THE FLINCHUMS IN THAILAND

P. O. Box 59

Chiangmai SOOOO Thailand

Servinz . . . .
Chiangmai Bible Institute
Southeast Asia Christian Service

(Southeast Asia Evangelizing Mission)

Benjamin, Mike, Marcie, Debbie

January-February 1991
i ri to dull the receptivity oi pec^Je s

^atari 's great,

lioart.?; to the flnr^pei. Thin makes f^preading the Gospel r-nr ticu lar ly di 1'f 1on 11 in a predominately Buddhist culture like

Thailand (95% of the people are Buddhist). But thanks be to God whose power overwhelms that of the prince of darkness! It is
heartwarming to see people accept Christ, but even more so to see them pressing on toward Christian growth and maturity. A recent prenohing trip with our Bible students to two tribal villages impressed upon us the power of God working in the Jives of His peopJe. Tlie Christians in these two villages want a

preacher to come and serve full-time with them. They have a "parsonage" ready and will supply food for his family. This is
an immediate need and what may be best is to send one of their own leaders to study the Bit'le individually with some of our
Bible teachers liere at C.B.I. This would avoid having to wait on

a student to graduate. The vision of these people is evangelize neighboring villages as well. The eagerness shown
these people is indeed exciting!

to by
to

The

point

is this:

Our ministry is not .ji.ist

confined

formal classroom training but getting out to the grass roots level of the people and meeting their needs. Your prayers are vital to us in circumstances like this, that is, to pray that we will meet the needs of both individuals and churches as a whole.

I cannot help but remember what Paul wrote to young Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:2, that what had been entrusted to Timothy (the Gospel)
was to be sliari^^i u'ith others, who in turn would That is the essence of i.l 5 so j pleship! We want to
who in turn will train leaders. That is our task!

teaoh train

others. leaders

HOH

YOU CAN

PRAY

l-OR US:

1.

Praise

God

for our son,

He's been a

Benjamin,
great

who

was

bapti."ed

into
into

Christ Dec.16th.

soldier

for Christ!

2. Praise God for two other young people wiio were baptized Christ recently at the Chiangmai Church of Christ. 3. Pray for C.B.l. as we hope to begin construction on the dorm. Building supplies are scarce in Thailand right now! 4. Pray that tiie entire mission ministry of education evangelism will make disciples of this nation and beyond!

.'5.

Pray for our daughter, Marcie, as she returns to

THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL, LOVING SUPPORT!

school

Malaysia.

Forwarding Agents: Mr. & Mrs. Leo Scott P.O. Box 315 McCoy, Virginia 24111 (703) 639-0317

THE FLINCHUMS IN THAILAND

p. O. Box 59

Chiangmai SOOOO Thailand

Serving . . . .
Chiangmai Bible Institute
Southeast Asia Christian Service
KAMPUCHEA
(CAMBODIA)

(Southeast Asia Evangelizing Mission)

Benjamin, Mike, Marcie, Debbie

"NEW

March - April f99f

.
AND COME'

YEARS THAT COME AND GO

For

those of us from the United States, New Year's Day

has

come and gone and for the most part, probably forgotten. But not so for people of Northern Thailand. As a matter of fact, it
seems that no sooner than we tick off January 1st as a day

that

has

passed by, that we begin approaching the

Chinese

New

Year celebrated by the large Chinese community here around the first of February. But April 12, 13 and 14 mark the popular
Northern Thailand New Year called in Thai "Song Kran."

Originally, this was a Buddhist festivity which involved the symbolic washing of Buddha statues. It later took on the form of
a social event more so than a religious one. Now people celebrate this holiday by splashing water on each other and on passers by in vehicles. No matter what our background may be, or when New Year's appears on the local calendar, the idea of a new

beginning

or

newness

shares a common place in

the

hearts

of

people around the world. Consider the Scriptures that say,

"A new command I

give you,

that you love one another" (John 13:34), and "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has comel" (2 Corinth. 5:17). We try to teach the people of
Thailand who need Christ that Jesus is always ready to bring newness to their lives. What a great "New Year's Day" i t is when
a soul accepts Christ!

