Cross Rhythms Thailand

In June 2011, out of the blue a contact in Thailand met the Chief Exec of the main local radio station, Thai National Radio, in the Chainat area of central Thailand. The next week after a Skype conference call a wonderful opportunity opened up for a weekly Cross Rhythms radio show to run for a six-month trial period every Saturday night.

The station covers seven provinces and it is the Thai equivalent of the BBC! Plus the Chief Exec has said that if the show goes well she will pitch it to the national network! How amazing!

The Cross Rhythms model of radio is not to 'import' our UK programmes - it is to work in partnership with local Christians and local churches to deliver relevant programming in the local language. So we were thrilled when God revealed a wonderful young Christian man in Thailand with a passion for God who is perfect to broadcast the show live every week. And so, since August 2011 DJ Mark Kittikhun has been presenting the show in Thai.

Then the floods came! These are the worst floods in 50 years and the base where Mark lives, Manorom Christian Centre, is under two metres of water! All roads into the city are flooded and so is the local radio station, which means the radio show is on hold at the moment until we can restart it.

However the spirits of the Christians in the region are still high. Here is a recent report we have received from Miss Busakorn who runs the centre:

Floods In Thailand

Though the fig tree does not blossom…….
Yet will I rejoice in the LORD….
God the Lord is my strength. Habakkuk 3 v 17 to 19

It is six weeks since the flood waters covered the whole compound of the centre. Imagine the damage to orchards, market gardens and rice fields. What does one do with ones animals? What of our homes and work places? How does one rejoice in the Lord in these circumstances? Yet there is much to be thankful for.

The flood dropped twice during this time and the team here set to with scrubbing and cleaning the wards and the outside walls. What a discouragement when the water rose again, yet it did not enter the wards again. Today, we are scrubbing again in the belief that the end is in sight and yet Bangkok (including the region of the OMF HQ and Home) is still battling against the spread of floods. One high tide has just passed and the next is due in about 10 days.

When one comes over the dyke on the way into Manorom one is suddenly transported into a new world! From the world where much of the water has gone down and only the fields on the Chainat side of the road are still flooded, one rises 2-3 meters into a world where the water is lapping at either side of the road and forms a lake as far as one can see up to the next dyke road just past the church.

The Manorom market town is nearly dry now and people are moving back into their homes after staying with friends or relatives, in tents in the roads, or renting at Harng Nam. It is not pretty! The river had swept over its banks with force and the townside of the road is cut away in many places, walls have collapsed and everything is covered with stagnant mud and rubbish, as we must expect when it finally dries here.

Some of the Christians are at Harng Nam campsite (they moved back here once but had to flee again almost immediately.) We had about 20 gathered for a service there on Sunday as well as a small group here in OPD. Some of us are camped in the OPD building including Dr.Weraphan whose house in Bangkok is also flooded. Clinics are still being held Monday to Friday. Dr. Wera comes daily from Nakornsawan. They have just had a big cleanup in that city about 50km north of us.

Churches have used this time to reach out together with local groups, distributing food, clothing and other supplies. One team of 25 from a Chiengmai CCT church chose to come to Manorom and discovered that Busakorn was in Chiengmai at the time and was able to join them and make all the contacts they needed including getting 3000 eggs boiled at a local restaurant which was happy to do it as their contribution.

After they left, Busakorn went to stay with Nok, a new Christian living at Tak Fa and as a result her parents were lead to faith in the Lord and are keen to clear their home of all their spirit paraphernalia. Next weekend a group will go to help them complete this. Nok’s father is handicapped from a stroke and is especially thrilled to know “the package of salvation”.

We will need lots of help as soon as the water really recedes; cleaning, repairing, painting, replanting especially in the conference centre which has been the most inaccessible. Donations can be used to replace equipment.

If anyone would like to help us financially, please send to the foundation account as following:

Account name: Christian Leprosy Foundation
Bank: CIMB Thai
Account number: 310-2-03030-7
Saving account
Manorom branch
Swift code: UBOBTHBK

Thank you for your help.

May the Lord bless you and your family,

Miss Busakorn Rungvachira (MCC Administrator).