PMI Missionaries
Natee & Bee Tanchanpongs
Ministry Area: Thailand
Responsibilities: Campus ministry
E-mail Address: natee4covenant@hotmail.com
Natee returned to Thailand after completing his M.Div. in 2000. He joined a cooperative effort with the MTW church-planting team in Bangkok. The team's strategy involves direct church planting, university ministry, and community development/mercy ministry. To find out more about this church planting effort in Bangkok, visit the team's website at www.mtwthailand.org.
After their marriage in May 2002, Natee and Bee moved to Chicago so that Natee could begin the Ph.D. program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Systematic Theology. Following the birth of their daughter Maisie in April and the completion of his doctoral work in May 2007, Natee is back in Thailand teaching at the Bangkok Bible College and Seminary and rejoining the MTW church planting team. He sees this as a great opportunity to lay a well-grounded biblical foundation for the Thai church.
Latest Report: (updated 5/25/2010)
Dear Partners in the Ministry,
How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, "Violence!" but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted. — Habakkuk 1:2-4
When I read this passage at church a couple of weeks ago, the congregation fell silent. The human condition has not changed since Habakkuk was penned more than 2500 years ago, so has our plea to God. We are getting through this round of violence caused by the red shirts. It would take too long to elaborate on the situation, but this picture should describe well how most people in Thailand feel about who is behind the conflicts and destructions.
Thailand political situation is complicated, so please use cautions as you read and listen to the news about what has transpired here. To make matters worse, the former MP, Thaksin, has hired a lobbyist firm to spread half truths and at times false information about the current situation in Thailand. In the end, he is willing to do anything to reclaim his assets that were lawfully seized, to force pardon for crimes he has already been convicted, to return to power, and to pay back those who have worked to overthrow him. His methods include arson, inciting riots, organizing armed rebellion and terrorism. It has been relatively quiet for a few days now, but this will probably not last. Unless God intervenes, acts of violence will likely continue in Bangkok and many cities here in a foreseeable future. Today, the Thai Supreme Court will deliberate whether to issue an arrest warrant to Thaksin as the leader of a terrorist movement. While Bin Laden’s atrocious acts were aimed at his enemies on a foreign soil, our former MP did this to his own people. If it were not for the military’s patience and mitigation, the casualties could have been much higher.
Given all this, it is not accurate to place all the blame on this man as wicked as he may be. The problems of extortions, mistreatments of the poor and other forms of injustice and corruption (just to name a few) have permeated the Thai society for a long time. Most of the demonstrators have come because they have suffered under these conditions, and their needs have not been seriously addressed by anyone. Perhaps this is the silver lining and the wakeup call. Perhaps the church needs to step up and be a better caretaker of our society. With this latter turn of events, Thai Christians might realize that we have to do more than evangelism. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ compels a holistic mission that addresses among other things the problems of extortions, poverty, injustice and corruption – to stand up and care for the orphans and widows of our time and to fight against forms of dishonest scales of our days.
Let me give you a quick update on the other fronts. BBS starts up in a couple of weeks. The teaching load is the same as last year, but I hope to also do some research on a little writing project. Maisie is now in K1 (Thai children begin schooling a little sooner than the US kids). She is down to 2 more chemo treatments. Meno is walking and is extremely inquisitive. His smile is absolutely contagious. Bee continues to help out with worship at church and mentoring a church member and a staff woman.
Thank you for your prayers for us and for Thailand during this difficult period. Please continue to pray that God will be glorified even in the midst of this and that he will bring increasing justice and righteousness and peace to this nation the badly needed redemption.
Blessings,
Natee, Bee, Maisie & Meno
Presbyterian Mission International
12330 Conway Road
St. Louis, Missouri 63141
Telephone: (314) 434-4044
Fax: (314) 434-4819
