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September 20, 2006

Thailand Update

RMM asks for your prayers for the nation of Thailand and the team of workers there. A volatile political situation developed in the the capital city of Bangkok Tuesday. The military has seized control of the government without resistance and and declared Thailand's current prime minister removed from power. According to current reports, the coup was peaceful and no one has been in danger. We have heard from the field and all RMM personnel in Thailand appear to be safe.

Click here to read an AP story about the coup.

You can also click here to read frequently updates articles on the situation from the BBC.

Continue to pray for the team in Thailand, several of them just arrived there in the past few weeks. Team members are: Dan Byler, regional director and team leader; Tom and Candice Mast, missionaries; Joe Freeman, Sharon Rice, Ben Ryan, Trish Smouse, missionary interns.

You may visit the weblog of Tom and Candice Mast to see their updates of the situation.

The following is some information we received from Dan Byler Tuesday night:

I called all members of the team and everyone is fine.

We were planning to have a team meeting at the Mast home this evening. We are still planning to meet, but early in the afternoon so everyone can get back before dark.

Things seem quite normal with transportation operating, but there are fewer cars on the road. Since people had been talking about this possibility for a few months, it does not come as too much of a surprise.

The cable channels are all off the air and local channels are not operating normally, so we don't get local news, but are keeping up with events by checking news online. I don't see the situation as putting us in danger, but we will take precautions as the situation warrants. We are on the edge of Bangkok and pretty much out of the scene around government buildings where the army is deployed.

Thanks for your concern. We will keep you posted.

We appreciate your prayers.

Dan

RMM will work hard to keep you informed of this situation and keep its website updated with any new developments. Please check back for updates as they become available.

Posted by RMM Blog Administrator at 11:43 AM | | Comments (0)

September 05, 2006

Prayer Challenge: Spain

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(From September 2006 Mosaic) Spain is about twice the size of Oregon and has over 40 million people. It has a rich imperial history, but was more recently a dictatorship, and it has only enjoyed democracy for about 30 years. Spain’s economy has grown into one of the most dynamic in Europe but the nation faces challenges of separatist group terrorism and high unemployment.

Prayer Points:
• Despite a strong historical Catholic tradition, Spain remains one of the least reached countries in Europe, and one of the most forgotten in the 10/40 window. Religious apathy is widespread. In Spain, if you were in a crowd of 1,000 people, statistically you would be the only person with a vital relationship with Jesus Christ.

• The island of Ibiza is the party capital of the world, capturing the spirit of hedonism, clubbing and excess. The tiny town of San Antonio has got more bars and pubs per square mile than anywhere else in Europe.

• 300,000 people are addicted to heroin and cocaine, a major factor in Spain’s AIDS epidemic. There are now more AIDS victims in Spain than anywhere else in Europe. Pray for the different organizations and Christian ministries that are caring for rehabilitating drug addicts.

• There are over 1 million students in Spain, and most have never really heard the gospel. There are many university towns with no outreach to the young people living there. Reaching this generation is absolutely critical in impacting the whole of Spanish society.

• Pray that missionaries and church leaders working in Spain would be able to build churches that really reflect indigenous Spanish culture.

[ Sources: Operation World & CIA World Factbook ]

Posted by RMM Blog Administrator at 02:53 PM | | Comments (0)

New Work Begins in Thailand

(From September 2006 Mosaic) RMM is excited to announce several newly appointed RMM workers have recently journeyed over the Pacific to Thailand to begin new ministry and training. An important part of the new expansion we are undertaking has begun!

• Ben Ryan, from Stockbridge, GA, began serving in May as a missionary intern to Thailand. Ben is on a two-year assignment, living in Bangkok and attending Assumption University. There he is reaching out to fellow students as well as working with RMM’s team in Thailand.

• Tom and Candice Mast of Mechanicsburg, OH, traveled with their two daughters on August 23 to begin a three-year assignment serving as missionaries to Thailand. They are living outside of Bangkok, working closely with Regional Director for Asia Dan Byler, helping administrate RMM’s missionary intern program in that country. They minister to the local Thai people as well as help assimilate new missionary interns into their ministry roles and Thai culture

• Joe Freeman, of Plain City, OH is also serving in Thailand as a missionary intern. He left on August 23 with the Mast family. He will be living and working in the factory and immigrant worker community of Bang Plee Mai. Joe is on an initial one-year assignment that may be extended to two.

• Sharon Rice, of Plain City, OH, left September 5 to begin a two-year assignment serving as a missionary intern to Thailand. She will live in the city of Bang Plee and focus on learning Thai language and culture, and building relationships with local Thai people.

• Trish Smouse, of Irwin, OH, traveled to Thailand September 6. She will join the work there as a missionary intern and serve a one-year assignment. Her initial focus will be on learning the language and developing relationships across cultural barriers.

Posted by RMM Blog Administrator at 02:38 PM | | Comments (0)