I’ve been asked to speak in the Discipleship Training School here. Monday – Friday 9-1.
“Faith and Finances,” and “Worship as a lifestyle” are my topics. I would sure appreciate your prayers for this time. This is the realization of a dream that I had a few years back. I feel quite inadequate, and humbled by this opportunity. I have been preparing, and Heidi Baker gave me a prep strategy too. She says before she speaks she quite often lays on the floor and cries out, “Oh God, O God, O God….”

Just 3 weeks left in Myanmar, one in Chiang Mai Thailand, then home to San Francisco on the 29th. We will spend a few days with Carol’s family, a night in K-Falls, then back to Salem.

I gave some literature to some students of Carol’s yesterday. In it I included a note inviting them to explore the claims of Jesus. Borrowing from CS Lewis, I said:

” Many religions believe that Jesus was a great teacher, or maybe a prophet. He didn’t leave us that option. He claimed to be the son of God. The only Son of God, and the only way to truly know God. This is the most important question you will ever have to answer. “Who is Jesus?”

He is my Savior, my redeemer, healer, friend and God. He is the object of my worship, the purpose for my life.”

Thank you for your prayers for us, and for our new friends here.

Fred and Carol

Hello to all our friends and family! It’s still so amazing that we are here and we’re already half way through our time. The time really is going by so fast! Although I miss home, family and friends it’s hard to think about leaving here. As I think about the last 6 weeks and the time we have left, a question we discussed in one of our school staff meetings comes to mind, a story really about perspective:

A man is walking one day and passes a construction site. He asks one worker, “What are you doing?” The man replies, “I’m laying bricks.” He continued on his way and came to another worker, “What are you doing?” he asked again. This man replied, “I’m building a wall.” Still he continued on and stopped to ask one more worker, “What are you doing?” This worker replied “I’m building a cathedral!”.

Each one was doing the same thing, yet each had a different response. The question we pondered is which worker are you? I wanted to say of course, I’m building the cathedral! Yet is that really my perspective? Honestly, no. I see His kingdom as the end result and sometimes at the end of the day I can stand back and say, yes Lord, I can see this is a wall. Most days, I do my best to lay bricks, living in the here and now as this is where He has called me and equipped me for today!

So each day I ask Him to make me the best English teacher I can be. We have so many opportunities to speak love and encouragement into our students lives, something they don’t often experience in the sphere of education here. Lord, keep our hearts and eyes open to the opportunities! Almost half of our students are Buddhist! Join us in praying for them. Pray for us, that we would become more like Jesus with every brick we lay so that all of our students will experience Him.

The end of this week brings many celebrations to Yangon. Friday is Union Day and a Buddhist holiday, new moon I think. Saturday is a revered general’s birthday, Sunday is the Chinese New Year and of course, Valentines Day! The city has come alive with mini carnivals, and migrant merchants setting up booths all along the road side. The “grocery store” is full of special foods for the New Year and they even have Valentines gifts. We’ve received several invites to parties!

We pray that as the world celebrates this season of love, you will know the greatest love of all. Thank you all for your prayers and love for us. We love and miss you.

Carol and Fred

Our school is a 20 minute bus ride from the house. The bus costs 10 cents. A taxi would cost $2. The ride to church is twice as long and cost twice as much. Since the service starts at 2:30, we’ve avoided the bus, because we desired to arrive “fresh.” However, we are going to attempt the bus today so as to save the taxi fare. The church is bilingual with the pastor from Singapore speaking in English. If we leave early, we’ll have time to “freshen up” after we get there.

Our internet cafe is a five minute walk and costs 40 cents an hour. We eat a large lunch at the school M-W-F and fend for ourselves for breakfast. We have dinner with the family a few times a week, and cold cereal in our room a few days a week.

The guitar lessons with the orphan children are going well. They have 10 guitars available, so I have 10 girls the first hour, and 10 boys the next. The boys are more advanced. After the first session, I realized that they don’t need guitar lessons. As I prayed about it I thought, “How about instruction on leading worship?” So I’m asking the Lord to give me wisdom in teaching them to lead worship. What an awesome privilege.

