December, 2008
7017 North 58th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53223, (920) 254-5270, ntxoovyias@wi.rr.com
www.hmonglcms.org
FROM THE PRESIDENT OF HMONG MISSION SOCIETY
In Isaiah 55, God is offering salvation to all people. He invites all people to buy food from Him for their souls. He demanded that they forsake their wicked way to seek and return to Him while He is near. How do people seek and return to God? People seek and turn to God by believing in His Word. God said His words that go from His mouth will never return to Him empty but will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it. God's Word will always accomplish His purpose of saving or condemning people because of either their belief or unbelief.
Since 1993 I have seen first hand God's Word at work in the lives of the Hmong people here in North America and Thailand. In 1993, there were only three Hmong ministries in the LCMS with approximately 600 members. In spite of many challenges and obstacles, today the Hmong ministry has grown to more than 20 ministries in North America with approximately 1,500 members and the Hmong International Mission in Thailand has grown to more than 500 members in just a short time.
In August of this year, two historic events took place under the guidance of the Hmong Mission Society. First, the Hmong Mission Society in partnership with the LCMS World Mission in Asia ordained two Hmong men to become Lutheran Pastors in Thailand. And second, the first International Hmong Ministry Conference took place in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It's exciting and humbling to see how God's Word is accomplishing His purpose by bringing many Hmong people to faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. These people have forsaken their wickedness of worshiping the spirits and the spirits of their deceased ancestors and returned to the Lord for salvation. God is to be praised and worshiped always for His love and His faithfulness toward His people.
I thank God for what He is accomplishing in the lives of many thousands of Hmong people all over the world. He does this through His people, you and me. I want to say thank you for your partnership with the Hmong Mission Society through your prayers and financial support. Without your kind generosity we could not bring God's Word to the Hmong people, especially in Thailand. Many people there love the Lutheran teaching. That is why they have joined us to serve the Lord. I encourage you to continue to pray for us and to help us with our financial need in bringing God’s Word to more people in Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia. Again, thank you very much. May God bless you richly as you serve Him!
By Rev. Yia Vang Chairman of the Hmong Mission Society and Hmong International Mission (LCMS)
HMONG INTERNATIONAL MISSION
The First Hmong International Mission Conference
The Lord has been faithful to His work in Thailand among the Hmong people. On August 15, 2008 HIM (Hmong International Mission) held the first Hmong International Mission Conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Members came from the provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Tak and Phare. There were also members from Laos in attendance. Guests came from the US were: Rev. Jeff Prewitt, Rev. Mark Berlin, Rev. Yia Z. and wife, Rev. Kue Ly and wife, Rev. Chia Thao and wife, Rev. Numlaaj and wife, Rev. Fungchatou and family, and Mr. Wa Cher Vang and wife. The total attendance was about 150 people - the majority consisted of church leaders. The main focus of the conference was to bring together the members of the Hmong Lutherans in Southeast Asia to learn about what it means to be servants of Christ. Topics covered included Christian Life, Stewardship, and Evangelism. It was a day filled with blessings and joy because HIM also received into membership a new congregation consisting of 200 people! Some of the participants at the HIM conference in Thailand
Ordination
In addition to the conference, HIM also had the privilege of ordaining two Hmong men into to the Holy Ministry. After four years of preparation and prayers, dedication and hard work, Pastor Phongsock Hang and Pastor Souphan Hang graduated from the Hmong International Bible Institute in Thailand. They passed their theological interview this past May of 2008. Pastor Phongsock received a call to serve the congregation in Ban Klong Hoi Klai, where he was the vicar for the last four years. Pastor Souphan is called to be a Missionary At Large in Thailand among the Hmong people. His responsibilities are to share the Gospel with new villages and to minister to the members and congregations in Chiang Mai and Tak areas. Rev. Ted Engelbrecht, LCMS' Southeast Asia Area Facilitator, did the ordination. Rev. Dr. Fungchatou Lo, HIM Coordinator, did the commissioning. Please keep these two men in your prayers. As mentioned above, HIM also received a Reformed Congregation into membership. This congregation had been part of a Chinese church group (Chinese Mission Oversea) in the past. Within the last two years the Chinese church had severed its relationship with the congregation. The pastor is Rev. Nhia Cheng Xiong. He has just finished his Master of Divinity degree. Because his understanding of the Bible is different from that of LCMS, HIM will be providing the necessary theological training for Pastor Nhia Cheng to become a Lutheran pastor.
