Groth Report April 2009

From the Word

When Jesus tasted the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and died. John 19:30.

It is always amazing where little blips come in language and you know there is something that is just not understood. On the Saturday before Easter we stopped by the church we attend when we’re in Phnom Penh just to check if there were any changes in the worship schedule for Easter Sunday. The only people at the church were five young people with limited English. Since I have limited Khmer our discussion was confusing at best. When I asked about the Easter services the one young man just shrugged and said, “It’s all over. It was yesterday.” I asked more questions but he remained steadfast in his answer, “It’s all over!!” Now I knew there would be Easter services there, and somehow we had just misunderstood each other. Chuck and I both laughed at his answer until we got to thinking quite seriously what a great Easter message his response would make.

Current Events

Yes, it is all over. The more we work outside the US the more we are blessed to meet people from all over the world that worship Jesus as their risen Lord and Savior. This month we were excited to host our daughter and son-in-law, Mark and Kristyn Rupp. They got a little broader picture of “it’s all over” as we shared in the special service of farewell for Pastor and Mrs. Hedtke from Thailand. It was great to share with Hedtkes that their mission was not “all over” but would be with them wherever they went.

Kristyn and Mark traveled with us to mission sites “all over” Cambodia. They especially got a taste of people who realize what Jesus meant when he said, “It’s all over!!” They experience a great Sunday service of Battambang saints who sang and shared God’s Word. They saw the beginnings of preparation for Jesus’, “It’s all over victory ” on Easter Sunday with props for the drama and new beaded paraments for the altar.
Kristyn and Mark enfolded by tree roots at Anchor Wat  

 

The big event for the month was our prelenten Southeast Asia GEO missionary retreat. GEO’s from Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia met together to learn more about each other’s mission and to study God’s Word together. Their study focused on being more like Jesus using themes from Holy Week. It was great to share Christ’s victory “all over again” with fellow Christians. Our communion service reminded us that our sins were now “all over” and forgiven. As we encouraged each other we realized that the message that we really had to share was, “It’s all over!!” Yes, Christ’s suffering and death assures us that the victory is won!!! He lives!! The sting of death is “all over.”
  Easter service at Salvation Lutheran Church, Chiayi, Taiwan

 

While Easter Sunday is “all over” its message and Christ’s victory live on.
A woman in Buddhist temple throws blocks to “read” her fortune  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Christian love,

 

Chuck and Jeanette Groth

 

Thanks to God for Prayers Answered:

  • Good time with Mark & Kristyn
  • Safe travel to and from Taiwan
  • Good time in God’s Word
  • Good health

 

 
Our “muscle” in Taiwan – James from Viet Nam and Seth from Cambodia  

 

Continue to Pray for:

  • Safe travel for Jeanette to Indonesia
  • Good teaching time for Chuck at Life University and with our students
  • Good preparation for stateside time
  • Discernment for God’s direction in the work here
  • Continued good health

 
  Chuck and Jeanette at the Tropic of Cancer near Chiayi, Taiwan

 

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