I have been emailing with Alan weekly, and FB with Rachael and Amber. Jaime is busy with school, so we aren’t able to chat as often. We haven’t seen our grandchilden for two years now so are praying about a trip to Colorado soon.

I finally was able to upload some pictures, (you have to start early in the morning!) so if you visit our site www.welykins.com you can see them there.

Blessings to you and yours!
Fred and Carol

Photos

Videos

We have finished our first week of English teaching. Carol is the teacher, I’m her assistant. I grade homework, arrange chairs, and when the CD player doesn’t work, read a script to the class with her. Personally, I think the live reading is better than listening to a tape.

Classes are M-W- F from 9-10:45 and 11:15 – 1:00. We have the advanced class level A, and advanced level B.

There is also a weekly staff meeting for the company, and a staff meeting for the school.

Yesterday, I was asked to speak to 60 children from the 4 orphanages that the company operates. The National Director was my translator, (Carol said I couldn’t have gotten a better translator!) I spoke about how there are many promises available for us to experience, to walk in. The Fruit of the Spirit, Rivers of Living Water, Fullness of the Spirit, The Gift of Righteousness, and my most recent target- An Undivided Heart.

How do we obtain these gifts? (I know that they are already mine in Christ, but where is the experience?) Faith, trust, ask and receive. In a nutshell, BELIEVE. Believe that He is good and a giver of good gifts. Believe that He desires to give these gifts to us. Believe that in Christ we are worthy of these gifts. I am convinced that each of us experience all that we truly desire from Him. If we are not experiencing His provision, could it be a lack of desire that is the problem?

He has no lack. “Those who hunger AND thirst after righteousness SHALL BE FILLED!”

Lord, forgive me for filling my belly with other stuff, junk food as it were. May I only desire the diet of YOU.

After the teaching, the National Director took Carol and I aside and we discussed giving guitar lessons to the 20 or so children who desire them. So, on Tuesday and Thursday I will be going to the orphanage and giving guitar lessons. That will be interesting. He then took us to his office, set us up online, and served us lunch. What a humble servant!

As you brush your teeth, remember our students who are ignorant of the hope of abundant,eternal, supernatural life that is available TODAY to all who call on His name.

Thanks again for your love and support! We are here because of your faithfulness.

Fred and Carol
New Email www.welykins@gmail.com
Feel free to share our website info with any mission minded friends.
We are both also on Facebook.

We are excited to be working with Miss L and the English school. Yesterday we interviewed about 25 students in a placement test. It’s amazing to me that they are able to write in an English alphabet (theirs is a Siam type script) and communicate why they want to learn English. Not all of these students will actually take the classes, some are just curious to get a placement level established. Carol will be teaching upper level English. There are also teachers from Oklahoma, Switzerland, Michigan. There is also a German class with a German teacher, Katrine.

While at the school a few days ago, I attempted to read my email on my Yahoo account. Impossible. The powers that be block Yahoo. So, please correspond with this Gmail account. For whatever reason, it is not blocked. Thank you Father!

We are staying with a family with three children. The father, is from the Cook Islands (think Samoan) and the mother, . is from Michigan. The children call us Uncle and Auntie. Rachel is 11, Joshua 7, and Rebecca is 4. We are enjoying them, and they us!

There are also two Burmese cousins who live in the home and take care of cooking and laundry. Dabway and Koo koo are great cooks, and Dabway sings constantly. Her song is often in Burmese, but the melody may be a hymn that is familiar, so when I can, I sing along.

I’ve been asked to repair some furniture, and fix “stuff,” as well as assist Carol in her class. Miss L is not sure what exactly I’ll be doing, but she is confident that she can keep me busy. There is some talk of teaching guitar lessons to children in a local orphanage. That would be wonderful.

We were able to visit the local school, (like the one we work with in Salem) today. This is where we are able to email from. They have had schools here for 10 years with 10 -20 students.