Mae Rim Student Center
HIM will also be supporting the Mae Rim Student Center, of which Pastor Nhia Cheng is the supervisor. The Mae Rim Student Center provides student housing for Hmong children from the mountain areas to stay in Mae Rim so they can go to school in the city. Currently, the Mae Rim Student Center has 24 students, 13 boys and 11 girls. The majority of these students are Christians. Without the Center, many of these students would be living at the Buddhist temples with the Buddhist monks and studying the Buddhist religion. We hope to expand this Center in three other places - Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Tak. The cost for running such a center is very high but the faith of our Christian children must be nurtured. Please keep the Mae Rim Student Center and our plan of adding three more centers in your prayers. Mae Sa Mai Lutheran Church A new congregation Some of the 24 students at the Center
Pattaya
Our August missionary group also visited a member in Pattaya. Tong Vang was one of the students that initially started the theological training with Pastor Phongsouck and Pastor Souphan. However, because of the financial needs of his family, Tong dropped out of the training and pursued his trade as a merchant. He sold clothing in Pattaya to tourists. They visited Tong, prayed for him and his sister, and celebrated the Lord's supper together with him. Please pray that the Lord will lead Tong back to continue his theological training. Mr. Wacher and wife, Rev. Fungchatou and family, Rev. Numlaaj and wife, Rev. Kue and wife, Rev. Yia and wife.
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Needs
We thank the Lord for being so faithful and gracious to include us in the work He is doing in Thailand. The church experienced much growth within the last two years. Recently, we accepted two new men to be trained as Pastors and received 200 new members. Currently, we are in the process of helping to build a church for one of our new congregations in Tak. Our immediate goals are to:
• continue sharing the Word of the Lord to the lost
• train more leaders for the holy ministry,
• form a Hmong Lutheran Thailand Synod,
• Register the Hmong International Mission Bible Institute as a formal and recognized private theological school in Thailand.
We invite you to partner with us in this blessed mission work among the Hmong people in Thailand. We are also inviting you to:
• Pray for HIM, theological students, theological teachers, missionaries, congregation members, and the Hmong people in Thailand.
• Prayerfully support HIM financially. You could choose to direct your financial support to any of the following areas:
a. Mission Center's rent ($400/month)
b. Mission Center's maintenance cost ($100/month)
c. Sponsor a theological student ($10/month)
d. Sponsor a theological teacher ($100/month)
e. Sponsor a congregation ($100/month)
f. Sponsor the Mae Rim Student Center (a student boarding house, $300/month)
g. Build a church building ($5,000)
h. The Film Ministry ($200/show)
It is truly a blessing to witness how the Lord is bringing people into His Kingdom in Thailand.
Give Thanks
Please help us give thanks to the Lord for:
• LCMS World Mission and CWEFT for their partnerships and financial supports.
• LCMS Congregations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin for their prayers and financial supports.
• LCMS Hmong congregations for their prayers and financial support.
• The donors who committed to pay the rent of the HIM Mission Center.
• Our theological pastors/professors for their time and financial commitment to travel to Thailand to do theological training.
• All the members, Pastors and their wives that went to Thailand in August 2008 to celebrate the two ordinations and host the first Hmong International Lutheran Conference in Thailand.
Article by Dr. Fungchatou Lo, Coordinator for Hmong International Mission and LCMS Missionary to Indonesia.
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WHAT ABOUT HMONG INTERNATIONAL MISSION?
HIM is an acronym for Hmong International Mission. HIM is a ministry of the Hmong Mission Society (LCMS). Its mission is to develop Hmong spiritual leaders to share the Gospel and to plant mission Churches among the Hmong people throughout the world. HIM is in partnership with the LCMS World Missions to share the Gospel and to do NGO projects in Hmong villages where there is a need for such projects. The people who coordinated and traveled on behalf of HIM are volunteer pastors and members of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. HIM is currently funded by gifts from different Churches, LWML societies, fundraising projects, and individuals. We are truly appreciative to all who have prayed and support the mission of HIM. We would like to encourage your continuing prayers and financial support. Please consider supporting those who travel to evangelize and serve in training of students to become pastors to share God's Word to the Hmong people. Please prayerfully send your financial gift to:
Hmong Mission Society (LCMS)
161 Johnson Avenue
Oshkosh, WI 54902
EXPANDING GOD'S KINGDOM IN THAILAND
"Behind every set of eyes I look into there is a soul that matters to God." This is a saying I repeat often to myself and to others I serve as a pastor. This saying is also on my mind as I travel to Thailand twice each year. The Hmong people of Thailand we are serving have souls that matter to God. I am very thankful that many continue to welcome the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Their souls are being graced by God.
