will be going to serve our missionaries from Myanmar.
Not-so-fun fact, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) has been facing civil war for five years now. There was a military coup back in 2021, over a which removed the President from power. What began as a question over voting inconsistencies devolved into conflict over ethnic tensions, religious differences, and political ideologies.
At this point, there are so many groups fighting for their own ideals (20+) that it has become increasingly difficult to resolve despite the efforts of neighboring countries to help negotiate peace.
Because of the unrest, jobs are in short supply, and guerilla warfare means that villages become war zones in the blink of an eye, so raising crops to feed families becomes uncertain at best.
In the midst of guerilla warfare, food shortages, lack of jobs, etc., BCM International has Burmese missionaries serving God and their communities. They could have fled as refugees or sought a better life elsewhere, but instead have chosen to reach the country with the gospel even in the m
idst of war.
The Purpose of the Trip:
I will be going to Thailand to serve our Burmese missionaries at a Soul Care Retreat.
Our team in Myanmar is doing everything from planting churches, to training pastors and leaders, to running an orphanage, to leading children's programs, and more. However, the war has been weighing heavy on them.
We are pulling the team out of the war-zone for a week of training and encouragement. An international team is going to Thailand (since it would not be safe for our Burmese team if they were to try and host foreigners) and is bringing our team to Thailand for a week.
This will be a time of respite, fellowship, Bible teaching, encouragement, and training in ministry.
How Can I Help?
Give Financially
In order to care for them, we are pulling 20 ministry leaders out of the country for refreshment, which means raising the funds for flights, hotels, food, and a few helpful supplies for them to take back. With the exchange rate, it will come to about $500 total per leader.
$10 would cover their supplies for the training.
$25 would cover new clothes for a leader who can't buy them in their own country.
$50 would cover a year's supply of vitamins for a leader facing malnutrition.
$75 would cover a week's food for a leader who rarely received three meals a day.
$100 would cover their hotel where they can sleep without hearing gunfire.
$300 would cover their flights and passports to get there.
$500 would cover everything one leader needs to attend.
To give, go to https://www.bcmintl.org/give/
Where it asks for designation, select: 18696- Myanmar Ministries
Where it asks for details, type: Soul Care Retreat 2026
This will make sure that the funds go towards the Soul Care Retreat in Thailand.
Donate Bibles
Many Christians have learned to read English so that they can study the Bible, but they are having a difficult time getting access to Bibles with the war.
If you have any new or gently used Bibles (ESV, NIV, NASB, or other translations that are written in modern English), I will be collecting them to take with us for the leaders there.
Donate Bible Commentaries or Theology Books
If Bibles are difficult to come by, commentaries are even more difficult! Again, since almost nothing is available in Burmese, many have learned to read English. Single-volume commentaries or theology books would allow leaders to understand the Bible in greater depth without relying on electricity or WiFi.
Pray!
Pray for our Myanmar team and pray for the international team leading the soul care retreat. There is potential for God to do amazing things through the time there!
Prayers and Praises:
Pray for the Missionaries in Myanmar
Pray that the airline will not cancel the flights to Thailand. (With fuel shortages on the rise, many flights are getting cancelled globally. This could prevent our missionaries from coming.)
Pray that God will protect and provide for the Burmese missionaries as they serve in the midst of a war.
Pray that God will bring an end to the civil war and bring peace to the country.
Pray for the International Team as we Prepare/Plan the Trip
Pray for attentiveness to the Holy Spirit as we prepare Bible teaching for the time there.
Pray that God will grant us wisdom in knowing how best to encourage the team during the retreat.
Praise God that He has allowed us to serve these incredible people who are serving God's kingdom.
Pray for the Zimmerman-Barber-Querfeld Family
My Grandfather, Robert Barber went home to heaven on Friday, March 7th.
Pray for the family as we grieve and remember the incredible man he was.
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