Karl & Sun Dahlfred

Dear Family and Friends,

Thanks to all of you who pray for us and support our ministry in Thailand. Please accept our apologies for not writing more frequently. From March to May was the year end break at Chiang Mai Theological Seminary, which I thought would mean time off but somehow other projects, speaking engagements, and course planning for the new school year filled the time and now the new academic term is upon us.

Lord, Give Us More Students!

I really love the ministry of Chiang Mai Theological Seminary and the great team of other teachers that I get to work with, but student numbers continue to be low.  This term I have more students in the classroom than I did last term but many are still online. And our current student body of 60 students or so is less than half of what it was before Covid.  We don’t necessarily need to be a BIG school or to compete with other seminaries and Bible colleges in Thailand, but I think we have an important contribution to make to Thai churches with our strong emphases on Bible (and solid Bible interpretation and exegetical preaching) and missions.

Karl and CTS students during Church History Survey class

Though CTS may not have a lot of students, we have some really keen students, and it is a joy to teach them.  This term, I am teaching a course on Strategies for Global Mission and another course on Church History Survey.  One of my favorite parts of these courses is discussing the contemporary relevance of the course material.  A topic like heresies in the early church may not seem relevant at first glance but just recently the Jehovah’s Witnesses showed up at my door and I had a discussion with them about whether Jesus was God or just an incarnate angel (which is basically the ancient Arian heresy).  Please pray for me, my students, and Chiang Mai Theological Seminary more broadly that God would sustain and guide the teachers and help the students to focus and learn so that the Thai church will have an increasingly number of well-trained and biblically grounded leaders and teachers.
 

Bible Storying at the Local Market

Over the past few months, Sun has been sharing Bible stories with the sellers at our local market. While our younger two kids practice their Thai and purchase their dinner, Sun shares stories and prays for various sellers in the market. She has been memorizing stories in Thai starting from the Creation and working her way on from there. While some of the sellers are not interested in hearing the stories, some ask good questions, and one woman cleared a space for Sun to sit with her and tell more. Though some are not very interested in the stories, most have been happy for Sun to pray for them.

Sun sharing a Bible story with a seller at our local market

OMF Thailand Conference

For the first time in many years, our family was able to make it to the annual OMF Thailand conference in June. It was a great opportunity to catch up and fellowship with old acquaintances and friends, and also to meet several new missionaries who have joined, but we had not yet met. We enjoy meeting newer missionaries and doing whatever we can to listen and encourage them. It was also a time to farewell other missionaries who we had known for a long time and are now retiring from the field.

Joshua Moves Into the CTS Dorm

Since the last time we wrote, one of the big changes in our family is Joshua moving out and beginning to live in the dormitory at Chiang Mai Theological Seminary. He recently turned eighteen and it seemed good for him to have more experience in independent living.  He continues to do online college courses from the Open University (in the U.K.) as well as trying get his online business off the ground (chadcomputers.com). With a living allowance from us, he takes care of his own food, laundry, phone bill, etc. and sets his own schedule. We still see him often as the seminary dorm is only 10 minutes from home and he is with us for worship on Sunday. Please pray for Joshua as he makes more decisions for himself and thinks towards the future.

Moving Joshua into the dorm at CTS

Thank you for praying with us and for us as we serve in Thailand.  May God be glorified in the building of his church.

by Christ's grace,

Karl & Sun Dahlfred

PRAYER POINTS

• More students to study at CTS, especially on campus

• Sun sharing Bible stories at local market

• Joshua’s settling into more independent living at the dorm

• Budget shortfall of 10-20% monthly

PRAISES

• Sun having the opportunity to share Bible stories

• Opportunities to teach and keen students at CTS

• Fellowship at OMF Conference