PRAYER CONCERNS:

1. Mike's mother as she recovers from surgery. 2. Students at C.B.I, as they serve Christ during their break. 3. The country of Thailand. The recent military coup was intended to preserve democracy. We praise God that we still
have the freedom to serve Him herei

Forwarding Agents: Mr. & Mrs. Leo Scott P.O. Box 315 McCoy, Virginia 24111 (703)639-0317

\Hi>2

THE FLINCHUMS IN THAILAND

P. O. Box 59

Chiangmai 50000 Thailand

. . . .

Chiangmai Bible Institute

Soi'THEAST Asia Christian Service
I Si)rrnKAS-i' Asia KvAS<;Ki.r/.iN<; Mission)
KAMPUCHEA
ICAMBOniAJ

"Thai Treasures"
Bf.niamin. Mike. Marcie. Debbie

-lufv A '"i'lIK

/9v/ . . .

CHALLENGE UK ENTERING A TOTALLY NON CHIUSTIAN ViLLAf.'K

Kach time our family has visiled our f^upportin^? -Ini i iion w..-; mentioned the two-fold aspect of our mi.-T;"ri work: evpiigr; i i sm siriong: Sout[ienst Asians and the ei'luonf.i"n li's t i.onr-* .1 1'""^^rJors. Bot)i are important, bol.ii are vital! huiin/r' l.I niorjlh 'I -'uiy 1 Mike had the privilege-* and accepted the chali(?nKe of irading a team of Bible students into a totally nr-ii-f Mirintian

Karen (pronounced Ka-wren) village.

The trip took us two h-'iiirs by truni: frr-ni C!ii nnhS.tnrii ond Pii-^iii-sr 30-40 minutes by foot mr-Rtly uphill (Thnnl: !,"n:i for ri !'im iriutn - f ramed backpacks!). H'^lng a non-Chr Lr;'. i';n v i I i , Mr.vji'-re not sure whrit to expect. W iulti the people t.h''-re 1'''in'? u?^?

WnnJ.-j they be interer-:ted in the Oo.'^pcl?

W"---!!. prnino i o i.,i

Go-i .

questions were answered in the affirmntiv^. evr-Tiing about fifty yuung people and a few 3<jultr:
3 cindle-iit ar'^'^a to
'.-n for about

Hn .-af.urday 1. heri^d m-onnd

t P-ibl'"-

learn son;?r; about God atid

hours.

lir^ten

! ?>=:Dris
Wf-nt

with the use of visual aids.

throe

The tpachinf^
t.wi

rnui
n?;d

.singing
s^^rvice
"iio-half

^)n Sunday,
nj-<:.(ijnd

following a bri'"-'!" but meaningful wi'r.^l;ip

we continued anothr-r

the Lord's Table,

ri'>urs of teaching and singing. We left with a nnniieiuf the people waving to us from the outskirts of the village. What is

ni.ir plan?
int'r^-.st "i.Mi ir.i. t s

To return and attempt more teaching in Augnr^t. a ohurch. Pleas'^ pray for the
pT-nyei'

If tiie r thi?^

frontinues we may send one or 'wo i.if I'lir in ing {lere to ^OP'=^ r'T .! ly '.-er'i r-i nr. on uitfi f hr- i: ! ' itiipl'*- S-'tni fi F

ef"tril 1 ishing

pe'"pl"

^-illage
name .

wliich
family

is named Baan Pa Pae.

Pray for

vill-^va,!rr-qiio-irr;

by
for

(.^ur

has two 'itlier .specific

flPT'^ie as .she begins her ..h.niinr year of high soh-j"] in M^lnysia. Aii'.i for four pe'.'ple who are being discipled by Mik'v THAnK YO'I f'"'r your prayers whicli do su.stnin us and for yr-ur '.-"rif inij'''d an'd fnithiul financial supiport,. We nre here bev'nnn'^ ym tir'*;r. rmnt nn^
^?md we praise God for yonr part in this enrieavnr!
-Serving Fn i Jdifvi i !y hi 'd:i iF:t.

