P.O. Box 2363, Joplin, Mo 64803                                         Date:  January 2020
LTC students with COBVolunteer
January is always a busy month at Lanna Theological Center. The weather is cool and crisp. The season of intense pollution  has not started yet, so it is a good month for outreach teams.  

LTC students and staff hosted the annual winter   Community of Blessing Medical team.    As usual, the COB week is an amazing time of service and fellowship.  The LTC faculty and students are such a big part of the outreach as they translate, organize, and interact with the patients.  It is always a joy to watch the students grow in leadership and service with each clinic experience.    

Our next open teams are June 10-18 and August 9-18.     Contact me if you would like to join! 

January is also the month that LTC faculty, staff and I do an  annual review and develop a strategic plan for the new year.   A big part of my role as Director is to mentor and encourage the leadership team.   We have a wonderful team at LTC.   Each member brings a unique gift to the table.  And they all share a strong passion for teaching and preparing others to serve God.   It is a joy to be part of this team. 

My plans for the year are to be in the US for Spring and Fall.  (I will be back in Thailand during the summer months)    I am available to speak and/or give a mission report for CMO.   Please contact me to schedule a visit.  
 
Carmen Filbeck 
LTC Seniors begin their internships
Nasay, Uuan, and Aa
Five young women  will complete their course work in March and begin the required internship.  It has been such a joy to watch them grow and develop in leadership and service during their four years at Lanna.   We are excited about their future and the impact they will have for the Lord.   

Uuan is working with an organization that specializes in youth ministry and helping other organizations and churches develop strong youth programs.  LTC alumni, Tuery already works with this group.  She will gain tremendous experience from this ministry to take with her.    

Naa-say is joining the staff at the orphanage where she grew up.    And Noi will be interning with a new church planted inside the city of Chiang Mai.   T'an and Aa will intern together at the ECHO Project.   ECHO exists to equip and empower workers in agriculture and community development so that they can help the local farmers to improve food security and livelihoods.  Both girls are delighted and excited about what they will learn to take into local church ministry.  

Click here to read about T'an and Naa-say; who are both Next Step Scholarship recipients.  
"I wish my spouse were here"   by David & Sharon Filbeck

Mekong River looking into La
Sharon and I spent December and part of January visiting family in the US. Our youngest daughter, Kara, graduated December 14th from Southeast Missouri State University with a degree in Film and Television. Then of course there was a brand new granddaughter to see: Emma Lou Filbeck (daughter of Aaron and Amber Filbeck) We had a wonderful visit with all our children and 3 grand children.
 
Sharon teaching Christian Family


We returned to Thailand on January 22 and had 3 days rest before going to Chiang Khong on the Thai-Lao border where we taught the next installment of the Church Leadership Development (CLD) program offered through Lanna Theological Center. CLD is a lay leadership training program developed for church leaders serving in Laos who can not attend a traditional leadership training institution. 20-25 Laotian pastors and servant leaders will cross the Mekong River for a five day intensive session. Sharon taught Christian Family. and David taught Acts I: Birth of the Church.
CLD Students
 
The Christian Family course we teach has become one of the more important courses we offer as Sharon introduces Biblical principals for marriage and family, and then helps those in attendance figure out how to apply those principals in their specific cultural environment. It is always an eye opener for them. Towards the end of the week one of the leaders approached Sharon and said "I wish my spouse were here to learn this".
 
It is so rewarding to serve this group. Many of them are not literate in Thai, and we are not literate or conversant in their language. It is a blessing to watch those who can speak, read, and write Thai in turn help their fellow classmates by translating and explaining in their language. They are so eager to learn more about God and how to better serve Him.
 
This is our fourth group to go through the CLD program. At the end of this course over 100 Laotian lay leaders will have been trained and are serving in their village churches. Please keep these servants in your prayers. Many of you know Laos is a difficult country and the church is under daily opposition and persecution. Yet these mem and women are dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their people.
 
2020 CLD Group




We are grateful for your continued support in helping prepare Christian leaders in Southeast Asia.  You may click here for a Print version of this newsletter.   

 

Sincerely,

The CMO Team 

 

Faculty and Staff of Lanna Theological Center  June, 2019