'Twas The Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas and as I looked round my tent,

I couldn't believe all the money I'd spent

For trains and dolls, for trinkets and toys

Some for the girls and some for the boys.

I looked round once more to be sure things were right;

The kids were all in bed for the night.

I set up the track for the train I bought Ted,

The train went round twice and the battery went dead.

I put on my cap, my gloves, and my coat;

I went to Ames and over to Zayre.

You guessed it my friend, no batteries there!

As I left the store a thought came to me,

I had one in the remote of the color TV.

Well, I placed that remote in my wife's favourite chair

I was ready for Christmas with hours to spare.

When out came my wife and punched that remote

And then said to me, "The TV's broke!"

So on with the coat, the gloves, and the cap

Out in the cold about ready to snap.

I went to K-Mart and stood in that line

From 8:35 'til a quarter past nine.

As I came to the checkout, my heart leaped with glee --

There was that one lonesome battery just waiting for me.

When from my behind I seen this hand slip

And grab that battery with a real tight grip.

I wheeled around and what did I see?

This giant of a man glaring down at me.

Well, I remembered an ad I had seen on TV

Buy a Big Mac, get your batteries free.

So, I bought me a burger I didn't want...

They were out of batteries, so on with hunt.

I finally found one at ServiStar,

Paid for my purchase and made for my car.

When I entered the door of my humble shack,

My wife said, "What's this battery for I found in a sack?"

I was out there in the press, the push, and the greed

To buy me a battery I didn't even need.

At last I relaxed in my easy chair,

When this still small voice came out of somewhere.

"You're ready for Christmas with toys, tinsel, and tree

You've got it all together, but what about me?"

I fell on my knees and cried, "God, what have I done?"

I got caught up in the madness and neglected your Son.

The best gift of all you've given for free

Your Son, Jesus Christ, for sinners like me.

You sent Him to suffer the shame and the loss,

To shed his life's blood for me on the cross.

Well friend, I'll never forget I rest 'neath the sod,

The greatest of gifts is given by God.

-by Pastor Jim Kamerer

Taken By Love

He Has Made Me Glad- Words cannot even describe how wonderful these past few months have been for Josh and I. Living for Him is what it all boils down to! I’m going to do my best to condense our last few months experience into one blog entry, hopefully I cover all points =) Sorry for such a delayed post.

Such joy in the slums of Manila, Philippines.

October English Camp (Oct. 5th-23rd) – What a great success! Our English Camp was a 3 week long teaching program filled with action packed fun =) Our students learnt about different countries, dances, drama’s, and arts. Friday’s were our field trips days where we’d take our students swimming, to the zoo or an afternoon at the movies enjoyed with a bucket of lip-smacking popcorn! We had on average 16 kids attend our program. Lots of planning and long hours go into preparing for these English camps! Much thanks & credit is given to our bible college students for their help and commitment to the English Outreach Center, we couldn’t have done it without them.

Designed 2 Worship (Manila, Philippines Oct. 23rd- 28th) - Myself and a friend attended a Worship Conference in Manila, Philippines late October. What a great opportunity it was for us to learn about the importance of worship and how we can effectively set the bar! We are all designed to worship Him; God has placed inside each and every one of us the call to worship our Lord. Sincere worship takes place in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). In other words, true worship is not just a physical or mental activity; it is a spiritual exercise - an appropriate response to how God has revealed himself to us, particularly through his son Jesus. Worship involves heartfelt interaction between the human spirit and God’s Holy Spirit. True worship requires us to act in response to God's character and presence by conveying gratefulness for who He is and what He has done for us. Genuine worship requires a faith commitment and a profession that He alone is God which means that we acknowledge that He is the Lord - the Leader and supreme authority in our lives.

Tabitha and I met this bubbly girl named Cates while we were attending the conference.