Forwarding .Agents: Mr. &: Mr.s. Leo Scott P. O. Box 315 McCoy, Virginia

(703) 659-0.^7

THE FLINCHUMS IN THAILAND

P. O. Box 59

Chiangmai 50000 Thailand

Serving .....
Chiangmai 6ibl Institute
Southeast Asia Christian Service

(Southeast Asia Evangeuzing Mission)

KAWUCHEA
ICAMBODIAI

Benjamin, Mike, Marcie, Debbie

"Thai Treasures"
September - October 1991
ROOST . .

"WHEN

CHICKENS GO TO

can

remember

as

a young boy

the

day

my

Grandmother

Flinchum
farmer."

gave

me

some

chicks to raise

on

my

own.

My

Dad

contructed a chicken coop in one corner of our back yard and I was ready to launch into my first real experience as a "chicken
One of the essentials of a chicken coop is a place for the

chickens to roost at night. I thought about that while making a recent village trip with one of our Asian co-workers. The first night after dark, one of the villagers decided to kill a chicken for our food the next day. There the chickens roost up in the trees and it was interesting to watch our friend try and grab a chicken that had already settled in for the night. It wasn't about to budge from its comfortable position. Have we at times been guilty of going to roost? Satan would
have us find a comfortable niche or lifestyle without meeting the

challenge of winning and discipling souls for Christ. Even in a country where Buddhism is dominant we can get too comfortable to the point that we're not alarmed by the darkness of sin. We ask that you pray for us that we speak the truth in love, witnessing to the grace and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ!
VICTORIES IN CHRIST!

Recently,
their

five

of our fourth year students

Three of them are Cambodians

went
who

out
are

for
now

internships.

working among refugees, A recent report from one of our C.B.I, graduates working full-time along the Thai-Cambodian border reported more than thirty (30) baptisms in a refugee camp. This camp has witnessed over 500 baptisms over the last five to six yearsl Praise the Lordi We ask for your prayers on behalf of
our evangelists and interning students.

and

THANK YOU dear supporter for your faithful support in prayer finances. You have been providing faithfully for our needs

over the last five years of our ministry in Thailand. We thank God every day for you and your participation in His work here in
Southeast Asia!

The Flinchums,

Forwarding Agents: Mr. &Mrs. Leo Scott P.O. Box 315 McCoy, Virginia 24111 (703)639-0317

THE FLINCHUMS IN THAILAND

P. O. Box 59

Chiangmai SOOOO Thailand

Serving . . . .
Chiangmai Bible Institute
Southeast Asia Christian Service

(Southeast Asia Evangelizing Mission)

Benjamin, Mike, Marcie, Debbie

"THAI TREASURES"

November-December I99t
"MEMORIES OF MY DAD"

Most of you who receive our personal newsletter may know

now of the death of Mike's dad. Lee Flinchum left this world

by
to

make his journey to be with the Lord on October 12, 1991. He has been set free from his bondage of physical suffering to rest in the arms of his Redeemer and Heavenly Father. Many of you may also know that I (Mike) returned to the States, not in time for the funeral services, but at least to be

with my family for a little over a week. It was an important time giving us the opportunity to grieve together. We still grieve but "not like those who have no hope." I want to say "Thank You, Lord" for such loving Christian friends who have faithfully supported our family through these years making funds readily available for this emergency trip.
We cannot help but recall our good memories when a loved one dies. And , if I may, I'd like to recount just a few that are precious to me. My Dad always told the truth. Even before he accepted Christ five years ago I can never remember Dad not being truthful in any circumstance. He also took care of his family. Even in such a large family as ours with nine children, even when

things

were

hard, he was faithful in his role as

provider.

could go on and on but one memory that I must share was his characteristic nature to help those who looked to him for help. He never said "no" to anyone nor turned anyone down. If he could repair something for someone or help a neighbor or relative build
something he would do i t . Some people say, "All we have left are the memories."

That

isn't
Lord.
world.

true.

For as Christians

what we do have is the hope

and
the

expectation

of being with our loved ones in the presence of

That, my friend,

will be the joy of our journey from

this

Thanking You For Your Love, Prayers, The Flinchum Family

and Support,

Forwarding Agents: Mr. & Mrs. Leo Scott P.O. Box 315 . McCoy, Virginia 24111 (703)639-0317