Ben and Becca Johnson

Christmas Ministry Update

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Johnson family!

We are so thankful for the angelic message that Jesus’ incarnation is good news!  As Timothy Keller states in his book, Hidden Christmas, good news isn’t advice.  It’s not a list of things we can do to improve our situation in life.  It’s news.  It’s the declaration of something that’s already been done to save us and make us whole.  During this Christmas/New Year season, we pray that you are able to rest in the work that Jesus has already completed for us…to become one of us…Immanuel!

It seems like we are slowly coming out of the “COVID cloud” here in Thailand.  The country is trying to re-open for tourists.  International schools are trying to re-open.  And it would seem that ministry will begin picking up again.

Cool Shade Thanksgiving

Back on the Friday after Thanksgiving, Cool Shade of Life Church held a kind of Thanksgiving celebration.  It wasn’t intended to be American Thanksgiving.  Instead, it was an evening of worship and barbecue to praise God for his provision of land.  We held the gathering on the land that will, Lord willing, be the location for Cool Shade’s church building.  This was the first opportunity the church has had to see the land together since its purchase.  Our family made hundreds of sticks of Thai style grilled pork and dipping sauce for us to enjoy!

End of an Epic Semester

Becca has spent the last 3 semesters teaching as a long-term Spanish substitute at Grace International School.  COVID has made it necessary to teach her Spanish students while also helping our own kids with their own online classes.  Despite the difficulty, God was using her to bless her students and keep their parents able to do ministry all over Southeast Asia.  The mother of one of Becca's students wanted us to share the following with you all:

"This semester has probably been one of the hardest in the history of Grace International School. We have battled the anxiety of a Covid outbreak, the constant uncertainty of whether we can return to campus, an extended drain on staff well-being, and immense pressure on students and families. You have no idea of the blood, sweat, and tears Mrs. Johnson has poured out for students and families this semester. Her patience and flexibility were so helpful during a crisis with our son. She helped us figure out the most strategic way for him to pass his Spanish class. She makes such a difference here. Please stand by her, pray for her, and continue to support her."

Back to Work!

We are in the middle of a very busy few weeks of travel and ministry!  While it’s been exhausting to think of everything we’ve been doing and will be doing in the next week or so, it has been exciting to be able to “get back out there” and be engaged in face-to-face ministry again!

Baan Eurphon Chumphawn

On December 16, we drove to Chumphawn province in southern Thailand where we visited Baan Eurphon children’s home.  Pastor Jamnong, his wife Nui, and Baan Eurphon are part of the network of churches that we are working to bless and encourage.  We spent a couple of days at Baan Eurphon doing Christmas activities with the kids and preaching for their Sunday worship.

Vacation!

After leaving Baan Eurphon, we got a couple nights away to rest before coming back to Chiang Mai for Christmas celebrations with teammates, friends, and family!

New Year in the Mountains!

During New Year weekend, we will be traveling into the mountains to visit and do ministry with our partner and dear friend, Boonchu Pongdamrongsap.  Ben will be preaching during their village New Year celebrations and for their Sunday worship services.  Please pray for time to prepare these messages well.  Also pray for good health.  This will be our first time back to the mountain villages since COVID began.  Local government leaders are very nervous about our visit.  But we are very thankful for their willingness to take the risk to have us.  Please pray for good health and safety for everyone involved as well as good partnership with local authorities.

Thank You!

We cannot express to all of you how grateful we are for you and your partnership in this ministry!  2021 has been an unprecedented time where our plans have been upended and we’ve had to get creative in how we do the work we do.  But we know that God has been using all the craziness and confusion to do something very deep and real here in Thailand.  Do we know what that is yet?  Not really.  But that’s part of the fun of serving a Heavenly Father who sees the world and works from an eternal perspective.  We don’t always know what he’s doing while we’re experiencing it all.  But we are confident that he is “on the move”.  And we’re eagerly anticipating to see what he has for us, for Thailand, and for each of you in 2022!  Thank you for joining us on the adventure!

Ministry Needs:

As you consider your year end giving plans, we would appreciate it if you keep us in mind.  Right now, we have 2 primary needs:

The Thai Leadership Grant is a ministry project of ours that helps Thai pastors move their church toward self-reliance and away from dependence on missionary funding and leadership. 

For more information about the Thai Leadership Grant, click HERE. 

To give to the Thai leadership grant, click HERE.

We would also appreciate it if you considered giving to our family support account.  Year end gifts often help us make up for monthly shortfalls throughout the year.  They are an important part of our overall support structure. 

To give to our family support account, please click HERE.

Thank you, again, for all your love and support!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Johnson family!