God continues to guide our small band of Lutheran pastors and lay people from America as we travel in teams to teach, evangelize and plant churches. There is a thirst for Bible teaching, pastoral training and for the small works of hope we are able to accomplish together as mentioned in other places of this newsletter.
I often think we are experiencing a little of what it must have been like when the church was first launching like we read in the book of Acts and Paul's epistles. Here’s the pattern that keeps repeating. We are invited into a Hmong village where maybe 30 and up to 100 families live. God leads us to a "man of peace" who may be a clan leader and/or the mayor of the village. Many other men are usually invited while some women and children overhear the conversations. The Name of Jesus is spoken often. Questions are asked and answered. Over the period of a couple of days, after many and lengthy Bible based conversations, teachings and having meals together (praying and thanking God to bless the food and the people), men ask for their families to be baptized. In some villages a young man is brought forward to receive theological training in the Bible and as a pastoral candidate to eventually serve in his village and maybe in other nearby Hmong villages.
I find this pattern very exciting, very challenging and there is so much more to do as God's Kingdom continues to be expanding in Thailand. But that's what we read in Acts and in Paul's epistles, isn't it? There was a whole world to evangelize and so many families to receive the grace of baptism. There were challenges and the training of future pastors was ongoing. We can also remind ourselves of what Jesus says, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." (Matthew 9:37-38)
Will you please join with us in praying for these souls that matter to God? Will you please join us in praying for more harvest field workers and more support for these workers? Pray for more harvest field workers from America to travel to Thailand and serve. Pray for more harvest field workers from Hmong villages in Thailand who will learn and serve. Along with your many prayers will you pray for financial support to be provided for this harvest field ministry? Financial support is helpful to both those who travel from America to serve and for those learning to serve.
"Behind every set of eyes I look into there is a soul that matters to God." Your soul matters to God and your soul has been (is being and will be) touched by God’s grace through His Church. God desires the same for souls that matter to Him that are Hmong people living in Thailand. God's Kingdom is always expanding with souls that matter to Him.
Warmly yours in God's expanding Kingdom,
Pastor Jeff Prewitt
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LCMS HMONG PASTORS' CONFERENCE
After I was appointed to be the Chairman of the Hmong Pastors' Conference, I made some calls to form my committee for the next two years. Here is the Hmong Pastors' Conference committee for the next two years:
Rev. Chia Thao - chairman;
Rev. Neal Xiong - treasurer;
Rev. Faivneng Her - secretary;
Rev. Zong Houa Yang - co-chair.
Our next Hmong Pastors’ Conference is coming up in 2009 and it will be a very exciting one. We will have some games that everyone likes and we also will have some interesting topics to learn. Please be reminded that all pastors and their wives must attend this conference. The conference in 2010 will be even more exciting. We are going to have it in Thailand, if everyone agrees. I would love to have your input for the next two LCMS Hmong Pastors' conferences. May God bless you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pastor Chia Thao (Txoojzoo Thoj)
LCMS HMONG MINISTRY CONFERENCE
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!
First, I would like to thank the previous LCMS Hmong Ministry Conference board and Advisors for an outstanding job performance during 2006-2008. A job well done.
As we look forward to the future for the LCMS Hmong Ministry Conference, we will continue to strive for the best to benefit the Hmong members of The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod by bringing glory and honor to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
I, have been re-elect to a second term as President of the LCMS Hmong Ministry Conference and also serve as the new Hmong Mission Facilitator (CAME) North America Mission. I am pleased to announce the new board and advisors as their second term for 2008-2010.
Vice-President: Rev. Blong Vang
Secretary/Treasurer: Rev. Chia Thao
Advisor: Rev. Yia Vang
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I'm looking forward to working with you. Our gracious Lord will bless the Hmong Ministry as we continue to encourage each other during our gatherings whether it is the Youth Conference or Adult Conference. May God richly bless your Ministry.
Your Servant in Christ,
Lang Yang
Vicar Lang Yang, J.D., President
The conference was a success. Thank you to the following sponsors of the conference: The Michigan District LCMS, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Lutheran Laymen's League, Mary-Martha (LWML), Ladies Aid, Gideon International, St. Lorenz Lutheran Church, St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Our Savior Lutheran Church, the LCMS Hmong Ministry Conference, and the North America LCMS Hmong Ministry.
LCMS HMONG NEW HYMNAL
Good news! The liturgy and rites of the new Hmong Lutheran Hymnal has been completed. We are now doing the final edits.
It will be put into a pdf format and sent to the Lutheran Heritage Foundation to be printed.Please pray for this important project that the Hmong Ministry will have its new hymnal for worship and praising our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Vicar Lang Yang, J.D., Secretary/Treasurer
LCMS Hmong Hymnal Project