Those of you who send fwds, I would ask that you hold off until our return, as our internet time is quite limited here. Personal notes would be greatly appreciated though!

Carol and I flew out of SFO last night just past midnight. We arrived in Taipei 14 hours later. The weird thing is it’s 6:30 in the morning on the 2nd of January. We flew in the dark chasing the sun, and have arrived just before sunup. Since we crossed the International Date Line it’s no longer the 1st, but the 2nd. I think our new years day lasted for about 7 hours.

We had two meals, and 4 movies on the flight. I need a shave but we won’t be reunited with our bags until Bangkok…. about noon Bangkok time.

Thanks for your prayers. We would encourage you to pray for us often! Like when you brush your teeth!
While brushing your upper teeth, pray for our relationship to our Heavenly Father.
While brushing your lower teeth, pray for our relationships with those whom we meet, and work with.
While rinsing your mouth, pray that the words we speak would be sweet to the hearer. We desire to be led of the spirit to such a degree that the lost would see Jesus in us.

Blessings to you!
Fred and Carol

December 22, 2009

Thank you Father, you have preserved my life, and the lives of my wife and son.

You are worthy of praise, adoration…. of my life. You have rescued me, and redeemed me for your purposes for another day. Perhaps for 50 more years. May I not take for granted this life.

A long day’s drive. A good dinner with Turkey soup, salad, wine. A dark and rain drenched road. More miles to come. Miles to go before I sleep.

We had just left Alan’s grandmother’s home in North San Juan, and were headed for Carol’s parents home 2 and a half hours south. I had driven this road several times before, but not in the past 10 years. The car behind me had caught me, and he knew the road, perhaps I should let him lead the way. Or just speed up a little.

I didn’t see the stop sign approaching. Carol didn’t either. Finally, it clicked that we were approaching the intersection of State Hwy 49. Brakes. I needed brakes. There weren’t any, or at least not much on this slick pavement. I took my foot off the pedal and jabbed it again and again. I remembered how earlier I had noticed the orange “plus” sign indicating that Tyler Foote crossed Hwy 49, it was not a tee intersection! I looked to see where the road exited the intersection so as to avoid missing it and sliding into a ditch. It would not be imperative to turn onto 49 at a high rate of speed, I could just go straight, if I could avoid the cross traffic. If they could avoid me!

I saw the lights from the south, but it was too late to do anything about them. They would have to use evasive action. As I slid into the intersection, those lights veered and went behind me. I don’t know how close, but I knew that it was way too close. Sliding onto 49 I saw that I could make the turn to the south and did so without breaking traction. No cars from the north. There was another car stopped from the south. Did he see the impending collision and stop, or was he already stopped for another reason? I didn’t stop to ask.

The car that had missed me did not stop, His brake lights faded to tail lights and he continued to his destination. I never did stop for that stop sign. But now I was really awake. Totally, vividly awake. Carol, Alan and I spoke of how we had a near death experience. We were thankful that our angels were alert. We were thankful that God had spared our lives. We were not deserving of more life, but God in His providence had granted yet more life! He had more purposes for us to fulfill, and forgiveness that extended to my actions, even beyond my ability to ask.

I told Alan that he almost met God that night. He could have requested to see His video library. He could check out Noah’s flood, David and Goliath! … or perhaps even the video of our near miss.

Thank you Father! You have given us life. More than we deserve, more than we even experience. I do want to experience all that you have for me. Open my eyes! Keep me alert. I know that your angels are surrounding me, protecting me, and even providing opportunities for service. If. If I am alert. Alert enough to see what you are up to. Keep me alert.

Thank you for your prayers! They are effective! Carol and I are in Buckhorn, CA at her parents home for the next few days. Then to my brother Tom’s in Penn Valley. He will take us to San Francisco on New Year’s Eve for our flight to Yangon, Myanmar.

We hope to be able to update regularly from there.

God bless you and yours!
Merry Christmas
Fred and Carol

December 22, 2009

Thank you Father, you have preserved my life, and the lives of my wife and son.

