Explore life and missions in Southeast Asia as we share stories from a recent trip Scott and Julie Griswold took to Thailand and Cambodia.
We just completed a surprise mission trip to Thailand and Cambodia. It came as an invitation to speak at a convention for missionaries hosted by Jesus for Asia. Knowing we are busy with our mission to Afghans and others here, we earnestly prayed for God’s will and several confirmations came including two unasked for donations for the complete trip.
At the convention we met with dedicated frontline missionaries from all over Southeast Asia and beyond. Many singles and familieswith children attended, soaking up the fellowship and discussions about burnout, parenting in another culture, spiritual warfare, and more. I presented“How Will the Great Commission be Finished” and “The Three Angels’ Messages forBuddhists and Me.”
We were able to press closer to Jesus and each other throughout the time and especially during a communion service. One family said they hadn’t had the opportunity for communion in six years. These servants of God are our heroes. Many of them sold everything they have after attending a Faith Camp in America. Then they stepped out in faith to move somewhere in the 10/40 window. Each have miracle stories to tell. You can learn more about each of them and how to do the same at the jesus4asia.org website.
From 2004-2012 we lived by the rice fields near the ancient capital city called Ayutthaya while I served as director for the Global Mission Center for Adventist Buddhist Relations. There was no Seventh-day Adventist Church within an hour’s drive, just several million Buddhists and very few Christians. We decided to start a church in our house with a team of Americans, Indians, Filipinos, and Thais. It was truly a Home for All Nations sharing God’s love with the unreached.
So on this trip we were very excited to step onto our old porch where we first met as we started worshipping in our home. Now it has been turned into an actual sanctuary. We were happy to meet several new members and thrilled when Khru Yuuy, the lady we first baptized in the area, came in the door.
We also visited Muuy, a lady we baptized who is not presently attending, and we reminisced on all God has done for her, encouraging her to keep seeking Him. Church planting is a lot like parenting—you carry them in your heart and prayers forever!
The leader of the local church took us on Sunday to a labor camp where workers from Myanmar, the hill tribes, and elsewhere live in poverty. We watched in joy as the church team shared food and friendship, and then joined in with sharing the gospel.
ASAP Ministries, who we previously worked with, has built 12 rooms in what used to be our backyard. They want to use this place as a training center to prepare church planters for Laos and Thailand. We spent some special time praying and discussing with people who might help that happen. Please pray for this very important project. ASAP Ministries is looking for people who will invest in this part of God’s kingdom.
Please pray for the Thai people, especially for Muuy to not give up her faith. There are not even 2 in a 100 in this beautiful country who are Christians and each is precious to the God they do not know.
We even managed to slip in celebrating our 36th wedding anniversary near Khao Yai National Park. When we saw a large wild bull on a walk, we turned back knowing the Gaur, the largest wild cattle in the world, lives in these hills. However, after learning that the research station cares for three blind Gaur, we returned and realized our scary bull was a gentle female.
We are really grateful to all of you who have prayed for us over the years. We know that has made a big difference in our ministry and for us as a couple and family. How much we appreciate it!
We excitedly boarded a plane for Siem Reap, home to the largest temple complex in the world. Our excitement was rather to see the beginning of a special building project to create Cambodia’s first Seventh-day Adventist health center. Located at the base of beautiful Kulen Mountain, it is a brand-new project led by our friends Rob and Julie Peterson.
The plan is to have a place that can significantly help Cambodians who have diabetes, heart disease, and other challenges. Through solid principles of healthy living, prayer, and loving care, they hope to help many experience better health and come to know the God who loves them very much. Through this they want to train health workers to help bring healing throughout the country.
We were able to pray and brainstorm with the Petersons and others about this ministry. You can get their updates and learn how to support them.
This area beneath Kulen Mountain has great potential for God’s people to use nature to introduce some of the 17 million Cambodians to the Creator God they don’t know.
Here's a video from Pastor Scott's sermon at the Wat Preah Yeisu (Jesus Temple) church called "Freedom from Generational Sins."
Finally, we got on an overnight bus to the capital city, Phnom Penh. I crammed my more than 6 feet into a little sleeper compartment with Julie on a bus. The slight discomfort dissolved as I marveled that the 6-hour trip was going to cover territory that we couldn’t travel 30 years ago when we were missionaries in Cambodia. Potholes and mud would have been a big challenge, but it was especially impassable because of the danger of the Khmer Rouge, leftover guerrilla soldiers from the Killing Fields.
Phnom Penh is almost unrecognizable from when we lived here, with skyscrapers, paved roads, and traffic crisscrossing everywhere. Still the countryside is extremely poor with many struggling to survive and thrive.
South of the city, we had the great joy of seeing our Cambodian son Rotha, his wife Mai, and our very precious granddaughter Leasa. For two days we soaked up their love, her smiles and playful ways along with lots of rice from their own fields. It’s a joy to see them, but not easy to have our two granddaughters on exactly opposite ends of the earth! Please pray for the extended family to know and love our Jesus.
Thank you to those of you who have been able to support us with your prayers and financial gifts. It means so much. May God continue to show you how to be used by Him as a Home for All Nations in your home and in your church.
While it has been wonderful to be back in the countries that were the focus of our ministry since 1992, our hearts continue to turn to the unreached mission fields of North America. As we return we ask you to join us in lifting up the following:
1. Breakthroughs for Afghans During Ramadan. The Afghan community that we have been ministering to in Houston has been fasting for the month of Ramadan more than 3 weeks now. These last few days are very important for them, with one night called the Laylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power. Many will stay up all night with high expectations. They repeat ritual prayers and read passages from the Qur’an over and over. They give extra to the poor.
Why? Because many believe that no matter what they have done through the year, God is much more likely to forgive if they do all this at this specific time. This is based on the Qur’an 97:1-5 passage that says, “The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.”
Please pray that our Afghan friends will understand God’s true heart through Jesus’ words, “And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7). Ask God to help them understand why the death and resurrection of Jesus gave Him the authority to say, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
2. Specifically ask God to help Mr. I and Mrs. L to move forward in their faith in Jesus and plans for baptism. Ask that the tyranny of busy survival in America would not choke out their hunger to know the Father. Pray for our little church plant to be strengthened and grow. They asked us to meet online during Ramadan and we will be seeking to restart in person.
3. Best Choices Expo, this Sabbath from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Global Youth Day will find many young people from around the city joining our core team in outreach to Afghan children and their families. We will have stations on making good choices about technology, health, family, careers, and more.
Please pray for good attendance, as this lands during the time of celebration that follows Ramadan. Pray for the youth who attend to be infected with the joy of reaching out cross-culturally to those who have never heard. Pray for excellent contacts and good follow up for ongoing friendship.