If All My World Was Swept Away, Would You Be Enough For Me? If I Lost It All Would My Hands Be Lifed, To The God Who Gives And Takes Away? If You Take It All, This Life You've Given, Still My Heart Will Sing To You!-- Kutless, I’m Still Yours- I was also given the opportunity to see one of the major areas where typhoon Ondoy hit back on Sept. 26th,2009. The devastation in this area was heart wrenching but yet in the mist of this devastation the people remained hopeful. They lost practically everything they had but were still smiling through the midst of it all. We handed out bags of food to the families that lost basically everything. While there, I was blessed with the opportunity of meeting this one little girl name Angelica (it’s a lot prettier when she says it =) ). She’s a 10 year old girl, beautiful as all-get-out, a beautiful smile that could light up your whole world, a loving touch, heart warming eyes, a gentle voice and a welcoming hug that never wants to let go. My heart couldn’t help but run over with love for her. As I began to ask her questions I really got to know her on a personal level, I asked her various questions such as where her mom was and her response was a finger pointing towards the sky saying ‘she’s in heaven’, I asked her where her dad was, she said she didn’t really know ‘I think he’s in province’, and then I asked her if she had any brothers or sisters and she said that she didn’t have any. Angelica and I walked hand in hand around the slum-village where she lived talking, laughing, and having fun together, what a blessing children truly are! I’ve really come to the realization during these past 5 years of my life that we take so much for granted. We sometimes fail to appreciate the simplest things in our lives that bring us so much joy.

Angelica and I (Manila, Philippines October 27th, 2009)

God Let Us Be A Generation That Seeks Your Face- This past fall has been very busy for Josh in studies and responsibilities.

The students have outreach ministry every Tuesday night, where they go out and practice effective ways of ministering the gospel. Over the past 2 months the Lord has led them to a group of Burmese construction workers and their families that are camped right near the college. They have been very receptive to their visits. The students often sit with them and talk about the differences between our culture, foods, religion and so on. They love watching Mr. Bean with them at the college and playing games like musical chairs. We hope to lead many of these people to a relationship with God and get them connected with the local Thai churches here in Sriracha.

Over a few weeks ago the students and Josh just returned from a 2 week long trip from down south in Thailand. The focus of the trip was team and character building. For the first week Pastor Asamy from the Hua Hin Cornerstone Church took them in and spent most of their days working on the church property. They helped build a children’s outreach center for the church. They laid cement, roofed, landscaped and so on. The hot sun beating down on them and the incredible humidity caused them to consume litres of water and take refuge in the nearest shade often. In between those hard working days they took a day and went ministering to three secular schools and a Roman Catholic high school. The kids would assemble in their largest room and the VBCI students would put on skits that illustrate God’s love and what He has done for us. The students would explain their meaning and share the gospel with them. It was a break from class for the kids so they put in lots of laughs for them too. Josh said that when he’d look at all these kids in front of him his heart would wrench for them not because of the poverty that many of them live in but because most have never heard about Jesus Christ before and the harsh reality they will face having never been subjected to the truth. When you walk into these classrooms you will always find an idol on display and with food sacrifices in front of it. You don’t only see the demonic Buddhist oppression they live under but you can sense it in your spirit too. But praise God that this country has freedom of religion and that the schools would welcome us in to share contrary to what they teach and raise these kids on. It is definitely a miracle. This Christmas the students and some missionaries will be returning to these schools to put on a Christmas show.

The students and Josh laying down fiber glass roof shingles on the children’s center building in Hua Hin.

After a week in Hua Hin the students ventured on a long and hot train ride for 12 hrs to Nakhon Si Thammarat. For those who read are blogs and updates last year, this is the same city Josh visited in the fall of 2008. There they stayed at a Victory Church and helped relocate the church to a new building.

We are so humbled and honoured to be doing the work of God here in Thailand. Nothing that we do here would accumulate to any value if it weren’t for God and the prayers and support of our family and friends back at home. We want to thank the Asbury Free Methodist Church in Perth, Gilead Fellowship in Picton, The Healing House in Picton, The First Baptist Church in Picton and our family and friends for your continued prayers and support.

Please keep us in your prayers that the Lord leads us, provides for us and continues to use us. Pray for the kids of Thailand and that God makes a huge impact on the ones we minister to. We look forward to keeping you updated on what is happening with Bekah and I here in Thailand. Please feel free to e-mail us if you would like to get in contact.

“May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.” Philemon 1:3

If you feel led to give into our calling then we encourage you to partner with us and to become a monthly supporter by giving through Gilead Fellowship Church or with A&D World Missions. Tax receipts are made through both parties.
To get in contact with Gilead Fellowship:

Gilead Fellowship
Box 99, Bloomfield, ON
K0K 1G0
Or call (613)-476-2622

Make check payable to: Gilead Fellowship Church, on the memo line write; Josh and Rebekah Baker Missions Thailand.

God Bless,

Bekah & Josh.