You are worthy of praise, adoration…. of my life. You have rescued me, and redeemed me for your purposes for another day. Perhaps for 50 more years. May I not take for granted this life.

A long day’s drive. A good dinner with Turkey soup, salad, wine. A dark and rain drenched road. More miles to come. Miles to go before I sleep.

We had just left Alan’s grandmother’s home in North San Juan, and were headed for Carol’s parents home 2 and a half hours south. I had driven this road several times before, but not in the past 10 years. The car behind me had caught me, and he knew the road, perhaps I should let him lead the way. Or just speed up a little.

I didn’t see the stop sign approaching. Carol didn’t either. Finally, it clicked that we were approaching the intersection of State Hwy 49. Brakes. I needed brakes. There weren’t any, or at least not much on this slick pavement. I took my foot off the pedal and jabbed it again and again. I remembered how earlier I had noticed the orange “plus” sign indicating that Tyler Foote crossed Hwy 49, it was not a tee intersection! I looked to see where the road exited the intersection so as to avoid missing it and sliding into a ditch. It would not be imperative to turn onto 49 at a high rate of speed, I could just go straight, if I could avoid the cross traffic. If they could avoid me!

I saw the lights from the south, but it was too late to do anything about them. They would have to use evasive action. As I slid into the intersection, those lights veered and went behind me. I don’t know how close, but I knew that it was way too close. Sliding onto 49 I saw that I could make the turn to the south and did so without breaking traction. No cars from the north. There was another car stopped from the south. Did he see the impending collision and stop, or was he already stopped for another reason? I didn’t stop to ask.

The car that had missed me did not stop, His brake lights faded to tail lights and he continued to his destination. I never did stop for that stop sign. But now I was really awake. Totally, vividly awake. Carol, Alan and I spoke of how we had a near death experience. We were thankful that our angels were alert. We were thankful that God had spared our lives. We were not deserving of more life, but God in His providence had granted yet more life! He had more purposes for us to fulfill, and forgiveness that extended to my actions, even beyond my ability to ask.

I told Alan that he almost met God that night. He could have requested to see His video library. He could check out Noah’s flood, David and Goliath! … or perhaps even the video of our near miss.

Thank you Father! You have given us life. More than we deserve, more than we even experience. I do want to experience all that you have for me. Open my eyes! Keep me alert. I know that your angels are surrounding me, protecting me, and even providing opportunities for service. If. If I am alert. Alert enough to see what you are up to. Keep me alert.

Thank you for your prayers! They are effective! Carol and I are in Buckhorn, CA at her parents home for the next few days. Then to my brother Tom’s in Penn Valley. He will take us to San Francisco on New Year’s Eve for our flight to Yangon, Myanmar.

We hope to be able to update regularly from there.

God bless you and yours!
Merry Christmas

Fred and Carol

On Nov 7th, Carol and I went to Yachatts, OR to a beach house that is owned by a missionary family. They allow other missionaries to stay for a small donation, or in our case we did some deep cleaning and repairs. What a joy to be with my bride one on one for a week!

We washed all the windows inside and out, including cleaning the mold, De-cob web the living room ceiling, removed and dusted the train and nic-nacs on the window sill, cleaned out the hair ball in the master bath sink, reattached the “gutter” on the shower door so as to drain into the shower, stripped and re-waxed the kitchen floor, sanded and refinished the worn word work on the kitchen cabinets and counter moldings, rebuilt the light above the sink, cleaned out the rain gutters, mowed the lawn, fixed the leak in the chimney, replaced rotten wood under the top window on deck, and attached the slider window to the downstairs storm door. Scraped excess caulk from the deck windows and reopened the drain on each window so the water wouldn’t accumulate and rot the sills. (The list was longer, but Carol asked me to edit it.) )

All in all we had a restful time in Yachatts! The library there issued us a card, so we could check out movies…. as many as we wanted! (They treat us better than the Salem library!)
We came back to Salem and started with the maintenance crew here. I’ve been busy with raking leaves, cleaning out the rain gutters, and doing some tile work in the bathrooms. Carol was able to borrow some upholstery tools from her mother, so she has found it easier to re upholster the couches here on the base.

