CMO – August 2016 News from the Filbeck family in Asia

My name is Surachai Jafu, but people call “Bus”. I was born into a poor christian family, the third child of four. My parents worked in the orchards located in the mountains. During my first yeas of school I attended a school near my home village, it only had kindergarten through 6th grade. When I was in 4th grade my father passed away, and my mother had to take care of four children by herself. Mom was able to send me to school through grade 6. But after that I dropped for two years to work and help mom.   

After two years I was able to continue my schooling. Because I was still working to help support my family, I could not go back into the regular school system, but was able to continue my education through an alternative school system that met to study every Sunday afternoon.                                                                                 
 During that time I wanted to go to 

Bus (left) shares a lighthearted moment in LTC faculty seminar.

Bible College and every night would pray asking God to send me someplace I could study the Bible after I finished high school. About that time I met a church leader who told me if I finished my secondary education he would send me to a Bible College. But in the end that leader did not follow through on his promise. I did not know what to do. It was very close to the enrollment period for colleges, including Bible Colleges. I continued to pray pleading Him to send his child to Bible College, because His child wants to serve Him. During my last week of high school  , in fact on the last day of high school, a relative suggested to my mother that Lanna Theological Center was still taking applications. On the last day of the application period I went to enroll at LTC.

I studied at LTC just over four years. During those four years I thought about how I could serve the Lord. I began to think about becoming a Bible professor at a Bible college. But I didn’t think this would be possible because I did not have enough Bible knowledge. I was also thinking about opening a dormitory for children who did not have a father or mother, or whose parents were too poor to send them to school. The children could come stay at my dorm and study. After I completed my studies at LTC I got experience working at this kind of dormitory ministry for two years. I also enrolled in the Community Development degree program a Rajabhat University because I thought this would be good information to use in a dorm ministry alongside my Bible education.

After two years working in the dorm ministry I was asked to return to LTC as a professor. I have been teaching h  

Bus & Saengla’s wedding

ere for about two years, have completed my BA at Rajabhat, and have just enrolled in the Master of Ministry program through Bangkok Bible Seminary.

In August 2016 I married Ms. Saengla. She is finishing up her Bible College studies. When she finishes we will serve God together.

 

I thank and praise Almighty God that I am able to follow my vision for ministry. Saengla and I are committed to serving the Lord wherever He sends us, teaching here at LTC, or to the mission field. I have learned to trust the Lord, everything is in His hands, even our future. 

Where He sends, we will go.

Surachai “Bus” Jafu

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