2023 a Year of Sowing & Reaping

In 2023, we experienced a profound year of planting and reaping, cultivating our roots in the foreign soil of Thailand. Planting ourselves in such a culturally rich and diverse land demanded an abundance of love—a sentiment we learned to embrace wholeheartedly.

Throughout the year, the Lord guided us to perceive the people of Thailand through His lens of love. This profound lesson became the cornerstone of our mission, prompting us to view every interaction, every challenge, and every triumph through the perspective of divine love.

The challenges of 2023 stretched our endurance and deepened our compassion for the Thai people. Navigating the complexities of daily life from a foreigner’s standpoint proved no easy feat. However, amid these challenges, God’s sovereignty shone through. His guidance and support enabled us to overcome every obstacle in our path throughout the year.

Indeed, love emerged as the key to unlocking access to the many lives that God brought into our sphere in 2023. As we reflect on the year gone by, we are reminded that love transcends language barriers, cultural differences, and the intricacies of a foreign environment. It is the universal language that opens doors and builds bridges between hearts.

Our journey in Thailand has not only been about the physical impact of our projects and initiatives but also about the profound impact of love on the lives we touched. It is a reminder that, in the grand tapestry of mission work, love is the thread that weaves everything together.

Looking ahead, we carry the lessons of 2023 with us, continuing to sow seeds of love and compassion in the fertile soil of Thailand. We remain committed to deepening our connection with the Thai people, understanding that the roots we planted this year will bear fruit in the years to come.

 – WITHIN REACH GLOBAL FOUNDATION AMAZING YEAR – 

In the past year, WithinReach Global Foundation, the organization to which we belong, has experienced significant success. As we conducted our year-end evaluation, we were pleasantly surprised to discover some remarkable numbers that reflect the impact of our collective efforts.

Among the astounding figures that emerged during our assessment, we found that:

1. The number of lives touched by our initiatives exceeded our expectations.
2. The level of community engagement and participation surpassed previous records.
3. The successful completion of various projects demonstrated the efficacy of our approach.

These numbers not only underscore the success of WithinReach Global Foundation but also highlight the commitment and dedication of each individual within our organization. Together, we have contributed to a year of meaningful impact and positive change.

 – THE FUSION STUDENT CENTER – 

Thailand’s youth stands at a crossroads, and the church faces a critical moment. The church must respond to the cries of the youth for identity and purpose; otherwise, Thailand risks losing a generation to aimlessness. The Fusion Student Center is our response to this urgent need.

The Fusion Center is located between two prominent universities–Chiang Mai University and Rajhamangla University and has a combined student population of 50,000. We aim to speak life, identity, and purpose to students through our evangelistic programs and leadership training. These efforts will be fortified by a lifestyle of worship and prayer. At the topmost floor of the Fusion Center, our Chiang Mai House of Prayer will reside, serving as the powerhouse of the entire ministry.

The Fusion Center is designed to offer students, the local church, and missionaries a non-threatening environment for students to have fun and have an opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ. 

We are making a bold claim over these universities and committing ourselves to labor tirelessly to harvest the souls of this young generation. We firmly believe that for this vision to become a reality, there must be a harmonious marriage of Prayer, Worship, and Mission. This House of Prayer will fervently contend for the destiny of Thailand’s young generation.

We invite you to stand with us in prayer as we prepare to launch the Fusion Center this month of January.

– THE MAC FAMILY –

In the midst of our busy ministry responsibilities in Chiang Mai, our primary focus has always been our children, praying fervently for their personal encounters with God, understanding their role as missionaries to their school and friends, and recognizing their place in God’s plan for Thailand.  To date, six of their classmate regularly attend our Student Alpha and they all have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

As parents, witnessing our children’s spiritual growth is incredibly rewarding. Seeing them guide their peers closer to God fills our hearts with gratitude. In our marriage, we’ve grown stronger in unity during our mission work, deepening our commitment as a couple. 

We’re enthusiastic about the diverse ministry opportunities the Lord has granted us. Whether with villagers or city residents, their openness to our efforts is evident. Despite variations in how commitment is expressed, there’s a shared dedication to positive change.

– OUR FIRST BIG PROJECT –

With the increasing demand for more frequent travel to mountain villages, we find ourselves in need of a larger and more versatile vehicle that can take us deeper into these remote areas. At present, we have been utilizing a mini-van primarily intended for city driving, but we have stretched its capabilities to serve as our workhorse. The continuous navigation of steep and rugged mountain roads has taken a toll on our trusty mini-van. For these reasons, we are now earnestly praying for the means to acquire a truck or SUV equipped with a larger engine and sturdy tires capable of handling these challenging mountain terrains.

We goal to raise a total of $18,000, which will enable us to purchase a second-hand truck or SUV in good condition that will significantly enhance our ministry outreach.

If you are interested in being part of this project, email us at themacsonmission@gmail.com and we will provide you with more details on how you can help us.

WE ARE ALWAYS GRATEFUL

As we bid farewell to 2023, we express our gratitude to you all, our partners who have been instrumental in this transformative journey. Your love and encouragement have fueled our mission, and we are excited about the possibilities that the coming year holds.

May 2024 be a year of continued growth, deeper connections, and abundant love for all.

VISA

Securing a long-term visa has been our primary challenge during our stay in Thailand. Thankfully, due to all your prayers, we find ourselves now in the final stages of obtaining a long-term visa. This visa will not only grant us the privilege to stay in the country but will also alleviate any stress related to immigration issues.

We express our deep gratitude for the support and prayers that have accompanied us on this journey. Your encouragement has been a source of strength, and we are optimistic about the positive resolution of this visa process.

As we approach the final steps, we look forward to the prospect of continuing our work and mission in Thailand without the looming concerns of immigration challenges.

MINISTRY

The Fusion Center 
-Wisdom upon our leadership in building The Fusion Center. 
-Continuous provision and funding.

Alpha Courses and Discipleship
-Please pray for continuous expansion, to empower more pastors and leaders in using The Alpha as a tool for evangelism. Pray that the local churches be on fire for discipleship and that the Lord empowers us in this movement.

FAMILY

Constant Covering and Protection

Please continue praying for our family’s protection and good health.  John now travels weekly to Lamphun Province conducting discipleship training for the local pastors. Please include in your prayers our parents’ health and daily protection in the Philippines.

Provision for Finances

We need financial partners to sustain our work here in Thailand.

1. Provision for our trip to Penang, Malaysia, to apply for new visas. As of the moment, the Thai Embassy in Penang is the only embassy in the region where we have positive feedback in issuing Volunteer Visas for families. 
2. Children’s Education. Jethro and Kari started going to a Christian school here in Chiang Mai (also an A.C.E. school). It has helped much with their adjustment.  Soon Reese will be attending the same school. We are praying for constant provision for their tuition fees.
3. We also need health insurance.  This will help us tremendously with our medical needs. 

Anointing and Godly Wisdom for the Ministry

We are dependent on the Holy Spirit’s empowering to do the work of preaching the gospel and discipleship in this place. Sometimes it feels like Thailand is such a hard ground for the gospel but we also know that it’s a kairos moment for this nation for the gospel to explode and bring many souls to the Kingdom of God. We need so much of God’s guidance and anointing to do the ministry.