We also visited our “home church” in Klamath Falls on the weekend before Thanksgiving. We had a good time of sharing with our family there, then to Carol’s sister’s home in Tennant for a Kear family Thanksgiving. Yeah God! Good food, and lots of time to visit with our new niece and nephew.

We are excited about our upcoming trip to Myanmar. Teaching English allows us to have lots of contacts there and they want to talk with us! What a deal, we get to love on them! We plan on leaving on January 1, and returning on March 29th. I can’t guarantee regular communication, but we will take our laptop just in case!

We had a good start on our support raising for our upcoming trip. About half of the needed money has come in for our airfare. Please continue to lift up our need there, and remember to pray that we would glorify Christ in all of our activity!

I will post some more pictures on our website www.welykins.com wrapping up our time in Mexico, and our time in Yachatts.

May you experience the wonderful presence of our Lord and King…. daily! And may people notice the Prince of Peace hanging out with you!

Merry Christmas,
Love,
Fred and Carol

Photos

Videos

Looking over the past 8 weeks in Mexico, we marvel at what God did through our students.
Working with the “la vida” church in Tepic we were part of a national revival called “One Mexico, one voice.” For perhaps the first time in history many pastors around the nation came together to pray and worship together. My understanding is that the President of the nation asked a pastor to get the church praying, and this was the result.

In addition, relationship with YWAM and the local church was healed from a rift of 15 years. Simple service, love, and giving restored trust between these two parties. Thank you Jesus!

In the nursing home the patients went from blank stares to happy smiles as we continued to visit them several times per week. We visited, washed out bed sores, changed diapers, bathed, shaved, sang and danced with them. One man, Feliciano, came to church with me on our last Sunday, and met his niece there. In addition her daughter and granddaughter were there! Four generations united in the church. Yeah God!

We provided funds for a storage room to be built, then painted it, built shelves, and removed the clutter from the rest of the home. We had a party the last week there and were honored by the staff. It was a moving experience. Lots of hugs and tears.

We helped with English classes at a local university, held services in a rehab center, provided a health clinic in a mountain village, and met with the youth group in the “la vida” (life) church.

Our last two weeks were spent in Bucerias. It is a town about 20 miles north of Puerta Vallarta. The weather there was quite a bit warmer than Tepic. We painted an orphanage, passed out food to the poor with the “La Fuente” (fountain) church, helped with a volleyball tournament, picked up garbage on the beach, and led worship in the church service.

Our drive home started after church on Sunday with stops over night in Mazatlan, Hermisillo, Palm Springs, and Chico. Thursday evening I was in Carol’s arms after almost 9 weeks of separation. It was nice to be home!

Aside from the many lives who were touched by God along the way, our students lives have been impacted for eternity. Several of them desire to come back and work with YWAM in reaching this world for Jesus. People who were timid and full of fear have become bold in sharing their faith, and encouraging others to pursue a life long relationship with Jesus. To be a part in this transformation has been an awesome priviledge.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support! You have a reward waiting for you in Heaven for your contribution in this ministry!

Next up, Carol and I are planning a 12 week outreach to Myanmar starting in January. Carol took half of our school last year to Yangon, Myanmar to teach English in a YWAM school there. Since that time it has been on her heart to return and teach for a full term. The doors have opened for us to come in January, so we are looking to God to show us how to move through those doors. In addtion to assisting in the English teaching, I anticipate returning to Thailand (it’s just next door!) and visiting the children of the “Home of Joy” orphanage. If we are Face Book friends, I have a photo of the children there!

Please join us in prayer as we seek God’s provison for our trip to Myanmar. Our monthly support is sufficient, but we will need about $3,000 for airfare by December 10th. We thank you for your prayers and would love to hear what God has to say through you. We are dedicating this next week to prayer for His heart for our time in Myanmar and then direction afterward.

Grace to you!
Fred and Carol
www.welykins.com

Videos

Photos